before the start-off in every county
delegation out on that floor."

"But what has been the matter with you fellows all the time?" blazed the
boss. "Up to now you have been reporting simply that the soreheads were
growling and were not getting together so as to be dangerous."

"Did you ever try to shovel up soft soap from a cellar floor with a
knitting-needle?" inquired the politician. "That's how it's been in this
case. Every man I talked with was slippery. I know slippery times when
I see 'em. I've been afraid, but I hoped for the best. Now that they
are here, with this convention due to be called to order, they are not
slippery any longer. They don't need to be. I've just been through the
convention hall. They are out and open--and they're against us."

"That Farr has a proxy from a delegate in the Eleventh Ward and is on
the floor," stated another.

"But he isn't a voter."

"He wasn't a little while ago, but he is to-day, Colonel. The board of
registration had to put his name on the books--he has lived here long
enough to become a voter."

Colonel Dodd glared from face to face. It was plain that he was angered
rather than dismayed; he was like a bull at bay, shaking the pricking
darts out of his shoulders. He took a hasty glance at his watch.
'Twas twenty minutes past the hour appointed for the calling of the
convention. He could hear the distant band still bellowing bravely to
kill time.

A giant of a man stood up--a cool man, rather cynical. He was the
chairman of the state committee.

"I have been waiting till all these gentlemen got the panic worked out
of their systems--or, at least, had said all they could think of about
that panic, Colonel. Now we can go ahead and do real business. We have
not had a battle in this state for a long time, and this panic may be
excusable. They say that the men who are the worst frightened before the
battle do the best fighting after they get into the real scrap. I will
admit that the situation in the state has been a little slippery, as
Saunders has said. And some men have dared to do a lot of loud talking
since they have arrived here in this city. It is so strange a thing that
it has got everybody in a panic. The Chinese are wise--they show dragons
to the enemy, but the dragons are only paper. Wouldn't think the
enemy could be scared that way, eh? But look at this bunch of state
committeemen! A pasteboard 'natural-born leader' set up, and Archer
Converse puffing smok