at
water-works charge of mine."

"Oh, I'll only take a minute or two," said Blind Charlie. "And you may
want to make use of my idea in this afternoon's paper."

"Well, go ahead. Only remember that at this hour the press is my
boss."

"Of course, of course," said Blind Charlie amiably. "Well, here's to
business: Now I guess I've been through about as many elections as you
are years old. It isn't what the people think in the middle of the
campaign that wins. It's what they think on election day. I've seen
many a horse that looked like he had the race on ice at the three
quarters licked to a frazzle in the home stretch. Same with
candidates. Just now you look like a winner. What we want is to make
sure that you'll still be out in front when you go under the wire."

"Yes, yes," said Bruce impatiently. "What's your plan?"

"You've got the people with you now," the old man continued, "and we
want to make sure you don't lose 'em. This water-works charge of yours
has been a mighty good move. But I've had my ear to the ground. I've
had it to the ground for nigh on fifty years, and if there's any kind
of a political noise, you can bet I hear it. Now I've detected some
sounds which tell me that your water-works talk is beginning to react
against you."

"You don't say! I haven't noticed it."

"Of course not; if you had, there'd be no use for me to come here and
tell you," returned Blind Charlie blandly. "That's where the value of
my political ear comes in. Now in my time I've seen many a sensation
react and swamp the man that started it. That's what we've got to look
out for and guard against."

"U'm! And what do you think we ought to do?"

Bruce was being taken in a little easier than Blind Charlie had
anticipated.

"If I were you," the old man continued persuasively, "I'd pitch the
tune of the whole business in a little lower key. Let up on the big
noise you're making--cut out some of the violent statements. I think
you understand. Take my word for it, quieter tactics will be a lot
more effective at this stage of the game. You've got the people--you
don't want to scare them away."

Bruce stared thoughtfully, and without suspicion, at the
loose-skinned, smiling, old face.

"U'm!" he said. "U'm!"

Blind Charlie waited patiently for two or three minutes.

"Well, what do you think?" he asked.

"You may be right," Bruce slowly admitted.

"There's no doubt of it," the old politician pleasantly assured him.

"And