it to his mother:

"I am afraid you won't approve of what I did entirely, for I know
your strong feeling against men who make and sell liquor. But I
somehow have been made to feel in the last few days that more can
be done in the world by kindness and help than by frowns and
prosecutions. I had no thought of getting money out of the case,
so I am sure I was not influenced by that. It seemed to me that a
man was being unfairly treated, and that too, by laws which are
meant for other purposes. I really tried to think it out, and do
what seemed right to me. My last client has a look and a way of
speaking that makes me certain he's a fine fellow, and I shall try
to see something of him, provided it will not worry you to think
of me as friendly with a saloon-keeper. I know I can be of use to
him."

Little did Peter know how useful his last client would be to him.

CHAPTER XIX.

THE PRIMARY.

After this rush of work, Peter's life became as routine as of yore. The
winter passed without an event worth noting, if we except a steadily
growing acquaintance with the dwellers of the district. But in July a
new phase was injected into it by a call from Dennis Moriarty.

"Good-mornin' to yez, sir, an' a fine day it is," said the latter, with
his usually breezy way.

"Yes," said Peter.

"Misther Stirling. An' is it engaged yez are for this night?"

"No." Peter had nothing.

"Then," said Dennis, "maybe ye'll be afther goin' wid me to the
primary?"

"What primary?"

"For the election of delegates to the convention, shure."

"No. What party?"

"What party is it?"

"Yes."

"Misther Stirling, do yez know my name?"

"Dennis Moriarty, isn't it?"

"Yes. An' what's my business?"

"You keep a saloon."

"Yes. An' what ward do Oi live in?"

"The sixth, don't you?"

"Then," said Dennis, his upper lip twisting into a smile of enormous
proportions, "Oi suppose yez afther thinkin' Oi'm a dirty black
Republican."

Peter laughed, as few could help doing, when Dennis led the way. "Look
here, Dennis," he said, "don't you run down that party. My father was a
Democrat, but he voted for Lincoln, and fought for the blacks when the
time came, and though I'm a Democrat like him, the Republicans are only
black in their sympathies, and not in their acts."

"An' what do yez say to the whisky frauds, an' black Friday, an' credit
mobilier?" asked Dennis.

"Of course I do