day long. These booths
were decorated with Forbes banners and attracted a great deal of
comment, as the idea was a distinct innovation in this district.

"You wouldn't catch Hopkins giving anything away," remarked one farmer
to another. "'Rast is too close-fisted."

"Why, as fer that," was the reply, "the thing is done to catch votes.
You know that as well as I do."

"S'pose it is," said the first speaker. "I'd ruther my vote was caught
by a cup of hot coffee on a cold day, than by nothin' at all. If we've
got to bite anyhow, why not take a hook that's baited?"

Patsy and Beth made the rounds of the polling places in an automobile
covered with flags and bunting, and wherever they appeared they were
greeted with cordial cheers.

Mr. Hopkins was noticeable by his absence, and this was due not so much
to his cowardice as to an unfortunate accident.

Neither Squiers nor Hopkins knew just how their secret had leaked out,
for Patsy's presence in the dentist's office had not been disclosed; so
each one suspected the other of culpable foolishness if not downright
rascality. After Uncle John's visit Erastus stormed over to Squiers's
office and found his accomplice boiling with indignation at having been
trapped in a criminal undertaking.

As the two men angrily faced each other they could not think of any
gentle words to say, and Dr. Squiers became so excited by the other's
reproaches that he indulged in careless gestures. One of these gestures
bumped against the Honorable Erastus's right eye with such force that
the eye was badly injured.

The candidate for re-election, therefore, wakened on election morning
with the damaged optic swollen shut and sadly discolored. Realizing that
this unfortunate condition would not win votes, Mr. Hopkins remained at
home all day and nagged his long-suffering spouse, whose tongue was her
only defence.

The Representative had promptly telephoned to Marshall at Fairview
telling him not to vote the men as arranged. He was not especially
charmed with the manager's brief reply:

"Don't be alarmed. We're not _all_ fools!"

"I guess, 'Rast," remarked Mary Hopkins, looking at her damaged and
irritable husband with a blending of curiosity and contempt, "that
you're 'bout at the end of your rope."

"You wait," said Erastus, grimly. "This thing ain't over yet."

The day passed very quietly and without any especial incident. A full
vote was polled, and by sundown the fate of the candidates