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 page boy does in the house when a member claps his hands. The bell-boy and Jamie looked each other all over from head to toe in the instant they stood there facing each other, and the clerk began:

"Go see if Mr. Meredith—"

And just then a tall form appeared around the corner of a wall, and Jamie looked up.

It was Mr. Meredith himself, as smiling as the spring, with a bunch of violets in the lapel of his new light coat. Jamie sprang at him.

"Oh, Mr. Meredith," he exclaimed, raising his clasped hands almost appealingly, "come—quick! Come quick!"

"Why, what's the matter?" said Mr. Meredith, halting in surprise.

"They've got senate bill 578 up!"

Mr. Meredith's eyes opened; his face lost its mild expression.

"What do you know about senate bill 578?"

Jamie took him by the coat—he dared at last to lay hands on his sacred person—and tugged as he said:

"Oh, honest—Mr. Meredith—honest—cross my heart they have—you'll be too late!"