But, in truth, it could not be denied that he had practically left one
circle for another,--was showing himself much more disposed to favour the
skylights of the studios than the footlights of the rostrum.

"I am still for the cause," he said. "But it can be helped from one side
as well as from another. My next book----"

"I didn't dispute your idea; only its application. I should be glad if
you _could_ make it go. Anything would be better than the present
horrible mess. We have 'equality,' and to spare, in the Declaration and
the Constitution, but whether or not we shall ever get it in our
taxing----"

"I am glad to hear you speaking a word for the country people----" began
Abner.

"The country people?" interrupted Whyland quickly, with a stare. Never
more than when among his cattle and poultry was he moved to draw
contrasts between the security of his possessions in the country and the
insecurity of his possessions in town. "What I am thinking of is the city
tax-payer. Urban democracy, working on a large scale, has declared itself
finally, and what we have is the organization of the careless, the
ignorant, the envious, brought about by the criminal and the
semi-criminal, for the spoliation of the well-to-do."

Abner began to be ruffled by these cross-references to the city--they
were out of place in the uncontaminated country. "I believe in the
people," he declared, with his thoughts on the rustic portion of the
population.