keenly, the one man who could say to
the executive with authority, this appointment would be a blunder.
Birmingham being somewhere on the continent, out of reach of appeals for
help, his place was honorably filled by the General of the Army, with an
influence, however, purely sentimental. Arthur accompanied him for the
last interview with the President. Only two days intervened before the
invitation would be sent to Livingstone to return home. The great man
listened with sympathy to the head of the army making his protest, but
would promise nothing; he had fixed an hour however for the settlement
of the irritating problem; if they would call the next morning at ten,
he would give them his unalterable decision.

Feeling that the decision must be against his hopes, Arthur passed a
miserable night prowling with Grahame about the hotel. Had he omitted
any point in the fight? Was there any straw afloat which could be of
service? Doyle used his gift of poetry to picture for him the return of
Livingstone, and his induction into office; the serenity of mind, the
sense of virtue and patriotism rewarded, his cold contempt of the
defeated opposition and their candidate, the matchless dignity, which
would exalt Livingstone to the skies as the Chief-Justice. Their only
consolation was the fight itself, which had shaken for a moment the
edifice of the Minister's fame.

The details went to London from friends close to the President, and
enabled Livingstone to measure the full strength of a young man's
hatred. The young man should be attended to after the struggle. There
was no reason to lose confidence. While the factions were still
worrying, the cablegram came with the request that he sail on Saturday
for home, the equivalent of appointment. When reading it at the Savage
Club, whither a special messenger had followed him, the heavy mustache
and very round spectacles of Birmingham rose up suddenly before him, and
they exchanged greetings with the heartiness of exiles from the same
land. The Minister remembered that his former rival had no share in the
attempt to deprive him of his coming honors, and Birmingham recalled the
rumor picked up that day in the city.

"I suppose there's no truth in it," he said.

The Minister handed him the cablegram.

"Within ten days," making a mental calculation, "I should be on my way
back to London, with the confirmation of the Senate practically
secured."

"When it comes I shall be pleased to o