sk, and I saw the beaded pallor of a
fixed and digested anxiety on his brow. He went on, in a lighter way:

"These poor people, scattered from the Missouri to the Atlantic, are our
prisoners, Al. I think Cornish is ready to make them walk the plank.
But, Al, you know, in our bloodiest days, down on the Spanish Main, we
used to spare the women and children! What do you say now, Al?"

The way in which he repeated the old nickname had an irresistible appeal
in it; but I hope no appeal was needed. I said, and said truly, that I
should never consent to any policy which was not mindful of the
interests of which he spoke; and that I knew Hinckley would be with us.
So, if Cornish took any other view, there would be three to one against
him.

"I knew you'd be with me," he continued. "It would have been a
sure-enough case of _et tu, Brute_, if you hadn't been. But don't let
yourself think for a minute that we can't fight this thing to a finish
and come off more than conquerors. We'll look back at this talk some
time, and laugh at our fears. The troublous times that come every so
often are nearer than they were five years ago, but they're some ways
off yet, and forewarned is insured."

"But the hard times always catch people unawares," said I.

"They do," he admitted, "but they never tried to stalk a covey of boom
specialists before.... You remember all that rot I used to talk about
the mind-force method, and psychological booms? We've been false to that
theory, by coming to believe so implicitly in our own preaching. Why,
Al, this work we've begun here has got to go on! It must go on! There
mustn't be any collapse or failure. When the hard times come, we must be
prepared to go right on through, cutting a little narrower swath, but
cutting all the same. Stand by the guns with me, and, in spite of all,
we'll win, and save Lattimore--and spare the captives, too!"

There was the fire of unconquerable resolution in his eye, and a
resonance in his voice that thrilled me. After all he had done, after
the victories we had won under his leadership, the admiration and love I
felt for him rose to the idolatry of a soldier for his general, as I
saw him stiffening his limbs, knotting his muscles, and, with teeth set
and nostrils dilated, rising to the load which seemed falling on him
alone.

"I'll make the turn with these railroad properties," he went on. "We
must make Pendleton and Halliday bid each other up to our figure. And
there'