"Another debating society wants irrigating, I s'pose," said he. "Hello! This is headquarters. . . Yes, it's Alvord speaking to you. . . . Oh, is it you, Brass? They said it was a man named Amidon. Wire's crossed, I s'pose. Worst telephone service I ever saw. All right, go ahead." Here followed a long pause broken occasionally by "yes," and "I know," and "no," from Alvord. At last, in tones of amazement, he broke forth in a storm of protest. "What! Publish a platform?" he shouted. "Are you crazy? No, I most emphatically don't think so. Why--now listen a moment, 'Gene,--I've got the best still hunt framed up you ever saw. We're winning in a walk. . . . Well, if you want to make your position clear, I know I can trust you to make your manifesto the right thing. But mind, I advise against it! . . . Yes, sure, as many things as you want to talk about, old man. . . . Yes, I've heard about the idea; but never saw it indorsed by any practical people. . . . Yes. . . . No. No! . . . _No!_ . . . I tell you NO! . . . Why, you know we've spent sums that we couldn't possibly publish. What have you been drinking, 'Gene? Here, damn you, this is all a josh! Come down here and I'll buy. . . . What's that? You really want to publish a schedule of your election expenses? Well, I'll keep the schedule, and you can print 'em if you want to. Come up to headquarters, and I'll show 'em to you. Good-by!" Alvord hung up the receiver, and went back to his inner office. "By George, Slater," said he, "Brassfield is absolutely the most deceptive josher I ever saw. He had me going just now by pretending that he was about to publish a platform of principles, and a statement of campaign disbursements. So blooming solemn it gave me the shivers for a minute. List of disbursements: think of it, Slater! And a platform, in our kind of politics!" XX THE STRAWBERRY BLONDE The year will all be summer weather When speech and action go together; When Aucassin's sage words are met In all his deeds with Nicolette; And though fair Daphne's words be free, Look not too soon her swain to be: The year will all be summer weather, When speech and action go together. --_Song from The Monarch of Nil_.