IX

THE CONVENTION

NCE in six years congressional conventions were held in Apsleigh. It was Apsleigh's turn. The occasion always brought many people into town, and the intensity of the struggle between Denman and Strickland would naturally bring a far greater number than usual; but the shrewdest politicians in Denman's camp were amazed at what they saw. The incoming trains were packed. At stations for twenty miles around crowds were waiting for means of transit. Extra trains were put on. Every railway line, every highway, was thronged, and all roads led to Apsleigh. The little city overflowed with men. When asked the cause, thousands gave the same reply: "We 're sent for."

The delegates were divided into three classes, about equally numerous: those pledged to Denman, those pledged to Strickland, those unpledged and doubtful. Woods presented Denman's name. He made a strong speech, but it lacked the ring of confidence. Every Denman delegate knew that the incoming of thousands from the country was a bad omen.

When Woods sat down, Strickland took the floor

with a large package of little books under his arm. A murmur ran through the hall. Was he going to the indecent length of presenting his own name? Or was it some new surprise? He began by saying that he had allowed his own name to be used simply to aid in a conspiracy to nominate Craigin without his knowledge and in spite of his refusal to be a candidate. The wild and prolonged applause that greeted this announcement showed what a master stroke of policy it was and carried consternation to Denman's followers. Then Strickland sketched the man's career during the four years he had lived in Apsleigh. It was slow work, for every few sentences his voice was drowned with cheers, and, as he dramatically touched upon the saving of Denman's life and the midnight fight, one to six, the cheers swelled into a deafening roar. When it subsided he plied his hearers with prosaic facts and figures the rise in real estate shown by recent sales, the increase in savings-bank deposits and in taxable property, the decrease in the rate of taxation, in the amount of unpaid taxes, of worthless store accounts and chattel mortgages.

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"Our State conventions," he continued, "have long made adhesion to the prohibitory law a test of party loyalty. Mr. Denman has accumulated millions by violating that law. He bolted the nomination of a Republican candidate for mayor and defeated him, bolted my nomination and almost defeated me, solely in the liquor interest. He has made it impossible to elect city governments and city marshals that would be true to their oaths of office. Time and again he has refused the highest political honors this State

could give him; now he prostitutes his genius and spends money without stint, as it never before was spent in this State, simply and solely to force the coronation of a traffic that for nearly forty years has been legislated against as a crime. The issue is squarely raised in this district, and must be met."

As the music of a distant band floated through the open windows his manner changed and became almost majestic. "I had almost forgotten," he said, "that I am not here to plead for Craigin's nomination. I am here to demand it as the representative of irresistible power. Six hundred and thirty-two of the temperance Democrats of Apsleighshire are pledged to vote for me; every man of them and hundreds more will vote for Craigin. Where are the two hundred and ninety-one third-party voters of this county? All but Harpswell and some twenty more are back in the ranks of temperance Republicans. What are these little books? They are the result of eighteen months of secret, patient, systematic work. They are the muster-roll of an army. They contain the names of three thousand five hundred and fifty-eight Republicans of Apsleighshire who are pledged to vote for me; and because Denman has bolted candidates for loyalty to our party platforms, every man of them is pledged to scratch or paste his name. This is what they would do for me; but for Craigin-it will be personal devotion to a beloved chief."

From the distant Miller Block came the roar of thousands of voices cheering themselves hoarse. "Do you hear that?" he continued. "The Strickland banners are called in. The Craigin banners are un

furled. The work that has been done secretly in this county will be done openly in other counties. Picked men will visit every village, every farm-house, telling the story of the great fight for the enforcement of the law, pledging votes for the man who has brought victory out of defeat and has recreated Apsleighshire. If the impossible should happen, if Denman should be nominated, the same work will be done against him."

The wild cheers, drawing nearer and nearer, drowned the speaker's voice. At last, watching an opportunity to make himself heard, he shouted, "The knight has held the pass! Look out the windows! The king and his army have come!"

The delegates rushed to the windows. Down the street, far as the eye could reach, was a line of men. A band was at the head of the column, playing "Hail to the Chief!" Next came the clergy of Apsleighshire, bearing the motto, "God and our homes. Every vote for Craigin. Not a vote for Denman." Then five hundred business men of Apsleigh, on their banner, "Prohibition has filled our pockets. Every vote for Craigin. Not a vote for Denman." Then Crawford, at the head of two hundred and fifty of his workmen, their motto, "Prohibition brought us to Apsleigh. Every vote for Craigin. Not a vote for Denman." Then smaller industries, with their mottos. Then the Apsleigh Brotherhood, four hundred strong, with a beautiful silken flag, on which was embroidered a bloody right hand, and below it the words in great letters of pure gold, "Licked them, one to six. Every vote for Craigin. Not a vote for Denman." Of all the banners, no other was cheered like

this-cheered till it seemed as if the little city rocked with the sound; for nothing else had made Craigin so many friends, and cost Denman so many, as that grim midnight fight. Last of all came the farmers from every hill and valley of Apsleighshire, town by town, in long array. Their mottos showed how Mammon had won them. There they were, near two thousand strong, every vote for Craigin, not a vote for Denman. The secrecy and long repression were over. The substitution of their beloved leader's name set his followers wild with enthusiasm. The clamor of the band was unheard amid the singing and the shouting of that long array of men. The king and his army had come. There was no enemy that could stand before them.

"Woods," exclaimed one of the Denman leaders, when at length a semblance of order was restored in the convention, "Woods, you must withdraw our candidate."

"No, I won't," snarled Woods. "I'd rather face wolves than face John Denman if I did."

"But you must. You can't stand out in the face of all this."

"What does he care for this compared to hauling down his colors?"

"Then let him sink alone! He can't take the party with him. Mr. Chairman," cried the delegate, standing on a chair and shouting at the top of his voice, "Mr. Chairman, as one of the original Denman men, I move that William Henry Craigin be nominated by acclamation."

The motion carried. Five minutes later cannon thundered from a neighboring hill and church bells rang forth their merriest peals.