Marvin Towne and Old Man Bogle sauntered past and paused to mention the weather.

“Goin’ to be lots of politics this year,” said Scattergood.  “Jest got in a line of gardenin’ tools, Bogle.”

“Town’s goin’ to be het up for certain,” said Mr. Bogle, waggling his ancient head.  “Calc’late to have all the tools I need.”

“Who’s figgerin’ on runnin’ for legislature, Marvin?”

“Guess Will Pratt’s puttin’ up Pazzy Cox ag’in.”  Pratt was postmaster and local party leader.

“Anybody calc’latin’ to run ag’in’ him, Marvin?  Any opposition appearin’?”

“Goin’ to be a fight, Scattergood.  Big doin’s in the state.  Tryin’ to upset Lafe Siggins.  Uh-huh!  Wuth watchin’, says I.”

“I hear tell the lawless elements is puttin’ up Jim Allen on a whisky platform,” said Old Man Bogle, acidly.

“Them all the candidates, Bogle?  Hain’t no others?”

“Nary.”

“Coldriver’s got to take whatever candidates them outsiders chooses, eh?  Coldriver hain’t got no say who’ll represent her in the legislature?”

“Don’t ’pear so.  All done by party machinery, Scattergood.  We got nothin’ to do but pick between parties.”

“Looks so....  Looks that way,” said Scattergood.  “Too bad there hain’t one more party that hain’t controlled so folks could git a chance....  What’s this here Prohibition party I been hearin’ some of in other parts?”

“’S fur’s I know it’s all right, only it hain’t got no votes, and votes is necessary in politics.”

“Licker enters into this here campaign, don’t it?”

“Backbone of it.”

“Seems like these Prohibition fellers ought to take a hand.  Any of ’em in Coldriver?”

“Don’t seem like I ever heard speak of one.”

“Could be, couldn’t there?  ’Tain’t impossible?”

“S’pose one could be got up—­if anybody was int’rested.”

“Need a strong candidate, wouldn’t they?  Have to have a man to head it up that would command respect?”

“Wouldn’t git fur with it.  Parties too well organized.”

“Um!...  Lemme show you a new hand seeder I jest got in.  Labor savin’.  Calc’late it’s a bargain.”

“Don’t hold with them newfangled notions, Scattergood.”

“S’prised at you, Marvin.  Folks expects progress of you.  Look up to you, kind of.  Take their idees from you.”

“I dunno,” said Marvin, visibly pleased, but deprecatory.

“Careful, cautious—­but most gen’ally right, that’s what I hear folks say.  Quite a bit of talk goin’ around about you.  Politics.  Uh-huh!  Heard several say it was a pity Marvin Towne couldn’t be got to go to the legislature.  Heard that, hain’t you, Bogle?”

“Don’t call it to mind, but maybe I have.  Maybe I have.  Anyhow, I calc’late it’s true.”

“There you be, Marvin.  Now it behooves a man that’s looked up to for to keep in the lead.  Ought to look into that seeder, Marvin.  Folks’ll say:  ’Marvin Towne’s got him one of them seeders.  Darn progressive farmer.  Gits him all the modern improvements.’”