he'd run against McCune alone; it's as a compliment; it will help him see
how things were, afterwards; and on the second ballot his vote goes to
Harkless. There won't be any hitch if we get down to work right off; it's
a mighty short campaign, but we've got big chances. Of course, it can't be
helped that Halloway has to be kept in the dark; he won't spend any money,
anyway."

"It looks a little underhanded at first glance," said Warren Smith; "but,
as Miss Sherwood said, you've got to be a little underhanded sometimes,
especially when you're dealing with as scrupulous a man as John Harkless.
But it's a perfectly honest deal, and it will be all right with him when
he finds it's all over and he's nominated."

"It's a plain case," added Boswell. "We want him, and we've got to have
him."

"There's one danger," Mr. Keating continued. "Kedge Halloway is honest,
but I believe he's selfish enough to disturb his best friend's deathbed
for his own ends, and it's not unlikely that he will get nervous towards
the last and be telegraphing Harkless to have himself carried on a cot to
the convention to save him. That wouldn't do at all, of course, and Miss
Sherwood thinks maybe there'd be less danger if we set the convention a
little ahead of the day appointed. It's dangerous, because it shortens our
time; but we can fix it for three days before the day we'd settled on, and
that will bring it to September 7th. What we want of you, judge, is to go
to the convention as a delegate, and make the nominating speech for Mr.
Harkless. Will you do it?"

"Do it?" cried the old man, and he struck the table a resounding blow with
his big fist. "Do it? I'd walk from here to Rouen and back again to do