ords had not
been spoken which would bring the offender to the block in the bloom
and enthusiasm of youth. Misguided Mr. Harper had committed unutterable
treason to the Empire!

"The gentleman from Brighton, Mr. Harper," said the Speaker, sadly,
"offers the following resolution, and moves its adoption: 'Resolved,
that the Committee on Incorporations be instructed to report House bill
number 302, entitled "An act to incorporate the Pingsquit Railroad," by
eleven-thirty o'clock to-morrow morning'--the gentleman from Putnam, Mr.
Bascom."

The House listened and looked on entranced, as though they were the
spectators to a tragedy. And indeed it seemed as though they were. Necks
were craned to see Mr. Harper; he didn't look like a hero, but one
never can tell about these little men. He had hurled defiance at the
Northeastern Railroads, and that was enough for Mr. Redbrook and Mr.
Widgeon and their friends, who prepared to rush into the fray trusting
to Heaven for speech and parliamentary law. O for a leader now! Horatius
is on the bridge, scarce concealing his disdain for this puny opponent,
and Lartius and Herminius not taking the trouble to arm. Mr. Bascom will
crush this one with the flat of his sword.

"Mr. Speaker," said that gentleman, informally, "as Chairman of
the Committee on Incorporations, I rise to protest against such an
unheard-of motion in this House. The very essence of orderly procedure,
of effective business, depends on the confidence of the House in its
committees, and in all of my years as a member I have never known of
such a thing. Gentlemen of the House, your committee are giving to this
bill and other measures their undivided attention, and will report them
at the earliest practicable moment. I hope that this motion will be
voted down."

Mr. Bascom, with a glance around to assure himself that most of the
hundred members of the Newcastle delegation--vassals of the Winona
Corporation and subject to the Empire--had not made use of their passes
and boarded, as usual, the six o'clock train, took his seat. A buzz of
excitement ran over the house, a dozen men were on their feet, including
the plainly agitated Mr. Harper himself. But who is this, in the lunar
cockpit before the Speaker's desk, demanding firmly to be heard--so
firmly that Mr. Harper, with a glance at him, sits down again; so firmly
that Mr. Speaker Doby, hypnotized by an eye, makes the blunder that will
eventually cost him his own head?