ind which the old parties we've been
battering to pieces can reorganize."

"That is, you'll tolerate in this market no brand of honest politics
but your own?"

"If you wish to put it that way," replied Victor coolly.

"I suppose you'd rather see Kelly or House win?"

"We'll see that House does win," replied Victor. "When we have shot
your movement full of holes and sunk it, House will put up a straight
Democratic ticket, and it will win."

"And House means Kelly--and Kelly means corruption rampant."

"And corruption rampant means further and much needed education in the
school of hard experience for the voters," said Dorn. "And the more
education, the larger our party and the quicker its triumph."

Hull laughed angrily. "Talk about low self-seeking! Talk about rotten
practical politics!"

But Dorn held his good humor of the man who has the power and knows it.
"Think it over, Davy," counseled he. "You'll see you've got to come
with us or join Kelly. For your own sake I'd like to see you with us.
For the party's sake you'd better be with Kelly, for you're not really
a workingman, and our fellows would be uneasy about you for a long
time. You see, we've had experience of rich young men whose hearts
beat for the wrongs of the working class--and that experience has not
been fortunate."

"Before you definitely decide to break with the decent element of the
better class, Victor, I want YOU to think it over," said Davy. "We--I,
myself--have befriended you more than once. But for a few of us who
still have hope that demagoguery will die of itself, your paper would
have been suppressed long ago."

Victor laughed. "I wish they would suppress it," said he. "The result
would give the 'better element' in this town a very bad quarter of an
hour, at least." He rose. "We've both said all we've got to say to
each other. I see I've done no good. I feared it would be so." He
was looking into Hull's eyes--into his very soul. "When we meet again,
you will probably be my open and bitter enemy. It's a pity. It makes
me sad. Good-by, and--do think it over, Davy."

Dorn moved rapidly away. Hull looked after him in surprise. At first
blush he was astonished that Dorn should care so much about him as this
curious interview and his emotion at its end indicated. But on
reflecting his astonishment disappeared, and he took the view that Dorn
was simply impressed by his personality and by his ability--was perhaps
craf