The two contestants were again tied.
There was but one more ballot to be counted. That ballot would break the tie and decide the election.
Men put aside their tally sheets, or crumpled them in their hands, and leaned forward in their chairs, their eyes fixed on the lips of the presiding officer, in breathless anticipation.
Brownell reached into the box, drew out the last ballot, glanced at it, and handed it to Major Huntington.
The major looked at it in his turn, showed it to Captain Murray, and then announced the name written on it.
“Halpert McCormack.”
For the fraction of a minute there was dead silence. Then, like a clap of thunder, there came a swift outburst of applause. Hands, feet, throats united to acclaim the young officer-elect. Spontaneous, irrepressible, enthusiastic, the chorus of rejoicing rolled out from the company room, down the broad stairway, and across the wide drill-hall to its remotest corner. People waiting there in scores to hear the outcome of the election caught up the waves of sound and sent them echoing back to the room on the upper floor, though not one of them knew as yet whose victory it was.
Then, for the second time that evening, the chairman’s gavel crashed down on the table before him, but on his face there was no sign of annoyance or of disapproval as he announced the result of the balloting.
“Sixty-seven votes have been cast. Of these Sergeant Barriscale receives thirty-three, and Sergeant McCormack receives thirty-four. Second Sergeant Halpert McCormack has therefore been elected to the office of First Lieutenant of Company E. He will report to me for instructions immediately after the breaking of ranks. Captain Murray, you will now dismiss your company.”