"There ain't no bonfire in that, gents," declared a man. "That fire has
got a start, and if it's in that slash from that logging operation, it
ain't going to be put out with no pint dipperful."

There was sudden hush in the big room. All men were gazing at the
mounting masses that rolled into the heavens and blossomed bodefully
over the wooded hills. Fat clouds of the smoke hung high and motionless.
From the earth went up to them whirls and spirals and billowing
discharges like smoke from noiseless artillery.

A man had climbed upon a window-sill of the hall in order to see more
clearly.

"I tell you, boys," he shouted, "that's a racin' fire, and it's in that
Jo Quacca slash! I, for one, have got a stand of buildin's in front of
that fire."

He jumped down and started for the door. Several men followed him.

The chairman of the town committee began to shake a paper above his
head.

"It's no time to be leaving a caucus," he pleaded. "We've fixed up a new
call. We'll get down to business now."

"I know where my business is just this minute!" shouted the man who was
leading the first volunteers. "And it ain't in politics."

The chairman tried to put a motion to adjourn, but at that moment the
meeting-house bell began to clang its alarm.

"Save your property, you Jo Quacca fellows!" some one cried, and the
crowd stampeded.

Thornton remained in his place in front of the rostrum. He noted who
were running away. The deserters were the back-district voters--the
opposition among whom his enemies had prevailed. The villagers remained.
Here and there among them walked Talleyrand Sylvester. He was
unobtrusive and he spoke low, but he was earnest.

When at last the chairman made his voice heard, Ivus Niles was shouting
for recognition. That stern patriot had remained on guard.

"Maybe my house is burning, gents, but I ain't going to desert my post
of duty till a square deal has been given. I call on you to adjourn this
caucus till evening."

"Question!" was the chorus that assailed the chairman. The villagers
crowded around the rostrum.

The motion to adjourn was voted down with a viva voce vote there was no
disputing.

"It ain't just nor right!" squalled the War Eagle. "I'm here to
protest! You ain't giving the voters a show! This thing shan't be bulled
through this way!"

But that caucus was out of the hands of Mr. Niles and such as he, though
some of the staunchest of Thornton's opposition had remained to