guess no man swings more
influence in a state convention--but he's peculiar. You'll find him
different from these yahoos you've been writin' up. I know 'em all."

"A man of influence and power--leading citizen in every sense--" Dan
murmured as he scribbled a few notes.

"Yep. Mort's considered rich. You may have noticed his name printed on
most everything but the undertaker's and the jail as you came up from
the station. The elevator and the bank he inherited from his pap. Mort's
got a finger in most everything 'round here."

"Owns everything," said Harwood, with an attempt at facetiousness,
"except the brewery."

Mr. Pettit's eyes opened wide, and then closed; again he was
mirth-shaken; it seemed that the idea of linking Morton Bassett's name
with the manufacture of malt liquor was the most stupendous joke
possible. The editor's face did not change expression; the internal
disturbances were not more violent this time, but they continued longer;
when the strange spasm had passed he dug a fat fist into a tearful right
eye and was calm.

"Oh, my God," he blurted huskily. "Breweries? Let us say that he neither
makes nor consumes malt, vinous nor spirituous liquor, within the
meaning of the statutes in such cases made and provided. He and Ed
Thatcher make a strong team. Ed started out as a brewer, but there's
nothing wrong about that, I reckon. Over in England they make lords and
dukes of brewers."

"A man of rectitude--enshrined in the hearts of his fellow-citizens,
popular and all that?" suggested Harwood.

Yes. Mort rather _retains_ his heat, I guess. Some say he's cold as ice.
His ice is the kind that freezes to what he likes. Mort's a gentleman if
we have one in Fraser County. If you think you're chasin' one of these
blue jeans politicians you read about in comic papers you're hitting the
wrong trail, son. Mort can eat with a fork without appearin'
self-conscious. Good Lord, boy, if you can say these other fellows in
Indiana politics have brains, you got to say that Mort Bassett has
_intellect_. Which is different, son; a dern sight different."

"I shall be glad to use the word in my sketch of Mr. Bassett," remarked
Dan dryly. "It will lend variety to the series."

Harwood thanked the editor for his courtesy and walked to the door.
Strange creakings from the editorial chair caused him to turn. The
Honorable Isaac Pettit was in the throes of another convulsion. The
attack seemed more severe than its predecess