Here the Porter adherents became absolutely sure of the character of Peter’s speech, and hissed.

“Nor is it Imperial Caesar alone,” continued Maguire, “against whom he turns his poniard.  Not content with one foul murder, he turns against Caesar’s friends.  By devilish innuendo, he charges the honorable Mr. Kennedy and myself with bargaining to deceive the American people.  I call on him for proof or retraction.”

The convention laughed.  Peter rose and said:  “Mr. Chairman, I gave a truthful account of what actually took place last evening in the United States hotel.  I made no charges.”

“But you left the impression that Mr. Kennedy and I had made a deal,” shrieked Maguire.

“If the gentleman draws that conclusion from what passed, it is not my fault.”

The convention laughed.  “Do you mean to charge such a bargain?” angrily shouted Maguire.

“Will you deny it?” asked Peter calmly.

“Then you do charge it?”

Here the convention laughed for the third time.  Green shouted “deny it,” and the cry was taken up by many of the delegates.

“Yes,” screamed Maguire.  “I do deny it”

Peter turned to Kennedy.  “Do you too, deny it?”

“Yes,” shouted Kennedy, loudly.

Again the convention laughed.

“Then,” said Peter, “if I had charged you with a bargain, I should now find it necessary to apologize.”

The convention roared.  Maguire screamed something, but it could not be heard.  The tenor of his remarks was indicated by his red face and clinched fist.

Costell smiled his deep smile.  “I’m very glad,” he said to the man next him, “that we didn’t pick Stirling up.”

Then Milton was nominated and seconded, as were also Catlin, and four minor stars.  That done, a ballot was taken and the vote stood: 

Porter           206
Milton           197
Catlin            52
Scattering        29

A second ballot showed: 

Porter           206
Milton           202
Catlin            54
Scattering        22

A third ballot gave: 

Porter           206
Milton           210
Catlin            52
Scattering        16

“Porter’s done for on the next,” was whispered round the hall, though where it started, no one knew.  Evidently his adherents thought so, for one made a motion to adjourn.  It was voted down, and once more the roll call started.

“I shall vote for Milton,” Peter told Schlurger, and the changes in the delegations as the call proceeded, proved that many changes were being made the same way.  Yet the fourth ballot showed: 

Porter           125
Milton           128
Catlin           208
Scattering        14

The wildest excitement broke out in the Porter delegates.  “They’ve beaten us,” screamed Kennedy, as much to himself as to those about.  “They’ve used Milton to break our ranks, meaning Catlin all the time.”  So in truth, it was.  Milton had been put up to draw off Porter’s delegates, but the moment they had begun to turn to Milton, enough New York City delegates had been transferred to Catlin to prevent Milton being chosen.  Amid protests and angry words on all sides another ballot was taken: