Meanwhile，Marcuswasbecominginvolvedinthepoliticsofhisward。AssecretaryofthePolkStreetImprovementClub——whichsoondevelopedintoquiteanaffairandbegantoassumetheproportionsofaRepublicanpoliticalmachine——hefoundhecouldmakealittle，averylittlemorethanenoughtoliveon。AtoncehehadgivenuphispositionasOldGrannis’sassistantinthedoghospital。Marcusfeltthatheneededawidersphere。Hehadhiseyeuponaplaceconnectedwiththecitypound。Whenthegreatrailroadstrikeoccurred，hepromptlygothimselfengagedasdeputy-
sheriff，andspentamemorableweekinSacramento，whereheinvolvedhimselfinmorethanoneterriblemeleewiththestrikers。Marcushadthatquicknessoftemperandpassionatereadinesstotakeoffencewhichpassesamonghisclassforbravery。Butwhateverwerehismotives，hispromptnesstofacedangercouldnotforamomentbedoubted。
AfterthestrikehereturnedtoPolkStreet，andthrowinghimselfintotheImprovementClub，heart，soul，andbody，soonbecameoneofitsrulingspirits。Inacertainlocalelection，whereahugepavingcontractwasatstake，theclubmadeitselffeltintheward，andMarcussomanagedhiscardsandpulledhiswiresthat，attheendofthematter，hefoundhimselfsomefourhundreddollarstothegood。
WhenMcTeaguecameoutofhis“Parlors“atnoonofthedayuponwhichTrinahadheardthenewsofMariaMacapa’sintendedmarriage，hefoundTrinaburningcoffeeonashovelinthesitting-room。Tryasshewould，Trinacouldneverquiteeradicatefromtheirroomsacertainfaintandindefinableodor，particularlyoffensivetoher。Thesmellofthephotographer’schemicalspersistedinspiteofallTrinacoulddotocombatit。SheburntpastillesandChinesepunk，andeven，asnow，coffeeonashovel，alltonopurpose。Indeed，theonlydrawbacktotheirdelightfulhomewasthegeneralunpleasantsmellthatpervadedit——asmellthatarosepartlyfromthephotographer’schemicals，partlyfromthecookinginthelittlekitchen，andpartlyfromtheetherandcreosoteofthedentist’s“Parlors。“
AsMcTeaguecameintolunchonthisoccasion，hefoundthetablealreadylaid，aredclothfiguredwithwhiteflowerswasspread，andashetookhisseathiswifeputdowntheshovelonachairandbroughtinthestewedcodfishandthepotofchocolate。Ashetuckedhisnapkinintohisenormouscollar，McTeaguelookedvaguelyabouttheroom，rollinghiseyes。
DuringthethreeyearsoftheirmarriedlifetheMcTeagueshadmadebutfewadditionstotheirfurniture，Trinadeclaringthattheycouldnotaffordit。Thesitting-
roomcouldboastofbutthreenewornaments。Overthemelodeonhungtheirmarriagecertificateinablackframe。
ItwasbalancedupononesidebyTrina’sweddingbouquetunderaglasscase，preservedbysomefearfulunknownprocess，andupontheotherbythephotographofTrinaandthedentistintheirweddingfinery。Thislatterpicturewasquiteanaffair，andhadbeentakenimmediatelyafterthewedding，whileMcTeague’sbroadclothwasstillnew，andbeforeTrina’ssilksandveilhadlosttheirstiffness。ItrepresentedTrina，herveilthrownback，sittingverystraightinareparmchair，herelbowswellinathersides，holdingherbouquetofcutflowersdirectlybeforeher。Thedentiststoodatherside，onehandonhershoulder，theotherthrustintothebreastofhis“PrinceAlbert，“hischinintheair，hiseyestooneside，hisleftfootforwardintheattitudeofastatueofaSecretaryofState。
