here is one. At any rate, he now had a manuscript collection
which was unique in its way, which would have been worth much to a great
many men, and with characteristic generosity he was placing it at the
disposal of Mr. Crewe.

Mr. Crewe, in reading them, had other sensations. He warmed with
indignation as an American citizen that a man should sit in a mahogany
office in New York and dictate the government of a free and sovereign
State; and he found himself in the grip of a righteous wrath when he
recalled what Mr. Flint had written to him. "As a neighbour, it will
give me the greatest pleasure to help you to the extent of my power, but
the Northeastern Railroads cannot interfere in legislative or political
matters." The effrontery of it was appalling! Where, he demanded of Mr.
Tooting, did the common people come in? And this extremely pertinent
question Mr. Tooting was unable to answer.

But the wheels of justice had begun to turn.

Mr. Tooting had not exaggerated the tumult and affright at the Pelican
Hotel. The private telephone in Number Seven was busy all evening, while
more or less prominent gentlemen were using continually the public
ones in the boxes in the reading room downstairs. The Feudal system was
showing what it could do, and the word had gone out to all the holders
of fiefs that the vassals should be summoned. The Duke of Putnam had
sent out a general call to the office-holders in that county. Theirs not
to reason why--but obey; and some of them, late as was the hour, were
already travelling (free) towards the capital. Even the congressional
delegation in Washington had received telegrams, and sent them again to
Federal office-holders in various parts of the State. If Mr. Crewe had
chosen to listen, he could have heard the tramp of armed men. But he was
not of the metal to be dismayed by the prospect of a great conflict.
He was as cool as Cromwell, and after Mr. Tooting had left him to take
charge once more of his own armies in the yield, the genlemon from Leith
went to bed and slept soundly.

The day of the battle dawned darkly, with great flakes flying. As early
as seven o'clock the later cohorts began to arrive, and were soon as
thick as bees in the Pelican, circulating in the lobby, conferring in
various rooms of which they had the numbers with occupants in bed and
out. A wonderful organization, that Feudal System, which could
mobilize an army overnight! And each unit of it, like the bee, working