LeRoy said very slow, 'I thought to myself, I don't know
what I'll do, but I'll do the best I can.'

"'You can take it from me,' says the inspector, 'and I'm an Ulster
Orangeman at that, there isn't a man on the force to-day could have
done better,' and he shook the Father's hand again.

"Maybe," concluded Jimmy, "nobody'll ever want to shake my hand after
my first speech, and give me praise, but I'll do the best I can,
anyway."

The Honorable the Provincial Secretary gave Jimmy his first chance in
the annual statement on the hospitals, charities, and prisons of the
province. The Secretary dilated at some length on the reasonable
prices at which supplies had been obtained, particularly coal and wood.
The opposition attacked the Secretary's statement on general grounds.
They always did that, anyway: obviously, anything that the government
did must be wrong, and the debate that followed dragged along for two
or three days, until even the most incompetent men in the House had
said something about it, and had kicked because their speeches did not
get more space in the newspapers. The House was tired to death of the
discussion, and there was a joyous trooping in of members when the
whips sent word that a vote was in sight on an opposition resolution
that the salary list of the Provincial Secretary's Department should be
cut in half. But the end was not yet. Just as the Speaker began to
put the question Jimmy rose. A half-suppressed groan rose with him,
for the members were really tired. Jimmy heard it, but he only smiled.

"On behalf of the People's Party," he said, "I would like to ask the
Honorable the Provincial Secretary a question or two before the vote is
taken, and I presume he'll answer them."

"Cheerfully," said the Honorable, who was smiling.

"I would like to ask then, Mr. Speaker," said Jimmy, "if the honorable
gentleman knows anything about coal, or the coal business."

"I do not."

"He is advised by his officials, I presume?"

"I am"--no one was paying any attention to the Speaker now--the
questions and answers were being exchanged straight across the floor of
the House.

"The honorable gentleman stated," went on Jimmy, "that at last the
Toronto coal ring had been checkmated, and he had made a thoroughly
good bargain with Howilton dealers."

"Yes."

"Does he happen to know that the Howilton men turned over their
contract to the Toronto ring?"

There was a pause. The Provincial Secretary