Hopkins is willing to meet Forbes before the public at any time and place he may select, to settle this argument in joint debate." The girls accepted the challenge at once.

Within two days every farmer had received a notice that Mr.Forbes would meet Mr.Hopkins at the Fairview Opera House on Saturday afternoon to debate the question as to whether advertising signs brought good or evil to the community.
The campaign was now getting hot.

Because of the activity of the opposing candidates every voter in the district had become more or less interested in the fight, and people were taking one side or the other with unusual earnestness.
Mr.Hopkins was not greatly pleased that his challenge had been accepted.

He had imagined that the Forbes party would ignore it and leave him the prestige of crowing over his opponent's timidity.

But he remembered how easily he had subdued Kenneth at the school-house meeting before the nominations, and had no doubt of his ability to repeat the operation.
He was much incensed against the girls who were working for Kenneth Forbes, for he realized that they were proving an important factor in the campaign.