“No,” returned Citizen Drew.

“I’m a stranger—­I don’t know your big men—­you do know them, and I suppose I ought to take your word.  But I don’t believe you, Citizen Drew.”

“But I told you the truth.  We have big men who are honest men.  But they won’t go into politics.  They feel too far above the game.  Therefore, how can we elect them to office?  I say I told you the truth.  The men who go out and hunt for office are the ones who work the thing for their own profit—­and that means they stand in with the bunch and the head boss.”

It was the same old lament which is everlastingly on the lips of the voters of America!  Citizen Drew had again epitomized the average politics of the great Republic!

Walker Farr smiled—­and he could express in a smile more than most men can express in speech.

“An original idea has just occurred to me, Citizen Drew,” he said, with humorous drawl in his tones.  “I’m sure nothing like it has ever been thought of before.  There ought to be a new party formed in this country—­a party outside all the others.  No, not a party, exactly!  What should I call it?  You see, the idea has just come to me, and I’m floundering a little.”  His tone was still jocular.  “You’re right about most of the able and big men staying out of politics except when the highest offices are passed around.  Now, how’s this for a scheme?  Organize a loyal band and call it—­well, say the Purified Political Privateers, the Sanctified Kidnappers, the People’s Progressive and Public-spirited Press Gang.  Go around and grab the Great and the Good who insist on minding their private business and who are letting the country be gobbled up—­just go and grab ’em right up by the scruff of the neck and fling them into politics head over heels.  They would sputter and froth and flop for a little while—­and then they’d strike out and swim.  They couldn’t help swimming!  They’d know that the folks were looking on.  And then a lot of the sinking and drowning poor devils, like you and me and the folks in the tenements, could grab onto the Great and the Good and ask ’em to tow us safely ashore; and by that time their pride and their dander would be up and they’d swim all the harder—­with the other folks looking on.  Hah!  An idea, eh?  You see, I feel rather imaginative and on the high pressure and in a mood for adventure this evening!  Probably because the nice old ladies called me a knight-errant.”

Citizen Drew was not ready with comment on this amazing suggestion.  He clawed his hand into his sparse hair and wrinkled his forehead in attempt to decide whether or not he ought to resent this playful retort to his lament.  The next moment he dealt Farr a swift jab in the ribs with his elbow.

“Take a good look at this man coming,” he mumbled.

The oncomer was close upon them, and in spite of the dusk Farr’s sharp gaze took him all in.

In garb and mien he was a fine type of the American gentleman who is marked by a touch of the old school.  There was a clean-cut crispness about him; the white mustache and the hair which matched it looked as if they would crackle if rubbed.  His eyes were steely blue, and he held himself very erect as he walked, and he tapped the pavement briskly with his cane.