And he also made their duty plain.

The crux of the situation rested on such a man as they should place in the highest office in the state.

In other times, under other conditions, some pliant and amiable figurehead might serve them well.

He told them, with outstretched finger and vibrant voice, what must be the masterful qualifications of the man who should assume the cross of public service and carry it up the steeps where he would be lashed at every step of his weary way by the thongs in the hands of privileged capital.

Colonel Symonds Dodd had come back to the platform, cursing himself for a fool.  The moment the check had left his hands he was angry because he had allowed circumstances to stampede him.

He wondered what was getting into him and into politics.

Was he afraid of mere talk from a demagogue!

But after he had sat there for a few moments and listened, and had watched the faces of the delegates, he decided that if five thousand dollars would stop the mouth of that man he had spent money wisely.  It was borne in upon him that he had spent greater sums many times for lesser service.

He saw Richard Dodd and Mullaney circulating among the delegates.  He restrained with difficulty an impulse to rise and shout to them to hurry.  He felt that danger to his program and his political structure was imminent.  Because once again were true eloquence and masterly appeal winning men.

All the listeners in the vast hall were as still as death.  All eyes were on this speaker who seemed to be clothing with effective speech all the hidden convictions of the delegates themselves who had nursed protest without being able to put it into force.

Colonel Dodd had seen conventions in similar mood in the old days before the saddle of party had been as securely cinched as it had been in late years.

The chairman of the state committee uttered the colonel’s rising fears.  The chairman had lost his sneer and his bumptious confidence.  His face was red, he was sweating, he was staring out over the convention and snapping his fingers impatiently.

“Good gad!” he informed those in hearing on the platform, “what kind of a turn is this thing taking?  We have let this convention get away from us.  That chap has got the whole crowd marching to the mourners’ bench.  He can wind up by nominating a yellow dog and they’ll rise and howl him into office by acclamation!”

Farr paused for a moment to give effect to his next words.

“Such in character, in honest impulse, in honor, in ability, in devotion, and in God-given nobility must be the man who will lead you.  Has God given such a man to this state?  He has!”

“Yes and the devil has given us Nelson Sinkler to speak for that man!”

The voice was shrill and agitated and it came from a section of the hall where the rabid adherents of the machine were massed; it was an amazing and shocking interruption.