foaming horse,
yelled:

"Deering has withdrawn in favor of Russell!" The crowd swarmed out.

"What's the matter?"

"Who spoke?"

"Deering has withdrawn in favor of Russell. Cast your votes for
Russell," repeated the man, and plunged off up the road.

The farmers looked at each other. "What the hell's all this?" said
Smith.

"Who was it?"

"I don't know."

"He's a liar, whoever he is," said Councill. "Where've I seen him
before?"

"I know--it's Deering's hired man."

"You don't say so!" This seemed like the truth.

"I know who it is--it's Sam Harding," shouted Milton. "But that ain't
Deering's horse. It's a Republican trick. Jump y'r horse there,
Councill." He was carried out of himself by his excitement and anger.
The men leaped upon their horses.

"Some o' you fellers take his back trail," shouted Councill. "He'll
come from Shell-rock and Hell's Corner."

The men saw the whole trick. This man had been sent out to the most
populous of the county voting places to spread a lying report, trusting
to the surprise of the announcement to carry a few indecisive votes for
Russell.

Other men leaped their horses and rode off on Harding's back trail,
while Councill, Milton, and old man Bacon rode away after him. Bacon
growled as he rode:

"I'm agin you fellers, but by God! I b'lieve in a square game. If I kin
git my paw on that houn'"--

They rode furiously in the hope of overtaking him before he reached the
next polling-place. Milton was in the lead on his gray colt, a
magnificent creature. He was light and a fine rider, and forged ahead
of the elder men. But the "spy" was also riding a fine horse, and was
riding very fast.

When they reached the next polling-place he was just passing out of
sight beyond. They dashed up, scattering the wondering crowd.

"It's a lie! It's a trick!" shouted Milton. "Deering wouldn't withdraw.
Cast every vote for Deering. It's all done to fool yeh!"

The others came thundering up. "It's a lie!" they shouted.

"Come on!" cried Milton, dropping the rein on Mark's neck, and darting
away on the trail of the false courier.

The young fellows caught the excitement, and every one who had a horse
leaped into the saddle and clattered after, with whoop and halloo, as
if they were chasing a wolf.

The rider ahead suddenly discovered that he was being followed, and he
urged his horse to a more desperate pace along the lane which skirted
the woods' edge for a mile, and then turn