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〃Sixty…nine　hundred；〃　said　Merriweather；　eying　the　heap；　of　paper　in　packages　and　silver　in　bags。

〃Better　than　nothing；〃　suggested　Culver；　with　a　pitiful　attempt　to　be　hopeful。

Merriweather　shrugged　his　shoulders。　　〃Let's　get　some　supper；〃　he　said　to　Culver。　　Then　to　Larkin：　　〃Well；　Joe；　you'll　have　to　try　promises。　　Will　you　keep　this　cash　or　shall　I？〃

〃You　might　as　well　keep　it；〃　replied　Larkin；　with　a　string　of　oaths。　　〃It'd　be　ruination　to　pay　one　without　paying　all。　　Perhaps　you　can　use　some　of　it　between　ballots　to…morrow。〃　　Then；　sharply　to　Culver：　　〃You've　telegraphed　Mr。　Dumont？〃

〃Of　course；〃　said　Culver。　　〃And　it　took　some　time　as　I　had　to　put　the　whole　story　into　cipher。〃

As　Culver　and　Merriweather　were　seated；　with　the　dinner　before　them　which　Culver　did　not　touch；　and　which　Merriweather　ate　placidly；　Culver　asked　him　whether　there　was　〃any　hope　at　all。〃

〃There's　always　hope；〃　replied　Merriweather。　　〃Promises；　especially　from　Joe　Larkin；　will　go　a　long　way；　though　they　don't　rouse　the　white　hot　enthusiasm　that　cold　cash　in　the　pocket　does。　　We'll　pull　through　all　right。〃　　He　ate　for　a　while　in　silence。　　Then：　　〃This　Mrs。　Dumont　must　be　an　uncommon　woman。〃　　A　few　more　mouthfuls　and　with　his　small；　icy；　mirthless　laugh；　he　added：　　〃I've　got　one　something　like　her　at　home。　　I　keep　her　there。〃

Culver　decided　to　spend　the　night　at　the　hotel。　　He　hung　round　the　hotel　office　until　two　in　the　morning；　expecting　and　dreading　Dumont's　reply　to　his　telegram。　　But　nothing　came　either　for　him　or　for　Merriweather。　　〃　Queer　we　don't　get　word　of　some　sort；　isn't　it？〃　said　he　to　Merriweather　the　next　morning；　as　the　latter　was　leaving　for　the　convention。

Merriweather　made　no　reply　beyond　a　smile　so　faint　that　Culver　barely　saw　it。

〃She　was　right；　after　all；〃　thought　Culver；　less　despondent。　　〃I'll　get　the　money　just　before　I　leave　and　take　it　back。　　And　I'll　not　open　this　subject　with　Dumont。　　Maybe　he'll　never　speak　of　it　to　me。〃

And　Dumont　never　did。


XX。

A　MAN　IN　HIS　MIGHT。


Olivia　came　to　attend　the　convention　as　Fred　was　a　delegate　from　Marion　County。　　Pauline　and　Gladys　accepted　her　invitation　and　shared　her　boxthe　convention　was　held　in　the　Saint　X　Grand　Opera　House；　the　second　largest　auditorium　in　the　state。　　Pauline；　in　the　most　retired　corner；　could　not　see　the　Marion　County　delegation　into　which　Scarborough　went　by　substitution。　　But　she　had　had　a　glimpse　of　him　as　she　came　inhe　was　sitting　beside　Fred　Pierson　and　was　gazing　straight　ahead；　as　if　lost　in　thought。　　He　looked　tired　and　worn；　but　not　cast　down。

〃You　should　have　been　here；　Polly；　when　Scarborough　came　in；〃　said　Olivia；　who　was　just　in　front　of　her。　　〃They　almost　tore　the　roof　off。　　He's　got　the　audience　with　him；　even　if　the　delegates　aren't。　　A　good　many　of　the　delegates　applauded；　too；〃　she　addedbut　in　a　significantly　depressed　tone。

