tter."

"Yes?" Roger looked puzzled.

"If you knew me better you would know that I am very deeply interested
in what is rather unfortunately called the single-tax. Now..."

Again Roger stirred, but this time Mr. Burdick, his eyes shining with
zeal, and little drops of perspiration standing out all over his
forehead, appeared not to notice the fact. He continued as if he were
conscious of no interruption.

"... the theory of the single-tax is so absolutely in accord with
common sense that one needs only to become familiar with it to become
enthusiastic. All that is necessary to make the single, or land tax, an
accomplished fact, and to bring about immediately the complete abolition
of poverty, sir, is publicity. But there's the rub--"

He halted a moment to mop his glistening brow. His sincerity was
indisputable, but his countenance was so incongruously droll that even
Good, sitting quietly in the shadow, and not feeling at all like
laughter, found it difficult to repress a smile.

"Yes, sir," continued Mr. Burdick, "there's the rub. We need publicity.
But most avenues, I regret to say, are closed to us. Most mediums are
afraid of us. They look upon us as dangerous radicals. Of course that's
absurd. Look at me--do _I_ look like a dangerous radical?"

It would have required a bigot indeed to so characterise the stout
little gentleman who looked as if harsh words would bring tears to his
eyes. Roger made a sound in his throat which was meant to signify
derision at the thought, but which, to Good, sounded suspiciously like
an abortive chuckle.

"Yes, it is absurd. But the fact remains. Most newspapers are unwilling
to advance the cause. Instead of getting down on their knees to the
memory of Henry George, they deride it--yes, sir, they deride it!"

Roger tried to look his horror, and Mr. Burdick went on vigorously.

"I say _most_ newspapers. And I say it with a purpose, sir. I don't
suppose you can guess what it is?" He smiled archly, and when Roger
could not guess, he added, with profound conviction, "_The Dispatch_,
thank God, is not like most papers. It is free, daring, original. I ask
you, sir, to use it in a cause worthy of all its freedom, its daring,
its originality. I ask you--yes, I _command_ you--to put its tremendous
and growing power behind the greatest movement of the age, that..."

"You mean..."

"I mean," said Mr. Burdick with solemnity, as if he were conferring an
accolade, "I mean that I seek