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eir job. But say, the people are watchin' you, just the same." "How many people are in there?" Mr. Crewe demanded. "Twenty-seven, when I came out," said Mr. Tooting, with commendable accuracy. "But it wants fifteen minutes to eight." "And who," asked Mr. Crewe, "is to introduce me?" An expression of indignation spread over Mr. Tooting's face. "There ain't a man in Ripton's got sand enough!" he exclaimed. "Sol Gridley was a-goin' to, but he went to New York on the noon train. I guess it's a pleasure trip," Mr. Tooting hinted darkly. "Why," said Mr. Crewe, "he's the fellow--" "Exactly," Mr. Tooting replied, "and he did get a lot of 'em, travelling about. But Sol has got to work on the quiet, you understand. He feels he can't come out right away." "And how about Amos Ricketts? Where's he?" "Amos," said Mr. Tooting, regretfully, "was taken very sudden about five o'clock. One of his spells come on, and he sent me word to the Ripton House. He had his speech all made up, and it was a good one, too. He was going to tell folks pretty straight how the railroad beat him for mayor." Mr. Crewe made a gesture of disgust. "I'll introduce myself," he said. "They all know me, anyhow." "Say," said Mr. Tooting, laying a hand on his candidate's arm. "You couldn't do any better. I've bin for that all along." "Hold on," said Mr. Crewe, listening, "a lot of people are coming in now." What Mr. Crewe had heard, however, was the arrival of the Ladies' Auxiliary,--five and thirty strong, from Leith. But stay! Who are these coming? More ladies--ladies in groups of two and three and five! ladies of Ripton whose husbands, for some unexplained reason, have stayed at home; and Mr. Tooting, as he watched them with mingled feelings, became a woman's suffragist on the spot. He dived into the private office once more, where he found Mr. Crewe seated with his legs crossed, calmly reading a last winter's playbill. (Note for a more complete biography.) "Well, Tooting," he said, "I thought they'd begin to come." "They're mostly women," Mr. Tooting informed him. "Women!" "Hold on!" said Mr. Tooting, who had the true showman's instinct. "Can't you see that folks are curious? They're afraid to come 'emselves, and they're sendin' their wives and daughters. If you get the women tonight, they'll go home and club the men into line." Eight strokes boomed out from the tower of the neighbouring town hall, and an expectant flutt
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