nue to
be a politician. We'll be going along to the hall, now, you and I. It's
near the hour. I want to be the next Governor of this State" (he smiled
wistfully), "so you and I will go out and hunt for enough honest men to
make me Governor."

The hotel was pretty well deserted as they walked down the stairs and
through the lobby.

"Ours doesn't seem to be the largest parade of the day, Mr. Thornton,"
said the veteran mildly, when they were on the street, "but we'll
see--we'll see!"

CHAPTER XVIII

THE SHEPHERD AND THE SHEEP

Like a beacon marking shoals, Thelismer Thornton stood at the head of
the broad granite steps that led up to the convention hall. An unlighted
cigar was set hard between his teeth. Men flocked past him with
obsequious greetings, but he merely grunted replies. He was watching for
some one. He swore under his breath when he saw his man. General
Waymouth and Harlan came up the steps together. He swung between them,
and went along into the hall.

From open doors and windows band-music blared, welded with the roar of
two thousand voices, each man shouting his conversation to be heard
above his neighbors. It still lacked ten minutes of the hour set for the
opening of the convention.

Under the cover of the uproar, as they walked along, the Duke delivered
some very vigorous opinions to his grandson, expressing himself as to
the latter's state of intellect, judgment, and general fitness to be
allowed loose among men.

Harlan did not retort. He took his cue from the General, who smiled and
listened.

"I'll tell you what I ought to do with you, boy! I ought to skin you.
I'd find a ready sale for the hide. They could use it to make bindings
for New Testaments. Your're too d--n--d righteous, altogether! I've been
easy and patient with you, but I don't propose to stand at one side
now, and see you ruin yourself politically. Why are you letting the boy
do it, Varden?" he demanded, turning on the General. "You're old enough
to know better. He's no help to you now. I supposed I had a grandson
until you got hold of him!"

"You've still got a grandson, but you haven't got a political tool to
use in prying open a new governorship deal every fifteen minutes,"
declared the young man. "You took me to General Waymouth, you pledged me
to him--I pledged myself to him. I don't propose to discuss this matter
any further. I'm my own man when it comes to politics!"

"Thelismer, I wouldn't say any more ju