affectionate grip of Pietro's collar--"I'm goin' to have a talk with
Maxim's manager to-morrow, I've had one or two a'ready, and I'll put
up the price all round on them people. It's no more'n right, when you
count up what we're doin' fer them. Look here, you swing them six in
line and march 'em up, and all of ye stamp the rooster instead of the
eagle this time, and help me to show Maxim that Frank Pixley's there
with the goods, and I'll hand you a five-dollar bill and a full box o'
_ci_gars, see?"

Pietro nodded and smiled through the darkness. "Stamp that eagle!" he
answered, "Eesa all _right_, Meesa Peasley. Don't you have
afraid. We all seven a good Republican! Stamp that eagle! Hoor-r-ra!
Republican _eternall_!"

Pixley was left sitting on the barrel, looking after the light figure
of the young man joyously tripping back to the cellar, and turning to
wave a hand in farewell from the street.

"Well, I _am_ damned!" the politician remarked, with unwitting
veracity. "Did the dern Dago bluff me, does he want more, er did he
reely didn't un'erstand fer honest?" Then, as he took up his way,
crossing the street at the warning of some red and green smallpox
lanterns, "I'll git those seven votes, though, _someway_. I'm out
fer a record this time, and I'll _git_ 'em!"

Bertha went with her fiance to select the home that was to be
theirs. They found a clean, tidy, furnished room, with a canary bird
thrown in, and Toby, in the wild joy of his heart, seized his
sweetheart round the waist and tried to force her to dance under the
amazed eyes of the landlady.