"If you wanted me any time, would you tell me, Evelina?" he insisted
from this closer range.

"No, I wouldn't," I answered with a laugh. "I would expect you to know
it, and come just like you did to-night."

"But--but it was I that wanted you badly in this case," he answered with
an echo of the laugh.

But even under the laugh I saw signs of excitement in his deep eyes and
his long, lean hands shook as they handed me his cup to pour the coffee.
Jasper had laid his silver and napkin in front of him and retired to
admonish Petunia as to the exact crispness of her first waffle.

"What is it?" I asked breathlessly, as I moved the coffee pot from
between us to the other side.

"Just a letter that came to me from the Democratic Headquarters in the
City, that shook me up a bit and made me want to--to tell _you_ about
it. Nobody else can know--I have been out on Old Harpeth all afternoon
fighting that out, and telling you is the only thing I have allowed
myself."

"They want you to be the next Governor," I said quickly. "And you will
be, too," I added, again using that queer place in my brain that seems
to know perfectly unknowable things and that only works in matters that
concern him.

"No!"