“I can save you the trouble of lookin’, son, by tellin’ you the startlin’ news that it’s just about thirty seconds later’n it was when you took out your watch before. What’s your worry? We’re in lots of time. As long as we get there when the Assembly’s called to order it’s all we care. I’ve done ev’rything that _can_ be done. All I’m goin’ to the lobby for is to jack those able statesmen up when Blacarda starts to stampede ’em. I’ve made my arrangements with each man who’s goin’ to vote our way. An’, as I figger out, we’ll kill that Starke bill by two votes. Easy that many. But there’s four or five Assemblymen that need my fatherly eye on ’em when the bill comes up. Otherwise they’ll sure bolt. I know ’em. While I’m there I’m like your friend Napoleon; worth 40,000 men. Or, 40,000 dollars, if you like it better that way. I’ve got my grip on the reins. Don’t you fret.” “I heard something just now,” said Caine. “Something that it will surprise you to learn. I had it from the ‘_Star’s_’ Legislature correspondent. It seems Blacarda tried to prevent your coming to the Capital at all. I’m rather surprised at his playing such a trick. But I suppose it goes to prove that a man is known by the company he promotes. He heard you were due from Granite on the 5.30 train this morning. And he paid the engineer $600 to have the locomotive break down thirty miles from here. You would have been stalled there until too late to be of any use. The Assembly would have met and--” “An’ stampeded,” finished Caleb stolidly. “An’ the Starke bill would’ve gone through an’ we’d a’ been licked. Quite so. That’s why I changed my plans, the last minute, an’ came here last night.” “You knew of Blacarda’s move?” cried Caine in amazement. “Son,” yawned Conover, “it’s my business to know things. An’ there’s plenty little I don’t know when it comes to .22 calibre en’mies like Blacarda. The engineer took the cash an’ then brought the whole story to me. Us railroad men pull together, you know. I told him to keep his $600 an’ let the engine break down accordin’ to schedule. Then I came on another train last night. Didn’t you see how pleased Blacarda looked when he came into the _ho_tel? He knows he ain’t got a ghost of a chance with his Starke bill, while I’m on deck in the State House lobby. Here’s our carriage. Come on, since you’re in such a hurry.” The two men splashed out through the sheets of rain toward the waiting vehicle. Caine stood aside to let Conover step in. As the latter’s foot was on the step, the hotel telegraph clerk came running out, calling the Fighter’s name and holding up a slip of yellow paper whose message-ink was still wet. “Just came!” announced the clerk, handing Conover the dispatch. “I thought you were still in the hotel. Lucky I caught you before you started!” Caleb made no reply. He was reading, and re-reading, the telegram. Caine, watching him impatiently, saw the Fighter’s face turn a muddy gray.