"
He drew his chair even closer to them. They waited a few moments for him
to speak. In that room with its dignity of ancient things, with the
silence of the summer night surrounding, that waiting was impressive.
Harlan felt the thrill of it. Even his grandfather was gravely anxious.
The General leaned forward and put his thin hand on the elder Thornton's
knee.
"Thelismer, you yourself link the past with the present, so far as the
politics of this State go. You link them even more than I do, for you
are active in the present. You have been a strong man--you are strong
to-day. But I want to say to you, and this is as friend to friend, you
haven't always used that strength right. I know what reply you'd make to
that. We've talked it all over many times. You say that you've had to
play the game. That's right. And I've played it myself, too. But in the
years since then, while I've sat at one side of the arena and looked on,
I've had a chance to meditate and a chance to observe. I don't think
matters have been running right in this State--and now I'm not speaking
of Arba Spinney or his ilk.
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