, and
addressed himself to a consideration of the questions of taxation and
finance. These men formed a growing power in the State, and chafed
under the restraint of their leaders.

And above all, death, the great pacificator, unlooser of bonds, and
aider of progress, was doing his work. The old men were dying and
carrying their prejudices with them, while each year thousands of young
voters, to whom the war was an echo of passion, sprang to the polls and
faced the future policy of the parties, not their past. Not only all
over the State of Iowa, but all over the West, they were silent
factors, in many cases kept so by the all-compelling power of party
ties; but they represented a growing power, and they were to become
leaders in their turn.

This spreading radicalism reached Bradley in the quiet of his life in
Iowa City. The young fellows in the school were debating it with fierce
enthusiasm, and several of them capitulated. They all recognized that
the liquor question once out of the way, the tariff was the next great
State issue. At the Judge's suggestion, Bradley did not return to Rock
River during vacation, but spent the time reading with a prominent
lawyer of the town who had a very fine law library.

He did not care to return particularly, for the quiet studious life he
led, almost lonely, had grown to be very pleasant to him. He read a
great deal outside his law, and enjoyed his days as he had never done
before. Unconsciously he had fallen into a mode of life and a habit of
thought which were unfitting him for a politician's career. He gave
very little thought to that, however; his ambition for the time had
taken a new form. He wished to be well read; to be a scholar such as he
imagined Miss Wilbur to be.

He began reading for that purpose, and kept at it because he really had
the literary perception. He wrote to her of his reading; and when in
her reply she mentioned some book which he had not read, he searched
for it, and read it as soon as possible. In this quiet way he spent his
days, the happiest he had ever known.

He had just two disturbing factors: one was Nettie's relation to him,
and the other was his desire to see Miss Wilbur. Nettie wrote quite
often at first, letters all very much alike, and very short, sending
love and kisses. She was not a good letter writer, and even under the
inspiration of love could not write above two pages of repetitious
matter. "It's dreadfully hard work to write," sh