e."

"Typewritten?"

"Why, what an ass you are, Buck," observed Presley calmly. "Before
you get through with it, you will probably insult three-fourths of the
people you intend to invite, and have about a hundred quarrels on your
hands, and a lawsuit or two."

However, before Annixter could reply, Magnus came out on the porch,
erect, grave, freshly shaven. Without realising what he was doing,
Annixter instinctively rose to his feet. It was as though Magnus was a
commander-in-chief of an unseen army, and he a subaltern. There was some
little conversation as to the proposed dance, and then Annixter found an
excuse for drawing the Governor aside. Mrs. Derrick watched the two with
eyes full of poignant anxiety, as they slowly paced the length of the
gravel driveway to the road gate, and stood there, leaning upon it,
talking earnestly; Magnus tall, thin-lipped, impassive, one hand in the
breast of his frock coat, his head bare, his keen, blue eyes fixed upon
Annixter's face. Annixter came at once to the main point.

"I got a wire from Osterman this morning, Governor, and, well--we've got
Disbrow. That means that the Denver, Pueblo and Mojave is back of us.
There's half the fight won, first off."

"Osterman bribed him, I suppose," observed Magnus.

Annixter raised a shoulder vexatiously.

"You've got to pay for what you get," he returned. "You don't get
something for nothing, I guess. Governor," he went on, "I don't see how
you can stay out of this business much longer. You see how it will be.
We're going to win, and I don't see how you can feel that it's right of
you to let us do all the work and stand all the expense. There's never
been a movement of any importance that went on around you that you
weren't the leader in it. All Tulare County, all the San Joaquin, for
that matter, knows you. They want a leader, and they are looking to you.
I know how you feel about politics nowadays. But, Governor, standards
have changed since your time; everybody plays the game now as we are
playing it--the most honourable men. You can't play it any other way,
and, pshaw! if the right wins out in the end, that's the main thing. We
want you in this thing, and we want you bad. You've been chewing on this
affair now a long time. Have you made up your mind? Do you come in? I
tell you what, you've got to look at these things in a large way. You've
got to judge by results. Well, now, what do you think? Do you come in?"

Magnus's glance le