I stand, and I notice that
the press is discussing the same question very actively."

"They can be waved aside," said Mr. Crayon, loftily. "Telegrams can go
unanswered, and why bother about a foolish press?"

"Still," said Jimmy Grayson, mildly, but tenaciously, "the public has
certain rights."

"An ignorant mob that can be left in ignorance," said Mr. Crayon,
briskly.

"Nothing must be said! Nothing must be said! Quite resolved upon that!"
exclaimed Mr. Goodnight, brusquely.

"This resolution is unchangeable, I take it?" asked Jimmy Grayson, in
tones milder than ever.

"There is not the least possibility of a change," replied Mr.
Goodnight, in a tone of finality. "We have considered the question from
every side, and nothing is to be said. Of course, if you were to declare
for a revision, we should have to abandon you at once to overwhelming
defeat."

"But I should like to say a few words upon the subject," said Jimmy
Grayson, and there was a slight touch of pleading in his tone, "just as
a sort of salve to my conscience. You see I am troubled about all these
requests that I should declare myself, and I have certain ideas about
what a candidate should do, in which I differ from you, and in which
probably I am wrong, but I cannot help it. I should like to ease my
mind, and hence I ask you that I be permitted to say a few words. Just
one little speech, and I will not handle the subject again, if you
direct me not to do so."

"We are against it; we are against saying a single word," declared Mr.
Goodnight.

"Just one little speech," pleaded Jimmy Grayson. "I think the people are
entitled to it. We stop to-morrow at a small station, a place of not
more than twenty houses; I should like to say something there, and that
would serve as a claim later on that I had not avoided the issue. But,
as I said, I promise you that I will not touch the subject again without
your permission."

"Don't believe in it! Don't believe in it!" said Mr. Crayon, snappily.

"I am afraid I shall have to insist," said Jimmy Grayson, plaintively.
"I do not like to say anything that would displease such powerful
friends, but our people are peculiar, sometimes. I feel that I must
touch the subject a little when we reach Waterville to-morrow morning."

He spoke in his most propitiatory tones, but the committee was still
stirred. Mr. Goodnight, Mr. Crayon, and their associates demanded
absolute silence, and they had not found it difficult t