"All the time I talked to him I didn't see a muscle move in his face," Jethro continued, "so I started in again, and he looked--looked--looked right at me. W-wouldn't wink--don't think he winked once while I was in that room. I watched him as close as I could, and I watched to see if a muscle moved or if I was makin' any impression. All he would do was to stand there and look--look--look. K-kept me there ten minutes and never opened his mouth at all. Hardest man to talk to I ever met--never see a man before but what I could get him to say somethin', if it was only a cuss word. I got tired of it after a while, made up my mind that I had found one man I couldn't move. Then what bothered me was to get out of that room. If I'd a had a Bible I believe I'd a read it to him. I didn't know what to say, but I did say this after a while:--"'W-well, Mr. President, I guess I've kept you long enough--g-guess you're a pretty busy man. H-hope you'll give Mr. Prescott that postmastership. Er--er good-by.' "'Wait, sir,' he said. "'Yes,' I said, 'I-I'll wait.' "Thought you was goin' to give him that postmastership, Mr. Bass,' he said." At this point the senator could not control his mirth, and the empty corridor echoed his laughter. "By thunder! what did you say to that?" "Er--I said, 'Mr. President, I thought I was until a while ago.' "'And when did you change your mind?' says he." Then he laughed a little--not much--but he laughed a little. "'I understand that your old soldier lives within the limits of the delivery of the Brampton office,' said he." "'That's correct, Mr. President,' said I." "'Well,' said he, 'I will app'int him postmaster at Brampton, Mr. Bass.'" "'When?' said I." Then he laughed a little more. "I'll have the app'intment sent to your hotel this afternoon,' said he." "'Then I said to him, 'This has come out full better than I expected, Mr. President. I'm much obliged to you.' He didn't say nothin' more, so I come out." "Grant didn't say anything about Worthington or Duncan, did he?" asked the senator, curiously, as he rose to go. "G-guess I've told you all he said," answered Jethro; "'twahn't a great deal." The senator held out his hand. "Bass," he said, laughing, "I believe you came pretty near meeting your match. But if Grant's the hardest man in the Union to get anything out of, I've a notion who's the second." And with this parting shot the senator took his departure, chuckling to himself as he went. As has been said, there were but few visitors in Washington at this time, and the hotel corridor was all but empty. Presently a substantial-looking gentleman came briskly in from the street, nodding affably to the colored porters and bell-boys, who greeted him by name. He wore a flowing Prince Albert coat, which served to dignify a growing portliness, and his coal-black whiskers glistened in the light. A voice, which appeared to come from nowhere in particular, brought the gentleman up standing. "How be you, Heth?"