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。