hing?"

"Rather!" said Henry, who was slightly out of breath. "It's about a
comma."

"A what?"

"A comma. Where's your copy of the ordinances?"

"On my desk. Why?"

Henry ran through the volume to the proper place, inserted his thumb
as a marker, and held the book in reserve. "Judge, do you suppose the
voters want any of these fool blue-laws passed?"

"No."

"Well, who does, then, outside of the League?"

"Nobody. All we want is a decent city."

"It's simply that the League's got the Council more or less buffaloed,
isn't it?"

"That's what I've heard, Henry."

"And the first thing we know, the League'll have put in such a big
wedge that it'll be too late to get it out. If this amendment gets
over, Mix'll have a show in the fall, and then the League'll run wild.
Just as they said in those pamphlets that Mix published, and then
squirmed out of. Isn't that so?"

"Very likely. Very likely."

"And yet everybody's afraid to stand up against it, for fear they'll
be called names?"

"It looks so, Henry."

"But if the people once started a back fire--"

The Judge shook his head. "Mobs don't start without a leader."

"I know, but if they ever realized what a ghastly farce it would
be--not even using any of the League's _new_ notions, but taking what
we've got on the books right now--" He opened the volume of
ordinances, and read slowly: "'Whosoever shall fail in the strict
observance of the Lord's Day by any unseemly act, speech or carriage;
or whosoever shall engage in any manner of diversion--'" Here he
paused impressively. "'--or profane occupation--'" He slung the volume
on the desk, and faced the Judge. "Don't you get it?"

"I'm afraid I don't--quite."

"Why," said Henry, with a beatific grin. "Why, _there's a comma
after that word 'diversion.'_ I've just come from the City Hall.
I've seen the original copy. There _is_ a comma. 'Any manner of
diversion'--that's one thing: '_or_ any manner of profane occupation
for profit--' that's something else again, and different entirely.
And the Reform League has been shrieking to have that ordinance
enforced--to say nothing of the amendment. Well, why not enforce
it once. 'Any manner of diversion?'" He began to laugh, helplessly.
"Oh, come on, Judge--take the pins out and let your imagination down.
_Any_ manner of--"

The Judge was whistling softly. "By George, Henry--"

"Can't you _see_ it working? I'm not sure anybody could even take a
nap! And--"

The