As David questioned the major his jaw squared itself determinedly. There

was a rather forceful sort of man appearing under the nonchalant David

whom his friends had known for years. A wild pride stirred in Phoebe to

such an extent that she caught her breath while she waited for the

major's reply.

"Yes, David," answered the major as he looked up at him with his keen old

eagle eyes, "I think you are. You've had everything this nation can give

you in the way of fighting blood from Cowpens to Bull Run, and when you

speak in a body legislative your voice can be but an echo of the men who

sired you, statesmen, most of them; so it is to you and your class we

must look for clean government. It is your arraignment of the mayor and

the judge on the hay-market question that has made every decent

organization in the city look to you to begin the fight for a clean-up

reorganization. They have all rallied to your support. Show your colors,

boy, and, God willing, we will smash this machine to the last cog and get

on a basis of honest government."

"Then here goes the hottest fight Davie knows how to put to them! And

it's going to be an honest one. I'll go before the people of this city

and promise them to enforce law and order, but I'll not _buy_ a vote of a

man of them. That I mean, and I hereby hand it out to you two

representatives of the press. From now on 'not a dollar spent' is the

word and I'm back of it to make it go." As he spoke, Kildare turned to

Phoebe and looked at her as man to man with nothing in his voice but the

cool note of determination. It was a cold dash for Phoebe but the

reaction brought hot pride to her eyes.

"Yes, David," she answered, "you can and you will."

The determination in her voice matched that in his, and her eyes met his

with a glance in which lay a new expression--not the old tolerant

affection nor the guarded defense, but one with a quality of comradeship

that steadied every nerve in his body. Some men get the like from some

women--but not often.

"They will empty their pockets to fight you," the major continued

thoughtfully. "But there is a deal of latent honesty in human nature,

after all, that will answer the right appeal by the right man. A man

calls a man; and ask a crook to come in on the straight proposition, two

to one he'll step over the line before he stops himself. This is an

independent candidacy--let's ask them all in, without reference to age,

color or 'previous condition of servitude'--in the broadest sense."




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