"Well," said the Congressman, "what is your desire with me? I know you didn't come here just for the pleasure of denouncing Hudson." "I want a short, snappy interview with you defending Barry from the charge of intentional wrong. Then I want a few sharp comments on what you think of a Congressman who will strike at a boy in order to revenge himself on a political opponent." "You know how I feel." "Yes." "Well, make me say anything you want. Go as far as you like." Felix Conway was not the man to do things by halves. He took John Carlton at his word and evolved an interview that was a mixture of brimstone and vitriol. It made the oldest members of the House sit up and gasp with wonder. The resourceful journalist did not stop at this. He had interviews with half a dozen Congressmen, all denouncing Hudson for his cowardice. Finally, there was a cartoon on the front page of his paper. It depicted Hudson as a giant lifting a big club marked "Revenge" against a very small page boy. Conway made it his business to see that a copy of his paper was placed on the desk of every member. When Carlton entered the House he was surrounded by a group of members who shook hands with him, heartily congratulating him on the forceful interview they had read in the morning paper. "It was right to the point," said one enthusiastic Westerner, "it was what we call 'hot stuff.'" Carlton smiled at the recollection of his talk with Conway. "I only deserve part of the praise," he said; "most of it belongs to our friend Felix. He's the brightest reporter in Washington." Hudson, on his entrance, found that he was looked upon with coldness. He realized before long that his latest move against Carlton had been a mistake. He was furious over the counter attack which had been made against him by Felix Conway, but he was helpless to resist it. Moreover, such members as did not openly condemn his own charge against Barry Wynn, slyly ridiculed him. He could not stand that. Few public men can stand up against ridicule. So, at the first opportunity, Hudson slipped out of the House and disappeared from view. During a lull in the proceedings Mr. Carlton left his desk and started for the office of the Sergeant-at-Arms. He met Conway in the corridor. "Hello, where are you bound for?" asked the journalist. "To thrash out this threat of Hudson's," was the response. "I'm going to get a copy of the charges, and then it will be a fight to the finish." "I reckon you won't have much trouble," said Conway, with the Southern drawl that he used occasionally. "Won't you go along to see fair play?" laughed the Congressman. "No," was the reply, with a curious laugh. "I've got all sorts of confidence in your ability to take care of yourself, and I have no sympathy with the other fellow." Five minutes later Carlton was facing the Sergeant-at-Arms of the House. That official, who knew him well, greeted him most hospitably.