"Ye mustn't mind me, miss," said Will Rogers, in a deprecating 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.
"It costs a little to run a political campaign," acknowledged Beth.
"They say money's bein' poured out liken water—to git votes," he persisted.
"Well, Mr. Rogers?"