A day or two later a scene he had witnessed in the kitchen, in which
Caroline and Tempie hung anxiously over a simmering pan of lemon juice,
sugar, rye whisky and peppermint which, when it arrived at the proper
sirupy condition, was to be administered as a soothing potion to the
hoarse throat of Peyton Kendrick, who perched croaking on a chair close
by, drove him to seeking comfort from Phoebe much to her apparent
amusement but secret perturbation, for Phoebe both comprehended and
feared the situation.

And thus there is also much of the primitive left in the heart of the
modern man on which the elemental forces work.

Then the day for the election came nearer and nearer by what seemed
fleeting hours. The whole city was thoroughly aroused and fighting hard
under one banner or the other. As the last week drew to a close and left
only the few days of the following week for a round-up of the forces
before the Wednesday election, the men all became absorbed to the point
of oblivion to everything save the speculation as to how the race would
go. But it was not in the nature of David Kildare to be held against the
grindstone of serious endeavor too long at a time, and in the midst of
the turmoil he proceeded to plot for a brief and exciting relaxation for
himself and his strenuous friends, and he chose Saturday for the
accomplishment thereof.

The morning dawned in a fluff of gray fog that hung low down over the
avenue, though the sun showed signs of soon piercing the gloom. The clash
and clatter of the city was fast approaching a noonday roar but still
Phoebe slept in the room which adjoined that of Caroline Darrah Brown.