“After the speech at Cresset’s?� The corners of the colonel’s mouth twitched.
Caleb poured out the whiskey and handed the glass to his guest. “You know the judge well, sir,� he remarked, and his composure under the jest won upon the colonel.
He tasted the whiskey with the air of a connoisseur. “In Virginia, Mr. Trench, we should make this into juleps,� he said appreciatively; “the judge was raised in the Kentucky mountains and he knows a good thing when he sees it. I read the report of your speech, sir, and I admired it, but�—the colonel let his hand fall a little heavily on the arm of the chair where Diana’s elbow had rested,—he little knew the enormity of his action—“if I thought it was all true I should have to change my coat. I don’t—but I believe you do.�
“Thank you,� said Trench quietly, “I do.�
“Very good, sir,� said Colonel Royall; “then you did right, but you’ve made more enemies than you could shake a stick at. Jacob Eaton’s my cousin, a young man yet, but mighty clever, and I reckon he’ll remember all you said. There isn’t any call for me to resent things for Jacob! No, sir, I honor you for your courage, if those are your convictions, but Yarnall can’t be elected here.�
“I think he can, Colonel,� Caleb replied, unmoved. The lines about his mouth straightened a little and there was a glint in his gray eyes; otherwise his composure was unruffled.
Colonel Royall set down his empty glass and waved aside the proffered bottle. “No more, sir, it’s too good to be safe; like most fine things, a little goes a long way. What makes you think you can nominate Yarnall? Of course you can’t elect a Republican, so I see your point in trying to influence the Democrats. By gum, sir, it’s the first time it’s been attempted, and it’s knocked the organization into splinters; they’re standing around waiting to see what you’ll do next!� The colonel laughed softly.
“They’ll nominate Yarnall and they’ll elect him,� said Caleb; “Aylett can’t get two votes out of ten. I’m sorry to go against your candidate, Colonel,� he added, smiling.
“Eh?� said the colonel; he was, in fact, suddenly aware of the charm of Caleb’s rare smile. He had not known that the man could smile like that.
“I’m afraid I appear an interloper in a fenced, no-trespass field,� Caleb continued pleasantly. “I’m a Republican, of course, and�—his eyes twinkled—“something of a Yankee, but, as we can’t elect a Republican, you must forgive me for choosing the less instead of the greater evil.