"Rellihan, Morrison will fire you off the force if it happens that a
United States Senator has to wait in this office."

The officer pulled off his helmet and plucked a card from the sweatband.
"It says here, 'Kape 'em in order, be firm but pleasant, tell 'em to wait
in turn, and'--for meself--'to do no more talking than necessary.' If
there's to be a new rule to fit the case of Senators, the same will
prob'bly be handed to me as soon as Senators are common on the
calling-list." He put up a hand in front of the colonel's face--a broad
and compelling hand. "Now I'm going along on the old orders and the clock
tells ye that ye have a scant twinty minutes to wait. And if I do any more
talking, of the kind that ain't necessary, I'll break a rule. Be aisy,
Colonel Shaw!" He resumed his noisy promenade.

Mac Tavish was back on the stool and he clashed glances with Colonel Shaw
with alacrity.

"There'll be an upheaval in this office, Mac Tavish."

"Aye! If ye make one more step toward the mill door ye'll not ken of a
certainty whaur ye'll land when ye're upheaved."

After a few minutes of the silence of that armed truce, Miss Bunker
tiptoed over to Mac Tavish, making an excuse of a sheet of paper which she
laid before him; the paper was blank. "Daddy Mac!" Miss Bunker enjoyed
that privilege in nomenclature along with other privileges usually won in
offices by young ladies who know how to do their work well and are able to
smooth human nature the right way. She went on in a solicitous whisper.
"We must be sure that we're not making any office mistake. This being
Senator Corson!"