; it was a calamitous mistake. Nobody
knows it better than I do. I got my punishment. I don't wish the woman
any harm; she's a brazen one, and don't need anybody's sympathy."

Lois Montgomery Holton's brazenness had been brought to Waterman's
attention convincingly at home. Josephine, Kate, and Fanny were almost
insane over their sister's bold return. Her impudence in settling
herself upon Amzi, under their very noses, was discussed every day and
all day on Sunday, whenever Lois's sisters could get their heads
together. Waterman felt that Jack Holton's direct testimony as to the
brazenness of their wicked sister would be grateful to the ears of his
wife and sisters-in-law.

"I guess," said Waterman, "that hasn't anything to do with the case. If
what you say's true--"

"Oh, it's true, all right enough. You go over to the 'Star' office and
ask why they've shut up about Sycamore; ask Judge Walters why certain
damage suits against the Sycamore Company haven't been tried; go out
among the people who had put the savings of years into the traction
company and ask them who's buying their bonds. And then, just for a
joke, telegraph the Comptroller at Washington and ask him why he sent
out a special agent of the Treasury to look over the First National
after the examiner's last visit. I tell you, this town's going to have a
big jar in a day or two, and it's just about up to you to get out among
the people and tell 'em how they're being worked."

"The people like being worked," replied Waterman, who had been trying to
bring the people to a realizing sense of their wrongs in every campaign
for twenty years. In a few months they would again be choosing a
Representative in Congress for the seat he had long coveted, and it was
conceivable that if he should now show himself valiant in their behalf
he might avert his usual biennial defeat. It was worth considering.

"The thing to do is to hold a mass meeting and make one of your big
speeches, pitching into Walters for refusing to bring those damage suits
to trial, and telling the truth about what Kirkwood and Amzi are doing,
and then go over to Indianapolis and bring suit for the appointment of a
receiver. And, by the way, I'm not as altruistic as I look. I'll take
the receivership and you'll be the receiver's attorney, of course.
Between us we ought to clear up something handsome, besides rendering a
great public service that you can cash in here any way you like."

Only that day