like a rent balloon. For the office
door had opened to let in Big Tim O'Brien. His shrewd eyes passed with
whimsical disgust over Killen and rested on Farnum.

The situation made for amusement, since Jeff knew that Big Tim had heard
over the transom enough to show that Killen's vote had been recaptured
for Hardy.

"You've stumbled on a red hot Hardy ratification meeting. Did you come
to get into the bandwagon while there is time, Tim?" Jeff asked with
twinkling eyes.

"No sinking ship for mine. I guess I wouldn't ratify yet a while if I
were youse, Farnum."

He stood aside to let the editor of the _World_ pass. Jeff laughed. "Go
to it, Tim."

"I haven't got anything to say to you, Mr. O'Brien," the mill man
announced with heightened color.

"Maybe I've got something to say to youse, Mr. Killen."

Jeff passed out smiling. "Well, I'll not interrupt you. See you
to-morrow, Sam."

Big Tim sat down heavily in a chair and pulled from his vest pocket a
fat black cigar.

"Smoke, Killen?"

"No, thanks." The legislator spoke with stiff dignity.

Big Tim looked at the other man and his paunch shook with the merriment
that appeared to convulse him.

"What's the matter?" snapped the mill man.

"I'm laughin' at the things I see, Killen. Man, but you're an easy
mar-rk."

"How?"

"Can't you see they're stringin' youse for a sucker?"

"No, I can't see it. I've made up my mind. I'm going to stand by Hardy."

"Fine! Now I'll tell youse one thing. We're goin' to elect Frome
to-morrow." O'Brien rose as one who has no time for unprofitable talk.
"Your friends have sold youse out. I'm going to call on one of thim
right now."

"I don't believe it."

"Of course you don't." Tim's projecting balcony shook with the humor
of it. "But you'll be convinced when they take your mill from youse, me
boy. It's a frame-up--and you're the goat."

With which shot he took his departure, too shrewd to attempt any
argument. He had left behind him a doubt. That was all he could do just
now.

Before Tim was out of the building Killen was gumshoeing after him. He
meant to find out whether O'Brien had been lying when he said he was
going to call on one of his friends. Fifty yards behind him Killen
followed, along Powers Avenue, down Pacific Street, to the Equitable
Building. From the pilot of one of the elevators he learned that the
big boss had got off at the seventh floor and gone straight into James
Farnum's office.

His mind was