ye had to do with Martin Pike lately? Has the old wolf GOT
to injure ye?" Mr. Sheehan's voice rose and his eyes gleamed under
bushy brows. "Think," he finished. "What's happened lately to make
him bite so hard?"

There were some faded roses on the desk, and as Joe's haggard eyes fell
upon them the answer came. "What makes you think Judge Pike isn't
trustworthy?" he had asked Ariel, and her reply had been: "Nothing
very definite, unless it was his look when I told him that I meant to
ask you to take charge of things for me."

He got slowly and amazedly to his feet. "You've got it!" he said.

"Ye see?" cried Mike Sheehan, slapping his thigh with a big hand. "On
my soul I have the penetration! Ye don't need to tell me one thing
except this: I told ye I'd lead ye somewhere; haven't I kept me word?"

"Yes," said Joe.

"But I have the penetration!" exclaimed Mr. Sheehan. "Should I miss my
guess if I said that ye think Pike may be scared ye'll stumble on his
track in some queer performances? Should I miss it?"

"No," said Joe. "You wouldn't miss it."

"Just one thing more." The red-bearded man rose, mopping the inner
band of his straw hat. "In the matter of yer runnin' fer Mayor, now--"

Joe, who had begun to pace up and down the room, made an impatient
gesture. "Pshaw!" he interrupted; but his friend stopped him with a
hand laid on his arm.

"Don't be treatin' it as clean out of all possibility, Joe Louden. If
ye do, it shows ye haven't sense to know that nobody can say what way
the wind's blowin' week after next. All the boys want ye; Louie
Farbach wants ye, and Louie has a big say. Who is it that doesn't want
ye?"

"Canaan," said Joe.

"Hold up! It's Pike's Canaan ye mean. If ye git the nomination, ye'd
be elected, wouldn't ye?"

"I couldn't be nominated."

"I ain't claimin' ye'd git Martin Pike's vote," returned Mr. Sheehan,
sharply, "though I don't say it's impossible. Ye've got to beat him,
that's all. Ye've got to do to him what he's done to YOU, and what
he's tryin' to do now worse than ever before. Well--there may be ways
to do it; and if he tempts me enough, I may fergit my troth and honor
as a noble gentleman and help ye with a word ye'd never guess yerself."

"You've hinted at such mysteries before, Mike," Joe smiled. "I'd be
glad to know what you mean, if there's anything in them."

"It may come to that," said the other, with some embarrassment. "It
may come to that some d