paper in the state and some of the large northern sheets. I am willing to
make the try, Major. I've practised down there more than you'd think and
it's rotten from the cellar steps to the lightning-rod. Big black buck is
sent up for rioting down at Hein's Bucket of Blood dive--stand aside and
forget about it--while some poor old kink is sent out to the pen for
running into a flock of sleepy hens in the dark, 'unbenkownst' entirely.
I defended six poor pick-ups last week myself, and I guess Taylor saw
my blood was on the boil at the way he's running things. I'm ready to
take a hand with him, but it will take some pretty busy doing around to
beat the booze gang. Am I the man--do you feel sure?"

As David questioned the major his jaw squared itself determinedly. There
was a rather forceful sort of man appearing under the nonchalant David
whom his friends had known for years. A wild pride stirred in Phoebe to
such an extent that she caught her breath while she waited for the
major's reply.

"Yes, David," answered the major as he looked up at him with his keen old
eagle eyes, "I think you are. You've had everything this nation can give
you in the way of fighting blood from Cowpens to Bull Run, and when you
speak in a body legislative your voice can be but an echo of the men who
sired you, statesmen, most of them; so it is to you and your class we
must look for clean government. It is your arraignment of the mayor and
the judge on the hay-market question that has made every decent
organization in the city look to you to begin the fight for a clean-up
reorganization. They have all rallied to your support. Show your colors,
boy, and, God willing, we will smash this machine to the last cog and get
on a basis of honest government."

"Then here goes the hottest fight Davie knows how to put to them! And