ation of the festoons of
incandescent bulbs; and spreading fanwise from this uniformed nucleus
it seemed that all of Westville was assembled--at least all of
Westville that did not watch at fevered bedsides.

At the moment that Katherine and Old Hosie, walking along the southern
side of Main Street, came opposite the stand, the first speaker
concluded his peroration and resumed his seat. There was an outburst
of "Blake! Blake! Blake!" from the enthusiastic thousands; but the
Westville Brass Band broke in with the chorus of "Marching Through
Georgia." The stirring thunder of the band had hardly died away, when
the thousands of voices again rose in cries of "Blake! Blake! Blake!"

The chairman with difficulty quieted the crowd, and urged them to have
patience, as all the candidates were going to speak, and Blake was not
to speak till toward the last. Kennedy was the next orator, and he
told the multitude, with much flinging heavenward of loose-jointed
arms, what an unparalleled administration the officers to be elected
on the morrow would give the city, and how first and foremost it would
be their purpose to settle the problem of the water-works in such a
manner as to free the city forever from the dangers of another
epidemic such as they were now experiencing. As supreme climax to his
speech, he lauded the ability, character and public spirit of Blake
till superlatives could mount no higher.

When he sat down the crowd went well-nigh mad. But amid the cheering
for the city's favourite, some one shouted the name of Doctor West and
with it coupled a vile epithet. At once Doctor West's name swept
through the crowd, hissed, jeered, cursed. This outbreak made clear
one ominous fact. The enthusiasm of the multitude was not just
ordinary, election-time enthusiasm. Beneath it was smouldering a
desire of revenge for the ills they had suffered and were suffering--a
desire which at a moment might flame up into the uncontrollable fury
of a mob.

Katherine clutched Old Hosie's arm.

"Did you hear those cries against my father?"

"Yes."

"Well, I know now what I shall do!"

He saw that her eyes were afire with decision.

"What?"

"I am going across there, watch my chance, slip out upon the speakers'
stand, and expose and denounce Mr. Blake before Mr. Blake's own
audience!"

The audacity of the plan for a moment caught Old Hosie's breath. Then
its dramatic quality fired his imagination.

"Gorgeous!" he exclaimed.

"C