The candidate drew up proudly, but immediately became limp again as he realized the situation. "And," Mrs. Perkins continued, "we thought we'd relieve you of the lamp question; and as Mr. O'Hara is a great contractor--the most noted in all Dumfries Corners--isn't he?" "Yes, yes, yes! he is!" said Perkins, furiously; "but what of that?" "Well, that's why we rang him up," said Mrs. Perkins, with a sigh of relief to find that she had selected the right man. "We wanted Mr. O'Hara to dig the trench for the pipes, and lay the pipes--" "He's a great pipe-layer!" ejaculated Perkins. "Exactly," rejoined Mrs. Perkins, solemnly. "We'd heard that, and so we asked him to come up." "But, my dear," cried Perkins, dismayed, "you didn't tell him you wanted him to put up my lamps? I'm not elected yet." The agony of the moment for Perkins can be better imagined than portrayed. "He didn't give us the chance," said the mother-in-law. "He merely swore." Perkins drew a sigh of relief. He understood it all now, and in spite of the position in which he was placed he was glad. "Jove!" he said to himself, "it was a narrow escape. Suppose O'Hara had come! He'd have enjoyed laying pipes for a Mayor's lamps for me--two weeks before election." And for the first time in weeks Perkins was faintly mirthful. The narrowness of his escape had made him hysterical, and he actually indulged in the luxury of a nervous laugh. "That accounts for the rumor," he said to himself, and then his heart grew heavy again. "The rumor is true, and--Oh, well, this is what I get for dabbling in politics. If I ever get out of this alive, I vow by all the gods politics shall know me no more." "It was all right--my asking O'Hara, Thaddeus?" asked Mrs. Perkins. "Oh yes, certainly, my dear--perfectly right. O'Hara is indeed, as you thought, the most noted, not to say notorious, contractor in town, only he's not laying pipes just now. He's pulling wires." "For telephones, I presume?" said the old lady, placidly. "Well, in a way," replied Thaddeus. "There's a great deal of vocality about O'Hara's wires. But, Bess," he added, seriously, "just drop the lamps until we get 'em, and confine your telephoning to your intimate friends. An Irishman on a telephone in political times is apt to be a trifle--er--artless in his choice of words. If you must talk to one of 'em, remember to put in the lightning plug before you begin."