“I’ve made sacrifices for the road before, and effaced myself.  But by thunder, this is too much!”

Corporations, like republics, are proverbially ungrateful.  The Honourable Hilary might have voiced this sentiment, but refrained.

“Mr. Flint’s a good friend of yours, Adam.  He wanted me to say that he’d always taken care of you, and always would, so far as in his power.  If you can’t be landed this time, it’s common sense for you to get out, and wait—­isn’t it?  We’ll see that you get a cheque to cover what you’ve put out.”

The humour in this financial sacrifice of Mr. Flint’s (which the unknown new candidate was to make with a cheque) struck neither the Honourable Adam nor the Honourable Hilary.  The transaction, if effected, would resemble that of the shrine to the Virgin built by a grateful Marquis of Mantua—­which a Jew paid for.

The Honourable Adam got to his feet.

“You can tell Flint,” he said, “that if he will sign a bond of one hundred thousand dollars to elect me next time, I’ll get out.  That’s my last word.”

“All right, Adam,” replied Mr. Vane, rising also.

Mr. Hunt stared at the Honourable Hilary thoughtfully; and although the gubernatorial candidate was not an observant man, he was suddenly struck by the fact that the chief counsel was growing old.

“I won’t hold this against you, Hilary,” he said.

“Politics,” said the Honourable Hilary, “are business matters.”

“I’ll show Flint that it would have been good business to stick to me,” said the Honourable Adam.  “When he gets panicky, and spends all his money on new equipment and service, it’s time for me to drop him.  You can tell him so from me.”

“Hadn’t you better write him?” said the Honourable Hilary.

The rumour of the entry of Mr. Giles Henderson of Kingston into the gubernatorial contest preceded, by ten days or so, the actual event.  It is difficult for the historian to unravel the precise circumstances which led to this candidacy.  Conservative citizens throughout the State, it was understood, had become greatly concerned over the trend political affairs were taking; the radical doctrines of one candidate—­propounded for very obvious reasons—­they turned from in disgust; on the other hand, it was evident that an underlying feeling existed in certain sections that any candidate who was said to have had more or less connection with the Northeastern Railroads was undesirable at the present time.  This was not to be taken as a reflection on the Northeastern, which had been the chief source of the State’s prosperity, but merely as an acknowledgment that a public opinion undoubtedly existed, and ought to be taken into consideration by the men who controlled the Republican party.