of a thousand and one familiar related facts bearing upon the
same points. ``Well,'' said Hastings, ``I don't expect to see
any radical changes in my time.''

``Then you'll not live as long as I think,'' said Charlton. ``We
Americans advance very slowly because this is a big country and
undeveloped, and because we shift about so much that no one stays
in one place long enough to build up a citizenship and get an
education in politics--which is nothing more or less than an
education in the art of living. But slow though we are, we do
advance. You'll soon see the last of Boss Kelly and Boss
House--and of such gentle, amiable frauds as our friend Davy
Hull.''

Jane laughed merrily. ``Why do you call him a fraud?'' she
asked.

``Because he is a fraud,'' said Charlton. ``He is trying to
confuse the issue. He says the whole trouble is petty dishonesty
in public life. Bosh! The trouble is that the upper and middle
classes are milking the lower class--both with and without the
aid of the various governments, local, state and national.
THAT'S the issue. And the reason it is being forced is because
the lower class, the working class, is slowly awakening to the
truth. When it completely awakens----'' Charlton made a large
gesture and laughed.

``What then?'' said Hastings.

``The end of the upper and the middle classes. Everybody will