e sun, but did not intercept its heat. Each hill and tree
glimmered across the waves of warm air, and seemed to pulse as if
alive. Blackbirds and robins and sparrows everywhere gave voice to the
ecstasy which the men felt, but could not express.

The Judge roused up, slapping the horse with the reins. "It's going to
be a fight; but Fishbein will be left on the first ballot by
twenty-five votes."

Cedarville was wide-awake--feverishly so. The street was lined with
knots of gesticulating politicians. As he alighted Bradley's friends
swarmed about him with "three cheers for the Hon. Brad Talcott." He
shook hands all round with unfeigned pleasure.

"Hurrah, boys, let's all go over to the Palace Hotel and have some
dinner," said the Judge at last.

The rest whooped with delight. "That's the cooky, Judge."

They swarmed in upon Jake like the locusts into Egypt. They washed
(some of them) in the wash-room, out of tin basins, laughing and
talking in hearty clamor over the water and the comb. Others flung
their nondescript wind-worn hats upon the floor, brushed their hair
with their fingers and went into the dining-room as if going into a
farm-kitchen in threshing time.

The girls were in a flutter of haste, and giggled and bumped against
each other trying to serve the dinner to order--

"Quick as the Lord'll let yeh."

Bradley's constituents were mostly farmers, clean-eyed and hearty. They
all felt sure of success and jeered the opposition good-naturedly.

* * * * *

When the Judge and Bradley rode home that night, they were silent for
another cause. They had been defeated on the tenth ballot, and bitter
things had been said by both sides.

It was again beautiful around them, but they did not notice it. The low
sun flung its level red rays of light across the flaming green of the
springing grain, and lighted every western window-pane into burning
squares of crimson. The train carrying the successful Waterville crowd
passed them, and they waved their hats in return to their opponents'
salute.

The Judge was as badly defeated as Bradley. He took it very hard. It
seemed to give the lie to all his prophecies of Democratic progress. It
seemed to him a defeat of Jeffersonian principle. He consoled himself
by saying--

"Those fellows don't represent the people. The thing to do is to bolt
the convention"; and then he went on planning an independent campaign.

Bradley maintained