"Betty," he said, "a lot of men that believe in me are going to offer me this nomination. It's a nomination to a place that makes its holder an officer of the court, an officer of justice, yet the plain truth is your father wants me to let these other men's money, or the power of their money, buy me off from doing justice to them."
"Nonsense!" Forbes was strengthened by his daughter's meed of comfort. "You won't be elected if you are nominated."
"They seem to think I will," said Luke.
"And somebody else," urged Betty, "could do just as well against them, Luke."
"That's not the point, Betty. It's a personal question, a question of personal morals; it's a matter of my own conscience."
She turned until she stood no longer between the two men. She stood at her father's side. Her cheeks were damp from weeping, but her eyes shone.
"But think, Luke," she said. "You are young. Father's twice as old, and he must know more. He must be right. He wouldn't ask you to do anything that was wrong, would you, father?"
Forbes shook his head.
"I know it's a lot for you to have to give up," she went on; "but you ought to be willing to give up a lot if—if you——"
"If I love you?" asked Luke.