e must be a thoroughbred to come running down into the bullets
for a stranger she has never seen."

"She is. You'll like Laska."

"I'm glad she saved Sam from being made a colander. I can't help liking
him, though he doesn't approve of me very much."

"I suppose not."

"He is friendly, too." Ridgway laughed as he recalled their battle over
who should be the nominee. "But his conscience rules him. It's a free
and liberal conscience, generally speaking--nothing Puritan about it,
but a distinctive product of the West. Yet, he would not have me for
senator at any price."

"Why?"

"Didn't think I was fit to represent the people; said if I went in, it
would be to use the office for my personal profit."

"Wasn't he right?"

"More or less. If I were elected, I would build up my machine, of
course, but I would see the people got a show, too."

She nodded agreement. "I don't think you would make a bad senator."

"I would be a live wire, anyhow. Sam had other objections to me. He
thought I had been using too much money in this campaign."

"And have you?" she asked, curious to see how he would defend himself.

"Yes. I had to if I were going to stand any chance. It wasn't from
choice. I didn't really want to be senator. I can't afford to give the
time to it, but I couldn't afford to let Harley name the man either. I
was between the devil and the deep sea."

"Then, really, Mr. Yesler came to your rescue."

"That's about it, though he didn't intend it that way."

"And who is to be the senator?"

He gave her a cynical smile. "Warner."

"But I thought--why, surely he--" The surprise of his cool announcement
took her breath away.

"No, he isn't the man our combination decided on, but the trouble is
that our combination is going to fall through. Sam's an optimist, but
you'll see I'm right. There are too many conflicting elements of us in
one boat. We can't lose three votes and win, and it's a safe bet we
lose them. The Consolidated must know by this time what we have been
about all night. They're busy now sapping at our weak links. Our only
chance is to win on the first vote, and I am very sure we won't be able
to do it."

"Oh, I hope you are not right." A young woman was standing in the
doorway, her arm in a sling. She had come in time to hear his prophesy,
and in the disappointment of it had forgotten that he was a stranger.

Virginia remedied this, and they went in to breakfast. Laska was full
of interest, and