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the next few years are resulting in a series of convulsions。  You old…fashioned fellowsand the political parties and the politiciansare in danger of being stranded。  Leaders like Victor Dornmovements like our Workingmen's Leaguethey seem new and radical to…day。  By to…morrow they'll be the commonplace thing; found everywhereand administering the public affairs。''

Jane was not surprised to see an expression of at least partial admission upon her father's face。  Charlton's words were of the kind that set the imagination to work; that remind those who hear of a thousand and one familiar related facts bearing upon the same points。  ‘‘Well;'' said Hastings; ‘‘I don't expect to see any radical changes in my time。''

‘‘Then you'll not live as long as I think;'' said Charlton。  ‘‘We Americans advance very slowly because this is a big country and undeveloped; and because we shift about so much that no one stays in one place long enough to build up a citizenship and get an education in politicswhich is nothing more or less than an education in the art of living。  But slow though we are; we do advance。  You'll soon see the last of Boss Kelly and Boss Houseand of such gentle; amiable frauds as our friend Davy Hull。''

Jane laughed merrily。  ‘‘Why do you call him a fraud?'' she asked。

‘‘Because he is a fraud;'' said Charlton。  ‘‘He is trying to confuse the issue。  He says the whole trouble is petty dishonesty in public life。  Bosh!  The trouble is that the upper and middle classes are milking the lower classboth with and without the aid of the various governments; local; state and national。  THAT'S the issue。  And the reason it is being forced is because the lower class; the working class; is slowly awakening to the truth。  When it completely awakens'' Charlton made a large gesture and laughed。

‘‘What then?'' said Hastings。

‘‘The end of the upper and the middle classes。  Everybody will have to work for a living。''

‘‘Who's going to be elected this fall?'' asked Jane。  ‘‘Your man?''

‘‘Yes;'' said Doctor Charlton。  ‘‘Victor Dorn thinks not。  But he always takes the gloomy view。  And he doesn't meet and talk with the fellows on the other side; as I do。''

Hastings was looking out from under the vizor of his cap with a peculiar grin。  It changed to a look of startled inquiry as Charlton went on to say:

‘‘Yes; we'll win。  But the Davy Hull gang will get the offices。''

‘‘Why do you think that?'' asked old Hastings sharply。

Charlton eyed his patient with a mocking smile。  ‘‘You didn't think any one knew but you and Kelly did you?'' laughed he。

‘‘Knew what?'' demanded Hastings; with a blank stare。

‘‘No matter;'' said Charlton。  ‘‘I know what you intend to do。  Well; you'll get away with the goods。  But you'll wish you hadn't。  You old…fashioned fellows; as I've been telling you; don't realize that times have changed。''

‘‘Do you mean; Doctor; that the election is to be stolen away from you?'' inquired Jane。

‘‘Was that what I meant; Mr。 Hastings?'' said Charlton。

‘‘The side that loses always shouts thief at the side that wins;'' said the old man indifferently。  ‘‘I don't take any interest in politics。''

‘‘Why should you?'' said the Doctor audaciously。  ‘‘You own both sides。  So; it's heads you win; tails I lose。''

Hastings laughed heartily。  ‘‘Them political fellows are a lot of blackmailers;'' said he。

‘‘That's ungrateful;'' said Charlton。  ‘‘Still; I don't blame you for liking the Davy Hull crowd better。  From them you can get what you want just the same; only you don't have to pay for it。''

He rose and stretched his big frame; with a disregard of conventional good manners so unconscious that it was inoffensive。

But Charlton had a code of manners of his own; and somehow it seemed to suit him where the conventional code would have made him seem cheap。  ‘‘I didn't mean to look after your political welfare; too;'' said he。  ‘‘But I'll make no charge for that。''

‘‘Oh; I like to hear you young fellows talk;'' said Martin。  ‘‘You'll sing a different song when you're as old as I am and have found out what a lot of damn fools the human race is。''

‘‘As I told you before;'' said Charlton; ‘‘it's conditions that make the human animal whatever it is。  It's in the harness of conditionsthe treadmill of conditions the straight jacket of conditions。  Change the conditions and you change the animal。''

When he was swinging his big powerful form across the lawns toward the fringe of woods; Jane and her father looking after him; Jane said:

‘‘He's wonderfully clever; isn't he?''

