"My dear Stover, why ask who is responsible? Ask if the opposition is genuine and whether it's going to stick."
"I don't believe it is."
"That's not it. What you want to know is how much is conviction in me, and how much is just the fun of running things and stirring up mischief."
"That does puzzle me—yes. But what I want you to see is, you're splitting up the class."
"I'm not doing it, and you're not doing it. It's the class ahead that's interfering and doing it. Now, Stover, I've answered your questions. Will you answer mine?"
"That's fair."
"If you put up a candidate, why shouldn't we?"
"But you make politics out of it."
"Do you ever support the candidate of another crowd?"
Stover was silent.