ciousness
in youth. Well, he simply became a red rag to the House. They sneered
and hissed when he stood up. Just in blind rage they voted for every
appropriation he opposed. He did much more harm than he did good. He
didn't get his own appropriations for the district he represented. And
it killed him in politics and in his law business. The happy people did
not acclaim him as their faithful watchdog of the treasury. They merely
pronounced him a bore with a swelled head. You see, I can talk political
talk with all the phrases, Mr. Thornton."

"But he was right, wasn't he--fundamentally right?"

"He _meant_ to be right--that's the term to use. But he forgot that he
must use human instruments in order to accomplish anything. And he just
failed miserably."

"What would you expect him to do--join in, and be just like the others?
Where would any good come out of anything?"

"Now, you are insisting again that there is good only on one side of the
question. That's bigotry. It's what I'm trying to warn you against. Some
one has said that life is compromise. It's true of politics, if you're
going to get the most out of it. I know what you are undertaking.
General Waymouth hasn't left much to the imagination in his letter. And
I've talked with others. And so I know how visionary you are."

"You've talked with Linton--that's the one you've talked with!" declared
Harlan, indignantly. "And if he's told you what I have told him in
confidence he's more of a sneak than I've already found him out to be."

"Mr. Linton did not consider that you were making any secret of your
principles. And you'll excuse me, but I think his principles are exactly
as good as yours. You are talking now like the ramrodders. Their first
retort to any one who differs with them is to call names."

"But he deserted General Waymouth under fire. He promised, and went back
on that promise."

"According to all political good sense and in any other times but these,
when men seem to be running wild, General Waymouth was politically out
of the game. It's all fine and grand in story-books, Mr. Thornton, for
the hero to sacrifice everything for his ideals, but in these very
practical days he's only classed as a fool and kicked to one side."

"You defend Linton, then? Is that the kind of a man you hold up as a
success, Miss Presson?" His grudge showed in his tone.

"You will please understand, sir, that we are not discussing theories
just now. This isn't a ques