So gravely had the farce been carried on that I almost laughed, despite the fact that the matter in question was a serious one for me.  The Governor held out his hand, and I accepted my dismissal.

I had not gone fifty steps in the corridor before I heard the Colonel’s voice in my ear.

“We had to give him a little rope to go through with his act,” he whispered confidentially.  “But he’ll sign it all right.  And now, if you’ll excuse me, Mr. Paret, I’ll lay a few mines.  See you at the hotel, sir.”

Thus he indicated, delicately, that it would be better for me to keep out of sight.  On my way to the Potts House the bizarre elements in the situation struck me again with considerable force.  It seemed so ridiculous, so puerile to have to go through with this political farce in order that a natural economic evolution might be achieved.  Without doubt the development of certain industries had reached a stage where the units in competition had become too small, when a greater concentration of capital was necessary.  Curiously enough, in this mental argument of justification, I left out all consideration of the size of the probable profits to Mr. Scherer and his friends.  Profits and brains went together.  And, since the Almighty did not limit the latter, why should man attempt to limit the former?  We were playing for high but justifiable stakes; and I resented the comedy which an hypocritical insistence on the forms of democracy compelled us to go through.  It seemed unworthy of men who controlled the destinies of state and nation.  The point of view, however, was consoling.  As the day wore on I sat in the Colonel’s room, admiring the skill with which he conducted the campaign:  a green country lawyer had been got to introduce the bill, it had been expedited to the Committee on the Judiciary, which would have an executive session immediately after dinner.  I had ventured to inquire about the hearings.

“There won’t be any hearings, sir,” the Colonel assured me.  “We own that committee from top to bottom.”

Indeed, by four o’clock in the afternoon the message came that the committee had agreed to recommend the bill.

Shortly after that the first flurry occurred.  There came a knock at the door, followed by the entrance of a stocky Irish American of about forty years of age, whose black hair was plastered over his forehead.  His sea-blue eyes had a stormy look.

“Hello, Jim,” said the Colonel.  “I was just wondering where you were.”

“Sure, you must have been!” replied the gentleman sarcastically.

But the Colonel’s geniality was unruffled.

“Mr. Maker,” he said, “you ought to know Mr. Paret.  Mr. Maker is the representative from Ward Five of your city, and we can always count on him to do the right thing, even if he is a Democrat.  How about it, Jim?”

Mr. Maker relighted the stump of his cigar.

“Take a fresh one, Jim,” said the Colonel, opening a bureau drawer.