The Governor read the bill through again.

“If it is introduced, Colonel,” he said, “the legislature and the people of the state ought to have it made clear to them that its aim is to remedy an injustice.  A misunderstanding on this point would be unfortunate.”

“Most unfortunate, Governor.”

“And of course,” added the Governor, now addressing me, “it would be improper for me to indicate what course I shall pursue in regard to it if it should come to me for my signature.  Yet I may go so far as to say that the defect it seeks to remedy seems to me a real one.  Come in and see me, Mr. Paret, when you are in town, and give my cordial regards to Mr. Watling.”

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.