hearing. But when I go to the State House I propose to wear out shoe
leather instead of pants cloth. If you must rasp Britt, go get a real
file!"

"Who in the blazes can we get?" demanded Jones, helplessly.

The Squire laid down the hand of cards which he had just picked up, thus
signaling the end of the interview, impatiently motioning to Vaniman to
play; then the notary narrowed his eyes and pondered.

The silence was broken by more screaking of the outside stairs.

Prophet Elias stalked into the office. He carried limp, damp sheets
across a forearm--papers that had been well wet down in order to take
impressions from the Washington press. The men in the room waited for
one of his sonorous promulgations of biblical truth. But he said no
word, and his silence was more impressive because it was unwonted. He
marched straight to the Squire and gave him one of the sheets. Then
the Prophet turned and strode toward the door. Jones put out his hand,
asking for one of the papers. Elias shook his head. "Yon scribe has a
voice. Let him read aloud. I have but few papers--they must be spent
thriftily." He passed on and went out.

"One of the city newspapers ought to hire him for a newsboy," remarked
Mr. Jones, acridly. "He could scare up a big circulation."

The only light in the dim room was afforded by the big lamp at the
Squire's elbow. He spread the sheet on the table in the lamp's circle of
radiance. "Boys, _The Hornet_ is out and it looks as if it has a barb in
its stinger," he stated, and then paused while he fixed his spectacles
upon his nose.

Vaniman, sitting close by, felt that a glance at a public sheet was not
invading privacy.

A smutted heading in wood type was smeared across the top of the page.
It counseled:

VOTE FOR BRITT. GIVE PHARAOH HIS KINGLY CROWN

There was a broad, blank space in one of the upper corners of the sheet.
Under the space was this explanation:

Portrait of Tasper Britt, with his latest improvements. But, on second
thought, out of regard for the feelings of our readers, we omit the
portrait.

The Squire, getting control of emotions which the observing Jones and
his associates noted with rising interest, demurely explained to them
the layout of the page after he had carefully inspected the sheet.

Then Squire Hexter began to read aloud, in a tone whose twist of satire
gave the text its full flavor:

"We hasten to proclaim in the land of Egypt that Pharaoh Britt has