rengthen his brain.

Waving away the hotel waiter who had brought the breakfast to his
apartment, Senator Peabody outlined the probable campaign of the day.

"If our best efforts to weaken and scare off Langdon fail to-day," he
said, "it will naturally develop that we must render it impossible in
some way for him to appear in the Senate at all, or we must delay his
arrival until after the report of the committee on naval affairs has
been made. In either event he would not have another opportunity to
speak on that subject.

"Of course, later, at 12:30, we will know his plan of action. Then we
can act to the very point, but we must be prepared for any situation
that can arise."

"Cannot the President of the Senate be persuaded not to recognize
Langdon on the floor? Then we could adjourn and shut him off," asked
Stevens.

"No," responded Peabody; "he has already promised Langdon to recognize
him, and the President of the Senate cannot be persuaded to break his
word. I am painfully aware of this fact."

But Stevens was not yet dissuaded from the hope of defeating the
junior Senator from Mississippi by wit alone.

"Can we not have a speaker get the floor before Langdon and have him
talk for hours--tire out the old kicker--and await a time when he
leaves the Senate chamber to eat or talk to some visitor we could have
call on him, then shove the bill through summarily?" he suggested.

"I've gone over all that." answered Peabody, quickly. "It would only
be delaying the evil hour. You wouldn't be able to move that old
codger away from the Senate chamber with a team of oxen--once he
gets to his seat. His secretary, Raines--another oversight of yours,
Stevens"--the latter winced--"will warn him. Langdon would stick pins
through his eyelids to keep from falling asleep."

"I've been thinkin'," put in Steinert, slowly, "that a little
fine-esse like this might keep him away: When Langdon's in his
committee room before goin' to the Senate send him a telegram signed
by one of his frien's' name that one of his daughters is dyin' from
injuries in a automobile collision a few miles out o' town. That
'ud--"

"Ridiculous," snorted Peabody. "He'd know where they were. They're
always--"

"Huh! then put in more fine-esse."

"How? What?"

"Hev some 'un take 'em out a-autoin'--"

"No, no, man!" snapped Peabody. "They'd stick in town to hear their
father's wonderful speech."

"Well," went on the lobbyist, "I'll hev Langd'n wat