“We encourage that impression. You know how many weak-kneed fellows there are who like to be on the winning side. We’ve been pouring out the money and stand ready to pour it out like water. But these damned reform ballot-laws make it hard for us to control the vote. We buy, but we fear that the goods will not be delivered. Feeling is high against us. Even our farmers and shopkeepers are acting queerly. And the other fellows have at last put up a safe man on a conservative platform.”
Howard turned his face away. There was still the memory, the now quickened memory, of his former self to make him wince at being included in such an “us.”
“You can’t afford to keep silent any longer,” Hereford continued. “You’ve done the cause a world of good by your silence thus far. You have the reputation of being the leading popular organ, and your keeping quiet has meant thousands of votes for us. But the time has come to attack. And you must attack if we are to carry New York. You can turn the tide in the state, and—well, we have a very high regard for your genius for making your points clearly and interestingly. We need your ideas for our editors and speakers as much as we need your influence.”
“I cannot discuss it to-day,” Howard answered after a moment’s silence. “It would be a grave step for the News-Record to take. I am not well, as you see. To-morrow or next day I’ll decide. You’ll see my answer in the paper, I think.” He closed his eyes with significant weariness.
Hereford looked at him uneasily. Just outside the door Stokely whispered, “Don’t be alarmed. You’ve got him. He’s with us, I tell you.”
“I must make sure,” whispered Hereford. “I wish to speak to him alone for a moment.”
“I beg your pardon, Mr. Howard,” he said as he re-entered the room. “I forgot an important part of my mission. Our candidate authorized me to say to you on his behalf that he felt sure you would see your duty; that he esteemed your character and judgment too highly to have any doubts; and that he intends to show his appreciation of the conscientious, independent vote which is rallying to his support; in the event of his election, he feels that he could not do so in a more satisfactory manner than by offering you either a place in his cabinet or an ambassadorship as you may prefer.”
As soon as Howard saw Hereford returning, he knew the reason. He had never before been offered a bribe; but he could not mistake the meaning of Hereford’s bold yet frightened expression. He kept his eyes averted during the delivery of the long, rambling sentence. At the end, he looked at Hereford frankly and said in his most gracious manner:
“Thank him for me, will you? And express my appreciation of so high a compliment from such a man.”
Hereford looked relieved, delighted. “I’m glad to have met you, Mr. Howard, and to have had so satisfactory an interview.”