coming out, followed by the judge, who seemed to be highly disturbed and indignant.

“I’m all right now, governor,” called the young man reassuringly. “A disagreeable bull helped me over a fence, and I sort of collapsed after walking into town.”

“Governor,” said Nathan Wiggin grimly, “as near as I can find out, your shuffer climbed a tree to git away from a toothless, half-blind old shepherd dog, and run like the devil when Libby’s bull took after him. Then he follered my darter home, and walked right into the house arter her. Whuther or not he was shammin’ when he flopped on the sofy with his eyes shet, Bessie was upsot and made a touse over him. She’s a ruther emotional girl. My sister’s lookin’ after her now, and I’ve told her what I think of shuffers in gen’ral and young men that climb trees to get away from dogs without teeth enough to dent a biscuit.”

The governor laughed. “There may be an excuse for the young man,” he said. “He was bitten by a vicious dog when very young, but I don’t think bulls could scare him much.” He put his arm across the shoulders of the young man. “Are you sure you’re not hurt much, George?”

“Well, not on the head,” was the reply. “But that girl came pretty near finishing me. She’s a perfect witch, and I——”

“Such a statement concerning my darter is slanderous, considering the fuss she made over him,” said Judge Wiggin in deep resentment. “But I don’t s’pose it’s anything more than could be expected of an ordinary shuffer.”

Again the governor laughed in a peculiar way. “Perhaps not,” he admitted, turning back to the judge. “I’d like to convince you, however, that my argument about automobiles was right, and, as long as you prevented me from catching my train after I had spent three hours persuading Ephraim Glover, of Palmyra, to withdraw and not contest you in the primaries, I think it is up to you to give me the chance.”

First Nathan Wiggin looked astonished, and then slowly his face turned red.

“Was that whut brought you inter these parts?” he asked.

“That was the principal business. Glover was so hard to handle that I was delayed until it was only possible for me to get back by train in time for an important meeting to-night.” Judge Wiggin’s embarrassment was painful. “Governor,” he said, “circumstances alter cases. I’m ruther sorry circumstances interfered with that important app’intment of 

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