"Don't lose your faith that way, my boy! You see, I'm even playing a few
political tricks myself. Your grandfather is more than half right--we
have to play the game! But I'm trying a last experiment with human
nature before I die. I haven't the things to lose that a young man has.
I am forcing myself on my party--using some means that disgust me, but I
have to do so in order to prevail. I want to be Governor of this State
again, and I want to be Governor with more powers than I had before. You
and I both know what the party managers want, I'd like to find out if
the people are willing to be governed that way, after they've learned
there's a better system. I want to find out if every man in this State
is willing to pay his own just share of taxes, if the people will wake
up and stand behind a man who shows them how to keep from private greed
what belongs to the people. And most of all, young man, this State is in
a condition of civil war over this infernal liquor question. The
radicals are away off at one side, and the liberals as far away from
them as they can get, and both sides plastering each other with mud.
There's no common ground for a decent and honest man to stand on
between; that is, he's too much disgusted with both sides to join
either. I want to see whether there's good sense enough in this State to
take the thing out of the hands of the fanatics so that we can get
results that decent men can subscribe to--_results_ instead of the ruin
and rottenness we're in now."

He stopped suddenly with a word of apology.

"You mustn't think I'm inflicting a rehearsal of my inauguration speech
on you, Mr. Thornton. I talked more than I intended. But my feelings
have been deeply stirred this morning."

"It's wicked business, General Waymouth! I don't understand how you've
kept so calm through it. But, thank God, you can show 'em all up now, as
they deserve to be shown to the people of this State. I can hardly wait
for that convention to open!"

The General put his papers into his breast-pocket and buttoned his close
frock-coat. He gazed on the young man's excitement indulgently.

"My boy, you have yet to learn, I see, that what would make a good scene
in a theatre would be a mighty bad move in politics. This, to-day, is a
convention that a good many thousands of voters are waiting to hear
from. If they should hear the whole truth, I'm thinking that the
Democratic party would win at the polls. So, you see, I must conti