〃Why　isn't　he　a　candidate；　Mrs。　Pierson？〃　asked　Gladys。

〃They　wanted　him　to　be；　of　course；〃　replied　Olivia；　〃and　I　think　it　was　a　mistake　that　he　didn't　consent。　　But　he　wouldn't　hear　of　it。　　He　said　it　simply　wouldn't　do　for　him　to　make　the　fight　to　carry　the　convention　for　himself。　　He　said　that；　even　if　he　were　nominated；　the　other　side　would　use　it　against　him。〃

〃That　seems　reasonable；〃　said　Gladys。

〃But　it　isn't；〃　replied　Olivia。　　〃He　may　not　know　it　but　he　can　lead　men　where　they　wouldn't　go　for　his　merely　sending　them。〃

〃I　suppose　it　was　his　modesty；〃　suggested　Gladys。

〃Modesty's　a　good　deal　of　a　vice；　especially　in　a　leader；〃　replied　Olivia。

There　was　an　hour　of　dullnessroutine　business；　reports　of　committees；　wearisome　speeches。　　But；　like　every　one　of　those　five　thousand　people；　Pauline　was　in　a　fever　of　anticipation。　　For；　while　it　was　generally　assumed　that　Scarborough　and　his　friends　had　no　chance　and　while　Larkin　was　apparently　carrying　everything　through　according　to　program；　still　it　was　impossible　to　conceive　of　such　a　man　as　Scarborough　accepting　defeat　on　test　votes　tamely　taken。　　He　would　surely　challenge。　　Larkin　watched　him　uneasily；　wondering　at　what　point　in　the　proceedings　the　gage　would　be　flung　down。　　Even　Merriweather　could　not　keep　still；　but　flitted　about；　his　nervousness　of　body　contrasting　strangely　with　his　calmness　of　face；　himself　the　most　unquiet　man　in　the　hall；　he　diffused　quiet　wherever　he　paused。

At　last　came　the　call　for　nominations。　　When　the　secretary　of　the　convention　read　Cass　from　the　roll　of　counties；　a　Larkin　henchman　rose　and　spoke　floridly　for　twenty　minutes　on　the　virtues　of　John　Frankfort；　put　up　as　the　Larkin　〃draw…fire；〃　the　pretended　candidate　whose　prearranged　defeat　was　to　be　used　on　the　stump　as　proof　that　Boss　Larkin　and　his　gang　had　been　downed。　　At　the　call　of　Hancock　County；　anothera　secretLarkin　henchman　rose　to　eulogize　〃that　stanch　foe　of　corporate　corruption　and　aggression；　Hancock　County's　favorite　son；　the　people's　judge；　Judge　Edward　Howel　Graney！〃　　Then　the　roll…call　proceeded　amid　steadily　rising　excitement　which　abruptly　died　into　silence　as　the　clerk　shouted；　with　impressive　emphasis；　〃Wayne！〃　　That　was　the　home　county　of　the　Scarborough　candidate。　　A　Wayne　delegate　rose　and　in　a　single　sentence　put　ex…Governor　Bowen　in　nomination。　　There　was　a　faint　ripple　of　applause　which　was　instantly　checked。　　A　silence　of　several　seconds　and

〃Mr。　Chairman；　and　gentle〃

It　was　the　voice　Pauline　knew　so　well。　　She　could　not　see　him；　but　that　voice　seemed　to　make　him　visible　to　her。　　She　caught　her　breath　and　her　heart　beat　wildly。　　He　got　no　further　into　seconding　Bowen's　nomination　than　the　middle　of　the　fourth　word。　　There　may　have　been　ears　offended　by　the　thunder…clap　which　burst　in　that　theater；　but　those　ears　were　not　Pauline's；　were　not　in　Olivia　Pierson's　box。　　And　then　came　tumbling　and　roaring；　huge　waves　of　adulation；　with　his　name　shouted　in　voices　hoarse　and　voices　shrill　like　hissing　foam　on　the　triumphant　crests　of　billows。　　And　Pauline　felt　as　if　she　were　lifted　from　her　bodily　self；　were　tossing　in　a　delirium　of　ecstasy　on　a　sea　of　sheer　delight。

