"You little liar!" broke in Ludlow.

The Governor held up his hand. "You had your chance. Let him have
his."

"You see, Governor," began Freckles, as if anxious to set right
a great wrong which had been done him, "the car is acting bad.
The engineer said only this morning it needed a going over. When
it took that awful shoot, I lost control of it. Maybe I'm to be
discharged for losing control of it, but not"--Freckles sniffled
pathetically---"but not for anything like what he says I done. Why
Governor," he went on, ramming his knuckles into his eyes, "I ain't
got nothing against him! What'd I take him to the attic for?"

"Of course not for money," sneered Mr. Ludlow.

The Governor turned on him sharply. "When you can bring any proof of
that, I'll be ready to hear it. Until you can, you'd better leave it
out of the question."

"Strange it should have happened this very afternoon," put in the
eminent lobbyist.

The Governor looked at him with open countenance. "You were
especially interested in something this afternoon? I thought you
told me you had no vital interest here this session."

There was nothing to be said. Mr. Ludlow said nothing.

"Now, William," pursued the Governor, fearful in his heart that this