He could not give it rein--he realized that. Party and personal
interests were all jeopardized. But he knew he could not afford to have
utter personal disgrace accompany his defeat. Desertion of the party
candidate, if advertised in the fashion the General threatened, meant
ruin of his name as well as his fortune. He could have sulked and
excused himself, but there was no excuse for inaction after demand had
been made upon him in this fashion.
There was silence in the room.
"Fellow up our way used to be a mighty good mule teamster," said
Thelismer Thornton, tipping his great head back into clasped hands, and
gazing meditatively at the ceiling. "Had a gad for the wheel mules, whip
for the swing team, and a pocketful of rocks for the leaders. One day
the rocks gave out just as the wagon sunk into a honey-pot on a March
road. But being a good teamster, he yanked out his pipe and threw it at
the nigh leader just at the critical second. Sparks skated from crupper
to mane along the mule's back, and he gave a snort and a heave, and away
they went.
Pages:
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422