emocrats and
Citizens' Alliance," stammered Davy, trying to justify himself.

Kelly shifted his cigar and shrugged his shoulders.

"Don't worry about his attacks on me--on US," said he. "We're used to
being attacked. We haven't got no reputation for superior virtue to
lose."

"But he says he can prove that our whole campaign is simply a deal
between you and House and me to fool the people and elect a bad judge."

"So I've heard," said Kelly. "But what of it? You know it ain't so."

"No, I don't, Mr. Kelly," replied Hull, desperately. "On the contrary,
I think it is so. And I may add I think we are justified in making
such a deal, when that's the only way to save the community from Victor
Dorn and his crowd of--of anarchists."

Kelly looked at him silently with amused eyes.

"House can't do anything," pursued Davy. "Maybe YOU can. So I came
straight to you."

"I'm glad you're getting a little political sense, my boy," said Kelly.
"Perhaps you're beginning to see that a politician has got to be
practical--that it's the organizations that keeps this city from being
the prey to Victor Dorns."

"I see that," said Davy. "I'm willing to admit that I've misjudged
you, Mr. Kelly--that the better classes owe you a heavy debt--and that
you are one of the men we've got to rely on chiefly to stem the tide of
anarchy that's rising--the attack on the propertied classes--the
intelligent classes."

"I see your eyes are being opened, my boy," said Kelly in a kindly tone
that showed how deeply he appreciated this unexpected recognition of
his own notion of his mission. "You young silk stocking fellows up at
the University Club, and the Lincoln and the Jefferson, have been
indulging in a lot of loose talk against the fellows that do the hard
work in politics--the fellows that helped your fathers to make fortunes
and that are helping you boys to keep 'em. If I didn't have a pretty
level head on me, I'd take my hands off and give Dorn and his gang a
chance at you. I tell you, when you fool with that reform nonsense, you
play with fire in a powder mill."

"But I--I had an idea that you wanted me to go ahead," said Davy.

"Not the way you started last spring," replied Kelly. "Not the way
you'd 'a gone if I hadn't taken hold. I've been saving you in spite of
yourselves. Thanks to me, your party's on a sound, conservative basis
and won't do any harm and may do some good in teaching a lesson to
those of our boys that'v