"Not for a few minutes," was the response. "I've a couple of telegrams that I want to send out before I leave here." "All right; I'll go over alone then. By the way," he continued, as he paused at the door, "I've got a measure coming up today, and I'd like you to help me get it through." "What is it?" asked Carlton. "It is known as the Garner claim. A family in my district had their property destroyed during the Civil War. It seems that the Federal troops occupied their house and barn and when they got through with them they were practically ruined." "What is the bill for?" asked Carlton. "It is to reimburse the heirs for their loss. It calls for an appropriation of $96,000. It should have been paid long ago!" "Who are the heirs? The children of the claimant?" "No, not the children, but some of their relatives." "Is it all right, Hudson?" "Sure, it's all right." "Well," was the slow response, "if it's a fair bill, I suppose I will have to turn in and vote for it, but I don't like to support these claims for damages without knowing all about them." "Oh, it's all right," was the confident response; "I'll see you later. Good-bye." As he swung out of the room Felix Conway, the journalist, walked in. "Hello, Felix," exclaimed Carlton. "You're just the man I want to see. You know everything, don't you?" The newspaper correspondent shook his head and said, smilingly: "No, not everything--nearly everything." "Well," said Carlton, "I'd like to know what you can tell me about the Garner claim. It calls for an appropriation of $96,000 to repay certain heirs of the Garner family for property destroyed during the Civil War." The journalist looked blankly at the Congressman. "Blest if I know a thing about it. It's the first I've heard of it." "I'm awfully sorry," said the Congressman, "because I'm anxious to get some of the facts in the case." As Felix Conway left the room Barry Wynn emerged from the little apartment where he had been sorting out and piling up the public documents. "Mr. Carlton," he said, timidly, "I couldn't help overhearing your conversation with Mr. Hudson and Mr. Conway. You were speaking to them about the Garner claim." "I was, indeed," was the response. "You don't mean to tell me that you know anything about it?" "Yes," was the hesitating reply, "I know a little about it." "When did you hear of it?" was the surprised question. "The first I heard of it was when Mr. Hudson came in," replied Barry, "but I read about it an hour ago." "Read about it?" "Yes; when I was going through those old papers I found a report from the House Committee concerning the Garner claim." Carlton's eyes glistened. "Where is it? Where is it? Let me have it." Barry went into the other room and came out again in a few moments with a small public document. Mr. Carlton seized it eagerly and read the heading: