"He's wonderfully clever, isn't he?"
"A dreamer—a crank," replied the old man.
"But what he says sounds reasonable," suggested the daughter.
"It SOUNDS sensible," admitted the old man peevishly. "But it ain't what I was brought up to call sensible. Don't you get none of those fool ideas into your head. They're all very well for men that haven't got any property or any responsibilities—for flighty fellows like Charlton and that there Victor Dorn. But as soon as anybody gets property and has interests to look after, he drops that kind of talk."
"Do you mean that property makes a man too blind or too cowardly to speak the truth?" asked Jane with an air of great innocence.
The old man either did not hear or had no answer ready. He said:
"You heard him say that Davy Hull was going to win?"
"Why, he said Victor Dorn was going to win," said Jane, still simple and guileless.
Hastings frowned impatiently. "That was just loose talk. He admitted Davy was to be the next mayor. If he is—and I expect Charlton was about right—if Davy is elected, I shouldn't be surprised to see him nominated for governor next year. He's a sensible, knowing fellow. He'll make a good mayor, and he'll be elected governor on his record."
"And on what you and the other men who run things will do for him," suggested Jane slyly.