Martin had brought a lot of telegrams. The colonel, lying partly propped up adjusted the great tortoise shell glasses and proceeded to look them over. With one of them he seemed especially pleased. It came from Madison, Wis., and was as follows:
"Permit me to express my profound regret that your life should have been in peril and to express my congratulations upon your fortunate escape from serious injury. I trust that you will speedily recover.
(Signed)
"Robert M. La Follette."
"Let me see that again," he said, after turning it back to Martin. When he had read it a second time he said: "Here, take this," and dictated:
"Senator Robert M. La Follette—Thanks sincerely for your kind expressions of sympathy."
Half an hour the colonel spent looking over and answering private telegrams, dictating always in a clear, strong voice. When he had done he talked with the newspaper men of former experiences of the kind he had just gone through and of cranks at Sagamore Hill and at the White House.
"But I never had a bullet in me before," he said.
CHAPTER VI.