courage　to　get　up　and　oppose　House　Bill　709。　　I　watched　him　narrowly；　the
  suggestion　intruded　itselfperhaps　he　had　been　〃seen；〃　as　the　Colonel
  expressed　it。　　I　repudiated　it。　I　grew　impatient；　feverish；　the
  monotonous　reading　of　the　clerk　was　interrupted　now　and　then　by　the　sharp
  tones　of　the　Speaker　assigning　his　various　measures　to　this　or　that
  committee；　〃unless　objection　is　offered；〃　while　the　members　moved　about
  and　murmured　among　themselves；　Krebs　had　stopped　making　notes；　he　was
  looking　out　of　the　window。　　At　last；　without　any　change　of　emphasis　in
  his　droning　voice；　the　clerk　announced　the　recommendation　of　the
  Committee　on　Judiciary　that　House　Bill　709　ought　to　pass。
  Down　in　front　a　man　had　risen　from　his　seatthe　felicitous　Mr。
  Truesdale。　　Glancing　around　at　his　fellow…members　he　then　began　to
  explain　in　the　impressive　but　conversational　tone　of　one　whose　counsels
  are　in　the　habit　of　being　listened　to；　that　this　was　merely　a　little
  measure　to　remedy　a　flaw　in　the　statutes。　　Mr。　Truesdale　believed　in
  corporations　when　corporations　were　good；　and　this　bill　was　calculated　to
  make　them　good；　to　put　an　end　to　jugglery　and　concealment。　　Our　great
  state；　he　said；　should　be　in　the　forefront　of　such　wise　legislation；
  which　made　for　justice　and　a　proper　publicity；　but　the　bill　in　question
  was　of　greater　interest　to　lawyers　than　to　laymen；　a　committee　composed
  largely　of　lawyers　had　recommended　it　unanimously；　and　he　was　sure　that
  no　opposition　would　develop　in　the　House。　　In　order　not　to　take　up　their
  time　he　asked：　therefore；　that　it　be　immediately　put　on　its　second　and
  third　reading　and　allowed　to　pass。
  He　sat　down；　and　I　looked　at　Krebs。　　Could　he；　could　any　man；　any　lawyer；
  have　the　presumption　to　question　such　an　obviously　desirable　measure；　to
  arraign　the　united　judgment　of　the　committee's　legal　talent？　　Such　was
  the　note　Mr。　Truesdale　so　admirably　struck。　　As　though　fascinated；　I
  continued　to　gaze　at　Krebs。　　I　hated　him；　I　desired　to　see　him
  humiliated；　and　yet　amazingly　I　found　myself　wishing　with　almost　equal
  vehemence　that　he　would　be　true　to　himself。　　He　was　rising；slowly；
  timidly；　I　thought；　his　hand　clutching　his　desk　lid；　his　voice　sounding
  wholly　inadequate　as　he　addressed　the　Speaker。　　The　Speaker　hesitated；
  his　tone　palpably　supercilious。
  〃The　gentleman　fromfrom　Elkington；　Mr。　Krebs。〃
  There　was　a　craning　of　necks；　a　staring；　a　tittering。　　I　burned　with
  vicarious　shame　as　Krebs　stood　there　awkwardly；　his　hand　still　holding
  the　desk。　　There　were　cries　of　〃louder〃　when　he　began；　some　picked　up
  their　newspapers；　while　others　started　conversations。　　The　Speaker　rapped
  with　his　gavel；　and　I　failed　to　hear　the　opening　words。　　Krebs　paused；
  and　began　again。　　His　speech　did　not；　at　first；　flow　easily。
  〃Mr。　Speaker；　I　rise　to　protest　against　this　bill；　which　in　my　opinion　is
  not　so　innocent　as　the　gentleman　from　St。　Helen's　would　have　the　House
  believe。　　It　is　on　a　par；　indeed；　with　other　legislation　that　in　past
  years　has　been　engineered　through　this　legislature　under　the　guise　of
