e missionary work
first. And before you can do missionary work, whether it's for
religion or politics or reform, you've got to have a fund."

"Fund? Fund? To get an ordinance passed? Why don't you walk in and
_hand_ it to 'em?"

He shook his head. "I was in politics a good many years. We've got to
get out printed matter, we've got to spend something for advertising,
we've got to--approach some of the Councillors the right way."

She sat up in horror. "Not--_bribe_ them!"

"Oh, dear, no! You didn't think _that_ of me!"

"No, but when you _said_--"

"I said they had to be 'approached.' I didn't mean corruption; I meant
enlightenment." He rubbed his nose reflectively. "But the cost is
approximately the same."

"Of course, I trust your judgment, Theodore, but ... how big a fund do
you suppose we'll want."

"Oh, I should think five thousand would do it."

"Five--! Theodore Mix, _how_ could you spend five thousand _dollars_
for such a thing? There isn't that much in the treasury! There's
hardly _one_ thousand."

"My dear, if I were in your place, I'd protect my ante. I'd--"

"What's all that gibberish?"

"I said," he corrected hastily, "we've got too much at stake to risk
any failure when a little money would guarantee success."

"Would five thousand dollars guarantee it?"

"If I had that much in cash, to spend here and there as I saw the need
of it--take one type of man out to dinner a few times, where I could
get close to him--loan another type fifty dollars if he asked me for
it (and some of 'em would)--hire detectives to shadow another type--"

"Detectives!"

"Yes. To check up their habits. Suppose we found a man gambling on the
sly; we'd hold that over his head and--"

"Humph! I don't like it much, but in a good cause it may be
justifiable."

"And leaflets and circulars and one thing and another.... But if I
have to go out and get permission from a finance committee before I
can let go of a dime, I can't do _any_thing. I'd have to have the
money so I could use it exactly as I needed it. And if I did, I'll bet
I could get support you never dreamed of. Get outside people to bring
pressure on the Council." He gazed at the ceiling. "Why, with a leeway
of five thousand, I'd even have the Exhibitor's Association with us.
I'd have--"

"Think so?"

"I _know_ so."

"How?"

"Because long before I was in the League, I was in politics. When I
say I know, I _know_. Of course, the Association's help woul