nguished and
highly respected Government official fail, as in the opinion of the
Express they undoubtedly would fail of substantiation was a big
libel case all dressed and ready and looking for the Mercury office.
"Foolish--foolish," wrote Mr Williams at the close of his editorial
comments. "Very ill-advised."

"They've made no case so far," Mr Murchison assured the family. "I saw
Williams on my way up, and he says the evidence of that corner grocery
fellow--what's his name?--went all to pieces this morning. Oliver was in
court. He says one of the judges--Hooke--lost his patience altogether."

"They won't do anything with the town charges," Alec said, "and they
know it. They're saving themselves for Moneida and old man Ormiston."

"Well, I heartily wish," said Mrs Murchison, in a tone of grievance with
the world at large, and if you were not responsible you might keep out
of the way--"I heartily wish that Lorne had stayed at home that day and
not got mixed up with old man Ormiston."

"They'll find it pretty hard to fix anything on Lorne," said Alec. "But
I guess the Squire did go off his head a little."

"Have they anything more than Indian evidence?" asked Advena.

"We don't know what they've got," said her brother darkly "and we won't
till Wednesday, when they expect to get round to it."

"Indian evidence will be a poor dependence in Cruickshank's hands," Mr
Murchison told them, with a chuckle. "They say this Chief Joseph Fry is
going about complaining that he always got three dollars for one vote
before, and this time he expected six for two, and got nothing!"

"Chief Joseph Fry!" exclaimed Alec. "They make me tired with their Chief
Josephs and Chief Henrys! White Clam Shell--that was the name he got
when he wasn't christened."

"That's the name," remarked Advena, "that he probably votes under."

"Well," said Mrs Murchison, "it was very kind of Squire Ormiston to
give Lorne his support, but it seems to me that as far as Moneida is
concerned he would have done better alone."

"No, I guess he wouldn't, Mother," said Alec. "Moneida came right round
with the Squire, outside the Reserve. If it hadn't been for the majority
there we would have lost the election. The old man worked hard, and
Lorne is grateful to him, and so he ought to be."

"If they carry the case against Lorne," said Stella, "he'll be
disqualified for seven years."

"Only if they prove him personally mixed up in it," said the father.
"And th