ward-heeler
type. He turned on the judge.

"No," said he, "it is impossible for me to go now. But I am much
interested in what you say, and to-morrow---- No, not to-morrow, for I
shall be very busy; but the day after we will take it up with you, if
quite convenient to you. In the meantime, if you will be so kind as to
call on my lawyer, Mr. Edgington, I shall be very glad. He is
authorized to make terms--anything reasonable, you know. Good night,
Mr. Blodgett. I hope we shall meet again!"

"Your old friend Blodgett seems agitated to-night," said Alvord, as
they sat alone in the Turkish room. "He's got to be quite a fellow
here on the strength of your friendship. Wish he was a voter. We
could use him. Maybe he can help in a quiet, way. Anything wrong with
him? Seemed worked up."

Smilingly, as if Alvord's remarks had been as plain to him as they were
charged with mystery, Brassfield replied that so far as he knew
Blodgett was all right, and that he might be of use further along in
the campaign.

"And now," said he, "tell me what on earth has sent Edgington off on
this tangent. He's the man who first suggested to me that I ought to
run. It was his scheme. He's my lawyer and my friend. What does it
mean?"

"Well, I saw Edge, and he's got a list of reasons longer'n an
anaconda's dream. He says that since your return from your New York
trip you've seemed different. I don't mind saying that there's others
say the same thing."

"Different?" said Brassfield, in an anxiety rendered painful by the
missing time and these strangers whom he was accused of knowing, but
who behaved as strangers to him. "How?"

"Well," said Alvord, "kind of not the same in manner--offish with the
gang, an' sort of addicted to the professor and the hypnotist--no kick
from me, old chap, you understand, but I'm filing a kind of bill of
exceptions, an' these things go in."

"I see," said Brassfield. "Go on!"

"Then you'll have to own you've done some funny stunts," continued
Alvord. "You've fired old Stevens, and you've been going over your
books with this man Blodgett, and talking of selling him an
interest----"

"Talking of what?" exclaimed Brassfield.

"Oh, it's your own business, you know, but a sort of shock to the
feelings and finances of the community all the same. Not that it
affects me, or that many know of it, but the inner circle is
disturbed--and, mind, I'm leading up to Edgington's flop."

"I see," said