"In the name of the Federation I demand that you instantly destroy the
draft of that infamous bill which you are preparing to rush through at
Albany."

"I won't," said the Governor.

"If you don't," she said, "the committee on eugenics will seize you."

"Let 'em catch me first," he replied, boldly; and rang off.

"Now, John," he said briskly, "as soon as they catch sight of you in my
top hat and cutaway they'll start for you. And I advise you to leg it if
you want to remain single."

The unfortunate Military Secretary gulped with fright, buttoned his
cutaway coat, crammed his top hat over his ears, and gazed fearfully out
of the window, where in the avenue below the riot was still in lively
progress. Terrified young men fled in every direction, pursued by
vigorous and youthful beauty, while the suffragette band played and
thousands of suffragettes cheered wildly.

"Isn't it awful!" groaned the Mayor, arranging the lace cap on his
turban-swirl and shaking out his skirts. "The police are no use. The
suffragettes kidnap the good-looking ones. Are you ready for the sortie,
Governor?"

The Governor in the handsome uniform of his Military Secretary adjusted
his sword and put on the gold-laced cap. Then, thrusting the draft of the
obnoxious bill into the bosom of his tunic, he strode from the room,
followed by his Secretary and the unfortunate Mayor, who attempted in
vain to avoid treading on his own trailing skirts.

"George," said the Mayor, spitting out a curl that kept persistently
getting into his mouth every time he opened it, "I'll be in a pickle
unless I can reach Dill's rooms. . . . Wait! There's a pin sticking into
me----"

"Too late," said the Governor; "it will spur you to run all the faster. .
. . Where is Dill's?"

The Mayor whispered the directions, spitting out his curl at intervals
when it incommoded him; the Governor walked faster to escape.

Down in the elevator they went, gazed at by terror-stricken bell-hops and
scared porters.

As the cheering and band playing grew louder and more distinct the
Secretary quailed, but the Governor admonished him:

"You've simply _got_ to save me," he said. "_Pro_ _bono publico!_ Come
on now. Make a dash for a taxi and the single life! One--two--three!"

The next moment the Secretary's top hat was carried away by a brick; the
Mayor's turban-swirl went the same way, amid showers of confetti and a
yell of fury from a thousand suffragettes who saw in his piteou