ed and he forgot even the baleful presence of Falkner
for a time, and when he did remember him, discovered that his "kill joy"
had gone.

Promptly at three o'clock he breezed into his firm's offices with all
habitual cheeriness, exchanged a swift run of badinage with those he
met, and was ushered into the manager's office. Falkner did not meet him
with the customary smile of welcome.

"Well," he said, "you seem to have raised a devil of a row out West, and
if you can offer any explanation at all for such conduct I'm prepared to
listen to it before we go any further. If you think that's the kind of
advertising a reputable firm wants you're about as poor a guesser as
ever traveled on a mileage book."

"Why--why--what's up?" blurted Jimmy.

"What's up? You've got a nerve to ask that!" roared the manager, banging
his fist on the top of his desk. "Here, look at these!"

He handed Jim a small sheaf of sheets consisting of letters and
telegrams. The first was from a jobbing firm:

"Cancel order given your man Gollop. Sorry, but entire board of
directors are Republican and resent Yimville affair."

A second was from another firm which had been one of Jim's best
customers and read:

"Advise Gollop not to make this territory again until Yimville
affair blows over. Granger's supporters buzzing like live hornets."

A more portentous looking document bearing the heading of the "State
Republican Committee Headquarters" bore the concise statement that
unless an immediate, full, and public apology was forthcoming from one
James Gollop for impersonating the Hon. J. Woodworth-Granger at an
important political meeting in the city of Yimville were not immediately
forthcoming, legal action would be taken for damages, on the ground of
misrepresentation, false pretense and willful intent to damage the
reputation and political career of one of the most distinguished men in
the state. Another letter was a round robin, signed by several firms,
demanding the immediate discharge of "that contemptible practical joker,
James Gollop," and still another was from no less person that the Judge
of the Fourth District Court, in which what was said of the same James
Gollop was enough to wither that unfortunate individual. Someone had
sent a stack of newspaper clippings three inches in thickness, from
which Jimmy gathered that it had taken but a day or two to pick up his
trail and expose him beyond all possible dispute.

"Goo