‘‘A dreamera crank;'' replied the old man。

‘‘But what he says sounds reasonable;'' suggested the daughter。

‘‘It SOUNDS sensible;'' admitted the old man peevishly。  ‘‘But it ain't what _I_ was brought up to call sensible。  Don't you get none of those fool ideas into your head。  They're all very well for men that haven't got any property or any responsibilitiesfor flighty fellows like Charlton and that there Victor Dorn。  But as soon as anybody gets property and has interests to look after; he drops that kind of talk。''

‘‘Do you mean that property makes a man too blind or too cowardly to speak the truth?'' asked Jane with an air of great innocence。

The old man either did not hear or had no answer ready。  He said:

‘‘You heard him say that Davy Hull was going to win?''

‘‘Why; he said Victor Dorn was going to win;'' said Jane; still simple and guileless。

Hastings frowned impatiently。  ‘‘That was just loose talk。  He admitted Davy was to be the next mayor。  If he isand I expect Charlton was about rightif Davy is elected; I shouldn't be surprised to see him nominated for governor next year。  He's a sensible; knowing fellow。  He'll make a good mayor; and he'll be elected governor on his record。''

‘‘And on what you and the other men who run things will do for him;'' suggested Jane slyly。

Her father grinned expressively。  ‘‘I like to see a sensible; ambitious young fellow from my town get on;'' said he。  ‘‘And I'd like to see my girl married to a fellow of that sort; and settled。''

‘‘I think more could be done with a man like Victor Dorn;'' said Jane。  ‘‘It seems to me the Davy Hull sort of politics isis about played out。  Don't you think so?''

Jane felt that her remark was a piece of wild audacity。  But she was desperate。  To her amazement her father did not flare up but kept silent; wearing the look she knew meant profound reflection。

After a moment he said:

‘‘Davy's a knowing boy。  He showed that the other day when he jumped in and made himself a popular hero。  He'd never 'a' been able to come anywheres near election but for that。  Dorn'd 'a' won by a vote so big that Dick Kelly wouldn't 'a' dared even try to count him out。 。 。 。  Dorn's a better man than Davy。  But Dorn's got a foolish streak in him。  He believes the foolishness he talks; instead of simply talking it to gain his end。  I've been looking him over and thinking him over。  He won't do; Jinny。''

Was her father discussing the matter abstractly; impersonally; as he seemed?  Or; had he with that uncanny shrewdness of his somehow penetrated to her secretor to a suspicion of it?  Jane was so agitated that she sat silent and rigid; trying to look unconcerned。

‘‘I had a strong notion to try to do something for him;'' continued the old man。  ‘‘But it'd be no use。  He'd not rise to a chance that was offered him。  He's set on going his own way。''

Jane trembleddared。  ‘‘I believe _I_ could do something with him;'' said sheand she was pleased with the coolness of her voice; the complete absence of agitation or of false note。

‘‘Try if you like;'' said her father。  ‘‘But I'm sure you'll find I'm right。  Be careful not to commit yourself in any way。  But I needn't warn you。  You know how to take care of yourself。  Still; maybe you don't realize how set up he'd be over being noticed by a girl in your position。  And if you gave him the notion that there was a chance for him to marry you; he'd be after you hammer and tongs。  The idea of getting hold of so much money'd set him crazy。''

‘‘I doubt if he cares very muchor at allabout money;'' said Jane; judicially。

Hastings grinned satirically。  ‘‘There ain't nobody that don't care about money;'' said he; ‘‘any more than there's anybody that don't care about air to breathe。  Put a pin right there; Jinny。''

‘‘I hate to think that;'' she said; reluctantly; ‘‘but I'm afraidit'sso。''


As she was taking her ride one morning she met David Hull also on horseback and out for his health。  He turned and they rode together; for several miles; neither breaking the silence except with an occasional remark about weather or scenery。  Finally Davy said:

‘‘You seem to be down about something; too?''

‘‘Not exactly down;'' replied Jane。  ‘‘SimplyI've been doing a lot of thinkingand planningor attempt at planninglately。''

‘‘I; too;'' said Davy。

‘‘Naturally。  How's politics?''

‘‘Of course I don't hear anything but that I'm going to be elected。  If you want to become convinced that the whole world is on the graft; take part in a reform campaign。  We've attracted every broken…down political crook in this region。  It's hard to say which crowd is the more worthless; the college amateurs at pol

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