ain. "When I saw Niles pass through the street
and the crowd following, I was afraid that a matter that's very serious
to some of us would be turned into horseplay, and so I came along, too.
But I am not led by a buck sheep, Mr. Thornton, nor are those who
believe with me."

"Believe what?"

"That, after fifty years of honors at our hands, you should be willing
to step aside."

The Hon. Thelismer Thornton dragged up his huge figure into the
stiffness of resentment. He ran searching eyes over the faces before
him. All were grave now, for the sounding of the first note of revolt in
a half century makes for gravity. The Duke of Fort Canibas could not
distinguish adherents from foes at that moment, when all faces were
masked with deep attention. His eyes came back to the stubborn
spokesman.

"Walt Davis," he said, "your grandfather put my name before the caucus
that nominated me for the legislature fifty years ago, and your father
and you have voted for me ever since. You and every other voter in this
district know that I do not intend to run again. I have announced it.
What do you mean, then, by coming here in this fashion?"

"You have given out that you are going to make your grandson our next
representative."

"And this ain't a dynasty!" roared Mr. Niles.

"Is there anything the matter with my grandson?" But Davis did not
retreat before the bent brows of the district god.

"The trouble with him is, that he's your grandson."

"And what fault do you find with me after all these years?" There was
wrathful wonderment in the tone.

"If you're going to retire from office," returned Mr. Davis, doggedly,
"there's no need of raking the thing over to make trouble and hard
feelings. I've voted for you, like my folks did before me. You're
welcome to all those votes, Representative Thornton, but neither you nor
your grandson is going to get any more. And as I say, so say many others
in this district."

"No crowned heads, no rings in the noses of the people," declared Niles,
yanking the cord and producing a bleat of fury from his emblematic
captive.

"I don't stand for Niles and his monkey business," protested Davis. "I'm
on a different platform. All is, we propose to be represented from now
on; not _mis_-represented!"

Something like stupefaction succeeded the anger in the countenance of
the Duke of Fort Canibas. Again he made careful scrutiny of the faces of
his constituents. Then he turned his back on them and cli