  beneficent　law。　　No；　not　on　a　par。　　It　is　the　most　arrogant；　the　most
  monstrous　example　of　special　legislation　of　them　all。　　And　while　I　do　not
  expect　to　be　able　to　delay　its　passage　much　longer　than　the　time　I　shall
  be　on　my　feet〃
  〃Then　why　not　sit　down？〃　came　a　voice；　just　audible。
  As　he　turned　swiftly　toward　the　offender　his　profile　had　an　eagle…like
  effect　that　startled　me；　seemingly　realizing　a　new　quality　in　the　man。
  It　was　as　though　he　had　needed　just　the　stimulus　of　that　interruption　to
  electrify　and　transform　him。　　His　awkwardness　disappeared；　and　if　he　was
  a　little　bombastic；　a　little　〃young；〃　he　spoke　with　the　fire　of
  conviction。
  〃Because；〃　he　cried；　〃because　I　should　lose　my　self…respect　for　life　if　I
  sat　here　and　permitted　the　political　organization　of　a　railroad；　the
  members　of　which　are　here　under　the　guise　of　servants　of　the　people；　to
  cow　me　into　silence。　　And　if　it　be　treason　to　mention　the　name　of　that
  Railroad　in　connection　with　its　political　tyranny；　then　make　the　most　of
  it。〃　　He　let　go　of　the　desk；　and　tapped　the　copy　of　the　bill。　　〃What　are
  the　facts？　　The　Boyne　Iron　Works；　under　the　presidency　of　Adolf　Scherer；
  has　been　engaged　in　litigation　with　the　Ribblevale　Steel　Company　for　some
  years：　and　this　bill　is　intended　to　put　into　the　hands　of　the　attorneys
  for　Mr。　Scherer　certain　information　that　will　enable　him　to　get
  possession　of　the　property。　　Gentlemen；　that　is　what　‘legal　practice'　has
  descended　to　in　the　hands　of　respectable　lawyers。　　This　device　originated
  with　the　resourceful　Mr。　Theodore　Watling；　and　if　it　had　not　had　the
  approval　of　Mr。　Miller　Gorse；　it　would　never　have　got　any　farther　than
  the　judiciary　committee。　　It　was　confided　to　the　skillful　care　of　Colonel
  Paul　Varney　to　be　steered　through　this　legislature；　as　hundreds　of　other
  measures　have　been　steered　through；without　unnecessary　noise。　　It　may
  be　asked　why　the　Railroad　should　bother　itself　by　lending　its　political
  organization　to　private　corporations？　　I　will　tell　you。　　Because
  corporations　like　the　Boyne　corporation　are　a　part　of　a　network　of
  interests；　these　corporations　aid　the　Railroad　to　maintain　its　monopoly；
  and　in　return　receive　rebates。〃
  Krebs　had　raised　his　voice　as　the　murmurs　became　louder。　　At　this　point　a
  sharp…faced　lawyer　from　Belfast　got　to　his　feet　and　objected　that　the
  gentleman　from　Elkington　was　wasting
  the　time　of　the　House；　indulging　in　hearsay。　　His　remarks　were　not
  germane；　etc。　　The　Speaker　rapped　again；　with　a　fine　show　of
  impartiality；　and　cautioned　the　member　from　Elkington。
  〃Very　well；〃　replied　Krebs。　　〃I　have　said　what　I　wanted　to　say　on　that
  score；　and　I　know　it　to　be　the　truth。　　And　if　this　House　does　not　find　it
  germane；　the　day　is　coming　when　its　constituents　will。〃
  Whereupon　he　entered　into　a　discussion　of　the　bill；　dissecting　it　with
  more　calmness；　with　an　ability　that　must　have　commanded；　even　from　some
  hostile　minds；　an　unwilling　respect。　　The　penalty；　he　said；　was
  outrageous；　hitherto　unheard　of　in　law；putting　a　corporation　in　the
