霍普金斯未在选举当日出现在投票点，他被斯奎尔打伤了眼睛。然而事情好像并不顺利，杰斐逊县先后传来的投票结果都是霍普金斯获得的选票多。肯尼思获胜的希望似乎很渺茫……
Election day dawned sunny and bright；but there was a chill in the air that betokeneda the approach of winter.
Uncle John had suggested serving coffee to the voters at the different polling places，and Kenneth had therefore arranged for a booth at each place，where excellent coffee was served free all day long.These booths were decorated with Forbes banners and attracted a great deal of comment，as the idea was a distinct innovation in this district.
"You wouldn't catch Hopkins giving anything away，"remarked one farmer to another."'Rast is too close—？sted.""Why，as fer that，"was the reply，"the thing is done tocatch votes.You know that as well as I do.""S'pose it is，"said the first speaker."I'd ruther my vote was caught by a cup of hot coffee on a cold day，than by nothin'at all.If we've got to bite anyhow，why not take a hook that's baited？"Patsy and Beth made the rounds of the polling places in an automobile covered with ？ags and bunting，and wherever they appeared they were greeted with cordial cheers.
Mr.Hopkins was noticeable by his absence，and this wasdue not so much to his cowardice as to an unfortunate accident.
Neither Squiers nor Hopkins knew just how their secret had leaked out，for Patsy's presence in the dentist's office had not been disclosed；so each one suspected the other of culpableb foolishness if not downright rascality.After UncleJohn's visit Erastus stormed over to Squiers's of？ce and found his accomplice boiling with indignation at having been trapped in a criminal undertaking.
As the two men angrily faced each other they could not think of any gentle words to say，and Dr.Squiers became so excited by the other's reproaches that he indulged in careless gestures.One of these gestures bumped against the Honorable Erastus's right eye with such force that the eye was badlyinjured.
The candidate for re—election，therefore，wakened on election morning with the damaged optic swollen shut and sadly discolored.Realizing that this unfortunate condition would not win votes，Mr.Hopkins remained at home all day and naggeda his long—suffering spouse，whose tongue was her only defence.
The Representative had promptly telephoned to Marshall at Fairview telling him not to vote the men as arranged.He was not especially charmed with the manager's brief reply：
"Don't be alarmed.We're not all fools！"
"I guess，'Rast，"remarked Mary Hopkins，looking at her damaged and irritable husband with a blending of curiosity and contempt，"that you're 'bout at the end of your rope.""You wait，"said Erastus，grimly."This thing ain't overyet."The day passed very quietly and without any especialincident.A full vote was polled，and by sundown the fate of the candidates had been decided.But the counting seemed to progress slowly and the group assembled around the telephone in Kenneth's library thought the returns would never arrive.
The Republican Committee had given Mr.Forbes a table showing what the vote of each precincta should be，according to their canvass.
