gang and the rich bunch
behind you may want to get away with! You want me to be a crook in
office! By God, Doolittle----"

"Shut up, Remington," snapped the political boss, his soft manner now
vanished, his whole aspect now grimly menacing. "I know the rest of what
you're going to say. I was pretty certain what it 'ud be before I came
here, but I had to know for sure. Well, I know now, all right!"

His lank jaws snapped again.

"Since you are not going to represent the people that put you up, I
demand your written withdrawal as candidate for the district attorney's
office."

"And I refuse to give it!" cried George. "I was nominated by a
convention, not by you. And I don't believe the party is as crooked as
you--anyhow I'm going to give the decent members of the party a chance
to vote decently! And you can't remove me from the ballot, either, for
the ballot is already printed and----"

"That'll do you no----"

"I thought some time ago I was through with this political mess," George
drove on. "But, Doolittle, damn you, I've just begun to get in it! And
I'm going to see it through to the finish!"

Suddenly a thin little figure thrust itself between the bellicose pair
and began shaking George's hand. It was Martin Jaffry.

"George--I guess I'm my share of an old scoundrel--and a trimmer--but
hearing some one stand up and talk man's talk--" He broke off to shake
George's hand again. "I thought you were the king of boobs--but, boy,
I'm with you to wherever you want to go--if my money will last that
far!"

"Keep out of this, Jaffry," roughly growled Doolittle. "It's too late
for your dough to help this young pup. Remington, we may not take you
off the ballot, but the organization kin send out word to the boys----"

"To knife me! Of course, I expect that! All right--go to it! But I'm on
the ballot--you can't deprive people of the chance of voting for me. And
I shall announce myself an independent and shall run as one!"

"We may not be able to elect our own nominee," harshly continued
Doolittle, "but we kin send out word to back the Democratic candidate.
Miller ain't much, but, at least, he's a soft man. And that _Sentinel_
extra is going to say that a feeling has spread among the respectable
element that it has lost confidence in you, and is going to say that
prominent party members feel the party has made a mistake in ever
putting you up. So run, damn you--run as a Democrat, a Republican, an
Independent--but how