“I—I thought he ought to have it.”
Sam laughed harshly. “Tell that to somebody else! Much you thought about what he ought to have! All you and your crowd wanted was to put him up so that you could knock him down!”
“But I voted for him, I tell you!” Hagle protested.
“Then Zorn ordered you to do that, too.”
Hagle reddened, but would not meet Sam’s gaze.
“’Tisn’t so! He didn’t want me to——” There he checked himself. “He—he—I mean, I acted on my own hook. Zorn didn’t make me do it. The class has been talking Walker for secretary for weeks, and—and—say, Parker, I figured that because he’s down on his luck, he—he’d feel better if something came his way. I was square about it.”
“Bosh! You knew the game had been fixed to beat him!”
Hagle wriggled. “I knew Scrub Payne was going to run, but I thought Walker ought to have his show. Look here! I—I’m awfully sorry about the whole business—about all Walker’s troubles. It—it’s mighty hard luck for him.”
“It surely is!” said Sam drily.
Hagle began to edge away. “I voted for him, and I wanted to tell you so. That—that’s all.”