ued, if not actually sad, and in the presence of
Bockerheisen, as the election drew near, he seemed to be so utterly
woe-begone and discouraged that the German told his wife he hadn't the
heart to quarrel with him about having let McCafferty cost so much
money. Besides, as the Colonel remarked to Mrs. Boozy on the night
before election, when she told him he had let that bad man, McCafferty,
ruin him entirely, and as Bockerheisen said to Mrs. Bockerheisen when
she warned him that that ugly-looking Croak would be calling for her
watch and weddingring next--as they both remarked, "What is the
difference if I get the votes of the association? Business will be good
in the Board of Aldermen next year, and I can make it up."

Who did get the votes of the association I'm sure I can't say. All I
know is that the Republican candidate was elected, and a Central Office
detective who haunts the Forty-second Street depot reported at
Headquarters on Election Day night that he had seen Dennie McCafferty,
wearing evening dress and a single glass in his left eye, and Tozie
Monks, The Croak, dressed as Dennie's valet, board the six o'clock train
for Chicago and the West.

X.

MR. MADDLEDOCK.

Mr. Maddledock did not like to wait, and, least of all, for dinner.
Wobbles knew that, and when he heard the soft gong of the clock in the
lower hall beat seven times, and reflected that while four guests had
been bidden to dinner only three had yet come, Wobbles was agitated.
Mrs. Throcton, Mr. Maddledock's sister, and Miss Annie Throcton had
arrived and were just coming downstairs from the dressing-room. Mr.
Linden was in the parlor with Miss Maddledock, both looking as if all
they asked was to be let alone. Mr. Maddledock was in the library
walking up and down in a way that Wobbles could but look upon as
ominous. Again, and for the fifth time in two minutes, Wobbles made a
careful calculation upon his fingers, but to save his unhappy soul he
could not bring five persons to tally with six chairs. And in the mean
while, Mr. Maddledock's step in the library grew sharper in its sound
and quicker in its motion.

There was nothing vulgar about Mr. Maddledock. His tall, erect figure,
his gray eyes, his clearly cut, correct features, his low voice, his
utter want of passion, and his quiet, resolute habit of bending
everything and everybody as it suited him to bend them, told upon people
differently. Some said he was handsome and courtly, oth