ust turns the faucet, and there it
comes."

"What was the row, anyway, Strong?"

"I don't know myself; something about a teacher--he began to bluster
all of a sudden." Strong walked over to the screen, picked it up, set
it straight along a crack with intense precision, and went back to his
seat. "Drunk, isn't he? I haven't heard him take the stump that way
since election. He's always made rather a point of not quarrelling
with me, too."

"Oh, he's no drunker'n usual," answered with candor a fellow-townsman.
"The Judge ain't really himself until he's a little off. He didn't
blow so without some reason; don't you fool yourself--not if _I_ know
the man."

"Well, if he's got any game he must have come to his last chance in
it, to try bullying on _me_," said Strong; and then another of the
group asked:

"What row could there be about a teacher, Strong? Thought you'd given
him his man."

The pencil rolled from the edge of the table across the floor at
Strong's movement of attention. "Coakley?--what of him?"

The man began to laugh, and one or two others joined in. One of them
said a little offensively: "Pretty good on you, youngster! You took
too big a contract for your age when you undertook to keep up with
Judge Garvey. He'll give you odds and take you in, every time."

Strong reddened a little, but waited to be answered with very fair
composure.

"Didn't you really know, Strong? The Judge scored one on you that
time, then. Why, he's been Garvey's man in Sierra Township one or two
elections now. Used to be a Millerite preacher, before your day, but
he broke down at that. Good hand in county politics, but he's always
completely out of business between times. Why you remember him,
Strong--he was round with the Judge election times--cross-eyed fellow,
with black siders."

"_That_ fellow? Why, he can't spell straight! The way of it was, Judge
Garvey told us only Tuesday that the teacher we'd got--first-rate
certificates--had backed out; and we couldn't put off beginning school
any longer, nor hear of any teacher to be had; so when he produced
this man, we had really no choice. I suppose I needn't ask where he
got his certificates."

"No--Garvey's solid with this county board and superintendent."

"Disgraceful!" said Strong; whereat all laughed, except one who had
lost a ranch a few years before during business dealings with the
Judge.

"Oh, he's a scamp--I wouldn't trust him out of sight with his baby's
silv