一天，肯尼思的院子里来了一位衣衫褴褛的神秘客人，他讲述了家中最近发生的变故：他的女儿失踪了。贝丝和肯尼思毫不犹豫地伸出了援助之手……
Beth had her folding table out in the rose garden where Kenneth was working at his easel，and while the boy painted she wrote her campaign letters and "editorials."At ？rst Ken had resented the management of his campaign by his three girl friends；but soon he was grateful for their assistance and proud of their talents.It was at their own request that he refrained from any active work himself，merely appearing at the meetings they planned，where he made his speeches and impressed his hearers with his earnestness.He was really an excellent speaker，and his youth and enthusiasm counted much in his favor.
He protested mildly when Louise invited the Women's Political Club to meet at Elmhurst on Thursday afternoon，but Mr.Watson assured him that this was an important play for popularity，so he promised to meet them.Tables were to be spread upon the lawn，for the late October weather was mild and delightful，and Louise planned to feed the women in a way that they would long remember.
Patsy had charge of the towns and Louise of the country districts，but Beth often aided Louise，who had a great deal of territory to cover.
The automobiles Uncle John had ordered sent down were a great assistance to the girls，and enabled them to cover twice as much territory in a day as would have been done with horses.
But，although they worked so tirelessly and earnestly，itwas not all plain sailinga with the girl campaigners.Yet thoughthey met with many rebuffs，they met very little downright impertinencea.Twice Louise was asked to leave a house where she had attempted to make a proselyteb，and once a dog was set upon Beth by an irate farmer，who resented her automobile as much as he did her mission.As for Patsy，she was often told in the towns that "a young girl ought to be in better business than mixing up in politics，"and she was sensitive enough once or twice to cry over these reproaches when alone in her chamber.But she maintained a cheerful front；and，in truth，all the girls enjoyed their work immensely.
While Beth and Kenneth were in the garden this sunny afternoon James came to say that a man wanted to see "one of the politics young ladies.""Shall we send him about his business，Beth？"asked theboy.
"Oh，no；we can't afford to lose a single vote.Bring himhere，James，please，"said the girl.
So presently a wizenedc little man in worn and threadbared garments，his hat in his hand，came slowly into the garden.His sunken cheeks were covered with stubbye gray whiskers，his shoulders were stoopedf and bent from hard work，and his hands bore evidences of g a life of toil.Yet the eyes he turnedupon Beth，as she faced him had a wistfula and pleading look that affected her strangely.
"Afternoon，miss，"he said，in a hesitating voice."I—I'mRogers，miss；ol'Will Rogers.I—I s'pose you hain't heerd o'me before.""I'm glad to meet you，Mr.Rogers，"replied the girlin her pleasant voice."Have you come to see me about the election？""It's—it's sump'n 'bout the 'lection，an'then agin it ain't.But I run the chanct o'seein'ye，because we're in desprit straits，an'Nell advised that I hev a talk with ye.'Frank an'outright，'says Nell.'Don't beat about the bushb，'says she.'Go right to th'point an'they'll say yes or no."Beth laughed merrily，and the boy smiled as he wieldedc his brush with delicate strokes.
"Ye mustn't mind me，miss，"said Will Rogers，in a d e p r e c a t i n gd tone."I'm—I'm sommut broke up an'discouraged，an'ain't th'man I used to be.Nell knows that，an'she orter came herself；but it jes'made her cry to think o'it，an'so I says I'll come an'do the best I kin."Beth was really interested now.
"Sit down on this bench，Mr.Rogers，"she said，"and I'll listen to whatever you have to say."He sat down willingly，bent forward as he rested upon the garden bench，and twirled his hat slowly in his hands.
"'Taint easy，ye know，miss，to say some things，an'this is one o'the hardest，"he began.
"Go on，"said Beth，encouragingly，for old Will had suddenly stopped short and seemed unable to proceed.
"They say，miss，as you folks is a—spendin'uv a lot o'
money on this election，a—gittin'votes，an'sich like，"he said，in an altered tone.
"I t c o s t s a l i t t l e t o r u n a p o l i t i c a l c a m p a i g n ，"acknowledged Beth.
"They say money's bein'poured out liken water—to gitvotes，"he persisted."Well，Mr.Rogers？""Well，thet's how it started，ye see.We're so agonizin'poor，Nell thought we orter git some o'the money while it's goin'."The girl was much amused.Such frankness was both unusual and refreshing.
"Have you a vote to sell？"she asked.
He did not answer at once，but sat slowly twirling his hat."That's jet'what Nell thought ye'd ask，"he said，nally，"an'she knew if ye did it was all up with our plan.Guess I'll be goin'，miss."He rose slowly from his seat，but the girl did not intend to lose any of the fun this queer individual might yet furnish.
