CHAPTER I.--BEAUTIFUL LAKE GEORGE, 9

" II.--A QUARTETTE OF SCHEMERS, 18

" III.--TEMPEST-TOSSED LAKE GEORGE, 26

" IV.--THE BOSS AND HIS AIDS, 33

" V.--TO THE RESCUE, 44

" VI.--THE CAMP DINNER, 52

" VII.--THE CRUEL THUNDERBOLT, 58

" VIII.--AFFAIRS AT CLEVERDALE, 65

" IX.--THE CAUCUS, 72

" X.--THE CRUELTY OF AMBITION, 82

" XI.--THE CONVENTION, 90

" XII.--A WICKED SCHEME, 99

" XIII.--DALEY'S STRENGTH WANES, 108

" XIV.--THE ELECTION, 116

" XV.--GLOOMY FOREBODINGS, 125

" XVI.--PRINCE OF MANNIS MANOR, 134

" XVII.--SARGENT ENLISTED, 144

" XVIII.--GEORGE AND FANNIE ALDEN, 149

" XIX.--THE BURNING FACTORY, 155

" XX.--THE SECRET MARRIAGE, 164

" XXI.--SPOILS! SPOILS! 172

" XXII.--SAD FAREWELLS, 179

" XXIII.--EXILED FROM HOME AND FRIENDS, 186

" XXIV.--THE DISTRACTED WIFE, 198

" XXV.--THE CRUEL LETTER, 209

" XXVI.--A DIRTY JOB, 215

" XXVII.--CLEVERDALE'S SORROW, 223

" XXVIII.--AMONG THE HILLS OF COLORADO, 232

" XXIX.--POOR MARY HARRIS, 239

" XXX.--THE ATTEMPTED SUICIDE, 247

" XXXI.--A REVELATION, 258

" XXXII.--THE WANDERER'S RETURN, 265

" XXXIII.--RETRIBUTIVE JUSTICE, 274

" XXXIV.--THE CLEVERDALE MYSTERY, 277

" XXXV.--EPILOGUE--THE MACHINE AND ITS WHEELS, 285

CHARACTERS.

Hon. DARIUS HAMBLIN--State Senator and Political "Boss."

Hon. WALTER MANNIS--State Assemblyman; one of the "Boss's" Lieutenants.

ASSEMBLYMAN DALEY--Bolting candidate.

CYRUS HART MILLER--Wily country politician.

GEORGE ALDEN--Bank officer; hero; lover.

SARGENT--Purchasable commodity, convenient to his owner.

JOE RAWLINGS--Editor; wise; in the market.

PADDY SULLIVAN--Pothouse politician; an important factor.

FARMER JOHNSON--Honest; cheap; "_Let me speak to you privately!_"

GEORGE HORTON--Chairman of County Committee; fertile in schemes.

FARMER HARRIS--Avenger.

BELLE HAMBLIN--Sweetheart; oppressed by a father's ambition.

FANNIE ALDEN--Self-sacrificing sister.

MARY HARRIS--Betrayed.

MRS. DARIUS HAMBLIN--Model mother.

MRS. NASH--Good Samaritan.

CAMPERS, FACTORY BOSSES, VILLAGERS, MINERS, POLITICIANS, and other incidental characters.

THE CLEVERDALE MYSTERY.