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His arms dropped； and he lowered his head。
〃I beg your pardon；〃 he said humbly。 〃I'm not myself。 I think I'm going insane。 PITY me！〃
Pauline looked at him sadly。 〃I wish I had the right to。 ButI SYMPATHIZE； and I'm sorryso sorryto have to do this。〃 A pause； then〃Good afternoon； Mr。 Culver。〃 And she moved toward the door。 At the threshold she turned。 〃I must say one thing furtherTHE CONVENTION MUST NOT BE PUT OFF。 If it is adjourned to…morrow without making nominations； I shall understand that you are getting the money elsewhere。 AndI shall be compelled to put such facts as I know in the possession ofof those you came to injure。〃 And she was gone。
Culver went to Merriweather's office and sent out for him and Larkin。 When they arrived he shut the doors and told them what had happenedand in his manner there was not left a trace of the New Yorker and ambassador condescending to westerners and underlings。 Larkin cursed； Merriweather gave no outward sign。 Presently Merriweather said： 〃Larkin； you must adjourn the convention over to…morrow。 Culver can go to Chicago and get back with the money by to…morrow night。〃
〃No use；〃 groaned Culver。 And he told them the last part of his talk with Mrs。 Dumont。
〃She thought of that！〃 said Merriweather； and he looked the impartial admiration of the connoisseur of cleverness。
〃But she'd never carry out her threatnever in the world！〃 persisted Larkin。
〃If you had seen her when she said it； and if you'd known her as long as I have； you wouldn't say that；〃 replied Culver。 〃We must try to get the money here； right awayat the banks。〃
〃All shut；〃 said Merriweather 〃I wonder how much cash there is at the Woolens and the Oil and Steel offices？ We must get together as much as we canquietly。〃 And he rapidly outlined a program that put all three at work within fifteen minutes。 They met again at seven。 Culver had twenty…six hundred dollars； Larkin thirty…one hundred； Merriweather； who had kept for himself the most difficult task； had only twelve hundred。
〃Sixty…nine hundred；〃 said Merriweather； eying the heap； of paper in packages and silver in bags。
〃Better than nothing；〃 suggested Culver； with a pitiful attempt to be hopeful。
Merriweather shrugged his shoulders。 〃Let's get some supper；〃 he said to Culver。 Then to Larkin： 〃Well； Joe； you'll have to try promises。 Will you keep this cash or shall I？〃
〃You might as well keep it；〃 replied Larkin； with a string of oaths。 〃It'd be ruination to pay one without paying all。 Perhaps you can use some of it between ballots to…morrow。〃 Then； sharply to Culver： 〃You've telegraphed Mr。 Dumont？〃
〃Of course；〃 said Culver。 〃And it took some time as I had to put the whole story into cipher。〃
As Culver and Merriweather were seated； with the dinner before them which Culver did not touch； and which Merriweather ate placidly； Culver asked him whether there was 〃any hope at all。〃
〃There's always hope；〃 replied Merriweather。 〃Promises； especially from Joe Larkin； will go a long way； though they don't rouse the white hot enthusiasm that cold cash in the pocket does。 We'll pull through all right。〃 He ate for a while in silence。 Then： 〃This Mrs。 Dumont must be an uncommon woman。〃 A few more mouthfuls and with his small； icy； mirthless laugh； he added： 〃I've got one something like her at home。 I keep her there。〃
Culver decided to spend the night at the hotel。 He hung round the hotel office until two in the morning； expecting and dreading Dumont's reply to his telegram。 But nothing came either for him or for Merriweather。 〃 Queer we don't get word of some sort； isn't it？〃 said he to Merriweather the next morning； as the latter was leaving for the convention。
Merriweather made no reply beyond a smile so faint that Culver barely saw it。
〃She was right； after all；〃 thought Culver； less despondent。 〃I'll get the money just before I leave and take it back。 And I'll not open this subject with Dumont。 Maybe he'll never speak of it to me。〃
And Dumont never did。
XX。
A MAN IN HIS MIGHT。
Olivia came to attend the convention as Fred was a delegate from Marion County。 Pauline and Gladys accepted her invitation and shared her boxthe convention was held in the Saint X Grand Opera House； the second largest auditorium in the state。 Pauline； in the most retired corner； could not see the Marion County delegation into which Scarborough went by substitution。 But she had had a glimpse of him as she came inhe was sitting beside Fred Pierson and was gazing straight ahead； as if lost in thought。 He looked tired and worn； but not cast down。
〃You should have been here； Polly； when Scarborough came in；〃 said Olivia； who was just in front of her。 〃They almost tore the roof off。 He's got the audience with him； even if the delegates aren't。 A good many of the delegates applauded； too；〃 she addedbut in a significantly depressed tone。
〃Why isn't he a candidate； Mrs。 Pierson？〃 asked Gladys。
〃They wanted him to be； of course；〃 replied Olivia； 〃and I think it was a mistake that he didn't consent。 But he wouldn't hear of it。 He said it simply wouldn't do for him to make the fight to carry the convention for himself。 He said that； even if he were nominated； the other side would use it against him。〃
〃That seems reasonable；〃 said Gladys。
〃But it isn't；〃 replied Olivia。 〃He may not know it but he can lead men where they wouldn't go for his merely sending them。〃
〃I suppose it was his modesty；〃 suggested Gladys。
〃Modesty's a good deal of a vice； especially in a leader；〃 replied Olivia。
There was an hour of dullnessroutine business； reports of committees； wearisome speeches。 But； like every one of those five thousand people； Pauline was in a fever of anticipation。 For； while it was generally assumed that Scarborough and his friends had no chance and while Larkin was apparently carrying everything through according to program； still it was impossible to conceive of such a man as Scarborough accepting defeat on test votes tamely taken。 He would surely challenge。 Larkin watched him uneasily； wondering at what point in the proceedings the gage would be flung down。 Even Merriweather could not keep still； but flitted about； his nervousness of body contrasting strangely with his calmness of face； himself the most unquiet man in the hall； he diffused quiet wherever he paused。
At last came the call for nominations。 When the secretary of the convention read Cass from the roll of counties； a Larkin henchman rose and spoke floridly for twenty minutes on the virtues of John Frankfort； put up as the Larkin 〃draw…fire；〃 the pretended candidate whose prearranged defeat was to be used on the stump as proof that Boss Larkin and his gang had been downed。 At the call of Hancock County； anothera secretLarkin henchman rose to eulogize 〃that stanch foe of corporate corruption and aggression； Hancock County's favorite son； the people's judge； Judge Edward Howel Graney！〃 Then the roll…call proceeded amid steadily rising excitement which abruptly died into silence as the clerk shouted； with impressive emphasis； 〃Wayne！〃 That was the home county of the Scarborough candidate。 A Wayne delegate rose an