t the wall you'll be a disgrace to your family. Take that
from me. You'd better hop on your horse and ride off where the air is
better."

After a moment of sombre reflection the young man swung himself to the
back of his horse and galloped away. The look that he got from his
grandfather when he departed did not enlighten or reassure him.

The little square of the town house was pretty well cleared by this
time. The voters had crowded into the hall. One of the last men to pass
the Duke hesitated on the stairs and came back. He was a short, chunky,
very much troubled gentleman. He had slunk rather than walked past. He
came back with the air known as "meeching."

"I'm afraid you're going to misunderstand me, Mr. Thornton."

The Duke offered no opinion.

"I hardly know how to go to work to explain myself in this matter,"
faltered the apologist.

"Considering that I got your appropriation for your seminary doubled
last session in the stingiest year since the grasshoppers ate up Egypt,
I should think you'd find it just a little troublesome convincing me
that Enoch Dudley has got any claim over my interests so far's you're
concerned. What's the matter with you, Professor?"

He invited the State chairman toward them by a toss of his head. His
tone had been severe, but there was humor in his eyes.

"This is Principal Tute, of the Canibas Seminary, Luke. You remember the
cussing I got from the Finance Committee for holding up the bill till I
got the Professor's appropriation doubled. He's trying to tell me how
much obliged he is."

Mr. Tute looked very miserable.

"I've always said you were the best man this district ever had in the
legislature. I've stood up and said that in the open, Mr. Thornton.
You're an institution down to the capitol. When there was talk of a
change for the sake of reform--and you know I'm teaching reform
principles in my school, Mr. Thornton," he hastened on desperately; "I'm
teaching sociological principles in accordance with the advanced
movement, and if I don't practice what I preach I'm false to my pupils,
and--"

"You're going to vote against me to-day, are you, Tute?"

"I've said right along we ought to bear with you so long as you lived
and wanted to be elected."

"Like the seven years' itch, eh?"

"But you are trying to make us mere serfs in politics by dictating our
choice, and what I teach of the principles of democracy--"

Thornton tapped the little man on the shoulder.

"W