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derivations　of　the　English　tongue。　　Theertheerexpressions

you　have　quoted　are　not　common　to　Boston；　but　emanate；　I　believe；

from　the　West。〃



Carmen　de　Haro　contritely　buried　everything　but　her　black　eyes　in

her　shawl。



〃No　one；〃　he　continued；　more　gently；　sitting　down　again；　〃has　the

right　to　forecast　from　my　past　what　I　intend　to　do　in　the　future；

or　designate　the　means　I　may　choose　to　serve　the　principles　I　hold

or　the　party　I　represent。　　Those　are　MY　functions。　　At　the　same

time；　should　occasionor　opportunityfor　we　are　within　a　day　or

two　of　the　close　of　the　Session〃



〃Yes；〃　interrupted　Carmen；　sadly；　〃I　see；it　will　be　some　business；

some　claim；　something　for　somebody；ah！　Madre　de　Dios；you　will

not　speak；　and　I〃



〃When　do　you　think　of　returning？〃　asked　the　Senator；　with　grave

politeness；　〃when　are　we　to　lose　you？〃



〃I　shall　stay　to　the　last；to　the　end　of　the　Session；〃　said

Carmen。　　〃And　NOW　I　shall　go。〃　　She　got　up　and　pulled　her　shawl

viciously　over　her　shoulders；　with　a　pretty　pettishness；　perhaps

the　most　feminine　thing　she　had　done　that　evening。　　Possibly；　the

most　genuine。



The　Senator　smiled　affably：　〃You　do　not　deserve　to　be　disappointed

in　either　case；　but　it　is　later　than　you　imagine；　let　me　help　you

on　the　shorter　distance　in　my　carriage；　it　is　at　the　door。〃



He　accompanied　her　gravely　to　the　carriage。　　As　it　rolled　away；　she

buried　her　little　figure　in　its　ample　cushions　and　chuckled　to

herself；　albeit　a　little　hysterically。　　When　she　had　reached　her

destination；　she　found　herself　crying；　and　hastily；　and　somewhat

angrily；　dried　her　eyes　as　she　drew　up　at　the　door　of　her　lodgings。



〃How　have　you　prospered？〃　asked　Mr。　Harlowe；　of　counsel　for　Royal

Thatcher；　as　he　gallantly　assisted　her　from　the　carriage。　　〃I　have

been　waiting　here　for　two　hours；　your　interview　must　have　been

prolonged；that　was　a　good　sign。〃



〃Don't　ask　me　now；〃　said　Carmen；　a　little　savagely；　〃I'm　worn　out

and　tired。〃



Mr。　Harlowe　bowed。　　〃I　trust　you　will　be　better　to…morrow；　for　we

expect　our　friend；　Mr。　Thatcher。〃



Carmen's　brown　cheek　flushed　slightly。　　〃He　should　have　been　here

before。　　Where　is　he？　　What　was　he　doing？〃



〃He　was　snowed　up　on　the　plains。　　He　is　coming　as　fast　as　steam　can

carry　him；　but　he　may　be　too　late。〃



Carmen　did　not　reply。



The　lawyer　lingered。　　〃How　did　you　find　the　great　New…England

Senator？〃　he　asked　with　a　slight　professional　levity。



Carmen　was　tired；　Carmen　was　worried；　Carmen　was　a　little　self…

reproachful；　and　she　kindled　easily。　　Consequently　she　said　icily：



〃I　found　him　A　GENTLEMAN！〃





CHAPTER　XV



HOW　IT　BECAME　UNFINISHED　BUSINESS





The　closing　of　the　　Congress　was　not　unlike　the　closing　of　the

several　preceding　Congresses。　　There　was　the　same　unbusiness…like；

impractical　haste；　the　same　hurried；　unjust；　and　utterly　inadequate

adjustment　of　unfinished；　ill…digested　business；　that　would　not　have

been　tolerated　for　a　moment　by　the　sovereign　people　in　any　private

interest　they　controlled。　　There　were　frauds　rushed　through；　there

were　long…suffering；　righteous　demands　shelved；　there　were　honest；

unpaid　debts　dishonored　by　scant　appropriations；　there　were　closing

scenes　which　only　the　saving　sense　of　American　humor　kept　from　being

