North grabbed the telephone instrument on his desk.
One of Stewart's hands was covering the keys; with the fingers of the other hand he had been fumbling under the edge of the desk. He suddenly pulled wires from the confining staples; he yanked a big mill-knife from his trousers pocket and cut the wires. North flung a dead instrument clattering on the broad table and found only oaths fit to apply to this perfectly amazing effrontery.
"You need not take, Miss Bunker!" The quiet dignity of Morrison and the rebuke the Governor found in the girl's contemplative eyes choked off the profanity as effectively as would gripping fingers at his throat.
"I realize that all this is absolutely unprecedented—has never been done before—is unadulterated gall on my part, Governor North. Perhaps I haven't a leg to stand on."
"Morrison, this infernal nonsense must cease!"
Senator Corson shouted, leaping from his chair and shaking both fists.
"You need not take, Miss Bunker!"
Corson gulped and surveyed the young lady, and found her eyes as disconcertingly rebuking as they had proved in the case of North.
"Not especially on account of the style of your language, Senator! But you are merely a visitor here, the same as I! At the present time your comments on the business between the Governor and myself can scarcely have any weight in the record."
"What in blazes is that business? Get it out of you!" commanded the other principal in the controversy.