e sand in each other's craws,
cemented a pretty strong liking.

CHAPTER XXV

AN EXCITING GAME OF TIT FOR TAT WITH HIRED THUGS

The _Bulletin_, continuing its warfare upon Stone and every one who
supported him, hit upon names that had never before been mentioned but
in terms of the highest respect, and divers and sundry complacent
gentlemen who attended church quite regularly began to look for a
cyclone cellar. They were compromised with Stone and they could not
placate Bobby. The four banks that had withdrawn their advertisements,
after a hasty conference with Stone put them back again the first day
their names were mentioned. The business department of the _Bulletin_
cheerfully accepted those advertisements at the increased rate
justified by the _Bulletin's_ increased circulation; but the editorial
department just as cheerfully kept castigating the erring conservators
of the public money, and the advertisements disappeared again.

Bobby's days now were beset from a hundred quarters with agonized
appeals to change his policy. This man and that man and the other man
high in commercial and social and political circles came to him with
all sorts of pressure, and even Payne Winthrop and Nick Allstyne, two
of his particular cronies of the Idlers', not being able to catch him
at the club any more, came up to his office.

"This won't do, old man," protested Payne; "we're missing you at
billiards and bridge whist, but your refusal to take part in the
coming polo tourney was the last straw. You're getting to be a regular
plebe."

"I am a plebe," admitted Bobby. "What's the use to deny it? My father
was a plebe. He came off the farm with no earthly possessions more
valuable than the patches on his trousers. I am one generation from
the soil, and since I have turned over a furrow or two, just plain
earth smells good to me."

Both of Bobby's friends laughed. They liked him too well to take him
seriously in this.

"But really," said Nick, returning to the attack, "the boys at the
club were talking over the thing and think this rather bad form, this
sort of a fight you're making. You're bound to become involved in a
nasty controversy."

"Yes?" inquired Bobby pleasantly. "Watch me become worse involved.
More than that, I think I shall come down to the Idlers', when I get
things straightened out here, organize a club league and make you
fellows march with banners and torch-lights."

This being a more hilarious jok