ns for the county
auditor began.

A small man lifted his hand and cried, "I nominate James McGann of Rock
for auditor."

There was a little silence followed by murmurs of disapproval. The
first false note had been struck. Someone seconded the motion. The
chairman's gavel fell.

"I want to ask the secretary to take the chair for a few minutes," he
said, and there was something in his voice that meant business.
Something ominous. The delegates pressed closer. The secretary took the
chair. "I've got something to say right here," Ridings began.

"Fellow-citizens, we're here in a big fight. We can't afford t' make
any mistake. We can't afford to be tolled off the track by a bag of
anise seed. Who is the man makin' this motion? Does anybody know him? I
do. He's a spy. He's sent here f'r a purpose. Suppose he'd nominated a
better man? His motion would have been out of place. His nomination of
Jim McGann was a trick. Jim McGann can't git a pound o' sugar on credit
in his own town. He never had any credit n'r influence. Why was he
nominated? Simply to make us ridiculous--a laughin' stock. I want to
put you on your guard. If we win it's got t' be in a straight fight.
That's all I've got t' say. Recognize no nomination that don't come
from a man y' know."

The convention clamored its approval, and the small spy and trickster
slunk away and disappeared. There was a certain majesty in the action
of this group of roused farmers. Nominations were seconded and ratified
with shouts, even down through the most important officers in the
county and town. It was magnificent to see how deep was the harmony of
action.

Deering was forced to accept the nomination for treasurer by this
feeling of the unanimity and genuineness which pervaded each succeeding
action, and when the vote was called, and the men thrust their hands in
the air and shouted, they had something of the same feeling that lay at
the heart of the men of Uri, and Unterwalden, and Schwyz when they
shouted their votes together in the valley with the mighty cordon of
guarding mountains around them.

The grange had made this convention and its magnificent action
possible. Each leading member of the grange, through its festivals, and
picnics, and institutes, had become known to the rest, and they were
able to choose their leaders instantly. The ticket as it stood was very
strong. Deering as treasurer and Councill as sheriff, insured success
so far as these officers were co