utterly　vile。　　The　actors；　the　legislators　themselves；　knew　it；　and

laughed　at　it；　the　commentators；　the　Press；　knew　it　and　laughed　at

it；　the　audience；　the　great　American　people；　knew　it　and　laughed　at

it。　　And　nobody　for　an　instant　conceived　that　it　ever；　under　any

circumstances；　might　be　otherwise。



The　claim　of　Roscommon　was　among　the　Unfinished　Business。　　The

claimant　himself；　haggard；　pathetic；　importunate；　and　obstinate；

was　among　the　Unfinished　Business。　　Various　Congressmen；　more　or

less　interested　in　the　success　of　the　claim；　were　among　the

Unfinished　Business。　　The　member　from　Fresno；　who　had　changed　his

derringer　for　a　speech　against　the　claimant；　was　among　the

Unfinished　Business。　　The　gifted　Gashwiler；　uneasy　in　his　soul　over

certain　other　Unfinished　Business　in　the　shape　of　his　missing

letters；　but　dropping　oil　and　honey　as　he　mingled　with　his

brothers；　was　King　of　Misrule　and　Lord　of　the　Unfinished　Business。

Pretty　Mrs。　Hopkinson；　prudently　escorted　by　her　husband；　but

imprudently　ogled　by　admiring　Congressmen；　lent　the　charm　of　her

presence　to　the　finishing　of　Unfinished　Business。　　One　or　two

editors；　who　had　dreams　of　a　finished　financial　business；　arising

out　of　Unfinished　Business；　were　there　also；　like　ancient　bards；　to

record　with　paean　or　threnody　the　completion　of　Unfinished

Business。　　Various　unclean　birds；　scenting　carrion　in　Unfinished

Business；　hovered　in　the　halls　or　roosted　in　the　Lobby。



The　lower　house；　under　the　tutelage　of　the　gifted　Gashwiler；　drank

deeply　of　Roscommon　and　his　intoxicating　claim；　and　passed　the

half…empty　bottle　to　the　Senate　as　Unfinished　Business。　　But；　alas！

in　the　very　rush；　and　storm；　and　tempest　of　the　unfinishing

business；　an　unlooked…for　interruption　arose　in　the　person　of　a

great　Senator　whose　power　none　could　oppose；　whose　right　to　free

and　extended　utterance　at　all　times　none　could　gainsay。　　A　claim

for　poultry；　violently　seized　by　the　army　of　Sherman　during　his

march　through　Georgia；　from　the　hen…coop　of　an　alleged　loyal

Irishman；　opened　a　constitutional　question；　and　with　it　the　lips

of　the　great　Senator。



For　seven　hours　he　spoke　eloquently；　earnestly；　convincingly。　　For

seven　hours　the　old　issues　of　party　and　policy　were　severally　taken

up　and　dismissed　in　the　old　forcible　rhetoric　that　had　early　made

him　famous。　　Interruptions　from　other　Senators；　now　forgetful

of　Unfinished　Business；　and　wild　with　reanimated　party　zeal；

interruptions　from　certain　Senators　mindful　of　Unfinished　Business；

and　unable　to　pass　the　Roscommon　bottle；　only　spurred　him　to　fresh

exertion。　　The　tocsin　sounded　in　the　Senate　was　heard　in　the　lower

house。　　Highly…excited　members　congregated　at　the　doors　of　the

Senate；　and　left　Unfinished　Business　to　take　care　of　itself。



Left　to　itself　for　seven　hours；　Unfinished　Business　gnashed　its

false　teeth　and　tore　its　wig　in　impotent　fury　in　corridor　and　hall。

For　seven　hours　the　gifted　Gashwiler　had　continued　the　manufacture

of　oil　and　honey；　whose　sweetness；　however；　was　slowly　palling　upon

the　congressional　lip；　for　seven　hours　Roscommon　and　friends　beat

with　impatient　feet　the　lobby；　and　shook　fists；　more　or　less

discolored；　at　the　distinguished　Senator。　　For　seven　hours　the　one

or　two　editors　were　obliged　to　sit　and　calmly　compliment　the　great

