“What do you hear from Fowler?” asked the President.

“Nothing.  I am desperately sorry that he has got mixed up with Brown.  He is a brilliant man and the party needs him.  I hope his attitude toward me has made no break in the pleasant relationship between you and him, Mr. President.”

“It did for a short time.  But we got together over the Dutch Guiana matter and he’s quite himself again.  As you say, the party can ill afford to lose him.  But a man who works with Brown I consider lost to the party, no matter if he keeps the name.”

“Fowler used to like me,” said Enoch, thoughtfully.

“He certainly did.  But the reason that Fowler will always be a politician and not a statesman is that he is still blind to the fact that the biggest thing a man can do for himself politically is to forget himself and work for the party.”

“You mean for the country, do you not?” asked Enoch.

“It should be the same thing.  If Fowler can get beyond himself, he’ll be a statesman.  But he’s fifty and characters solidify at fifty.  He’s been a first rate Secretary of State, because he’s a first rate international lawyer, because his tact is beyond reproach and because he is forced by the nature of his work to think nationally and not personally.”

“I’m sorry he’s taken up with Brown,” repeated Enoch.  “There never was such a dearth of good men in national politics before.”

“I’ve known him for many years,” the President said thoughtfully, “and I never knew him to do a dishonest thing.  He’s full of horse sense.  I’ve heard rumors that in his early days in the Far West he got in with a bad crowd, but he threw them off and any one that knew details has decently forgotten them.  I’ve tried several times to speak to him about this new alliance but although he’s never shown temper as he did that night when you were here, I get nowhere with him.  His ideas for the party are sane and sound and constructive.”

“You mean for the country, do you not, sir?” asked Enoch again with a smile.

The older man smiled too.  “Hanged if I don’t mean both!” he exclaimed.

“What do you think of Havisham as presidential material?” asked Enoch.

“Too good-natured!  A splendid fellow but not quite enough chin!  By the way, I understand you refused to commit yourself to him the other day.”

Enoch rose with a sigh.  “Life to some people seems to be a simple aye! aye! nay! nay! proposition.  It never has been to me.  Each problem of my life presents many facets, and the older I grow the more I realize that most of my decisions concerning myself have been made for one facet and not for all.  This time I’m trying to make a multiple decision, as it were.”

“I think I understand,” said the Chief executive.  “Good night, Enoch.”

And Enoch went home to the waiting Jonas.

CHAPTER XVII