"Hem, well in your judgment, what will that amount to, Miss Kirkman?"
"They are the representative talking men from all sections of the country, and they have their following, and so there's no use disputing that they can do some harm."
"Hum, what are they going to denounce the administration for?"
"Oh, there's a spirit of general discontent, and they've got to denounce something, so it had as well be the administration as anything else."
There was a new gleam in Mr. Hamilton's eye that was not one of pleasure as he asked, "Who are the leaders in this movement?"
"That's just what I brought this list for. There's Courtney, editor of the New York Beacon, who is rabid; there's Jones of Georgia, Gray of Ohio—"
"Whew," whistled the boss, "Gray of Ohio, why he's on the inside."
"Yes, and I can't see what's the matter with him, he's got his position, and he ought to keep his mouth shut."
"Oh, there are ways of applying the screw. Go on."
"Then, too, there's Shackelford of Mississippi, Duncan of South Carolina, Stowell of Kentucky, and a lot of smaller fry who are not worth mentioning."