deal, boy!"

Vaniman shuffled obediently.

"And there was a run-in this morning between your boss and his brother,"
observed the Squire, scratching a match. "And Eli, here, called my
attention to the fact that two sun dogs, strangers to him, were chasing
along with the sun all the forenoon. Signs of trouble, boy--sure signs!"
He sorted his cards. It was more of the Squire's regular line of humor
to ascribe to Eli various sorts of comment and counsel.

"How crazy do you think Prophet Elias is?" inquired the young man,
avoiding further reference to his employer.

"After listening many times to the testimony of expert alienists in
court trials I have come to the conclusion that all the folks in the
world are crazy, son, or else nobody is ever crazy. I don't think I'll
express any opinion on the Prophet. I might find myself qualifying as an
alienist expert. I'd hate to!"

After that mild rebuff Vaniman gave all his mind to the game--for when
the Squire played euchre he wanted to attend strictly to the business
in hand. And in the span of time between dusk and supper the two were
rarely interrupted.

But on this afternoon they were out of luck.

Men came tramping up the screaking outside stairs that conducted to the
office; the Squire had a room over Ward's general store.

The men were led into the office by Isaac Jones--"Gid-dap Ike," he was
named--the driver of the mail stage between Egypt and the railroad at
Levant.

For a moment Squire Hexter looked really alarmed. There were half
a dozen men in the party and he was not accustomed to irruptions of
numbers. Then his greeting smile linked his whisker tufts. Mr. Jones and
his party pulled off their hats and by their demeanor of awkward dignity
stood convicted as being members of a delegation formally presenting
themselves.

"Hullo, boys! Have chairs. Excuse the momentary hesitation. I was afraid
you had come after me with a soaped rope."

"I reckon we won't set," stated Mr. Jones. "And we'll be straight and to
the point, seeing that a game is on. Squire Hexter, me and these gents
represent the voters of Egypt. We ask you to accept the nomination to
the legislature from this town for next session. So say I."

"So say we all!" chorused the other men.

The Squire set the thumb and forefinger of each hand into a whisker
fluff and twisted a couple of spills, squinting at them. "The compliment
is esteemed, boys. But the previousness is perplexing. This is Februa