ent Company. In
making my statement, I understand perfectly what legislation that
resolution is leading up to."

"Vard," broke in the Duke, conciliatingly, "don't take so much for
granted. Why, there are folks suspicious enough to accuse Saint Peter of
starting Lent and ticking off Fridays from the meat programme simply
because he was in the fish business. Let's not get to fussing about a
set of convention resolutions. They're mostly wind, anyway."

But General Waymouth was not appeased.

"I know what resolutions stand for--how much and how little. I'm taking
this occasion, gentlemen, to set myself right with you. That resolution
will do for a text! I want no taunts later that I led you on into a
trap."

He struck the table with the flat of his hand.

"I'm laying my cards face up. Here's my hand! I halt right here on that
resolution. I'm certain I know what it means, no matter how it sounds.
I'm willing to take my hat and walk out right now. But if I stay--if you
promise to nominate me--I propose to have the saying of what kind of a
Governor I shall be!"

"That's rather blunt talk to make to gentlemen," protested the Senator,
showing a spark of ire.

"At my age there isn't time to make long speeches to shade the facts,"
returned General Waymouth. He was calm but intensely in earnest.

"Then you are all for reform--one of the new reformers, eh?" inquired
the Senator. He cast a look of reproach at Thornton, as though that
trusted manager had loosed a tiger on their defenceless party.

The General smiled--smiled so sweetly that he almost disarmed their
resentment.

"No, the Arba Spinneys of this State are the reformers. I'm not under
salary to run round and make disturbances in settled order. I'm not a
bigot with a single idea, nor a fanatic insisting that the world ought
to follow the diet that my dyspepsia imposes upon me. I'm merely an old
man, gentlemen, who has got past a lot of the follies of youth and the
passions of manhood, and has had a chance to reflect for a few years. I
have not asked to return to public life. But if I do return, if you put
power into my hands, I propose to render unto the people the things that
are the people's, and that term includes every man in this room. It is
not a programme that should alarm honest gentlemen!"

There was appeal in the tone--there was a hint of rebuke in that final
sentence that troubled the conscience of even Senator Pownal. Thelismer
Thornton was in a cha