Then they sent up the first shout of the
campaign, and cheered John Harkless till the rafters rang.
"My friends," said Mr. Keating, as he and Boswell and the men from Gaines
drove away in Judd Bennett's omnibus, "my friends, here is where I begin
the warmest hustling I ever did. I want Harkless, everybody wants him----"
"It is a glorious idea," said Mr. Bence. "The name of Harkless----"
Keating drowned the oratory. "But that isn't all. That little girl wants
him to go to Congress, and that settles it. He goes."
That evening Minnie and her father were strolling up and down the front
walk together, between the flowered borders.
"Do you give up?" asked the judge.
"Give up what? No!" returned his daughter.
"She hasn't told you?"
"Not yet; she and Mr. Fisbee left for the office right after those men
went."
"Haven't you discovered what the 'something about politics' she's doing
for him is? Did you understand what she meant by 'Our Candidate'?"
"Not exactly."
"Did you see her blush when she proposed that toast?"
"Yes. So would anybody--with all those men, and their eyes hanging out on
their cheeks!"
"Pooh! She got up the whole show. Do you know why?"
"I only know it's politics."
"Politics!" He glanced over his shoulder, and then, leaning toward her, he
said, in a low tone: "I'll tell you in confidence, Minnie; she's sending
him to Congress!"
"Ah!" she cried triumphantly.
Pages:
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353