“Census O. K. Wood didn't make it,” from _The Chronicle_. “Port Argent stands by the G. O. P.” “Did Wood mention his Candidate's Name?” The _Press_ threw defiantly the portrait of its candidate for mayor. “Pull the String and See it Jump!” from _The Chronicle._ Behind _The Press_ stereopticon a telephone jingled, telegraph instruments clicked, men wrote busily at a long table under a row of pendent electric lights that swayed in the draught. A large man came in, panting. His short coat swung back under his arm-pits, away from the vast curve of his waistcoat. He had a falling moustache and a round face. “Vere iss Vood? So!” He peered curiously into the darker room. “Vere.” “Come along, Freiburger,” said Wood. “Pull up a chair. Well--how's your Ward? All quiet?” Freiburger settled into a chair with the same caution. “Oh, yes, quviet. Not shtill, but quviet.” “What's the difference between 'still' and 'quiet'?” asked Hennion. “Veil, it vass drunk, und someone vass punch Cahn der barber's nose, but not me.” “You call it quiet till somebody hits you?” “Vy should he hit me?” cried Freiburger indignantly. “He shouldn't,” said Hennion. “No! Veil, it vass not shtill, but quviet. Ach!” sadly, “ven a man iss drunk, vy don't he shleep?” “He wants to stay awake and enjoy it.” Freiburger shook his head slowly and felt of his nose, as if to be quite sure before taking the responsibility of repeating the statement. “It vass Cahn. It vass not me.” Wood sat silently, looking through the window to where the stereopticons flashed over the crowd's changing emotions, half listening to the conversation near him. Freiburger peered anxiously at him in the dusk. His mind was trembling with the thrill and tumult of the day, longing that Wood might say something, utter some sentence that it might cling to, clasp about with comprehension, and be safe from wandering, unguaranteed ideas. Hennion seemed interested in examining Freiburger's soul. “Freiburger, you're as honest a man as I know.” “Veil, yes, I'm honest. I don't know who you know.” “You never owed a dollar you didn't pay.” “Oh, no, I don' do it.” “Business fair?” “Oh, yes.” “Well, what did you want to get on the Council for?”