"
He went out and slammed the door.
Thornton did not turn his head. He kept his eyes on Waymouth.
"Vard," he said, "I reckon I haven't been keeping my political charts up
to date. I had you down as a peninsula, jutting out _some_ from the
Republican party, but still hitched on to it. I find you're an island,
standing all by yourself, and with pretty rocky shores."
"Perhaps so," admitted the General.
"This has been a sort of a heart-to-heart meeting here to-night. In the
general honesty I'll be honest myself. I can't support you."
"Then you lack honesty."
"No, but your scheme of honesty takes you right into the king-row of the
ramrodders, and I can't train with the bunch that will flock to you.
Your theory is good--but the _practice_ will break your heart just as
sure as God hasn't made humans perfect! You'll be up against it! You're
going to test man to the limit of his professions--and it isn't a safe
operation, if you want to come out with any of your ideals left
unsmashed. If you start on that road you'll have to travel it without
me.
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