Representatives did not call on him; he did not call
on them. No trails led to his door.
President Castle had expected overtures from Scattergood, but none
materialized. To a man of Castle's experience this was more than
strange; it was uncanny. He began to consider the situation really
serious. Was the man so confident as his silence indicated?
"Get the votes," he wired succinctly to Hammond, and Hammond, reading
the message correctly, dipped into the emergency barrel of the railroad
with generous hands. Prosperity had come to that legislature. Yet he was
able, at the end of another two weeks, to guarantee six votes less than
a majority. The opposition had captured one more vote than he, and
needed but five to pass their measure. Hammond faced the task of
acquiring those five unplaced legislators, and of weaning one away from
Scattergood--and the bill was due to come up in the House in two days.
That day President Castle himself arrived in the capital, and, after
discussing the situation with Hammond, wired Scattergood, asking for an
appointment. The mountain was going to Mohammed. Scattergood replied not
a word.
"I calc'late," he said to Mandy, "that President Castle's raisin' him a
blister.
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