you can organize to supply amongst yourselves, the better pleased I and
my associates will be. All I hope is that you participate
intelligently and profitably in that which will shortly take place.
And first of all it will be my duty and pleasure to supply the town
with water and light on terms to be arranged with your council. This
will be the smallest and to me the least profitable of our
undertakings, but I regard it as an obligation to the town. Ladies and
gentlemen, a new era is dawning for St. Marys. Have I your support?"

Had he their support? There followed a moment of half dazed silence
during which Filmer's blood flushed up to his temples, and Clark
finished his glass of water and sat down with a swift glance of his
gray eyes that seemed to take in the entire assembly. As though
galvanized by an electric shock, the folk of St. Marys rose to their
feet and began to cheer. The ladies' handkerchiefs were in the air,
with a babel of voices both small and deep. Mrs. Dibbott, her eyes
dancing, caught those of Mrs. Worden and nodded vigorously, her cheeks
flushed, for to men and women alike the invigorating, magnetic appeal
had gone home. Then above the clamor Manson's deep bass became
gradually audible.

He was leaning forward, gazing straight out at the two on the platform
and booming his utter unbelief in all he had heard. Clark, it struck
him, did not know what he was talking about, and who was Clark anyway?
Had a single man in the room ever heard of Clark before that afternoon?
The town had made one blunder, and it would be wise to keep out of
another.

Thus far he got when the astonishment of the audience became
transformed into indignation and boiled over. Clark had not moved and
indeed only smiled in an absolutely friendly way, but now there were
shouts that Manson sit down. He was putting the town in an unfortunate
and undesirable position. Finally, Belding and Worden dragged him
expostulating into his chair, whereupon Dibbott and Bowers very
earnestly, and with much applause, expressed what the meeting really
felt. After which the resolution was put calling upon the town council
to confirm the agreement, and without any delay whatever. And this
being carried unanimously with cheering, the meeting broke up and
streamed down the wooden stairs with much trampling of feet, while Mrs.
Dibbott asked Mrs. Bowers if she had noticed that every one was so
interested that the two windows which were o