We've certainly worked hard enough,"--here he
passed the box of cigars round to the others--"I haven't
been in bed before two any night since the work started."
"Neither have I," said another of the workers. "I was
just saying to the wife when I got up this morning that
I begin to feel as if I never wanted to see the sight of
a card again."
"Well, I don't regret the work," said the Secretary, "so
long as we carry the riding. You see," he added in
explanation to me, "we're up against a pretty hard
proposition here. This riding really is Liberal: they've
got the majority of voters though we HAVE once or twice
swung it Conservative. But whether we can carry it with
a man like Grouch is hard to say. One thing is certain,
boys, if he DOES carry it, he doesn't owe it to himself."
All the battle horses agreed on this. A little after that
we dispersed.
And twenty-four hours later the vote was taken and to my
intense surprise the riding was carried by Grouch the
Conservative candidate.
I say, to MY surprise. But apparently not to anybody else.
For it appeared this (was in conversations after the
election) that Grouch was a man of extraordinary magnetism.
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