to the
President singly, in the order of their importance, against his nominee,
on the score of party peace. What need to disturb the Irish by naming a
man who had always irritated and even insulted them? The representation
in the House would surely suffer by his action, because in this way only
could the offended people retaliate. They detested Livingstone.

Day after day this testimony fairly rained upon the President,
unanimous, consistent, and increasing in dignity with time, each
protester seeming more important than he who just went out the door.
Inquiries among the indifferent proved that the Irish would give much to
see Livingstone lose the honors. And always in the foreground of the
picture of protest stood the popular and dignified Vandervelt surrounded
by admiring friends!

Everard had the knack of ferreting out obscure movements. When this
intrigue was laid bare he found Arthur Dillon at his throat on the
morning he had chosen for a visit to the President. To promise the
executive support from a strong Irish group in the appointment of
Livingstone would have been fatal to the opposition. Hence the look
which Arthur bestowed on Everard was as ugly as his determination to put
the marplot in a retreat for the insane, if no other plan kept him at
home.

"I want to defeat Livingstone," said Arthur, "and I think I have him
defeated. You had better stay at home. You are hurting a good cause."

"I am going to destroy that good cause," John boasted gayly. "You
thought you had the field to yourself. And you had, only that I
discovered your game."

"It's a thing to be proud of," Arthur replied sadly, "this steady
support of the man who would have ruined your boy. Keep quiet. You've
got to have the truth rammed down your throat, since you will take it in
no other way. This Livingstone has been plotting against your race for
twenty years. It may not matter to a disposition as crooked as yours,
that he opened the eyes of English government people to the meaning of
Irish advance in America, that he is responsible for Fritters, for the
alliance, for McMeeter, for the escaped nun, for her vile _Confessions_,
for the kidnapping societies here. You are cantankerous enough to forget
that he used his position in London to do us harm, and you won't see
that he will do as much with the justiceship. Let these things pass. If
you were a good Catholic one might excuse your devotion to Livingstone
on the score that you were eage