Thornton stared at him understandingly, accepting the challenge.

“There was a man up our way, Luke, who fought two highway robbers a whole hour, and when they had finally torn his clothes all off him, he only had two cents in his pockets.  He told the robbers, then, that he hadn’t fought to save his two cents, but because he didn’t want his financial condition revealed.”

Candidate Everett was finding this conversation hard to follow.

“There’s something here that isn’t on the level, and I suspected it the minute I came into this room.  Presson, is the State Committee behind me?”

“It is, and it’s behind you to stay,” declared the chairman.  Again he turned to Thornton.

“It’s up to you, now, whether Arba Spinney gets the nomination or not.  If you keep on and split us, he gets it; but I shall make it mighty plain to the boys as to whose fault it was, Thelismer.”

“What’s all this about?” demanded Everett.

Presson hesitated only a moment.

“There was a movement on inside the party to run General Waymouth as a compromise candidate.  It has been talked over.  I declare myself now.  I’m against it.  The State Committee stands for you, Everett!”

The candidate revolved slowly on his heels in order to study the faces of all of them.  He did not find much enthusiasm to back up Presson’s declaration.  He realized that he was in the company of those who had been plotting to shelve him, and he had the wit to understand that only their quarrel over some issue had availed to save him from being knifed.

His temper got away from him.

“You’ve held your nose up pretty high in this world, General Waymouth!  Do you call a trick to steal my nomination away from me at the last moment gentlemanly or decent?  I’ve put in my time and my money and my efforts.  I’ve made a campaign.  And I’ve waited for this!”

“You needn’t insult the General in that fashion, Dave,” broke in Thornton.  “Address your talk to me.  I’m responsible.”

“I think I’m the one that is responsible at this stage,” insisted General Waymouth.  “I’ll talk to you, Mr. Everett, if you please.  You addressed me.  Any Republican in this State is entitled to seek nomination as Governor.  It is a worthy and proper ambition.  It is an honor that belongs to the people.  It isn’t a heritage to be passed on from one bunch of politicians to another.  It isn’t to be bought and bartered.  I realize that precedent has given you that impression.  But it’s a pernicious precedent.  It’s time to do away with it.  That’s why I’m here to-night, dipping into slime that I hoped never to be soiled with again.  I’ve been frank with these other gentlemen.  I’m going to be frank with you, Mr. Everett.  I know you stand for The System.  I don’t have to tell you what that is.  You propose to continue the nullification programme, bar-rooms tolerated on payment of fines, tax reform slicked over, water powers and other State resources peddled out to favorites.  It’s useless to deny.  We’ve all been in politics together too many years.”