cry.

One editorial writer did make a comment: "It is encouraging to see that
President-elect Cannon consults with Vice-President-elect Matthew Fisher
regularly and frequently as the appointments are made. For a good many
years, ever since the Eisenhower Administration, back in the Fifties, it
has been the policy of most of our Chief Executives to make sure that
the Vice President is groomed to take over smoothly if anything should
happen to the President. Senator Cannon, however, is, as far as we know,
the first President-elect who has begun this grooming before the
Inauguration. This, in our opinion, shows both wisdom and political
astuteness."

By the second week of the New Year, the new Cabinet had been picked.
Contrary to the rumors before the election, the senator's brother had
not been selected for any post whatever, but the men who _were_ picked
for Cabinet posts were certainly of high caliber. The United States
Senate had confirmed them all before Inauguration Day.

That day was clear and cold in Washington. After the seemingly endless
ceremonies and ceremonials, after the Inaugural Ball, and the Inaugural
Supper, and the Inaugural Et Cetera, President James Cannon went to bed,
complaining of a "slight headache".

[Illustration]

"Frankly," he told Vice President Matthew Fisher, "it is a real
head-splitter." He took four aspirin and went to bed.

He said he felt "a little better" the next day.

* * * * *

The fifth of February.

Ten forty-eight in the evening.

The White House, Washington, D.C.

Dr. Frank Hewlitt Cannon stood in a darkened bedroom in Blair House,
across the street from the Executive Mansion, nervously looking out the
window, at the big white house across the way. He was not nervous for
himself, although he had plenty of reason to be. He was clad in pajamas,
as his brother had ordered, and had even taken the extra precaution of
rumpling up his hair.

He looked at his watch, and then looked back at the White House.

_How long?_ he thought. _How long?_

He looked at his wrist again. The sweep hand only moved when he looked
at it, apparently. He dropped his hands and clasped them behind his
back. How long before he would know?

_My kid brother_, he thought. _I could always outthink him and outfight
him. But he's got something I haven't got. He's stuck to his guns and
fought hard all these years. I couldn't do what he's doing tonight, and
I know it