"By the everlasting gods," he shouted, "I'll go down fighting! If the
house has got to come down, I'll go down with it."
"Samson had two arms. I have only one," returned General Waymouth. "But
I've got that arm around the central pillar of your political roof,
gentlemen--and I've got the strength to handle it! You've stated your
position as a politician, Presson. Now I'll state mine. Rather than see
the Republican temple made any longer a house of political ill-fame I'll
pull it down on you prostitutes."
It was bitter taunt--an insult delivered with calm determination to
sting. Presson stamped about the room in his wrath.
"I'm making no pact or promise," went on the General. "I declare that
you are the men who are wrecking our party. Now if you propose to wreck
it completely, we'll go smashing all together in the ruins. It may as
well be wrecked now as later!"
There was another hush in the room.
"So I call upon you, men of office, shop, and farm, bone and sinew of
our grand old party," exhorted Senator Pownal from the forum outside,
"to forget the petty bickerings of faction and stand shoulder to
shoulder in your march to the polls.
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