"Yes; I believe you're right," approved the other girl. "That is, your
theory is correct, but the wicked sometimes refuse to reform."

"Usually the fault of the reformers, my dear. But suppose we redeem a
few of them, isn't it worth while? Now, let me see. Here's a washwoman
who says the Kaiser is a gentleman, and a street-car driver who says
it's a rich man's war. No use bothering with such people in our present
state of blind groping. And here's the list that you, yourself, gave to
me: One Silas Herring, a wholesale grocer. I'm going to see him. He's a
big, successful man, and being opposed to the administration is
dangerous. Herring is worth investigating, and with him is associated
Professor John Dyer, superintendent of schools."

"Oh, Professor Dyer is all right," said Mary Louise hastily. "It was he
who helped bring Mr. Herring to time, and afterward he took Gran'pa
Jim's place on the Bond Committee and solicited subscriptions."

"Did he get any?"

"Any what?"

"Subscriptions."

"--I believe so. Really, I don't know."

"Well, _I_ know," said Josie, "for I've inspected the records. Your
professor--who, by the way, is only a professor by courtesy and a
politician by profession--worked four days on the bond sale and didn't
turn in a single subscription. He had a lot of wealthy men on his list
and approached them in such a manner that they all positively declined
to buy bonds. Dyer's activities kept these men from investing in bonds
when, had they been properly approached, they would doubtless have
responded freely."

"Good gracious! Are you sure, Josie?"

"I'm positive. I've got a cross opposite the name of Professor John
Dyer, and I'm going to know more about him--presently. His bosom chum
is the Honorable Andrew Duncan, a man with an honest Scotch name but
only a thirty-second or so of Scotch blood in his veins. His mother was
a German and his grandmother Irish and his greatgrandmother a Spanish
gipsy."

"How did you learn all that, Josie?"

"By making inquiries. Duncan was born in Dorfield and his father was
born in the county. He's a typical American--a product of the great
national melting-pot--but no patriot because he has no sympathy for any
of the European nations at war, or even with the war aims of his native
land. He's a selfish, scheming, unprincipled politician; an
office-holder ever since he could vote; a man who would sacrifice all
America to further his own personal ends."

"Then, you