"Do you really think I can do it?" he asked slowly. "Do you think I am the best man for the job?"
Each of the committee assured him he was. They said he had given a good account of himself as assistant district-attorney, won influential friends in his daily life, and secured, through his political speech-making for Leighton, a strong following among the voters.
"Of course," persisted Luke, "it's unnecessary to ask men of your standing that there shan't be anything but clean politics in our campaign."
Venable tossed his head proudly.
"My record is a guarantee of that," he said.
"No undue influence?" asked Luke. "No outside interests coming in to boss us or affect us in any way?"
"Rot!" said Yeates.
"And I am to have an absolutely free hand?"
They assured him of that.
Luke's lowered lids hid his eyes, but his eyes gleamed. Here, at last, was his Great Chance. Here was what he had lived and hoped for. He wanted to shout his war-cry, to go out and fight at once. Would he be worthy? The wing of that doubt brushed the farthest edges of his conscience, but he was young, and he did not heed it. He thought of all that he could do with this opportunity; and he thought, too, of Betty Forbes.