ived. And I'll undertake to keep the God-and-morality folks
lined up, because these are really the things they say they want. This
ain't going to be so very bad, after all, Edge!"

"Bad!" ejaculated Edgington. "Why, Alvord, you're so wrapped up in
Brassfield that you're ready to go crazy with him!"

"Well, I want to say right here," shouted Alvord, "that if you think
I'm going to quit on a man I've eaten with and slept with and sworn to
stay by--By gad, I won't!"

"Well, stay by him, then!" cried Edgington. "Go on and butt your
brains out on this stone wall of ism, and see where you come out.
You're already beaten. The other side knew about this last night, and
you'll be blown out of water before to-morrow morning. Doctor Bulkon
and his crowd are already lined up against you: the doctor will take
the position that Brassfield's proposal to segregate vice is a
compromise with sin, and that that's the paramount issue. Why,
Pumphrey and Johnson and the Williams set are all among his best-paying
parishioners, and they've put the screws to Bulkon--who doesn't see the
point, anyhow. I tell you that there are too many pillars of the
church with downtown property to rent, for you to keep either them or
their pastors in line. They'll find moral issues to fight the ten
commandments on, if they have to. You ought to know this, Jim."

"Well," said Alvord, "let the Pharisees oppose us! I'll appeal to the
liberal element. I'll convince 'em that Brassfield don't mean this
stuff. They like him, and they'll stick!"

"Stick!" sneered Edgington. "Like him! You make me tired, Jim! How
long will they 'stick' against the influence of their landlords and
bankers? Why, they've all read this platform, and the story has gone
down the line that Brassfield is so infatuated with Miss Waldron that
he's allowing her to write his platform, and that she'll be the mayor.
Don't you think that that won't cut the ground from under you, either!
A saloon man or gambler fears a good woman's influence as a wolf fears
fire. Why, Jim, when this 'advanced thought' platform of yours comes
to be voted on, there won't be any one for it except thick-and-thin
party men who 'never scratch.' Now I'm not going down with any such
sinking scow. I shall make terms for my financial interests with the
other side."

"Go, then!" shouted Alvord, "and find you've hopped out of the frying
pan into the fire! By George, I tell you we've got the money to buy