e stern old man who held his
commissioners to their task. The people themselves began to complain of
the cost of the new system of enforcement--the money paid to make them
obey their own laws. When their complaints were loudest the Governor
allowed himself the luxury of a smile.

Reform for the mass. Admirable!

Reform for the individual. Atrocious infringement of personal liberty!

"I cannot make them good," he said to Harlan. "But I can give them such
a picture of their own iniquity that perhaps they'll realize it and make
themselves good. You can't reform folks in this world on much of any
basis except that!"

It was late summer and they were in the garden of the brick house at
Burnside.

Harlan had been at his chief's side day after day, shielding him as much
as possible from those who came to solicit, to threaten, to complain. In
the opportunity given him to meet every man of importance in the State
he had won respect, even regard. His personality removed him from the
ranks of the radicals and relieved him from the imputation that attached
to them. His sincerity was evident. He was frank to express his
disappointment at the results of the legislation he had assisted in
procuring. He listened attentively to the suggestions of others. He made
it plain that he was not unalterably wedded to a law because he had been
instrumental in adding it to the code. He made known to all his
willingness to compromise on everything except honesty, and day by day
he made men understand better the basis of the system advocated by his
chief and himself.

They had burnished the mirror of politics; they held its new and
brighter surface up to the people that they might gaze on themselves.
And in time the people came to realize what service had been done. And,
as they realized it, the name of young Thornton went abroad in the State
from mouth to mouth--men speaking of him as one who was entitled to the
praise that attaches to honesty unsmirched by bigotry.

His optimism softened the asperities which men found in the character of
the Governor. He attracted to the grim old man the loyalty of the youth
of the State, and at the same time won that loyalty for himself. He had
come forward at a time when men were ready to accept new ideals, even
if they were obliged to wade to them through such mire as now soiled the
execution of the new laws.

That proposed convention for the unprejudiced consideration of the
liquor laws was taking fo