Rivers watched the animated face as she gave her account of how the school took a vote in the garden and were all Democrats. The Squire a little puzzled by his wife's evident disinclination to interfere with the dinner-table politics got a faint suspicion that here had come into Grey Pine a new and positive influence. He was more surprised that Mrs. Ann asked, "What did you say, Leila?"
"I? Now, Aunt Ann, what would you have done or said?"
"Oh, voted with the Democrats, of course."
"Oh, Mrs. Penhallow!" cried the Rector.
The Squire much amused asked, "Well, Leila, did you run away?"
"I—Oh, Uncle Jim! I said I was a democrat—I voted the Democratic ticket."
"Did you?" exclaimed Rivers.
"So James Penhallow and my brother Charles have lost a Republican vote," laughed Ann.
"But, Aunt Ann, I added that I was a Douglas Democrat."
The Squire exploded into peals of laughter. Ann said, "For shame!"