“Say，Trina，“saidMcTeague，hismouthfullofcodfish，“Heiselookedinonmethismorning。Hesays’What’sthematterwithabasketpicnicoveratSchuetzenParknextTuesday？’Youknowthepaper-hangersaregoingtobeinthe“Parlors“allthatday，soI’llhaveaholiday。That’swhatmadeHeisethinkofit。Heisesayshe’llgettheRyerstogotoo。It’stheanniversaryoftheirweddingday。We’llaskSelinatogo；shecanmeetusontheotherside。Comeon，let’sgo，huh，willyou？“
Trinastillhadhermaniaforfamilypicnics，whichhadbeenoneoftheSieppesmostcherishedcustoms；butnowtherewereotherconsiderations。
“Idon’tknowaswecanafforditthismonth，Mac，“shesaid，pouringthechocolate。“Igottopaythegasbillnextweek，andthere’sthepaperingofyourofficetobepaidforsometime。“
“Iknow，Iknow，“answeredherhusband。“ButIgotanewpatientthisweek，hadtwomolarsandanupperincisorfilledattheveryfirstsitting，andhe’sgoingtobringhischildrenround。He’sabarberonthenextblock。“
“Wellyoupayhalf，then，“saidTrina。“It’llcostthreeorfourdollarsattheveryleast；andmind，theHeisespaytheirownfarebothways，Mac，andeverybodygetstheirOWNlunch。Yes，“sheadded，afterapause，“I’llwriteandhaveSelinajoinus。Ihaven’tseenSelinainmonths。
IguessI’llhavetoputupalunchforher，though，“
admittedTrina，“thewaywedidlasttime，becauseshelivesinaboarding-housenow，andtheymakeafussaboutputtingupalunch。“
Theycouldcountonpleasantweatheratthistimeoftheyear——itwasMay——andthatparticularTuesdaywasallthatcouldbedesired。Thepartyassembledattheferryslipatnineo’clock，ladenwithbaskets。TheMcTeaguescamelastofall；Ryerandhiswifehadalreadyboardedtheboat。
TheymettheHeisesinthewaiting-room。
“Hello，Doctor，“criedtheharness-makerastheMcTeaguescameup。“Thisiswhatyou’dcallanoldfolks’picnic，allmarriedpeoplethistime。“
Thepartyforegatheredontheupperdeckastheboatstarted，andsatdowntolistentothebandofItalianmusicianswhowereplayingoutsidethismorningbecauseofthefinenessoftheweather。
“Oh，we’regoingtohavelotsoffun，“criedTrina。“Ifit’sanythingIdoloveit’sapicnic。Doyourememberourfirstpicnic，Mac？“
“Sure，sure，“repliedthedentist；“wehadaGothatruffle。“
“AndAugustlosthissteamboat，putinTrina，“andpapasmackedhim。Irememberitjustaswell。“
“Why，lookthere，“saidMrs。Heise，noddingatafigurecomingupthecompanion-way。“Ain’tthatMr。Schouler？“
ItwasMarcus，sureenough。Ashecaughtsightofthepartyhegapedatthemamomentinblankastonishment，andthenranup，hiseyeswide。
“Well，bydamn！“heexclaimed，excitedly。“What’sup？
Whereyouallgoing，anyhow？Say，ain’tutqueerweshouldallrunupagainsteachotherlikethis？“Hemadegreatsweepingbowstothethreewomen，andshookhandswith“CousinTrina，“adding，asheturnedtothemenoftheparty，“Gladtoseeyou，MisterHeise。Howdo，MisterRyer？“Thedentist，whohadformulatedsomesortofreservedgreeting，heignoredcompletely。McTeaguesettledhimselfinhisseat，growlinginarticulatelybehindhismustache。
“Say，say，what’sallup，anyhow？“criedMarcusagain。
“It’sapicnic，“exclaimedthethreewomen，allspeakingatonce；andTrinaadded，“We’regoingovertothesameoldSchuetzenParkagain。Butyou’reallfixedupyourself，CousinMark；youlookasthoughyouweregoingsomewhereyourself。“
Infact，Marcuswasdressedwithgreatcare。Heworeanewpairofslate-bluetrousers，ablack“cutaway，“andawhitelawn“tie“forhimthesymboloftheheightofelegance。
