But this is important--critical, in fact." Observing no sign of
compliance. Bowers lowered head and voice, murmuring, "You know I'm no
hand at carrying tales, Ross, but--"

"You won't have to," cut in Shelby. "I know."

"You know?"

"Baffled sleuth--discovery by husband--shots--kicked down
steps--divorce case summons in the morning--you see the whole roorback
has come my way."

"Roorback!" Bowers caught at the straw. "We can make a sweeping
denial, then?"

"Whole hog or none." He smiled sarcastically into the face which had
so suddenly gone bright. "The truth has been so far outstripped that
you can't see it with a telescope. Get handbills printed denying the
story, denounce it as a partisan trick, and sign the statement yourself
as chairman of the County Committee. Have them distributed all over
town, and station men--men, mind you, not boys--with a supply just
outside electioneering limits at each polling place. If the yarn
spreads elsewhere in the district, wire our people to take similar
measures."

"Ross!" Bowers called him back. "I don't need to tell you how glad I
am. I never believed it of you."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," laughed Shelby; "but I'd rather
you'd hurry the handbills."

He had a more urgent reason yet, for wishing Bowers to take himself
off. A block or two up the street, where the trees began to interlace
their denuded branches and the court-house common sparkled with frosty
rime, he had seen the Widow Weatherwax accost Ruth Temple. The girl
had stopped when addressed, but almost immediately walked on, as if to
escape the little busybody who, nothing daunted, trotted at elbow for a
rod or more. Then Ruth came down the slope alone, and was intercepted
by Shelby at her gate.

"I must speak with you," he said abruptly. "My good name is being
dragged in the dirt, and I must assure you--"

"No, no," Ruth interposed.

"I tell you I must. You have heard this calumny. I saw her stop
you--the woman who is peddling it from door to door. I must
speak--it's no time for mincing words--speak to you personally--Bowers
will answer to my constituency--speak to you personally, I say, appeal
to you to believe in me. You don't know what your belief in me has
been--my inspiration, my safeguard. Don't take it away--it's vital;
don't deprive me of all this on hearsay. Say you'll not. Give me a
sign--"

"Go win in spite of it." In a single wave of generous impulse she had