poor man in this," Colonel Stirling
said. "I know only the law."

"You'll let the scabs go on?"

"I know no such class. If I find any man doing what the law allows
him to do, I shall not interfere. But I shall preserve order."

"Will you order your men to fire on us?"

"If you break the laws."

"Do it at your peril," cried Potter angrily. "For every shot your
regiment fires, you'll lose a thousand votes on election day."

Colonel Stirling turned on him, his face blazing with scorn.
"Votes," he cried. "Do you think I would weigh votes at such a
time? There is no sacrifice I would not make, rather than give the
order that ends a human life; and you think that paper ballots can
influence my action? Votes compared to men's lives!"

"Oh," cried Doggett, "don't come the heavy nobility racket on us.
We are here for business. Votes is votes, and you needn't pretend
you don't think so."

Colonel Stirling was silent for a moment. Then he said calmly: "I
am here to do my duty, not to win votes. There are not votes
enough in this country to make me do more or less."

"Hear him talk," jeered one of the crowd, "and he touting round
the saloons to get votes."

The crowd jeered and hissed unpleasantly.

"Come, Colonel," said Kurfeldt, "we know you're after votes this
year, and know too much to drive them away. You ain't goin' to
lose fifty thousand votes, helpin' scabs to take the bread away
from us, only to see you and your party licked."

"No," shouted a man in the crowd. "You don't dare monkey with
votes!"

Colonel Stirling turned and faced the crowd. "Do you want to know
how much I care for votes," he called, his head reared in the air.

"Speak up loud, sonny," shouted a man far back in the mass, "we
all want to hear."

Colonel Stirling's voice rang quite clear enough, "Votes be
damned!" he said, and turning on his heel, strode back past the
sentries. And the strikers knew the fate of their attempt to keep
out the scabs. Colonel Stirling's "damn" had damned the strike as
well as the votes.

Dead silence fell on the committee and crowd. Even Company D. looked
astounded. Finally, however, one of the committee said, "There's no good
wasting time here." Then a reporter said to a confrere, "What a stunning
headline that will make?" Then the Captain of Company D. got his m