“They will empty their pockets to fight you,” the major continued thoughtfully.  “But there is a deal of latent honesty in human nature, after all, that will answer the right appeal by the right man.  A man calls a man; and ask a crook to come in on the straight proposition, two to one he’ll step over the line before he stops himself.  This is an independent candidacy—­let’s ask them all in, without reference to age, color or ’previous condition of servitude’—­in the broadest sense.”

“Yes, and with the other construction, too, perhaps.  We’ll ask in the darks—­but they won’t come.  They’ll vote with the jug crowd every time.  No nig votes for Dave without the dollar and the small bottle.  How many do they poll, anyway, do you suppose?”

“Less than a thousand I think.  Not overwhelming!  But in an independent race it might hold the balance of power.  We’ll devise means to appeal to them; we must keep up all the fences, you see.  A man who doesn’t see to his fences is a mighty poor proposition as a farmer and—­”

“Hicks was here this morning, Major dear, to talk about that very thing,” said Mrs. Matilda as she came in just in time to catch the last of the major’s remark.  “He says that ten hogs got through into the north pasture and rooted up acres of grass and if you don’t get the new posts to repair the fence he can’t answer for the damage done.  He told you about it more than a month ago and—­”

“David Kildare,” said the major with an enigmatical smile, “what you need to see you through life is a wife.  When a man mounts a high-horse aeroplane and goes sailing off, dimity is the best possible ballast.  Consider the matter I beg of you—­don’t be obdurate.”

“Why, of course David is going to marry some day,” answered Mrs. Matilda as she beamed upon them.  “A woman gets along nicely unmarried but it is cruel to a man.  Major, Jeff is waiting to help you into your uniform.  Do be careful, for it is mended to the last stitch now and I don’t see how it is going to hold together many more times.”

“Gray uniforms have held together a long time, Matilda,” answered the major softly as he took his departure.

“And we must all hurry and have lunch,” said Mrs. Buchanan.  “Phoebe and I want to be there in plenty of time to see the parade arrive.  It always gives me a thrill to see the major ride up at the head of his company.  I’ve never got over it all these years.”

“How ’bout that, Phoebe?” asked David, once more his daring insistent self.  “Seems it wasn’t so young in me after all to think you might thrill a few glads to see me come prancing up.  Now, will you be good?”

And it was only a little over two hours later that the parade moved on its way from the public square to the park.  A goodly show they made and an interesting one, the grizzled old war-dogs in their faded uniforms with faces aglow under their tattered caps.  They trudged along under their ragged banners in hearty good will, with now a limp and now a halt and all of them entirely out of step with the enthusiastic young band in its natty uniform.  They called to one another, chaffed the mounted officers, sang when the spirit moved them and acted in every way like boys who were off on the great lark of their lives.