quoque_ meant something about votes,
an insulting charge, or merely a reply, and feared to make himself
ridiculous by his response to them. He was not the first man who has
been hampered and floored by his own ignorance. He concluded he must
make an entire change of subject to be safe. So he said, "I ain't goin'
to be no boss's puppy dog."

"No," said Peter, finding it difficult not to smile, "you are not that
kind of a man."

"I takes my orders from no one."

"Denton, no one wants you to vote by order. We elected you alderman to
do what was best for the ward and city, as it seems to you. You are
responsible for your votes to us, and no other man can be. I don't care
who orders you or advises you; in the end, you must vote yourself, and
you yourself will be held to account by us."

"Yes. But if I don't vote as you wants, you'll sour the boys on me."

"I shall tell them what I think. You can do the same. It's a fair game
between us."

"No, it ain't. You're rich and you can talk more."

"You know my money has nothing to do with it. You know I don't try to
deceive the men in talking to them. If they trust what I tell them, it's
because it's reasonable, and because I haven't tricked them before."

"Well, are you goin' to drive me out?"

"I hope not. I think you've made a good alderman, Denton, and you'll
find I've said so."

"But now?"

"If you vote for that franchise, I shall certainly tell the ward that I
think you've done wrong. Then the ward will do as they please."

"As you please, you mean."

"No. You've been long enough in politics to know that unless I can make
the ward think as I do, I couldn't do anything. What would you care for
my opinion, if you didn't know that the votes are back of it?"

Just then the door swung open, and Dennis came in. "Tim said yez was
alone wid Denton, sir, so Oi came right in. It's a good-mornin', sir.
How are yez, Terence?"

"You are just the man I want, Dennis. Tell Denton how the ward feels
about the franchises."

"Shure. It's one man they is. An' if Denton will step down to my place
this night, he'll find out how they think."

"They never would have felt so, if Mister Stirling hadn't talked to
them. Not one in twenty knew the question was up."

"That's because they are most of them too hard working to keep track of
all the things. Come, Denton; I don't attempt to say how you shall vote.
I only tell you how it seems to me. Go round the ward, and talk with
other