mind, however, and Free Trade and Secession no longer meant practically
the same thing, as it used to do.

"Now people are damn fools--excepting you an' me, of course," yawned
the Judge, one day in midsummer. "What you want to do is to take a
couple of years at Iowa City and then come back here and jump right
into the political arena and toot your horn. They'll elect you twice as
quick if you come back here with a high collar and a plug-hat, even
these grangers. They distrust a man in 'hodden gray'--no sort of doubt
of it. Now you take my advice. People like to be pollygoggled by a
sleek suit of clothes. And then, there is nothing that impresses people
with a man's immense accumulation of learning and dignity like a
judicious spell of absence."

It was very warm, and they both sat with coats and vests laid aside.
The fat old bull-dog was panting convulsively from the exertion of
having just climbed the stairs. The Judge went on, after looking
affectionately at the dog:

"Ah, we're a gittin' old together, Bull an' me. We like the shady side
of the street. Now you could make a good run in the county to-day, as
you are, but your election would be doubtful, and we can't afford to
take any chances. There are a lot o' fellers who'd say you hadn't had
experience enough--too young, an' all that kind o' thing. We'll suppose
you could be elected auditor. It wouldn't pay. It would only stand in
the way of bigger things. Now you take my advice."

"I'd like to, but I can't afford it, Judge."

"How much you got on hand?"

"Oh, couple of hundred dollars or so."

The Judge ruminated a bit, scratching his chin. "Well, now, I'll tell
yeh, Mrs. Brown and I had a little talk about the matter last night,
and she thinks I ought to lend you the money, and--she thinks you ought
to take it. So pack up y'r duds in September and start in."

Bradley's first impulse, of course, was to refuse, because he felt he
had no claim upon the Judge's charity. It took hold of his imagination,
however, and he talked it all over thoroughly during the intervening
weeks, and the Judge put it this way:

"Now, there's no charity about this thing--I simply expect to get three
hundred per cent. on my money, so you go right along and when you come
back we'll have a new shingle painted--'Brown & Talcott.' We aint
anxious to lose yeh. As a matter of fact, Mrs. Brown and I'll be pretty
lonesome for the first few weeks after you go away--and what I'll do
about