Aunt Jane's Nieces at Work

  CHAPTER XIX

  PATSY INDULGES IN EAVESDROPPING

  Miss Patricia Doyle awakened at daybreak next morning with a throbbingtoothache. She wasn't accustomed to such pains and found it hard tobear. She tried the application of a hot-water bag, and the tooth achedharder; she tried a cold compress, and it jumped with renewed activity.So she dressed herself and walked the floor, with the persistent ache asan intimate companion.

  She tried to find a cavity in the tooth, but it seemed perfectly sound.Evidently she had caught cold and the wicked molar was signaling thefact.

  To be patient under the torture of a toothache was a virtue Patsy didnot possess. Louise and Beth, to whom she appealed, were sorry for her,but could not relieve the pain. After breakfast Uncle John ordered herto drive to town and see a dentist.

  "Have it pulled, or filled, or something," he said. "The dentist willknow what to do."

  So James drove Patsy to town, where they arrived about nine o'clock thisMonday morning. The only dentist at Elmwood was Dr. Squiers, so the girlran up the flight of stairs to his office, which was located over thehardware store.

  The pain had eased on the journey, and now the thought of having theoffending tooth pulled was weighing heavily upon Patsy's mind. The doorof Dr. Squiers's office stood ajar, and she hesitated whether to enteror not.

  The dentist's reception room was divided from his operating room by athin wooden partition, and as Patsy was deciding whether to employ Dr.Squiers's services or not she heard high words coming from behind thepartition, and the voice was that of the Honorable Erastus Hopkins.

  Softly she slid into the outer room and sank into a chair.

  "But you're the clerk of the election, Squiers; you can't deny that,"Hopkins was saying in a blustering, imperious voice.

  "That's true enough," answered the dentist, more calmly.

  "Then you've got the registration books in your possession."

  "I admit that," was the reply. "But you're asking me to incriminatemyself, 'Rast. If the thing was discovered it would mean prison for bothof us."

  "Fiddlesticks!" cried the irascible Hopkins. "These things are doneevery day, and no one's the wiser for it. It's merely a part of thepolitical game."

  "I'm afraid, 'Rast," said Dr. Squiers. "Honest Injun, I'm afraid."

  "What are you 'fraid of? I've got the other clerks all fixed, andthey'll stand by us. All you need do is to add these sixty-six names tothe registration list, and then we'll vote 'em without opposition andwin out."

  Patsy gave a gasp, which she tried to stifle. The toothache was allforgotten.

  "Where are these men?" inquired Dr. Squiers, thoughtfully.

  "They're over at the mill. Marshall got 'em from all over the country,and they'll be set to work today, so everything will seem reg'lar."

  "Where do they sleep and eat?" inquired the doctor.

  "Forty sleep in Hayes's barn, and the other twenty-six in the stock loftover the planing mill. Marshall's got a commissary department and feeds'em regular rations, like so many soldiers. Of course I'm paying for allthis expense," acknowledged Mr. Hopkins, somewhat regretfully.

  "And do you suppose these sixty-six votes will turn the scale?" askedDr. Squiers.

  "They're sure to. We finished the last canvass yesterday, and accordingto our figures Forbes has about eighteen votes the best of us. That'sgetting it down pretty close, but we may as well make up our minds we'rebeaten if we don't vote the men over at the mill. Marshall could havegot me a hundred if necessary, but sixty-six is more than enough. SayForbes has twice eighteen for his plurality, instead of eighteen; thesesixty-six for me would wipe that out and let us win in a walk."

  When Hopkins ceased there was a brief silence. Perhaps Dr. Squiers wasthinking.

  "I simply _must_ have those votes, Doc," resumed the Representative."It's the only way I can win."

  "You've made a bungle of the whole campaign," said Squiers, bitterly.

  "That's a lie. I've done a lot of clever work. But these infernal citygirls came down here and stirred up all the trouble."

  "You made a mistake pushing that sign issue. The girls beat you onthat."

  "If it hadn't been signs it might have been something worse. But I ain'tbeaten yet, Doc. Squiers. This deal is going to win. It's a trick theboarding-school misses won't understand until after they've cut theireye-teeth in politics."

  "There's a pretty heavy penalty against false registration," observedthe dentist, gloomily.

  "There's no penalty unless we're found out, and there ain't the ghost ofa chance of that. The books are in your hands; I got all the clerksfixed. Not a question will even be raised. I know it. Do you suppose I'drisk state's prison myself, if I wasn't sure?"

  "Look here, 'Rast," said Squiers, doggedly, "you're making a tool of mein this campaign. Why should I be used and abused just to elect ErastusHopkins, I'd like to know. You sacrificed me when I might have beenSheriff."

  "You're well paid for that, Doc."

  "And now you want me to put my neck in a noose for your advantage. Iwon't do it, 'Rast, and that's a fact."

  Mr. Hopkins coughed.

  "How much, Doc?" he inquired.

  The dentist was silent.

  "State the figure. But for mercy's sake don't bleed me any more than youcan help. This fight has cost me a pretty penny already."

  "I don't want your money," growled Squiers.

  "Yes you do, Doc. I know you better than you know yourself. The troublewith you is, you'll want too much."

  Squiers laughed bitterly.

  "Is Marshall to be trusted?" he asked.

  "Of course. If he said a word he'd lose his job as manager. Marshall'sall right. There's nothing to worry about, Doc."

  Patsy's tooth wasn't aching a bit. But her heart was throbbing as madlyas the tooth ever did, and fortunately there was no pain connected withthe throbbing--only joy.

  "It ought to be worth two thousand dollars, 'Rast," said the dentist.

  "What! In addition to all other expenses?"

  "Why, man; it means the election. It means your whole future. If you'redefeated now, you're a back number in this district, and you know it."

  "It's too much, Doc. On my word it is."

  "It's too little, come to think of it. I'll make it three thousand."

  "Doc!"

  "If you don't close with me, 'Rast, by the jumping Jupiter, I'll make itfour thousand," cried the dentist, with exasperation.

  "Say twenty-five hundred, Doc."

  "Right on the nail. Give me your check here--this minute."

  "And you'll enter the names in the books?"

  "Before you leave the office. Have you got the list?"

  "Yes; in my pocket," said Mr. Hopkins.

  "Then make out your check and I'll get the books."

  There was a stir behind the partition and a sound of chairs scraping thefloor. Patsy slid out the door and flew down the stairs at the imminentdanger of breaking her neck. James was seated in the buggy outside,engaged in rumination.

  Patsy bounded in beside him and startled him.

  "Drive for your life!" she cried. "Drive for home!"

  He whipped up the spirited horse and they dashed away. Presently the manasked, with a grin:

  "Did it hurt much, Miss Patsy?"

  "Did what hurt, James?"

  "The tooth pullin', Miss Patsy."

  "The tooth wasn't pulled," answered the girl, sweetly. "It didn't needit, James. The only thing that was pulled was the Honorable Erastus'sleg."