Uncle Dan put his hands under his coat-tails and marched out, his beak in the air.

“The trouble is,” he confided to old Sturdivant in the adjutant-general’s office, “this younger element that’s coming along thinks men like you and I have lost all our ability and influence.  They’re sally-lavering all over us, telling us how they want us to have an easy job.  But it’s all a damnation insult—­that’s what it amounts to.”

“All I have to do is lap sticking-paper and gum up the places where these rolls are torn,” said old Sturdivant.  “I’m perfectly contented.”

“Then stay were you’re put and swaller the insult,” retorted Breed, with disgust.  “I thought you had more get-up-and-get.  There’s a stuffed rabbit in that museum.  He’ll make a good chum for you in your off hour.  Go and sit down with him.”  He went over to old Ambrose’s desk.  Ambrose was numbering dog’s-eared pages with a rubber stamp and would not admit that he had been insulted by the state committee.  “There’s nobody got the right to ask me to stop being active and influential in this state,” insisted Breed.  “They haven’t taken my pride into account.  I ain’t naturally a kicker.  I’ve always obeyed orders.  If I’ve got to go out alone and show ’em that the old guard can’t be insulted, then I’ll do it.”

This time he took the trail of Walker Farr once more and followed that energetic young man until he cornered him.

Farr harkened with interest to the story of the scrapping of the Honorable Daniel Breed as related by that gentleman himself.

“And the moral of the tale is,” added Mr. Breed, “when a gang does you dirt turn around and plaster a few gobs onto the dirt-slingers.  That ain’t the rule in religion, but it’s the natural and correct policy in politics.  I have been hurt in my tender feelings.  If them animals had been alive and savage enough I would have taken ’em up to the state committee-room and ste’ boyed ’em onto the ungrateful cusses who have tried to make my last days unhappy.  I know every sore spot in this state.  You don’t know ’em unless you have got second sight.  I can take you to every man who has got a political bruise on him.  Good gad!  I have been poulticing those sore spots for twenty-five years.  You need a man like I am.”

“I’ll admit that I do need such a man.  I am a stranger in the state.  But I’m going to be perfectly frank with you, Mr. Breed.  How do I know but you’re a spy who wants to attach himself to me for the benefit of the ring?”

“You don’t know,” returned Mr. Breed, serenely.  “You have to take chances in politics.  I’m taking chances when I join in with you.  Just who are you and how do you happen to be mixed up in our politics?”

“I am mixing into politics because the men, women, and children are being poisoned by the Consolidated water.  That’s platform enough, isn’t it?”

“Well, I reckon it is, knowing what I know of general conditions.  You have got a pretty good head for politics, even if you ain’t sincere on the water question,” said Breed, with a politician’s ready suspicion of motives.  “You’ve got a come-all-ye hoorah there that will make votes.”