the dark until I get old enough to be
called an old maid," she said, mischievously. "Good-night!"

He waited by the side of the river until he saw her white figure safely
through the dark bridge, and on its way up the quiet hillside past the
church. Then he rode to "The Barracks," his mind dwelling a bit more
particularly on the vagaries of womankind than it ever had before.

He joined his grandfather on the porch after he had eaten his supper
alone.

"The fences, so I hear, Harlan, will pass the inspection of the most
expert fence-viewers," he chuckled. "So I suppose you'll be ready to
leave with me to-morrow."

"If you think it's necessary to have me go anywhere with you,
grandfather, I'll go."

There was silence for a time. The young man was waiting. The old man
smoked placidly.

"Is there any reason why you can't tell me where we are going?" inquired
Harlan.

"No especial reason--only I'll be wasting time telling you. You'll see
for yourself. We'll meet a big man or so--that's all!"

"The man I'd like to meet," began the young man, fervently, "is one that
every young chap in this country can follow and ought to follow, if he's
got red blood and honesty in him. I wish I could meet him now when I'm
starting out, if only to shake his hand."

"You'd better not meet any man so long as he's wearing a halo, where
you're concerned. You'll find political halos, bub, when you get too
near to 'em, something like restaurant doughnuts--holes surrounded by
poor cooking. Better keep away a spell. That's why I'm not going to tell
you where we're going--not just now. I might go to cracking up the man
too much. I'll let you build your own halo for him--and then maybe you
can eat your own cooking, provided you find the halo a doughnut."

They left Fort Canibas the next morning, travelling humbly by mail stage
to the railroad terminus. The branch line took them to a populous
junction, and by that time Harlan Thornton began to appreciate that his
grandfather was rather more of a figure in State politics than he had
dreamed. He had made many trips with him through the State in years
past, but never before when men understood, some dimly, some fearfully,
that a political crisis was on. Thelismer Thornton's seat in the train,
his room at the hotel, was besieged by those who respectfully solicited
his opinions. They seemed to realize that some of the wisdom of the
fathers in State politics, of the patriarchs with whom he had tra