lf," smiled Lawler; "I'll tell you a secret--your argument has had
no effect upon me. I decided this thing as far back as the day following
the last election. I am going to run."

"Then we've got Haughton licked!" declared Metcalf, enthusiastically.

Metcalf stayed at the Circle L throughout the day, and in the evening
Lawler rode with him to Willets, where he saw him aboard the west-bound
train.

"I'm telling you something, Lawler," grinned the newspaperman as he
gripped Lawler's hand just before the train started. "McGregor came to
me yesterday. He told me he intended to come to see you, but he was
afraid you'd refuse to run. He asked me if I had any influence with you,
and I told him you'd do anything I suggested. Now, don't get excited,
Lawler," he laughed as Lawler looked sharply at him. "I've proved it,
haven't I? You've agreed to run! Lord, man, I'd hate to be an evil-doer
and have you look at me like that!" He laughed again, exultantly. "What
was it you said to Warden one day, when Warden refused to keep that
agreement you made with Lefingwell? Oh, don't look at me that way--that
conversation has been printed all over the state. I saw to that. How did
I hear of it? Somebody must have talked, Lawler. It wasn't you. You
remember what you told Warden? It was this:

"'I'm telling you this, though: A man's word in this country has got to
be backed by his performances--and he's got to have memory enough to
know when he gives his word!'

"You've given yours, Lawler; and you can't back out. McGregor will be
waiting for me in the capital. And when I tell him that I have persuaded
you to run, he'll fall on my neck and weep tears of joy. Then he'll hire
a special train and run down here to fall on _your_ neck!"

McGregor came the next day. And he took Lawler back to the capital with
him. Lawler stayed in the capital for a week, and when he returned he
went directly to the Circle L.

No word came from him, to Willets, during the summer. He did not appear
in town; though Willets heard that the new Circle L ranchhouse had at
last been completed, and that Lawler was living in it. Also, the Circle
L outfit had been recruited to full strength; Blackburn was occupying
the new cabin.

When Corwin--who was chairman of the county committee--sent out calls
for the county primary election--which convention was also to choose
delegates to the state convention, to be held later--Lawler did not
appear. He sent a note to Corwin,