"Maybe my house is burning, gents, but I ain't going to desert my post
of duty till a square deal has been given. I call on you to adjourn this
caucus till evening."

"Question!" was the chorus that assailed the chairman. The villagers
crowded around the rostrum.

The motion to adjourn was voted down with a viva voce vote there was no
disputing.

"It ain't just nor right!" squalled the War Eagle. "I'm here to
protest! You ain't giving the voters a show! This thing shan't be bulled
through this way!"

But that caucus was out of the hands of Mr. Niles and such as he, though
some of the staunchest of Thornton's opposition had remained to fight.

Sylvester elbowed his way to the front, his followers at his back.

"I move, Mr. Chairman, that the check-list be dispensed with. It ain't
ever been used in this caucus, anyway. And I'm in favor of hustling this
thing so that we can all get up there and fight that fire. I don't
believe in staying here caucusing, and let folks' property burn up."

The opposition howled their wrath. They understood all the hypocrisy of
this bland assertion, but protest amounted to nothing. The voters were
behind Sylvester. That gentleman promptly put in nomination the name of
Harlan Thornton for representative to the legislature from the Canibas
class of towns and plantations, and the choice was affirmed by a yell