Pelton was a rotund oracular individual in silk hat and a Prince Albert coat of broadcloth. He regarded himself solemnly as a statesman because he had served two inconspicuous terms in the House at Washington. He was fond of proclaiming himself a Southern gentleman, part of which statement was unnecessary and part untrue. Like many from his section, he had a decided penchant for politics. “Have you seen the infamous libel in that scurrilous sheet of the gutters the Herald?” he demanded immediately of Ridgway. “Which libel? They don’t usually stop at one, colonel.” “The one, seh, which slanders my honorable name; which has the scoundrelly audacity to charge me with introducing the mining extension bill for venal reasons, seh.” “Oh! Yes, I’ve seen that. Rather an unfortunate story to come out just now.” “I shall force a retraction, seh, or I shall demand the satisfaction due a Southern gentleman. “Yes, I would, colonel,” replied Ridgway, secretly amused at the vain threats of this bag of wind which had been punctured. “It’s a vile calumny, an audacious and villainous lie.” “What part of it? I’ve just glanced over it, but the part I read seems to be true. That’s the trouble with it. If it were a lie you could explode it.” “I shall deny it over my signature.” “Of course. The trouble will be to get people to believe your denial with Quinton’s affidavit staring them in the face. It seems they have got hold of a letter, too, that you wrote. Deny it, of course, then lie low and give the public time to forget it.” “Do you mean that I should withdraw from the senatorial race?” “That’s entirely as you please, colonel, but I’m afraid you’ll find your support will slip away from you.” “Do you mean that YOU won’t support me, seh?” Ridgway locked his hands behind his head and leaned back in his chair. “We’ve got to face facts, colonel. In the light of this exposure you can’t be elected.” “But I tell you, by Gad, seh, that I mean to deny it.” “Certainly. I should in your place,” agreed the mine-owner coolly. “The question is, how many people are going to believe you?” Tiny sweat-beads stood on the forehead of the Arkansan. His manner was becoming more and more threatening. “You pledged me your support. Are you going to throw me down, seh?” “You have thrown yourself down, Pelton. Is it my fault you bungled the thing and left evidence against you? Am I to blame because you wrote incriminating letters?” “Whatever I did was done for you,” retorted the cornered man desperately. “I beg your pardon. It was done for what was in it for you. The arrangement between us was purely a business one.” The coolness of his even voice maddened the harassed Pelton. “So I’m to get burnt drawing your chestnuts out of the fire, am I? You’re going to stand back and let my career be sacrificed, are you? By Gad, seh, I’ll show you whether I’ll be your catspaw,” screamed the congressman.