"Hearing in the matter of a bill to establish a reformatory for juvenile offenders," the clerk drawled. "Does the Commissioner of State Prisons endorse this bill?" Clark asked. "No"—the Commissioner was on his feet at once. The charter of the Prisoner’s Aid Society gave it authority to inspect the penal institutions of the state, to audit their accounts and so forth. It was a thorn in the flesh of all commissioners and they could always be counted on to oppose any suggestion of the society’s. "Well. What’s the use of going into the matter, then?" Reedy asked. "It’s not our custom to throw down the Commissioner." "As it’s on the calendar we’ll have to listen to it," Burton ruled. "How did it get on the calendar?" Clark growled. "I was under the impression the Commissioner was in accord," the clerk apologized. "Well, I want to know where you got that impression," Clark insisted with ill temper. "Not from me," the Commissioner spoke up. Burton rapped with his gavel. "Order, gentlemen," he said. "We are wasting time. We will hear anyone who wishes to speak in favor of the bill." Baldwin stood up and opened his notes. "I have an important business matter I would like to attend to," Reedy said. "May I be excused?" "Hold on," Clark protested, "It’s my turn to get off early." "I can’t excuse both of you," Burton snapped. "This is the last business on the calendar. It will not detain us long. Proceed. What’s your name? Baldwin? Proceed." The two other senators scowled sullenly like children who were being kept in after school. Suddenly Reedy began to grin. He leaned back in his chair, so that he could attract Clark’s attention behind the shoulders of the chairman who was writing a letter. He held out a coin. "Odd or even?" he whispered. It took Clark a moment to understand, then his scowl relaxed. "Even" he whispered back. Reedy looked at the coin and his face clouded up. "I have no objection to excusing Senator Clark," he said, interrupting Baldwin in the midst of a sentence. Burton looked up from his letter in surprise. Clark chuckled audibly as he left the room. Reedy slouched sullenly in his chair. "Proceed," Burton said and turned back to his letter. Baldwin did admirably in the face of his levity, but no one was listening. Just as he was on the point of closing, Burton interrupted him again. "You have had fifteen minutes. I will give the other side ten and adjourn." Van Kirk tried to argue with him, but Burton ignored his existence. "Mr. Commissioner," he said, and turned once more to his letter. It was a relief to me that he cut me off. I was too furious to have spoken coherently. The Commissioner, sure of success, took the matter flippantly.