Hecarriedalsohiscane，athinwandofebonywithagoldhead，presentedtohimbytheImprovementClubin“recognitionofservices。“
“That’sright，that’sright，“saidMarcus，withagrin。
“I’mtakunaholidaymyselfto-day。IhadabitofbusinesstodooveratOakland，an’IthoughtI’dgouptoBStreetafterwardandseeSelina。Ihaven’tcalledon——“
Butthepartyutteredanexclamation。
“Why，Selinaisgoingwithus。“
“She’sgoingtomeetusattheSchuetzenParkstation“
explainedTrina。
Marcus’sbusinessinOaklandwasafiction。HewascrossingthebaythatmorningsolelytoseeSelina。Marcushad“takenupwith“SelinaalittleafterTrinahadmarried，andhadbeen“rushing“hereversince，dazzledandattractedbyheraccomplishments，forwhichhepretendedagreatrespect。
AttheprospectofmissingSelinaonthisoccasion，hewasgenuinelydisappointed。HisvexationatonceassumedtheformofexasperationagainstMcTeague。Itwasallthedentist’sfault。Ah，McTeaguewascomingbetweenhimandSelinanowashehadcomebetweenhimandTrina。Bestlookout，bydamn！howhemonkeyedwithhimnow。Instantlyhisfaceflamedandheglancedoverfuriouslyatthedentist，who，catchinghiseye，beganagaintomutterbehindhismustache。
“Well，say，“beganMrs。Ryer，withsomehesitation，lookingtoRyerforapproval，“whycan’tMarcuscomealongwithus？“
“Why，ofcourse，“exclaimedMrs。Heise，disregardingherhusband’svigorousnudges。“Iguesswegotlunchenoughtogoround，allright；don’tyousayso，Mrs。
McTeague？“
Thusappealedto，Trinacouldonlyconcur。
“Why，ofcourse，CousinMark，“shesaid；“ofcourse，comealongwithusifyouwantto。“
“Why，youbetIwill，“criedMarcus，enthusiasticinaninstant。“Say，thisisoutasight；itis，forafact；apicnic——ah，sure——andwe’llmeetSelinaatthestation。“
JustastheboatwaspassingGoatIsland，theharness-makerproposedthatthemenofthepartyshouldgodowntothebaronthelowerdeckandshakeforthedrinks。Theideahadanimmediatesuccess。
“Havetoseeyouonthat，“saidRyer。
“Bydamn，we’llhaveadrink！Yes，sir，wewill，forafact。“
“Sure，sure，drinks，that’stheword。“
AtthebarHeiseandRyerorderedcocktails，Marcuscalledfora“cremeYvette“inordertoastonishtheothers。Thedentistspokeforaglassofbeer。
“Say，lookhere，“suddenlyexclaimedHeiseastheytooktheirglasses。“Lookhere，youfellahs，“hehadturnedtoMarcusandthedentist。“Youtwofellahshavehadagrouchateachotherforthelastyearorso；nowwhat’sthematterwithyourshakinghandsandcallingquits？“
McTeaguewasatonceovercomewithagreatfeelingofmagnanimity。Heputouthisgreathand。
“IgotnothingagainstMarcus，“hegrowled。
“Well，Idon’tcareifIshake，“admittedMarcus，alittleshamefacedly，astheirpalmstouched。“Iguessthat’sallright。“
“That’stheidea，“exclaimedHeise，delightedathissuccess。“Comeon，boys，nowlet’sdrink。“Theirelbowscrookedandtheydranksilently。
Theirpicnicthatdaywasveryjolly。NothinghadchangedatSchuetzenParksincethedayofthatothermemorableSieppepicnicfouryearsprevious。Afterlunchthementookthemselvesofftotheriflerange，whileSelina，Trina，andtheothertwowomenputawaythedishes。Anhourlaterthemenjoinedthemingreatspirits。Ryerhadwontheimpromptumatchwhichtheyhadarranged，makingquiteawonderfulscore，whichincludedthreecleanbulls’eyes，whileMcTeaguehadnotbeenableeventohitthetargetitself。