eatening."

"I've heard he's a dangerous man," said Davy.

"He'll not be so dangerous after Saturday," replied Victor. "One by one
I'm putting the labor agents of your friends out of business. The best
ones--the chaps like Rivers--are hard to catch. And if I should attack
one of them before I had him dead to rights, I'd only strengthen him."

"You think you can destroy Rivers' influence?" said Davy incredulously.

"If I were not sure of it I'd not publish a line," said Victor.

"But to get to the subject I wish to talk to you about. You are to be
the reform candidate for Mayor in the fall?"

Davy looked important and self-conscious. "There has been some talk
of----" he began.

"I've sent for you to ask you to withdraw from the movement, Hull,"
interrupted Victor.

Hull smiled. "And I've come to ask you to support it," said Hull.
"We'll win, anyhow. But I'd like to see all the forces against
corruption united in this campaign. I am even urging my people to put
one or two of your men on the ticket."

"None of us would accept," said Victor. "That isn't our kind of
politics. We'll take nothing until we get everything.... What do you
know about this movement you're lending your name to?"

"I organized it," said Hull proudly.

"Pardon me--Dick Kelly organized it," replied Victor. "They're simply
using you, Davy, to play their rotten game. Kelly knew he was certain
to be beaten this fall. He doesn't care especially for that, because
House and his gang are just as much Kelly as Kelly himself. But he's
alarmed about the judgeship."

Davy Hull reddened, though he tried hard to look indifferent.

"He's given up hope of pulling through the scoundrel who's on the bench
now. He knows that our man would be elected, though his tool had the
support of the Republicans, the Democrats and the new reform crowd."

Dorn had been watching Hull's embarrassed face keenly. He now said:
"You understand, I see, why Judge Freilig changed his mind and decided
that he must stop devoting himself to the public and think of the
welfare of his family and resume the practice of the law?"

"Judge Freilig is an honorable gentleman," said Davy with much dignity.
"I'm sorry, Dorn, that you listen to the lies of demagogues."

"If Freilig had persisted in running," said Victor, "I should have
published the list of stocks and bonds of corporations benefiting by
his decisions that his brother and his father have come into possession