The girls had not been to the house since Aunt Jane's death，two years ago，and after a hasty luncheon they began an inspection of every room，as well as the garden，grounds and stables.The horses，cows，pig and chickens were alike inspected，the roses and dahlias visited and admired，and after all this they returned to their rooms with old Martha，the housekeeper，and proceeded to unpack their trunks and getsettled.Kenneth had been their guide and companion in these various explorations，but when the girls went to their rooms he wandered into the library where Uncle John and Mr.Watson had been having a quiet talk over their pipes of tobacco.They welcomed the young man，but adroitlyb turned the topic of conversation，and again the subject of was rejoined.
It was a merry dinner party that graced the table during dinner that evening，and the boy forgot his troubles and was as jolly and sociable as he had ever been in his life.
But when they were all assembled in the long living room where they grouped themselves around the ？replace，a sudden change took place in the demeanor of the young ladies.Patsy，the delegated leader，looked gravely at the boy and asked：
"How goes the campaign，Ken？"
"Wh—what campaign？"he stammered，to gain time."Why，this election business.Tell us about it，"said Patsy."Some other time，girls，"answered the boy，red anddistressed."It—it wouldn't interest you a bit.""Why not？"asked Louise，softly."Because it doesn't interest me，"he replied.
"Are you so sure of election？"inquired Beth.
"I'm sure of defeat，if you must know，"he declared，scowlinga at the recollectionb of his predicamentc.
"You haven't been cowardly enough to give up？"askedPatricia，boldly.
"What do you mean by that，Patsy Doyle？"he asked，the scowl deepening.
"Just what I say，Ken.A brave man doesn't know whenhe's beaten，much less beforehand."He looked at her ？xedly.
"I'm not brave，my dear，"he replied，more gentlythan they had expected."The people here don't understand me，nor I them.I'm laughed at and reviled，a subject for contemptuousd jeerse，and—and it hurts me.I don't like to be beaten.I'd ？ght to the last gasp，if I had any show to win.But these conditions，which I foolishly but honestly broughtabout myself，have defeated me so far in advance that I have absolutely no hope to redeem myself.That's all.Don't speak of it again，girls.Play me that nocturnea that I like，Beth.""We've got to speak of this，Kenneth，and speak of itoften.For we girls have come down here to electioneerb，and for no other reason on earth，"declared Patsy.
"What！You electioneer？"—a slight smile curled his lips."Exactly.We're here to brace upc and get to work.""And to win，"added Beth，quietly.
"And to put you in the Legislature where you belong，"declared Louise.
Kenneth turned to Mr.Merrick.
"Talk to them，Uncle John，"he begged.
"I have，"said the little man，smiling，"and they've convinced me that they mean business.It's all up with you，my boy，as a private citizen.You're as good as elected."Ken's eyes ？lled.
"You're all very kind，sir，"he said，"as you were bound to be.And—and I appreciate it all—very much.But Mr.Watson will tell you that the case is hopeless，and there's nothing to be done.""How about it，Watson？"inquired Uncle John，turning to the lawyer.
"I'll explain the proposition，sir，so you will allunderstand it，"he replied，and drew his chair into the circle."To begin with，Kenneth visited the glen one day，to make a sketch，and found his old table—rock covered with an advertising sign.""How preposterousa！"exclaimed Louise.
"There were three of these huge signs in different parts of the glen，and they ruined its natural beauty.Kenneth managed to buy up the spaces and then he scrubbed away the signs.By that time he had come to detest the unsightly advertisements that confrontedb him every time he rode out，and he began a war of extermination against them.""Quite right，"said Patsy，nodding energetically.
"But our friend made little headway because the sympathies of the people were not with him.""Why not，sir？"inquired Beth，while Kenneth satinwardly groaning at this baring of his terrible experiences."Because through custom they had come to tolerate suchthings，and could see no harm in them，"replied the lawyer.
