"
"And he came all the way to tell? What a good
fellow!"
"Yes, he came on purpose. He says he could not help
coming. He says he made two or three telegrams; but
every time he tried to telegraph, he felt as if he were
shirking. And I believe he was right. I believe we
should never have pulled through without him. `Personal
presence moves the world,' as Eli Thayer used to say."
"And you found them?" asked Mrs. Molyneux, faintly
essaying to get back to the story.
"Oh Yes, we found them; but not in one minute. You
see, first of all, I had to go to the chief clerk at the
War Department and get the department opened on a
holiday. Then we had no end of clerks to disturb at
their Christmas dinners, and at last we found a good
fellow named Breen who was willing to take hold with Mr.
Kuypers. And Mr. Kuypers himself," here he dropped his
voice, "why, we have not three men in all the departments
who know the history of this government or the system of
its records as he does.
"Once in the office, he went to work like a master.
Breen was amazed. Why! We found those documents in less
than half an hour!
"Then I sent Breen with a note to the Secretary. He
was good as gold; came down in his own carriage,
congratulated me as heartily--well almost as heartily as
you do, Tom--and took us both round, with the files, to
Mr.
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