But Burns only stood and looked at her. There was a trace of fear in her
face.
"Do _you_ want dis resolution put t'rough?" he asked bluntly.
"I? Indeed I do!" she said.
"Is dere anyt'ing in it fer you?" he went on.
"Why," Miss Greene said, somewhat at a loss, "only that I am interested
as a matter of principle in seeing it adopted. It would be a great day
for me if I could go back to Chicago feeling that I had had just a
little bit to do with such a result."
"Den I'm wit' you," said Burns, and wheeling, he went back to his desk.
Miss Greene watched him a moment, and then turned to the men, their
numbers augmented now by others who had come up to see Burns in the
presence of such a woman. The glance she gave them was a question.
"Oh, he means it," said Monroe of Whiteside. "He'll vote for the
resolution."
"Yes, he's given his word," said Brownell of Cook.
Vernon devoted half an hour to bringing senators to meet Maria Greene.
It was not difficult work, though it had its disadvantages; it did not
allow Vernon to remain with her long at a time. But at last it was done,
and he found a moment alone with her. She had given him some pamphlets
on equal suffrage.
"Ah, if _you_ could only address the Senate!" he exclaimed, in open
admiration. And then, as if an inspiration had come to him, he added:
"Perhaps I could arrange it; it has been done."
She gasped and stretched out her hand to stay him.
"Oh, not for all the world!" she protested.
"But you'll come and meet the lieutenant-governor?"
"Up there?" she said, incredulously, pointing to the dais under the
flags.
"Why, yes," Vernon answered; "why not? It's where all the eminent
lawyers who come down here to lobby sit."
She looked up at the desk behind which the lieutenant-governor sat,
swinging gently in his swivel chair, while the secretary read Senate
bills on third reading. There was a reluctance in her eyes, but when she
caught Vernon's smile, she gathered her skirts and said:
"Well, if I must."