share in it to the best of your ability.

Rebecca. But, Mr. Kroll, you know how little taste Mr. Rosmer has for
that sort of thing.

Kroll. Then he has got to overcome that distaste now. You do not keep
abreast of the times, John. You sit here and bury yourself in your
historical researches. Goodness knows, I have the greatest respect for
family pedigrees and all that they imply. But this is not the time for
such occupations, unhappily. You have no conception of the state of
affairs that is going on all over the country. Every single idea is
turned upside down, or very nearly so. It will be a hard fight to get
all the errors straightened out again.

Rosmer. I can quite believe it. But that sort of a fight is not in my
line at all.

Rebecca. Besides, I rather fancy that Mr. Rosmer has come to look at
the affairs of life with wider opened eyes than before.

Kroll (with a start). Wider opened eyes?

Rebecca. Yes, or with an opener mind--with less prejudice.

Kroll. What do you mean by that? John--surely you could never be so
weak as to allow yourself to be deluded by the accidental circumstance
that the demagogues have scored a temporary success!

Rosmer. My dear fellow, you know very well that I am no judge of
politics; but it certainly seems to me that of late years individual
thought has become somewhat more independent.

Kroll. Quite so--but do you consider that as a matter of course to be a
good thing? In any case you are vastly mistaken, my friend. Just
inquire a little into the opinions that are current amongst the
Radicals, both out here in the country and in town. You will find them
to be nothing else than the words of wisdom that appear in the
"Searchlight".

Rebecca. Yes, Mortensgaard has a great deal of influence over the
people about here.

Kroll. Yes, just think of it--a man with as dirty a record as his! A
fellow that was turned out of his place as a schoolmaster because of
his immoral conduct! This is the sort of man that poses as a leader of
the people! And successfully, too!--actually successfully! I hear that
he means to enlarge his paper now. I know, on reliable authority, that
he is looking for a competent assistant.

Rebecca. It seems to me surprising that you and your friends do not
start an opposition paper.

Kroll. That is exactly what we intend to do. This very day we have
bought the "County News." There was no difficulty about the financial
side of the matter; but-- (Turns toward