the
impeccability of his fellow men, grew peevish at the delay in securing
the requisite majority, while those who held Montana's best interests at
heart breasted the tidal wave of corruption with sinking hearts.

As in every contest of its kind, the full vote for Burroughs was not
cast at any joint assembly until Moore knew he had the number required
to elect. In this way no legislator was sure from day to day of the man
sitting beside him; some one known to be pledged to another candidate,
or professing himself under no obligations to any man, would
swaggeringly or shamefacedly, as the case might be, announce as his name
was called from the alphabetical list by the brazen-voiced reader in
front of the speaker's desk that his choice for a United States senator
was Robert Burroughs.

Days went by, with no decisive vote; there was less good-fellowship,
more caution; less talking, more secrecy; each member looking askance at
his neighbor, wondering if he was or would be bought. Lobbies and halls
of capitol, hotels, saloons and offices swarmed with men talking of
Burroughs.

O'Dwyer, member from Chouteau County, took to walking in the middle of
the streets to ward off Burroughs' emissaries--greatly to the amusement
of his friends, in days when amusement was seldom indulged in by the
small band of honest men in the Legislature. State Senator Danvers grew
more grave as time went on. The onus of his party's opposition had
fallen on him, for he was working for the governor's election as United
States senator as against Burroughs, also a Republican. He felt more
alone than at any time since he had lived in the Northwest, for the
doctor was back at Fort Benton, and Judge Latimer away on professional
matters.

Hall grew unctuous, and had many a sly wink with Chaplain McDevitt.
Senator Blair was moody, restless and irritable, except in the hours
which he spent with Mrs. Latimer. Winifred, in her anxiety, became a
stranger to sleep, but she made no complaint of her haunting fear. A
reserve, unnatural to her, became apparent.

With Eva Latimer it was different. She was intoxicated with the
excitement, and missed no noon hour when the senate marched in, two by
two, to the representatives' chamber for the daily balloting. With a
list of the members of both houses in hand, she sat watching the
proceedings and checking off each name on the roll-call. Her absorption
in the varying sum totals for Burroughs made her unconscious of th