Aunt Jane's Nieces at Work

" gasped the Representative.

"Yes, your spy. Election's about over and you won't need her any longer,

will you?"

"Sir, do you mean to insult me?" asked the Honorable Erastus,

indignantly.

"By no means. I thought you were through with the girl," said Uncle John

with a chuckle.

Mr. Hopkins was distinctly relieved. With a full recollection of his

wicked schemes in his mind, he had feared some more important attack

than this; so he assumed a virtuous look, and replied:

"Sir, you wrong me. Eliza Parsons was no spy of mine. I was merely

trying to encourage her to a higher spiritual life. She is rather

flighty and irresponsible, sir, and I was sorry for the poor girl. That

is all. If she has been telling tales, they are untrue. I have found

her, I regret to say, inclined at times to be--ah--inventive."

"Perhaps that's so," remarked Uncle John, carelessly. "You're said to be

a good man, Mr. Hopkins; a leetle too honest and straightforward for a

politician; but that's an excusable fault."

"I hope I deserve my reputation, Mr. Merrick," said Erastus,

straightening up at this praise. "I do, indeed, try to live an upright

life."

"I guess so, Mr. Hopkins, I guess so. You wouldn't try, for instance, to

encourage false registration."

"Sir!"

"Anything wrong, Mr. Hopkins?" asked Uncle John, innocently.

Erastus looked at his visitor tremblingly, although he tried to control

his nerves. Of course Mr. Merrick couldn't mean anything by this chance

shot, so he must be thrown off the scent.

"You have a disagreeable way of making remarks, sir, and I have no time

to listen to foolish speeches. Tomorrow is election day and I've a good

many details yet to arrange."

"No chance of you're getting in jail, is there?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"I only thought that if you'd done anything liable to make trouble,

you'd have to arrange your affairs for a long spell in jail. Politicians

sometimes make mistakes. But you're such an honest man, Mr. Hopkins, you

couldn't possibly go crooked."

Mr. Hopkins felt shaky again, and looked at his tormentor earnestly,

trying to discern whether there was any real knowledge beneath this

innuendo. But Uncle John met his gaze with a cheerful smile and

continued:

"I guess you've got a hard fight ahead of you. My young friend Forbes is

trying to get elected himself, and you can't both win."

"Oh, yes; Forbes," said Erastus, trying to regain his accustomed ease.

"A worthy young man, sir; but I'm afraid his chances are slim."

"Are they, now?