an was perfectly
sincere in his objection.

SENATOR: Sincere in his objections! The nerve of him thinking it was his
business to be sincere!

FEJEVARY: He was expelled from college--you may remember; that was how
we felt about it.

SENATOR: I should hope so.

FEJEVARY: Holden fought that, but within the college. What brought him
into the papers was his protest against the way the boy has been treated
in prison.

SENATOR: What's the difference how he's treated? You know how I'd treat
him? (_a movement as though pulling a trigger_) If I didn't know you for
the American you are, I wouldn't understand your speaking so calmly.

FEJEVARY: I'm simply trying to see it all sides around.

SENATOR: Makes me see red.

FEJEVARY: (_with a smile_) But we mustn't meet red with red.

SENATOR: What's Holden fussing about--that they don't give him caviare
on toast?

FEJEVARY: That they didn't give him books. Holden felt it was his
business to fuss about that.

SENATOR: Well, when your own boy 'stead of whining around about his
conscience, stood up and offered his life!

FEJEVARY: Yes. And my nephew gave his life.

SENATOR: That so?

FEJEVARY: Silas Morton's grandson died in France. My sister Madeline
married Ira Morton, son of Silas Morton.

SENATOR: I knew there was a family connection between you and the
Mortons.

FEJEVARY: (_speaking with reserve_) They played together as children and
married as soon as they were grown up.

SENATOR: So this was your sister's boy? (FEJEVARY _nods_) One of the
mothers to give her son!

FEJEVARY: (_speaking of her with effort_) My sister died--long ago.
(_pulled to an old feeling; with an effort releasing himself_) But Ira
is still out at the old place--place the Mortons took up when they
reached the end of their trail--as Uncle Silas used to put it. Why, it's
a hundred years ago that Grandmother Morton began--making cookies here.
She was the first white woman in this country.

SENATOR: Proud woman! To have begun the life of this state! Oh, our
pioneers! If they could only see us now, and know what they did!
(FEJEVARY _is silent; he does not look quite happy_) I suppose Silas
Morton's son is active in the college management.

FEJEVARY: No, Ira is not a social being. Fred's death about finished
him. He had been--strange for years, ever since my sister died--when the
children were little. It was--(_again pulled back to that old feeling_)
under pretty terrible circumstances.

SE