"And it is the member from the mountain districts, and the old negro, and the popular minister who will have carried it through if it passes," said Senator Milner to his daughter. "It is a monumental thing at this crisis of affairs--a huge, unpopular claim on a resenting government carried through by persons impelled solely by the most purely primitive and disinterested of motives. An ingenuous county politician, fresh from his native wilds, works for it through sheer prehistoric affection and neighbourliness; an old black man--out of a story-book--forges a powerful link of evidence for mere faithful love's sake; a man who is a minister of the gospel, a gentleman and above reproach, gives to its service all his interest, solely because he cherishes an affectionate admiration for the claimants. Nobody has laboured with any desire for return. Nobody has bargained for anything. Nobody would accept anything if it was offered to them. The whole affair has been Arcadian." "Will it be decided for the De Willoughbys--will it?" said Mrs. Meredith. "Yes," answered the Senator; "I think it will. And I confess I shall not advance any objections." Meeting big Tom on the avenue, Ezra Stamps stopped him. "Tom," he wheezed, hoarsely, "I heern tell you was likely ter git yer claim through." "There are times when you can hear that about almost any claim," answered Tom. "What I'm waiting for is to hear that I've got it through." Stamps gnawed his finger-nails restlessly. "Ye're lucky," he said; "ye allus was lucky." "How about the herds?" said Tom. Stamps gave him an agonised look. "Hev ye ever said anything agen me, Tom--to any man with inflooence? Hev ye, now? 'Twouldn't be neighbourly of ye if ye hed--an' we both come from the Cross-roads--an' I allus give ye my custom. Ye won't never go agen me, will ye, Tom?" "I've never been asked any questions about you," Tom said. "Look here, you had better go to some hospital and ask to be taken in. What are you walking about the street for in that fix? You can scarcely breathe." "I'm a-gwine to walk about until Saturday," answered Stamps, with a grin. "I'm lookin' arter my own claim--an' Abner Linthicum. Arter Saturday I'll lie up for a spell." "You'd better do it before Saturday," Tom remarked as he left him.