le Whittaker in me, as
I've told you before."

The town clerk pondered over this rather unsatisfactory line of
reasoning for some minutes. His companion fitted a wooden chimney on the
doll house, found it a trifle out of plumb, and proceeded to whittle
a shaving off the lower edge. Then Asaph sighed, as one who gives up a
perplexing riddle, put his hand in his pocket, and produced a bundle of
papers.

"I made out a list of fellers down to the east'ard that I'm goin' to
see this afternoon," he said. "Some of 'em I guess 'll vote for you,
but most of 'em are pretty sartin' for 'Lonzo. However, I--Where is
that list? I had it somewhere's. And--well, I swan! I come pretty near
forgettin' it myself. I'm 'most as bad as Bailey."

From the bundle of papers he produced a crumpled envelope.

"That Bailey," he observed, "must be in love, I cal'late, though I don't
know who with. Ketury, I s'pose, 'cordin' to law and order, but--Well,
anyhow, he's gettin' more absent-minded all the time. Here's a letter
for you, Cy, that he got at the post-office a week ago Monday. 'Twas the
night of the church sociable, and he had on his Sunday cutaway, and
he ain't worn it sence, till the party yesterday. When he took off the
coat, goin' to bed, the letter fell out of it. I guess he was ashamed to
fetch it round himself, so he asked me to do it. Better late than never,
hey? Here's that list at last."

He produced the list and handed it to the captain for inspection. The
latter looked it over, made a few comments and suggestions, and told his
friend to heave ahead and land as many of the listed as possible. This
Mr. Tidditt promised to do, and, replacing the papers in his pocket,
started for the gate.

"Oh! Say, Ase!"

The town clerk, his hand on the gate latch, turned.

"Well, what is it?" he asked. "Don't keep me no longer'n you can help. I
got work to do, I have."

"All right, I won't stop you. Only fallin' in love is kind of epidemic
down at the boardin' house, I guess. Who is it that's got you in
tow--Matildy?"

"What are you talkin' about? Didn't I tell you to quit namin' me with
Matildy Tripp? I like a joke as well as most folks, but when it's wore
into the ground I--"

"Sho, sho! Don't get mad. It's your own fault. You said that
absent-mindedness was a love symptom, so I just got to thinkin', that's
all. That letter that Bailey forgot--you haven't given it to me yet."

Asaph turned red and hastily snatched the papers from