Caretall and Gergue came together about eight o’clock in the morning. Amos had very little to say. He glanced at the voting lists, nodded to Ed Howe, called a greeting to Jim Thomas and departed. Peter Gergue remained for a time, scratching the back of his head and talking with those who came to vote.

Amos came back at noon, and as it happened, he met V. R. Kite at the voting place. Kite voted in this precinct, and he had just deposited his ballot when Amos arrived. The two men greeted each other amiably. Amos said: “Morning, Mr. Kite.”

“Good morning, Congressman.”

“Just voting?”

“Yes. Overslept.”

Amos winked. “I trust you voted right, V. R.”

Kite nodded briskly. “Right as rain, Congressman. You too?”

“Sure.”

Jim Thomas listened with frank interest. Now he found an opening for his joke. “You’d better drop in a few votes here, Congressman. Chase is running strong.”

Amos looked at him with interest. “You don’t say, Jim?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Well--how do you know, Jim?”

Thomas became faintly confused. “Oh, I can tell.”

“You ain’t been looking at the ballots, have you, Jim?”

Jim blustered. “Look-a-here--who you accusing?”

“You ain’t? Then you must be one of these mediums that can read a folded paper.”

“Oh, sugar! You go....”

Amos grinned. “Matter of fact, Jim, I wish I knowed you was right. I’m frank to say, Jim, that I got a bet on a horse named Chase to win.” 

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