eloquently, earnestly, convincingly. For seven
hours the old issues of party and policy were severally taken up and
dismissed in the old forcible rhetoric that had early made him famous.
Interruptions from other Senators, now forgetful of Unfinished Business,
and wild with reanimated party zeal; interruptions from certain Senators
mindful of Unfinished Business, and unable to pass the Roscommon bottle,
only spurred him to fresh exertion. The tocsin sounded in the Senate
was heard in the lower house. Highly-excited members congregated at
the doors of the Senate, and left Unfinished Business to take care of
itself.

Left to itself for seven hours, Unfinished Business gnashed its false
teeth and tore its wig in impotent fury in corridor and hall. For seven
hours the gifted Gashwiler had continued the manufacture of oil
and honey, whose sweetness, however, was slowly palling upon the
congressional lip; for seven hours Roscommon and friends beat with
impatient feet the lobby, and shook fists, more or less discolored, at
the distinguished Senator. For seven hours the one or two editors were
obliged to sit and calmly compliment the great speech which that night
flashed over the wires of a continent with the old electric thrill. And,
worse than all, they were obliged to record with it the closing of the
---- Congress, with more than the usual amount of Unfinished Business.

A little group of friends surrounded the great Senator with hymns of
praise and congratulations. Old adversaries saluted him courteously as
they passed by with the respect of strong men. A little woman with a
shawl drawn over her shoulders, and held with one small brown hand,
approached him timidly:

"I speak not the English well," she said gently, "but I have read much.
I have read in the plays of your Shakspeare. I would like to say to
you the words of Rosalind to Orlando when he did fight: 'Sir you have
wrestled well, and have overthrown more than your enemies.'" And with
these words she was gone.

Yet not so quickly but that pretty Mrs. Hopkinson, coming,--as Victrix
always comes to Victor, to thank the great Senator, albeit the faces of
her escorts were shrouded in gloom,--saw the shawled figure disappear.

"There," she said, pinching Wiles mischievously, "there! that's the
woman you were afraid of. Look at her. Look at that dress. Ah, Heavens!
look at that shawl. Didn't I tell you she had no style?"

"Who is she?" said Wiles sullenly.

"Carmen