speech　which　that　night　flashed　over　the　wires　of　a　continent　with

the　old　electric　thrill。　　And；　worse　than　all；　they　were　obliged　to

record　with　it　the　closing　of　the　　Congress；　with　more　than　the

usual　amount　of　Unfinished　Business。



A　little　group　of　friends　surrounded　the　great　Senator　with　hymns

of　praise　and　congratulations。　　Old　adversaries　saluted　him

courteously　as　they　passed　by　with　the　respect　of　strong　men。　　A

little　woman　with　a　shawl　drawn　over　her　shoulders；　and　held　with

one　small　brown　hand；　approached　him　timidly：



〃I　speak　not　the　English　well；〃　she　said　gently；　〃but　I　have　read

much。　　I　have　read　in　the　plays　of　your　Shakspeare。　　I　would　like

to　say　to　you　the　words　of　Rosalind　to　Orlando　when　he　did　fight：

'Sir　you　have　wrestled　well；　and　have　overthrown　more　than　your

enemies。'〃　　And　with　these　words　she　was　gone。



Yet　not　so　quickly　but　that　pretty　Mrs。　Hopkinson；　coming；as

Victrix　always　comes　to　Victor；　to　thank　the　great　Senator；　albeit

the　faces　of　her　escorts　were　shrouded　in　gloom；saw　the　shawled

figure　disappear。



〃There；〃　she　said；　pinching　Wiles　mischievously；　〃there！　that's　the

woman　you　were　afraid　of。　　Look　at　her。　　Look　at　that　dress。　　Ah；

Heavens！　look　at　that　shawl。　　Didn't　I　tell　you　she　had　no　style？〃



〃Who　is　she？〃　said　Wiles　sullenly。



〃Carmen　de　Haro；　of　course；〃　said　the　lady　vivaciously。　　〃What　are

you　hurrying　away　so　for？　　You're　absolutely　pulling　me　along。〃



Mr。　Wiles　had　just　caught　sight　of　the　travel…worn　face　of　Royal

Thatcher　among　the　crowd　that　thronged　the　stair…case。　　Thatcher

appeared　pale　and　distrait：　Mr。　Harlowe；　his　counsel；　at　his　side；

rallied　him。



〃No　one　would　think　you　had　just　got　a　new　lease　of　your　property；

and　escaped　a　great　swindle。　　What's　the　matter　with　you？　　Miss　De

Haro　passed　us　just　now。　　It　was　she　who　spoke　to　the　Senator。　　Why

did　you　not　recognize　her？〃



〃I　was　thinking；〃　said　Thatcher　gloomily。



〃Well；　you　take　things　coolly！　　And　certainly　you　are　not　very

demonstrative　towards　the　woman　who　saved　you　to…day。　　For；　as　sure

as　you　live；　it　was　she　who　drew　that　speech　out　of　the　Senator。〃



Thatcher　did　not　reply；　but　moved　away。　　He　HAD　noticed　Carmen　de

Haro；　and　was　about　to　greet　her　with　mingled　pleasure　and

embarrassment。　　But　he　had　heard　her　compliment　to　the　Senator；　and

this　strong；　preoccupied；　automatic　man；　who　only　ten　days　before

had　no　thought　beyond　his　property；　was　now　thinking　more　of　that

compliment　to　another　than　of　his　success；　and　was　beginning　to

hate　the　Senator　who　had　saved　him；　the　lawyer　who　stood　beside

him；　and　even　the　little　figure　that　had　tripped　down　the　steps

unconscious　of　him。





CHAPTER　XVI



AND　WHO　FORGOT　IT





It　was　somewhat　inconsistent　with　Royal　Thatcher's　embarrassment

and　sensitiveness　that　he　should；　on　leaving　the　Capitol；　order　a

carriage　and　drive　directly　to　the　lodgings　of　Miss　De　Haro。　　That

on　finding　she　was　not　at　home；　he　should　become　again　sulky　and

suspicious；　and　even　be　ashamed　of　the　honest　impulse　that　led　him

there；　was；　I　suppose；　manlike　and　natural。　　He　felt　that　he　had

done　all　the　courtesy　required；　he　had　promptly　answered　her

dispatch　with　his　presence。　　If　she　chose　to　be　absent　at　such　a

moment；　HE　had　at　least