"
CHAPTER XXVI
THE BATTLES OF WASHINGTON
At twenty minutes after 12 Senator Langdon and Secretary Haines were
still undisturbed by any move on the part of Peabody and Stevens,
who maintained a silence that to Haines was distinctly ominous. His
experience at the Capitol had taught him that when the Senate machine
was quiet it was time for some one to get out from under.
Miss Williams, the naval committee's stenographer, entered.
"Senator Langdon," she said, "Senator Peabody and Senator Stevens are
in committee room 6, and they told me to tell you that they'd be--I
can't say it. Please, sir, I--"
"D--d," interpolated Langdon, laughing.
"Yes, sir, that's it. They'll be--that--if they come in here at 12:30.
You must come to them, they say."
"Tell the gentlemen I'm sitting here with my hat on the back of my
head, smoking a good see-gar, with nails driven through both shoes
into the floor--and looking at the clock."
At 12:25 Senator Stevens entered.
"I came to warn you, Langdon," he said, "that Senator Peabody's
patience is nearly exhausted. You must come to see him at once if you
expect the South to get a naval base at Altacoola or anywhere else. If
you do not agree to take his advice this naval bill and any other that
you are interested in now or in future will be trampled underfoot in
the Senate.
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