jority right now."

"Well, the majority stays in the house, then," observed Ross Fletcher
drily. "I didn't observe none of them when I walked down the street."

"I believe with John," said Thorne. "This crowd makes an awful noise,
but it doesn't mean much. The Office cannot fail to uphold us. There's
nobody of any influence or importance behind all this."

Nevertheless, so skilfully was the campaign conducted, pressure soon
made itself felt from above. The usual memorials and largely-signed
protests were drawn up and presented to the senators from California,
and the representatives of that and neighbouring districts. Men in the
employ of the saloon element rode actively in all directions obtaining
signatures. A signature to anything that does not carry financial
obligation is the easiest thing in the world to get. Hundreds who had no
grievance, and who listened with the facile indignation of the ignorant
to the representations of these emissaries, subscribed their names as
voters and constituents to a cause whose merits or demerits were quite
uncomprehended by them. The members of Congress receiving these
memorials immediately set themselves in motion. As Thorne could not
officially reply to what had not as yet been officially urged, his hands
were tied. A clamour that had at first been merely noisy and
meaningless, began now to gain an effect.

Thorne confessed himself puzzled.

"If it isn't a case of a snowball growing bigger the farther it rolls, I
can't account for it," said he. "This thing ought to have died down long
ago. It's been fomented very skilfully. Such a campaign as this one
against us takes both ability and money--more of either than I thought
Samuels could possibly possess."

In the meantime, Erbe managed rapidly to tie up the legal aspects of the
situation. The case, as it developed, proved to be open-and-shut against
his client, but apparently unaffected by the certainty of this, he
persisted in the interposition of all sorts of delays. Samuels continued
to live undisturbed on his claim, which, as Thorne pointed out, had a
bad moral effect on the community.

The issue soon took on a national aspect. It began to be commented on by
outside newspapers. Publications close to the administration and
thoroughly in sympathy with its forest policies, began gravely to doubt
the advisability of pushing these debatable claims at present.

"They are of small value," said one, "in comparison with the large