have effectually tied
up things for the men, but what good will that do? I don't want to
discourage you, but I can only think harm will come of it without your
having accomplished your purpose."

She was singularly serene under this discouragement. She even changed
the subject.

"When do you begin your campaign as candidate for representative?" she
asked as they entered the avenue.

"Two bodies cannot revolve in the same orbit. I'm waiting until you quit
revolving in the county. I hear you make the Co-Citizens write their
names in their own blood when they sign the vow not to reveal the
secrets of the League. Is that so?" he laughed.

"Not quite so bad as that. But they do keep the vow, don't they? Not one
of you will know our plans until we reveal them ourselves at the mass
meeting. But you are going to run for the legislature?" she insisted,
returning to that.

"I'm not sure; I'm waiting to see what Prim's going to do. I----"

"We will take care of Prim," she put in.

"Oh, you will? And which one of you has been chosen to murder him, you
or Susan? Nothing short of death, I think, will rid this town of him."

"We shall not resort to capital punishment unless it is absolutely
necessary," she laughed, "but I think I can assure you of one thing:
Prim will not be a candidate."

"Thanks!" he said, but without conviction. "Does Prim know he is not to
run?" almost sarcastically.

"Not yet," she laughed.

"Good night, Minerva!" he murmured, kissing her hand.

"Good night, Bob, and remember you can go ahead. Prim will not be in
your way."

"I'll wait, thank you; I'm young; I can afford to take my time gathering
county laurels for my brow. And no decent man could oppose Prim without
getting smeared with political slime. Sticks, too!"

CHAPTER III

One very hot morning early in July Mike Prim came up the staircase of
the National Bank Building. He stood for a moment in the hall, breathing
heavily from the exertion of bearing his great weight up the steps. He
took off his straw hat and mopped his red face. Then he glared at the
door of Judge Regis's office.

"That's the long-legged old devil's horse who's put the women up to all
this damnation!" he growled as he entered his own office and closed the
door.

He took off his coat, then his collar and tie, flung them with his hat
on a chair, and sat down to his desk. Then he unbuttoned his cuffs and
rolled up his sleeves. He placed his elbows on the desk