ng I'd like to establish in my term--something to
be remembered."

"Not only that," said Armstrong, "but no contract should be considered
binding on the city without the mayor's signature of approval."

"Go ahead and draw it up," said the Mayor. "And then we'll have a
meeting of the Common Council and get it adopted."

But while it was easy enough to draw up and elaborate the bill, it was
not so simple a matter to get it passed. A meeting was called and every
one of the Common Council came. Then Gertrude began to count her
strength, and to find that a man's pocketbook is next to his heart in
more senses than one.

It was a stormy meeting--this first one over which the woman-mayor
presided. Mason and Turner and several others of the new members of the
city council worked ably to get the proposed amendment to the charter
through; but every alderman and a majority of the Council were against
it. The debate was hot and turbulent. Several times the mayor had to
bring down her gavel sharply, and call to order men much older and
better versed in parliamentary tactics than herself. And when it was all
over, the assembly had voted to lay the whole matter on the table!

"It all comes to just this, I am afraid," said Gertrude to Armstrong and
Mary Snow when it was all over and they were back in the mayor's office.
"They all fear exposure of one kind or another. How much do you suppose
they want to conceal?"

"There is nothing hid which cannot be found out," retorted Bailey, "and
by the great horn spoon, I'll find it out."

"They may wish they had voted 'yes' before they get through with this,"
said Mary Snow. "For they must know that you have access to every sort
of record in the city, if you choose."

"And I choose," responded Miss Van Deusen. "I'll go through every
contract, now we're started. That reminds me, Bailey, McAlister hinted
that you could find plenty to do in the bridge department, if you must
'rip things up the back'. I would look into that, too, if I were you."

"Yes--and this new franchise the street railway is so nearly
concluding," he answered. "O, we'll be enough for them yet. When are you
going to appoint a new street commissioner? Perhaps that might
precipitate things a little."

"Tomorrow, then, I'll ask for Thalberg's resignation," was the reply.
"How would John Allingham do for that place? I've been thinking it
might be a good thing all around."

"Splendid," cried Bailey. "He'd like it, too. He