tions of
youth and inexperience. But, perforce, he remained silent until Mr.
Grayson concluded, and then as the crowd was leaving, he approached him.
The candidate seemed to be in a light and joyous humor, and he lifted
his hand in a gesture that was a dismissal of care.

"Remember our coming conference to-night, Mr. Goodnight," he said. "We
will discuss everything then."

He smiled as he spoke, and walked on, but Mr. Goodnight felt himself
waved aside in a manner that was not pleasing to his sense of dignity;
he was sixty years old, and he had done great things in the world.

Harley and Hobart saw it all, and light began to appear on Hobart's
gloomy countenance.

"Harley," he said, "I believe that after all my first intuition was
correct. We may yet have trouble."

Harley was not so sure. It seemed to him that the affair, which was
really not an affair, merely the bud and promise of one, could be
adjusted, especially in these shortening days of the campaign. Tact
would do it, and he was full of hope.

The members of the committee went into their private car and were
inhospitable the remainder of the day; apparently they wished to be
alone, and no one was inclined to violate their wish. Harley supposed
that they were in conference, and he was correct.

They arrived at Philipsburg in a gorgeous twilight that wrapped the
Western mountains in red and gold, but Harley scarcely noticed either
the town or the colors over it. He was full of anxiety, as he began to
share Hobart's view that something was going to happen, although he did
not take the same cheerful view of trouble.

The speech at Philipsburg was not long. Again Jimmy Grayson skirmished
around the dangerous question, but, as before, he did not make any
direct attack upon it. Just when the committee became most alarmed, he
withdrew his forces, and the speech once more closed with the decisive
things unsaid.

But as soon as the crowd dispersed, the Great Philipsburg Conference
began. The large parlor of the hotel had been obtained, and when Jimmy
Grayson started, he put his hand on Harley's shoulder, saying:

"Harley, the press is excluded from this conference, which is secret,
but I take you with me in your capacity as a private citizen. I have
made it a requisite with the committee, because you are a friend and I
may need your help."

Harley gave him a glance of gratitude and appreciation, and the two
together entered the designated room. It was a lar