If Bassett
had been a weakling timorously making overtures for help, Harwood would
have been sensible of it; but a man of demonstrated force and
intelligence, who had probably never talked thus to another soul in his
life, was addressing him with a candor at once disarming and compelling.
It was not easy to say to a man from whom he had accepted every kindness
that he had ceased to trust him; that while he had been his willing
companion on fair-weather voyages, he would desert without a qualm
before the tempest. But even now Bassett had asked nothing of him; why
should he harden his heart against the man who had been his friend?
"You have your ideals--fine ideas of public service that I admire. Our
party needs such men as you; the young fellows couldn't get away from us
fast enough after '96; many of the Sons of old-time Democrats joined the
Republicans. Fitch has spoken to me of you often as the kind of man we
ought to push forward, and I'm willing to put you out on the
firing-line, where you can work for your ideals. My help will handicap
you at first,"--his voice grew dry and hard here,-"but once you have got
a start you can shake me off as quick as you like. It's a perfectly
selfish proposition I'm making, Harwood; it simply gets down to this,
that I need your help."
"Of course, Mr. Bassett; if I can serve you in any way--"
"Anything you can do for me you may do if you don't feel that you will
be debasing yourself in fighting under my flag.
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