Produced by Charles Franks and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team.
By REX BEACH
Author of "THE SILVER HORDE" "THE SPOILERS" "THE IRON TRAIL" Etc.
Illustrated
Peter Knight flung himself into the decrepit arm-chair beside thecenter-table and growled:
"Isn't that just my luck? And me a Democrat for twenty years. There'snothing in politics, Jimmy."
His son James smiled crookedly, with a languid tolerance bespeakingamusement and contempt. James prided himself upon his forbearance, andit was rarely indeed that he betrayed more than a hint of thesuperiority which he felt toward his parent.
"Politics is all right, provided you're a good picker," he said, withall the assurance of twenty-two, "but you fell off the wrong side ofthe fence, and you're sore."
"Of course I am. Wouldn't anybody be sore?"
"These country towns always go in for the reform stuff, every so often.
If you'd listen to me and—"
His father interrupted harshly: "Now, cut that out. I don't want to goto New York, and I won't." Peter Knight tried to look forceful, but theexpression did not fit his weak, complacent features. He was a plumpman with red cheeks rounded by habitual good humor; his chin was short,and beneath it were other chins, distended and sagging as if from theweight of chuckles within. When he had succeeded in fixing a look ofdetermination upon his countenance the result was an artificial scowland a palpably false pout. Wearing such a front, he continued: "When Isay 'no' I mean it, and the subject is closed. I like Vale, I knoweverybody here, and everybody knows me."
"That's why it's time to move," said Jim, with another unpleasant curlof his lip. "As long as they didn't know you you got past. But you'llnever hold another office."
"Indeed! My record's open to inspection. I made the best sheriff in—"
"Two years. Don't kid yourself, pa. Your foot slipped when the trolleyline went through."
"What do you know about the trolley line?" angrily demanded Mr. Knight.
"Well, I know as much as the county knows. And I know something aboutthe big dam, too. You got into the mud, pa, but you didn't go deepenough to find the frogs. Fogarty got his, didn't he?"
Mr. Knight breathed deep with indignation.
"Senator Fogarty is my good friend. I won't let you question his honor,although you do presume to question mine."
"Of course he's your friend; that's why he's fixed you for this NewYork job. He's not like these Reubs; he remembers a good turn and blowsback with another. He's a real politician."
"'Department of Water Supply, Gas, and Electricity,'" sneered Peter."It sounds good, but the salary is fifteen hundred a year. A clerk—atmy age!"
"Say, d'you suppose Tammany men live on their salaries?" Jimmyinquired. "Wake up! This is your chance to horn into the real herd. InNew York politics is a vocation; up here it's a vacation—everybodytries it once, like music lessons. If you'd been hooked up with Tammanyinstead of the state machine you'd have been taken care of."
"I tell you I don't like cities. It's no place to raise kids."
At this James betrayed some irritation. "I'm of age, and Lorelei's agrown woman. If we don't get out