d Everett, sourly. "I'm supposed to know as early as
any one, I presume, what it is I'm going to stand on."

Thelismer Thornton decided that it was up to him to speak. He leaned
against the table, half sitting on it, and swung his foot.

"You have a perfect right, Dave, to inquire about any platform that
you're going to stand on. And when we get your platform ready for you
we'll call you in and submit it. But allow me to remind you that you
haven't been nominated yet." The band was blaring again outside. "The
convention is yet to be held, and has yet to declare its platform."

"I don't expect you to call Arba Spinney in here and consult with
him--if that's what your hints mean. But there's no need of your using
that 'round-the-barn talk with me, Thelismer. You know that so far as
the real Republican party is concerned Spinney is an outsider; I'm the
logical candidate, and I demand to be taken into the conference. I don't
recognize that there are two Republican candidates before the
convention."

"I do," said the Duke, firmly and with significance. He was preparing to
resent this autocratic manner.

"Well, I _don't_!" cried the State chairman. Secretly he had been
offended by Thornton's high-handed assumption of control, ever since
their talk on the morning after the Fort Canibas caucus. He had promptly
recognized the political sagacity of the old man's plan. In his fear of
the Spinney agitation--in his apprehension lest all control should be
wrested from his faction of the party--he had been eager to compromise
on General Waymouth, hoping that he would prove to be as amenable to
party reason as he knew Everett already was. But this intractable old
Spartan, with his dictation of party principles that meant the loss of
policy, power, and profits, had angered him to his marrow. He was ready
to declare himself now, Thornton or mo Thornton. He turned on the Duke.

"Perhaps you can lick me--that's the only way you can get it!" he
declared. "But you needn't expect me to stand here and grin and hand it
over."

Thornton stared at him understandingly, accepting the challenge.

"There was a man up our way, Luke, who fought two highway robbers a
whole hour, and when they had finally torn his clothes all off him, he
only had two cents in his pockets. He told the robbers, then, that he
hadn't fought to save his two cents, but because he didn't want his
financial condition revealed."

Candidate Everett was finding this conve