He gives more money to the
poor than any other man in town. The only way I found that out is by
having a natural nose for finding out things. He doesn't say anything
about it."

"How he would swim!" repeated Farr. "Steady and strong and straight
toward the shore, Citizen Drew, and he wouldn't kick away the poor
drowning devils, either."

"He probably thinks he has paid his debt to the world when he hands out
his money," stated Drew. "When he looks around and sees so many other
men holding the poor chaps upside down and shaking the dollars out of
their pockets he must think he is doing a mighty sight more than is
required of him. But sticking plasters of dollar bills onto sore places
in this state ain't curing anything." He stopped. "I've walked with you
farther than I intended to, Mr. Farr. But somehow I wanted to talk with
you. There's a meeting of the Square Deal Club this evening at Union
Hall. I didn't know but in some way we might--It was thought you might
be going to run for office."

"The registration-office will prove that I'm not. Pass that word!"

"I'll go back--to the meeting. It doesn't seem to be much use in holding
the meetings," said the man. "We hear one another talk--we know we are
talking the truth. But nobody listens who can help us poor folks. Well,
I'll admit that the politicians come in and listen and promise to help
us and we give our votes; but that's all: they give nothing back to us."

Farr broke out with a remark which seemed to have no bearing on what
Citizen Drew was saying.

"He comes out at nine o'clock, eh?"

"Who?"

"The Honorable Archer Converse. Leaves that clubhouse then, does he?"

"Regular to the tick of the clock."

"Citizen Drew, hold your club in session until half past nine or a
little later. My experience with those meetings is that you always have
troubles enough to keep you talking for at least two hours."

Citizen Drew glanced at the face of Farr and then at the big door of the
Mellicite Club.

"You don't mean to say--"

"I don't say anything. I seem to be in a queer state of mind to-night,
Citizen Drew." Again there was an odd note of raillery in his voice. "A
lot of odd ideas keep coming to me. Another one had just popped into my
head. That's all! Keep your boys at the hall."

He swung off up the street.

He turned after a few steps and saw the elderly man standing where he
had left him. Drew was a rather pathetic figure there in the brilliantly
lighted