Adam.

"I never run for office," answered Mr. Vane.

"Haven't I spent the days of my active life in the service of that road
--and is this my reward? Haven't I done what Flint wanted always?"

"That's just the trouble," said the Honourable Hilary; too many folks
know it. If we're going to win this time, we've got to have a man who's
never had any Northeastern connections."

"Who have you picked?" demanded the Honourable Adam, with alarming
calmness.

"We haven't picked anybody yet," said Mr. Vane, "but the man who goes in
will give you a cheque for what you've spent, and you can be governor
next time."

"Well, if this isn't the d-dest, coldest-blooded proposition ever made, I
want to know!" cried the Honourable Adam. "Will Flint put up a bond of
one hundred thousand dollars that I'll be nominated and elected next
year? This is the clearest case of going back on an old friend I ever
saw. If this is the way you fellows get scared because a sham reformer
gets up and hollers against the road, then I want to serve notice on you
that I'm not made of that kind of stuff. When I go into a fight, I go in
to stay, and you can't pull me out by the coat-tails in favour of a saint
who's never done a lick of work for the road. You tell Flint that."

"All right, Adam," said Hilary.