f law-abiding citizens and deacons and elders in the church?
Prim! But who hired me for this job? You fellows with the ornamental
virtues of society. I was to provide all the profits of vice to support
your position. By God! do you think I haven't kept your letters of
instruction about the Wimply campaign--that suggestion you made about
counting the election returns? I've got it! And Coleman's order for
liquor and funds to be used in the Dry Valley district, I've got that,
too. And I have the agreement Wimply signed to keep the town open that
year you fellows were masquerading on that Law and Order Committee: You
all voted for Wimply! I've enough signatures here to put half of you in
stripes!" he exclaimed, striking the desk with his clenched fist.

"That's all right, Mike. I just wanted to know what----"

"What I'm up to? Well, I'll tell you I aim to be the representative from
this county. It'll take a damn sight of money to elect me, and I'm going
to be elected."

"Of course, we understand that. But what's the hurry? Campaign doesn't
begin now."

"That's all you know about it. But _I_ know we are facing a crisis in
this county _now_. Everything I've worked for, everything you fellows
have stood for secretly and made _me do_--all of it may be swept from
under our feet in sixty days. That's why I want money, and----"

"All right," Acres interrupted, taking out his check book, "here's mine.
And it's more than I can spare."

"Not if I need more!" growled Prim, listing the check with a dozen
others.

If an outlaw, armed to the teeth, had passed up and down the streets and
robbed every man in Jordantown, they could not have appeared more
dejected and, at the same time, alarmed. Conversation languished beneath
the awnings. Men sat in their shirt sleeves, side by side, perfectly
silent. You do not discuss the thorn in your side--and they all had two
thorns. They were not only outraged by Prim's demands, they were
suffering from the neuralgia of suspense in regard to the Mosely Estate.

"It's about time for the _Signal_ to be out," said Coleman, looking at
his watch.

"Never is anything in it when it does come----My God! What was that?"

The air was rent, torn to mere tatters of air, by a long blood-curdling
yell, a yell which seemed to catch its breath with battle fierceness,
and then come again.

The two men rushed to the door of the bank. They beheld a scene of the
wildest confusion. The square, which a moment