He was just a plain garden or field county
superintendent of schools, no better and no worse than the general
political run of them, but he had local pride enlisted in his cause, and
was a good politician.

Mr. Dilly was in the Woodruff District to build a backfire against this
conflagration of the county superintendent. He expected to use Jennie
Woodruff to light it withal. That is, while denying that he wished to make
any deal or trade--every candidate in every convention always says
that--he wished to say to Miss Woodruff and her father, that if Miss
Woodruff would permit her name to be used for the office of county
superintendent of schools, a goodly group of delegates could be selected
in the other corner of the county who would be glad to reciprocate any
favors Mr. Charles J. Dilly might receive in the way of votes for county
treasurer with ballots for Miss Jennie Woodruff for superintendent of
schools.

Mr. Dilly never inquired as to Miss Woodruff's abilities as an educator.
That would have been eccentric. Miss Woodruff never asked herself if she
knew anything about rural education which especially fitted her for the
task; for was she not a popular and successful teacher--and was not that
enough? Mr. Dilly merely asked himself if Miss Woodruff's name could
command strength enough to eliminate the embarrassing candidate in his
part of the county and leave the field to himself. Miss Woodruff asked
herself whether the work would not give her a pleasanter life than did
teaching, a better salary, and more chances to settle herself in life. So
are the officials chosen who supervise and control the education of the
farm children of America.

This secret mission to effect a political trade accounted for Mr. Dilly's
desire that his driver should "cut out" the controversy with Newton
Bronson, and the personal encounter with Jim Irwin--and it may account for
Jim's easy victory in his first and only physical encounter. An office
seeker could scarcely afford to let his friend or employee lick a member
of a farmers' road gang. It certainly explains the fact that when Jim
Irwin started home from putting out his team the day after his first call
on the Simms family, Jennie was waiting at the gate to be congratulated on
her nomination.

"I congratulate you," said Jim.

"Thanks," said Jennie, extending her hand.

"I hope you're elected," Jim went on, holding the hand; "but there's no
doubt of that."

"They say not," repli