Co-Citizens' League Headquarters_," winked across the front of the
upper story. Beneath that "_The Women's Cooeperative Department Stores_"
winked in blue, red, and white light splendour.

This was not the worst of it: Susan Walton, aided and abetted by John
Regis, had secured the services of foreign female talent, expert
saleswomen, bookkeepers, and a general manager, also a female. With the
assistance of these experienced persons they had purchased such a stock
and assortment of goods as no merchant in Jordantown could afford. They
paid cash, and counted the discount as part of the profit. They figured
to a cent the cost of the stock and the expense of running the store,
and they sold without reference to making any profit at all. What they
lost or failed to collect was charged up as "campaign expense" against
the Foundation Fund!

"This store is a kind of suffragist flypaper put out to catch as many as
we can by offering bargains and credit to possible voters," said Susan
to Judge Regis.

"But, my dear woman, bribing voters is a penal offence," exclaimed the
Judge, laughing.

"This is not bribery, John. This is a premium we are offering to get men
to vote on this measure at all. That is going to be the great
difficulty. Even if we get enough of them to sign the petition to hold
the election, they may outwit us by remaining away from the polls. When
men have employed every other argument to get their way with women, they
cease to argue, back their ears, plant their fore feet, and balk. We
shall cause it to be known that credit can be had at this store only by
persons who furnish sufficient assurance that they will vote in the
election!" she explained.

"But in case they vote against suffrage?" he asked, smiling grimly.

"Before time for the election we shall have convinced the men of this
county of so many financial disasters to follow upon such perfidy, that
the majority will not dare cast their ballots against us," she retorted.

"Intimidation is also a penal offence at the polls, Susan!"

"Do you think men will ever admit that they have been intimidated
politically by women? Never! It was you yourself who said influence is
not influence, it's power! We've got that. Before the spring season is
over, we shall have forced all the merchants in this town into
bankruptcy, or we shall have proper assurance of their support. When
Acres and the rest have kicked against the pricks long enough to realize
the situati