of the warning that his scout had brought to him, the Duke had
hardly believed that amateur politicians would go to this extreme. More
than ever he realized that unscrupulous men higher up were using these
tools. And it was plain that the instruments had been tutored to believe
that the end justified the means. What Ivus Niles said about the devil
and fire betrayed them.

The Duke walked over to the minister, and took him by the lapels of his
coat.

"Elder," he protested, "I don't like to see a good man used for tongs in
politics. There's a lot you don't know about this game. You're in
wrong."

"You're not the right man to tell me so, Mr. Thornton. I represent
reform. It's time we had it. And _your_ gospel in politics isn't _my_
gospel."

"You've got the revised version, Parson Dudley, if you find a text in it
about splitting a caucus at the door of the hall."

"The sheep shall be divided from the goats, sir."

"You've got this caucus and the Judgment Day mixed, elder." He released
the minister and stepped back. "I never yet talked rough to a parson.
But you've cut loose from common sense. When you get down on a level
with me at a caucus door you're no parson--you're a politician, and
you'll have to let me say that you're a blasted poor one. You're Enoch
Dudley, now. And I want to tell you, Enoch, that neither you nor any
bunch of steers you happen to be teaming can keep legal voters out of
that hall. As to whether this or that man can vote in the caucus, that
will be settled when we get in there. But these men of mine are going
in. It's up to you to decide whether they shall go in as lions or
lambs."

"Violence shall rest on your own head!" cried the minister. "I'll see
that the world knows about it."

"We'll see whose case shows up best when the report is made," retorted
the Duke. "But I'm done arguing. Pull off those deputies." Sheriff
Niles appeared at that moment. He had left his subalterns to store the
confiscated liquors.

"Niles, pull your men off the door, here," commanded the Duke. "Your
county politics hasn't any business at our caucus here to-day."

"I've been asked to keep this caucus regular, and I'm going to do it,"
insisted the sheriff.

"So am I," agreed Thornton. "So when the story goes out it will have to
be said that you and I were working together to keep politics pure." The
faithful Sylvester was hovering on the outskirts of the crowd. Thornton
beckoned to him and he came. The Duke h