He had made this announcement without authority, and therefore he was not surprised, soon after the appearance of the issue containing the article, to see Allen's tall figure darken the door of the _Kicker_ office while he sat at his desk. "Durn your hide!" cried the latter as he stood in the doorway; "you're the biggest disturber in seven states!" "Perhaps," smiled Hollis, motioning Allen to a chair. "Still, you don't need to thank me. You see, I have decided to clean up this county and I need some help. I supposed you were interested. Of course you may refuse if you like." "Refuse!" Allen's eyes flashed as he took Hollis's hand and wrung it heartily. "My boy," he declared earnestly, "you couldn't have done anything to suit me better. I'm just yearning to take a big hand in this game!" "Interesting, isn't it?" smiled Hollis. "Some," returned Allen. He grasped Hollis's hand and wrung it heartily. "You're a winner and I'm mighty glad to be able to work with you." He spoke seriously. "Do you think there's a chance for us to beat Dunlavey?" Hollis laughed. "I flatter myself that a certain editor in this town stands rather well with the people of this county since a certain thing happened." "You sure do!" grinned Allen. "Lordy! how this county has needed a man like you!" Hollis smiled. "Then you won't object to being the _Kicker's_ candidate?" he inquired. "Object!" returned Allen with mock seriousness. "Say, young man, if you don't keep my name at the head of your editorial column from now till the first Monday in November I'll come down here and manhandle you!" And so it was arranged. Dry Bottom gasped in public but rejoiced in secret. Many of the town's merchants personally congratulated Hollis. But for two days following the appearance of the issue of the _Kicker_ containing these sensations, Hollis stayed away from Dry Bottom. Now that he had launched Allen's campaign and placed the other matters before his readers, he began to devote some attention to the problem of arranging for Ed Hazelton's visit to the great Chicago surgeon. Both Nellie and Ed had been disappointed because of his continued absence, and when, on an afternoon a few days after his activity in Dry Bottom, he rode up to the Hazelton cabin his welcome was a cordial one. "It seems like a year since I've seen you!" declared Hazelton as he came down from the porch to lead Hollis's pony into the shade at the rear of the cabin. While he was gone with the pony Hollis stood looking up at Nellie, who had remained seated in her chair on the porch and who was now regarding him with eyes in which shone unconcealed pleasure. "It hasn't really been so long, you know," said Hollis, smiling at her. "But then, I have been so busy that I may not have noticed it."