down a little ahead of time. What's new?"

"Nothing very exciting. There's a good deal of political buzz, but I
don't believe anything has happened that you don't know. From the way
candidates are turning up for state office our fellows must think they
have a chance of winning."

Bassett was unfailingly punctilious in forecasting his appearances in
town, and his explanation that legal matters had brought him down was
not wholly illuminative. Dan knew that the paper-mill receivership was
following its prescribed course, and he was himself, through an
arrangement made by Bassett, in touch with Fitch and understood the
legal status of the case perfectly. As Bassett passed through the
library to his own room he paused to indulge in a moment's banter with
Miss Farrell. It was not until he had opened his desk that he replied to
Harwood's remark.

"A few good men on our ticket might pull through next time, but it will
take us a little longer to get the party whipped into shape again and
strong enough to pull a ticket through. But hope springs eternal. You
have noticed that I don't talk on national affairs when the reporters
come to me. In the state committee I tell them to put all the snap they
can into the county organizations, and try to get good men on local
tickets. When the boys out West get tired of being licked we will start
in again and do business at the old stand. I've always taken care that
they shouldn't have a chance to attack my regularity."

"I've just been reading a book of Cleveland's speeches," remarked Dan.

"Solemn, but sound. He will undoubtedly go down as one of the great
Presidents. I think Republicans and men of all sorts of political ideas
will come to that."

"But I don't feel that all this radicalism is a passing phase. It's
eating deeply into the Republicans too. We're on the eve of a revival of
patriotism, and party names don't mean what they did. But I believe the
Democratic Party is still the best hope of the people, even when the
people go clean off their heads."

"You believe in Democracy, but you doubt sometimes whether the
Democratic Party is really the custodian of the true faith of
Democracy--is that it?"

"That's exactly it. And my young Republican friends feel the same way
about their party."

"Well, I guess I stand about where you do. I believe in parties. I don't
think there's much gained by jumping around from one party to another;
and independent movements are as likely to