“So far as any of us are concerned. It’s coming to the place where it’s a case of get together and stick together for us Americans. Seen Magnus Laurens since the Governor’s little soirée?”
“No,” answered Jem, flushing.
“Laurens thought you were in on Embree’s deal. Why don’t you put him right?”
“He can put himself right,” returned the editor shortly.
“Hardly that; but he can be put right. There are a lot of things that ought to be put right for you, my boy. Things that have been wrong for a long time.”
He leaned to Jeremy again, his long face alight with an eager and innocent candor.
“Jem, there’s no use fighting your friends. The people that can help you, the people that are the real Americans of your kind, you’ve always opposed. Come in with us now. There’s nothing that won’t be done for you and The Guardian. I’m going to talk plain talk. Isn’t it about time you made up your mind to be good?”
“How be good? What’s on the carpet now?”
“Why, this fight against the pacifists and pro-Germans.”
“You don’t have to tell me to be good for that. Something else is up.” He eyed the lawyer with a bitter grin. “I might have known you had something up your sleeve. What is it, the Blanket Franchise Bill again?”