"Then, Mr. Chairman," said Randolph, raising his voice for his climax, "as the chair's delegation cast its full vote, the chair evidently voted on this proposition, and the chair is not entitled to a vote on an appeal from his own decision. With the vote the chair improperly cast eliminated, the result would be a tie, and therefore the motion would not prevail. Hence my point of order; which amounts to a challenge of the chair's vote." The Sprague men began to laugh uproariously, and to applaud while Randolph stood in the aisle in his statesmanlike attitude, enjoying his triumph. And as their laugh began to subside Bailey's face wrinkled into a strange annoying smile. His little eyes twinkled. "The gentleman--from Moultrie--is correct," he began. And there was a shout. He indulged it to the echo, and then went on: "But unfortunately--for the gentleman--from Moultrie, however fortunately--for the chair, this is not--a vote--on an appeal, but--on a motion--to lay--an appeal--on the table. The chair, if not misinformed, has the right--to vote--on all motions--to table;--and on this motion--the chair--votes 'Aye,' the motion prevails, and the appeal--is laid--on the table!" He swung the gavel up and let it fall, and the Garwood men began to cheer. Randolph looked dazed, and was about to speak. But Bailey, striking order again with his gavel, went on: "The question--now recurs--upon the motion--of the gentleman--from Polk--that the report--of the committee--be adopted. As many--as favor--the motion--will say--'Aye.'" There was a mighty shout, "Aye!" "As many--as are opposed--will vote--'No!'" The Sprague men yelled "No!"--an equal volume. "The ayes--seem--to have it," said Bailey, "the ayes--have it, and the motion--prevails." The gavel fell. The Sprague men sat dumb. "And the temporary--organization--therefore becomes--the permanent organization--of this convention," said Bailey, speaking as if he were merely resuming some sentence that all the confusion of balloting had interrupted, an interruption to him of no more importance than the pauses he made in his words. Thus the Garwood men secured the control of the convention and won the first round. XII