often in politics that he's a little risky,
after all. Weren't you out with him last night?"

Moore laughed admiringly. So Burroughs knew of a drive to a roadhouse
and a convivial night. His chief kept an omniscient eye on everybody
with whom he was dealing.

"Well, yes. I thought that I'd jolly him up a little without any hint of
trying to get his vote. I had half a mind to commit suicide this
morning, but my head was so sore that I hated to shoot a hole in it."

Burroughs grinned. "Joe's always telling of what he's done. According to
his talk he's developed the State from cattle to copper--from sheep to
sapphires. A man who's always telling what he's done isn't doing very
much now. I'll bet he'll be the easiest in the bunch if you tackle him
right."

"Don't be too sure. A man that's been everything from a Populist to a
justice of the peace is likely to be hard to convince. Queer how
McDevitt turned up this winter," Moore went on, after a drink. "Chaplain
of the House, too!"

"I don't much like that!"

"Oh, we must throw something overboard to the sharks," said Moore,
carelessly. "A member asked me to see that McDevitt got the job, and I
thought it an easy way to get the member--see? Quite a number of the old
Whoop Up crowd here this winter."

"Yes. Got Blair yet?"

"No. He'll be the toughest nut of all. He's hard up, but he's a pretty
decent sort of man these days, and his sister has considerable influence
over him. Besides, he feels in duty bound to stick to Danvers--the old
story of Danvers saving his sister's life, you know."

"I suppose so," admitted Burroughs. "Get a woman after him."

"I have. Mrs. Latimer is interesting him in your behalf. But the idiot
has lost his head over her, instead of taking her advice and voting for
you."

"He's a fool!" snarled Burroughs, remembering Eva's dismissal of
himself. "I thought the time would come when she'd be anxious to get my
help--in some way! But get Blair--get him!" he repeated. "He'll do to
take along as a political exhibit. I've never forgiven him for squealing
in the matter of that whiskey in the Whoop Up Country. Fix it so his
change of face will smirch Eva Latimer. That'll hurt her virtuous and
law-upholding husband more than anything I can do to get even with that
decision _in re_ Hall. Offer him--anything in reason. He's probably
banking on a big haul. Give it to him, and I'll see that his sister
knows that he was bought like a steer in open market