  hands　of　a　receiver；　at　the　mercy　of　those　who　coveted　it；　because　one　of
  its　officers　refused；　or　was　unable；　to　testify。　　He　might　be　in　China；
  in　Timbuctoo　when　the　summons　was　delivered　at　his　last　or　usual　place　of
  abode。　　Here　was　an　enormity；　an　exercise　of　tyrannical　power　exceeding
  all　bounds；　a　travesty　on　popular　government。。。。　　He　ended　by　pointing
  out　the　significance　of　the　fact　that　the　committee　had　given　no
  hearings；　by　declaring　that　if　the　bill　became　a　law；　it　would　inevitably
  react　upon　the　heads　of　those　who　were　responsible　for　it。
  He　sat　down；　and　there　was　a　flutter　of　applause　from　the　scattered
  audience　in　the　gallery。
  〃By　God；　that's　the　only　man　in　the　whole　place！〃
  I　was　aware；　for　the　first　time；　of　a　neighbour　at　my　side；a　solid；
  red…faced　man；　evidently　a　farmer。　　His　trousers　were　tucked　into　his
  boots；　and　his　gnarled　and　powerful　hands；　ingrained　with　dirt；　clutched
  the　arms　of　the　seat　as　he　leaned　forward。
  〃Didn't　he　just　naturally　lambaste　'em？〃　he　cried　excitedly。　　〃They'll
  down　him；　I　guess；but　say；　he's　right。　　A　man　would　lose　his　self…
  respect　if　he　didn't　let　out　his　mind　at　them　hoss　thieves；　wouldn't　he？
  What's　that　fellow's　name？〃
  I　told　him。
  〃Krebs；〃　he　repeated。　　〃I　want　to　remember　that。　　Durned　if　I　don't　shake
  hands　with　him。〃
  His　excitement　astonished　me。　　Would　the　public　feel　like　that；　if　they
  only　knew？。。。　　The　Speaker's　gavel　had　come　down　like　a　pistol　shot。
  One　〃war…hoss〃as　my　neighbour　called　themafter　another　proceeded　to
  crush　the　member　from　Elkington。　　It　was；　indeed；　very　skillfully　done；
  and　yet　it　was　a　process　from　which　I　did　not　derive；　somehow；　much
  pleasure。　　Colonel　Varney's　army　had　been　magnificently　trained　to　meet
  just　this　kind　of　situation：　some　employed　ridicule；　others　declared；　in
  impassioned　tones；　that　the　good　name　of　their　state　had　been　wantonly
  assailed；　and　pointed　fervently　to　portraits　on　the　walls　of　patriots　of
  the　past；sentiments　that　drew　applause　from　the　fickle　gallery。　　One
  gentleman　observed　that　the　obsession　of　a　〃railroad　machine〃　was　a　sure
  symptom　of　a　certain　kind　of　insanity；　of　which　the　first　speaker　had
  given　many　other　evidences。　　The　farmer　at　my　side　remained　staunch。
  〃They　can't　fool　me；〃　he　said　angrily；　〃I　know　'em。　　Do　you　see　that
  fellow　gettin'　up　to　talk　now？　　Well；　I　could　tell　you　a　few　things　about
  him；　all　right。　　He　comes　from　Glasgow；　and　his　name's　Letchworth。　　He's
  done　more　harm　in　his　life　than　all　the　criminals　he's　kept　out　of
  prison；belongs　to　one　of　the　old　families　down　there；　too。〃
  I　had；　indeed；　remarked　Letchworth's　face；　which　seemed　to　me　peculiarly
  evil；　its　lividity　enhanced　by　a　shock　of　grey　hair。　　His　method　was
  withering　sarcasm；　and　he　was　clearly　unable　to　control　his　animus。。。。
  No　champion　appeared　to　support　Krebs；　who　sat　pale　and　tense　while　this
  denunciation　of　him　was　going　on。　　Finally　he　got　the　floor。　　His　voice
  trembled　a　little；　whether　with　passion；　excitement；　or　nervousness　it
  was　impossible　to　say。　　But　he　contented　himself　with　a　brief　defiance。
  If　the　bil