‘What you really want, I think,’ he went on, as Miss McCabe resumed her seat, ‘is to have your choice, as you said, among the competitors?’
‘Yes,’ replied the fair American, ‘that is only natural.’
‘But then,’ said Merton, ‘much depends on who decides as to the merits of the competitors. With whom does the decision rest?’
‘With the people.’
‘With the people?’
‘Yes, with the popular vote, as expressed through the newspaper that my father founded—The Yellow Flag. The public is to see the exhibits, the new varieties of nature, and the majority of votes is to carry the day. “Trust the people!” that was Pappa’s word.’
‘Then anyone who chooses, of the age, character, and education stipulated under the clause in the will,
may go and bring in whatever variety of nature he pleases and take his chance?’
‘That is it all the time,’ said the client. ‘There is a trust, and the trustees, friends of Pappa’s, decide on the qualifications of the young men who enter for the competition. If the trustees are satisfied they allot money for expenses out of the exploration fund, so that nobody may be stopped because he is poor.’
‘There will be an enormous throng of competitors in these conditions—and with such a prize,’ Merton could not help adding.