a good thing? You think a city means civilization.
Well, I want to tell you, and maybe you won't believe me, cities mean
vice, and crime, and poverty, and vast wealth for the few, and as for
the Home Market idea, how would it do to let the farmer buy in the same
market in which he sells? He sells in the world's market, but you'd
force him to buy in a protected market."

Radbourn went off with a peculiar smile, which left Bradley uncertain
whether he was laughing at him or not. He began from that moment to
overhaul his stock of phrases, to see if they were really shopworn and
worthless. He was growing marvellously, his whole nature was now awake.
He thought, as he sawed wood in the back alleys of the town, and at
night he toiled at his books. Those were great days. New powers were
swiftly burgeoning.

Radbourn spoke to several of the politicians of the town about Bradley.

"There is a good deal in that man Talcott. Of course he's just
beginning, but you'll hear from him on the stump. He is an orator that
reaches people. He has the advantage of most of us; he's in dead
earnest when he's advocating Republicanism."

Radbourn had times of saying things like this when his hearers didn't
know what to make of him.

"It's just his way," some one usually said, and the rest sat in
silence. They didn't enjoy it, but as Radbourn was not running for any
office and was known to be a powerful thinker, they thought it best not
to antagonize him.

"I wonder if he intends the law?" asked Judge Brown.

"I see what the Judge is driving at," Radbourn said quickly, "he thinks
he can make a Democrat of him."

The group laughed. Democrats were in a hopeless minority, but the judge
and Colonel Peavey never lost their proselyting zeal.

"The Judge is always on hand like a sore thumb," said Amos.

"The Judge'll be on the right side of the tariff one of these fine
days, and have the laugh on the lot of yeh."

"What y' idee about that, Rad?"

"Good heavens! You don't expect to have protection always, do yeh?" was
his only reply.

A day or two later he said to Bradley--

"Talcott, Brown wants to see you. He wants to make you a 'lawyer's
hack'! Now I'd say to most men, don't do it, but if he offers to give
you a place take it. It won't be worse than sawing wood thirty hours a
week."

Following Radbourn's direction he passed up a narrow, incredibly grimy
stairway, and knocked at a door at the end of a hall, whose only light
came th