What were you intending to do?"

"Ask you to take the nomination for the legislature."

The crowd indorsed the request with _viva-voce_ enthusiasm.

"I certainly will. I am pleased and proud," declared Usial.

Through the circle of men came Prophet Elias, his robe trailing on his
heels. He stood beside Usial and faced the bystanders. He proclaimed,
"'Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors, through Him that
loved us.'"

Somebody handed to Mr. Jones his whip and he inspected it carefully. "Of
course, there's more than one way of fighting a man--and I have my own
notions--but maybe I'm wrong."

"Eli has observed many a dog-fight," Squire Hexter remarked; "and, so
far as he sees, the attacking dog doesn't get much out of the fracas
except a ripped ear and a raw reputation in the neighborhood." He
marched to Vaniman, took that perturbed young man by the arm, and said
that Xoa would be waiting supper.

CHAPTER VII

SQUARED OFF AND ALL SET

As Squire Hexter and Vaniman walked on together the notary deferred
comment on the recent happenings, as if he hoped that the cashier would
open up on the topic. But Frank was grimly silent.

Therefore the Squire broke the ice. "What kind of a partner does
Tasp Britt make in a polka, son? I saw you and him going at it pretty
briskly."

"I stopped him from making a fool of himself."

"Quite a contract, boy! Quite a contract! And when you got to the matter
of his purple whiskers and his lamp-mat hair--"

"I said nothing to Mr. Britt on such a ridiculous topic--certainly not,
sir!"

"And yet you brag that you have stopped him from making a fool of
himself," purred the Squire. "Tut! Tut! He's worse than ever. I heard
him tell you that you're discharged from the bank."

"Yes, I heard him, too!"

"I didn't catch what you answered back."

"I told him I should ask the directors to decide that matter."

"Quite right! You're sure of one vote for your side--that's mine! And
I think that when President Britt considers that he has no other charge
against you except that you took away a horsewhip that he was using not
wisely but too well--"

"I struck him across the mouth."

"Oh, I missed that," said the Squire, regretfully. "Why the pat?"

"I could not express my feelings in any other way. As to what those
feelings were and why he stirred them, I'll have to ask you to excuse
me, Squire Hexter. If I were going to stay in the bank I would explain
the matter t