rag this year. We're making a different play. We've been having our
newspapers drum hard on the tune: 'Leave it out to the people.' It'll be
Everett all right in the convention, but we don't want to seem to be
prying open their jaws and jamming him down their throats."

Thornton fingered his clippings.

"Luke, I thought you realized yesterday after that caucus of mine was
over just how sick your State campaign is. But you've started in
hollering now to try to convince yourself that it isn't so. You can't
afford to do that. I've been in this thing longer than you have. I've
seen the symptoms before. I recognize the signs of a stampede. That
convention will be ripe for one. And you know what will happen to Dave
Everett, once they get started! You and I know there ain't a thing that
can be said for him except that he's the residuary legatee of all the
machine politics that's been played in this State for the last
twenty-five years. That's between us, and you and I might as well talk
the thing as it is. She's balancing, Luke. She's right up on end. And
there'll be enough old wind-bags in that convention to get up a devil of
a breeze. They'll blow her over."

The State chairman had started to leave, after his declaration. His
automobile was purring at the foot of the steps. But he turned his back
on the expectant chauffeur, and tramped onto the porch.

"You don't mean to tell me that 'Fog-horn' Spinney is a dangerous
candidate, do you?"

"No, but Everett _is_! It happens once in so often, Luke--a situation
like this. Everett is lugging too much. Last fire we had in the village