r the
names and addresses of a few witnesses, and we'll go after them!"

"Witnesses--yes, yes--we shall need witnesses, won't we?" faltered
Amidon. "Say, Mr. Edgington, I'll tell you what I'll do: I'll turn you
over to Blodgett."

"The old gentleman at the hotel?"

"The same," replied Amidon. "He was my lawyer, years ago. I'll send
him to you directly this afternoon."

Edgington made some notes in a book.

"Very well," said he. "I'm glad that puzzle is in process of solution.
And now one thing further, and I am done. This is a question of local
politics. You know the talks we've had with the fellows about this
trolley franchise, and the advisability of making you mayor. We all
agree that your interests and mine and those of all our crowd demand
your election to the place----"

"Me mayor!" shouted Amidon. "Me run for office! Why, Mr. Edgington,
you must be crazy!"

"Well, this--certainly--is refreshing!" expostulated Edgington, in
apparent amazement. "When can anything be supposed to be settled,
between gentlemen, if that isn't? Why, confound it, didn't we make up
the complete slate, including control of the Common Council? And
aren't we to have an exclusive franchise on all the streets, with your
signature as mayor? Of course, you're joking now. Why, we're right on
the eve of the caucuses, and with Conlon in line everything will go as
it ought. I mean Barney Conlon, the labor leader. Since you've come
back from this trip of yours, everything seems to be going in
unexpected ways--and somehow you've given offense to Conlon. Do you
know what it was?"

"No," answered Amidon, with some heat. "I don't know what it was! I
don't know Conlon, and I don't know anything about this business except
this: that if you think I'm going to sneak into office for the purpose
of stealing the streets of this town, you don't know Florian Amidon,
that's all!"

"Don't know what? Don't know whom?"

"Don't know Flo--ah--me! Me!"

"Then you won't see Barney Conlon?"

"I won't foul my hands with the dirty mess! I won't----"

"Dirty mess, indeed!" retorted Edgington, "when the best business
men---- Oh, well, if that's the way you feel---- Why didn't you say
so, instead of---- I think we'd best not discuss the thing any
further, Mr. Brassfield; and returning to legal matters, where we are
happily at one, let me remind you that you are to send Judge Blodgett
up to see me regarding the Corkery case this aftern