blic notice of the change in rates."

"What did you do?"

"I filed the notice--taking care that the only copy should be the one I
sent to Blount's office."

The vice-president looked coldly at his division traffic manager.

"There are times, Gantry, when you seem to be losing your grip. Dave
Blount's son isn't a school-boy, to be fooled by such a transparent
trick as that! Don't you suppose he knows, as well as you do, that the
public notice has to be filed in every station on the road?"

"I had to take a chance--I've had to take a good many chances,"
protested the traffic manager in his own defence; and Kittredge, a
bearded giant who was fully the vice-president's match in heroic
physique, removed his cigar to say: "That young fellow has been a
frost. If he isn't a wild-eyed fanatic, as Gantry insists he is, he is
deeper than the deep blue sea! I'd just about as soon have a box of
dynamite kicking around underfoot as to have him messing in this
campaign fight. I've been keeping cases on him, as you ordered, and he
has worn out three of my best office men on the job."

"You are prejudiced, Kittredge," was the vice-president's comment. "It
was the best move in the entire campaign--putting him in the field.
Apart from the public sentiment he has been turning our way, we mustn't
lose sight of the fact that we got hold of him at a time when the
Honorable Senator was getting ready to turn us down."

"Speaking of the sentiment," Gantry put in, "I don't know whether it's
all sentiment or not. There's a sort of mystery mixed up in this
speech-making business of Blount's. At first I thought maybe his sudden
popularity was due to some word sent out from your Chicago office; but
when you told me it wasn't, I began to do a little speculating on my own
account. I can't make up my mind yet whether it is pure popularity, or
whether it's the assisted kind."

"Assisted?" said the vice-president, with a lifting of the heavy
eyebrows.

"Yes. It has been too unanimous. I have a trustworthy man in Blount's
up-town office, and he says the invitations have fluttered in like
autumn leaves; more than Blount could accept if he travelled
continuously. Kittredge's men report that the speech-making has been a
triumphant progress all over the State; bands, receptions, committees,
and banquets wherever Blount goes."

Mr. McVickar grunted. "The speeches have been all that anybody could
ask. I've been reading them."

Kittredge shook his h