And　now　he　was　on　the　platform；　borne　there　above　the　shoulders　of　a　hundred　men。　　He　was　standing　pale　and　straight　and　mighty。　　He　stretched　out　his　hand；　so　large　and　strong；　and　somehow　as　honest　as　his　eyes；　the　tempest　stilled。　　He　was　speakingwhat　did　he　say？　　She　hardly　heard；　though　she　knew　that　it　was　of　and　for　right　and　justicewhat　else　could　that　voice　utter　or　the　brain　behind　those　proud　features　think？　　With　her；　and　with　all　there；　far　more　than　his　words　it　was　his　voice；　like　music；　like　magic；　rising　and　falling　in　thrilling　inflections　as　it　wove　its　spell　of　gold　and　fire。　　Whenever　he　paused　there　would　be　an　instant　of　applausea　huge；　hoarse　thunder；　the　call　of　that　mysterious　and　awful　and　splendid　soul　of　the　massan　instant　full　of　that　one　great；　deep；　throbbing　note；　then　silence　to　hear　him　again。

Scarborough　had　measured　his　taskto　lift　that　convention　from　the　slough　of　sordidness　to　which　the　wiles　and　bribes　of　Dumont　and　his　clique　had　lured　it；　to　set　it　in　the　highroad　of　what　he　believed　with　all　his　intensity　to　be　the　high…road　of　right。　　Usually　he　spoke　with　feeling　strongly　repressed；　but　he　knew　that　if　he　was　to　win　that　day　against　such　odds　he　must　take　those　delegates　by　surprise　and　by　storm；　must　win　in　a　suddenly　descended　whirlwind　of　passion　that　would　engulf　calculation　and　craft；　sordidness　and　cynicism。　　He　made　few　gestures；　he　did　not　move　from　the　position　he　had　first　taken。　　He　staked　all　upon　his　voice；　into　it　he　poured　all　his　energy；　all　his　fire；　all　his　white…hot　passion　for　right　and　justice；　all　his　scorn　of　the　base　and　the　low。

〃Head　above　heart；　when　head　is　right；〃　he　had　often　said。　　〃But　when　head　is　wrong；　then　heart　above　head。〃　　And　he　reached　for　hearts　that　day。

Five　minutes；　and　delegates　and　spectators　were　his　captives。　　Fifteen　minutes；　and　he　was　riding　a　storm　such　as　comes　only　when　the　fountains　of　the　human　deeps　are　broken　up。　　Thirty　minutes　and　he　was　riding　it　as　its　master；　was　guiding　it　where　he　willed。

In　vain　Larkin　sought　to　rally　delegates　round　the　shamed　but　steadfast　nucleus　of　the　bribed　and　the　bossed。　　In　vain　his　orator　moved　an　adjournment　until　〃calmness　and　reason　shall　be　restored。〃　　The　answer　made　him　shrink　and　sink　into　his　seat。　　For　it　was　an　awful；　deafening　roll　of　the　war…drums　of　that　exalted　passion　which　Scarborough　had　roused。

The　call　of　counties　began。　　The　third　on　the　listBartholomewwas　the　first　to　say　what　the　people　longed　to　hear。　　A　giant　farmer；　fiery　and　freckled；　rose　and　in　a　voice　like　a　blast　from　a　bass　horn　bellowed：　　〃Bartholomew　casts　her　solid　vote　for　Hampden　Scarborough！〃

Pauline　had　thought　she　heard　that　multitude　speak　before。　　But　she　now　knew　she　had　heard　hardly　more　than　its　awakening　whisper。　　For；　with　the　pronouncing　of　that　name；　the　tempest　really　burst。　　She　sprang　to　her　feet；　obeying　the　imperious　inward　command　which　made　every　one　in　that　audience　and　most　of　the　delegates　leap　up。　　And　for　ten　long　minutes；　for　six　hundred　cyclonic　seconds；　the　people　poured　out　their　passionate　adoration。　　At　first　Scarborough　flung　out　his　arms；　and　all　could　see　that　he　was　sho