Wednesday--it would be decided whether Squire Parsons should retain the
right to issue warrants and summon law-breakers before him, or have only
the dignity of the title, while James Harker, formerly shoemaker,
occupied the office and received the fees.

Jim looked piqued by Gill's question.

"Keep a secret? Humph! do yer take me fer a woman?"

Gill laughed and stroked his mustache. "I'll bet you ten dollars if I
was to tell you a secret that you couldn't keep it an hour."

"Ten dollars is skeerce with me, Gill; but I'll hev ter go yer thet much
anyhow."

From somewhere in his clothes Jim produced a greasy wallet, which he
opened. He took from it a ten-dollar gold piece. Gill promptly mated it,
but modified the time.

"An hour's too short a time for a fair test."

Jim replaced the money in his wallet. Gill tossed his gold piece into
the air, caught it as it fell, balanced it on the tip of his finger, and
said:

"Jim, how would you like to have this shiner for your first
wedding-fee?"

Jim's eyes dilated.

"Well, yer wouldn't think I'd objec', would yer?"

Gill laughed and slipped the coin into his pocket. Jim's face betrayed
his eagerness for the gold.

"Let's go into the shop. I've something particular to say to you," said
Gill.

They entered, and Jim shut the door. Gill dropped into the shoemaker's
seat and laid the lap-board on his knees.

"Do you know, Jim, that Squire Parsons is going to be hard to beat?"

Jim sat down on a stool and drew a heavy breath, which was an admission
that he was of that opinion.

Gill had a knife in his hand and was cutting a piece of leather into
strips. The shoemaker, too cunning to force the conversation, looked on
in silence. Finally Gill said: "But I believe we can do it, Jim."

"Think so?" Jim asked carelessly.

Gill took another piece of leather and, after whetting the knife on the
side of the bench, began cutting a shoe-string. When he finished it, he
said:

"Jim, if you will promise to do me a favor, I'll elect you."'

Without looking up, or waiting for an answer, he began cutting another
string, running the knife dextrously around the circular piece of
leather. With great difficulty Jim restrained a promise to do anything
Gill might ask. He began to feel his way cautiously.

"If it be in my power as an honest jedge."

"I am not in the habit of asking impossibilities."

Gill was pointing the ends of the shoe-strings, and appeared very
indifferent