“I don't exactly like them specks,” broke in a fat, middle-aged man at a window. “By gum! I believe old Ab had us down about right. Ef we kin git sort o' opened up along with the rest o' creation, I say le's git in the game. Huh!”--the man finished, with a laughing shrug--“I don't like them fly-specks one bit.” “Me nuther,” said a man beside him. “Nur me!” came from some one else. “Well, I'm willin' ef the rest are,” announced Bar-tell. “All in favor hold up yore hands.” Pole Baker grinned broadly as he counted them. “All up--the last one,” he said, then he sprang for the door and stood before the expectant audience. “Toot! toot!” he cried, imitating the whistle of a locomotive. “All aboard! The road's a settled thing. They say they don't want no specks, an' they ain't agoin' to have 'em. Hooray!” The audience was electrified by the announcement. For an instant there was a pause of incredulous astonishment, and then the floor resounded from the clatter of feet and glad shouts filled the air. Alan, his face ablaze with startled triumph, came towards Adele and Miller. “Pole worked the rabbit-foot on them back there,” he said. “I don't know what he did, but he did something.” “He told me he had a card left,” laughed Miller. “I 'll bet he had it up his sleeve. There he is now. Oh, Pole, come here!” The man thus addressed slouched down the aisle to them, his big, brown eyes flashing merrily under his heavy brows, his sun-browned face dark with the flush of triumph. “Out with it, you rascal,” said Alan. “What did you say to them? Whatever it was it knocked their props clean from under them.” “Ef you don't back me in it, I'm a gone dog,” said Pole to Alan. “All I want you to do is to vote for Bartell, ef you kin possibly swallow the dose.” A light broke on the two men. “I 'll do it if you say so, Pole,” said Alan. “Not only that, but I 'll work for him if you wish it.” Pole looked down and pulled at his heavy mustache. “Well,” he smiled, “I reckon he won't harm us any more in the legislatur' than the road 'll do us good, so you'd better support 'im. I seed the bars down a minute ago, an' I didn't have no time to consult you. I'd 'a' told a bigger lie 'an that to clinch this thing.” Abner Daniel joined them, smiling broadly, his eyes twinkling joyously. “We've won, Uncle Ab,” exclaimed Alan; “what do you think of that?” The old jester stroked his face and swung his long body back and forth in the wind of his content. “I've always argued,” said he, “that what is to be _will_ be, an' it _will_ be a sight sooner 'n most of us count on, ef we 'll jest keep our sperits up.” The others moved on, leaving Adele and Miller together. “Oh, just look at mamma and papa,” she said, in the round, full voice indicative of deep emotion. “They are so glad they are about to cry.” “What a dear, dear girl you are,” said Miller, softly. “There is nothing to separate us now, is there?”