n his magazine and arose. As the Colonel watched him
with surprise, he removed his leathern apron. The Colonel folded his
hand into a fist, but on the pleasant face of Mayor Stitz there was no
sign of anger; no sign of righteous indignation; only a bland look of
satisfaction.

"Well," inquired the Colonel impatiently, "will ye put the ordinance
through, or won't ye?"

The mayor looked at him with surprise in every feature. Clearly this
Colonel did not understand the first rudiments of graft.

"First I must go by Mr. Skinner," said Stitz simply. "Mebby he grafts me
more NOT to pass such an ordinance."

"Look here, Stitz," said the Colonel in alarm. "You ain't goin' to do
that, are ye?"

"Vell," said the mayor, "still must I do it! So always does the boss
grafter. Which side grafts him the most, so he does. It is always so,
never different. To the most grafter, so goes he. I read it in this
books. When the boss grafter does not so, what use is the grafts? How
then does he know which he shall do for, the ordinance-wanting man, or
the ordinance-not-wanting man?"

The Colonel tried to argue with him, but the mayor was obdurate. He
would not budge from the highest principles of graft, and, as the
Colonel had gone too far now to recede with honor, he secured the best
terms he could. The most he could obtain was a promise that the mayor
would not mention any names, nor so much as hint that graft had been
promised. He uneasily awaited the mayor's return.

Stitz returned radiant. He was rubbing his hands and beaming.

"Fine!" he exclaimed. "Fine! I make me one boss grafter yet! Mister
Skinner grafts me one roast beef and six pigs' feet. He ain't much
liking those fire-extinguishers to have. How much more will you graft me
now?"

The Colonel looked the mayor squarely in the eye.

"Stitz," he said, "I ain't goin' to run no auction with that there
Skinner. I come to you first, an' I was the first to say I'd make you
a present, an' you ought to pass that ordinance anyhow. But to shut up
this thing right here an' now, I'll do this: if you'll say you'll
pas that ordinance like I want, so Skinner'll have to buy them four
nickel-plated fire-extinguishers that Miss Briggs owns, at twenty-five
dollars each, I'll give you four bushels of Benoni apples, two bushels
of Early Rose potatoes, four bunches of celery, a peck of peas, and
one spring chicken. And if you won't" he added, raising his hand
threateningly, "I'll go to them s