eturned--and, all the
fine chivalry forgotten which had given to his initial statement to the
voters of Whitewater so noble a sound, he battered aside many of those
"fairest flowers of our civilization, to protect whom it is man's duty
and inspiration."

His lunging progress followed by curses and startled cries of feminine
indignation, he at length emerged upon the opposite sidewalk, and,
breathless and disheveled, he burst into the headquarters of the
Voiceless Speech.

Some half-dozen of Mrs. Herrington's assistants cried out at his abrupt
entrance. Mrs. Herrington, forward beside the speech, turned quickly
about.

"Mr. Remington, you here!" she cried in amazement as he strode toward
her. "What--what do you want?"

"I want--I want--" gasped George. But instead of finishing his sentence
he elbowed Mrs. Herrington out of the way, shoved past her, and stepped
forth in front of the Voiceless Speech. There, standing in the frame of
jagged plate-glass, upon what was equivalent to a platform raised
above the crowd, he sent forth a speech which had a voice. "Ladies and
gentlemen!" he called, raising an imperative hand. The uproar subsided
to numerous exclamations, then to surprised silence; even Noonan's men
checked their disorder at this appearance of their party's candidate.

"Ladies and gentlemen," and this Voiceful Speech was loud,--"I'm here
to answer the questions of this contrivance behind me. But first let
me tell you that though I'm on the ballot as the candidate of the
Republican party, I do not want the backing of the Republican machine.
I'm running as an Independent, and I shall act as an Independent.

"Here are my answers:

"I want to tell you that I shall enforce all the factory laws.

"I want to tell you that I shall enforce the laws governing housing
conditions--particularly housing conditions in the factory district.

"I want to tell you that I shall enforce the laws governing child labor
and the laws governing the labor of women.

"And I want to tell you that I shall enforce every other law, and shall
try to secure the passage of further laws, which will make Whitewater
a clean, forward-looking city, whose first consideration shall be the
welfare of all.

"And, ladies and gentlemen--" he shouted, for the hushed voices had
begun to rise--"I wish I could address you all as fellow-voters!--I
want to tell you that I take back that foolish statement I made at the
opening of the campaign.

"I want