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Then he saw them coming, heard the growing murmur of many voices, the cackle of occasional laughter, and took especial note of "War Eagle" Ivus Niles, who led the parade. A fuzzy and ancient silk hat topped his head, a rusty frock-coat flapped about his legs, and he tugged along at the end of a cord a dirty buck sheep.
Niles closed, as he always closed a speech, with the metaphor that had given him his sobriquet. "That is real oratory, Ivus," stated Mr. Thornton, serenely; "I know it is, because a man who is listening to real oratory never understands what the orator is driving at." The Hon. Thelismer Thornton usually spoke with a slow, dry, half-quizzical drawl. That drawl was effective now.
And then the caucus adjourned tumultuously. Through it all Thelismer Thornton stood with shoulders against the boarding, that quizzical half-smile on his face. He walked out of the hall past the outraged Ivus Niles without losing that smile, though the demagogue followed him to the door with frantic threats and taunts.
"Where's the crowd that's backing you your own boys?" "Luke, I swear I don't know. I knew there was some growling in this district there always is in a district. A man like Ivus Niles would growl about John the Baptist, if he came back to earth and went in for politics. But this thing, here, gets me!" He turned to the window once more.
"Bring them on," he sneered: "Ivus Niles and his buck sheep and Enoch Dudley and the rest of the petty rogues that you hired with your corporation money to defeat me." "You're on the wrong trail," replied Spinney. "I can hit you harder than that, and in a tenderer spot." He returned Harlan's amazed stare. "I've been keeping my eyes open down here, Mr.
His friendship with this child, their rides, their companionship, had been almost on the plane of boy with boy; her character invited that kind of intimacy. And so he wondered what to say; for her demand had been explicit, and she demanded candor in return. At that moment he welcomed the appearance of even Ivus Niles. That sooty prophet of ill appeared around a bend in the road ahead.
The deeper guile had masked itself behind such characters as Ivus Niles, and now Thornton realized it, and realized, too, to what a pass his trustful serenity, builded on the loyalty of the years, had brought him. That strained, strange look of grieved surprise went out of his face. He lighted a cigar, gazing at his constituents over his scooped hands that held the match.
He's goin' right down to spend the winter with you. Was tellin' Mr. Presson so when they et just now. Said you'd be needin' a steerin' committee of just his bigness!" Harlan got up and kicked his chair from under him. It went over with a clatter. To his infinite relief he had suddenly recovered some of that wrathful determination that Ivus Niles's sneers had given him earlier in the evening.
Talking about 'em like as though they were a great force in politics always organized and ready to support reform. Only needed to be called on. Fellows like Ivus here, that read and read and never bump up next to real things outside, get to think that The People make up an angel band that's all ready to march right up to the ballot-box and vote for just the right thing. Only have to be called on!"
He plucked a cigar from his waistcoat-pocket and held it down toward Mr. Niles. "No, sir!" roared that irreconcilable. "I ain't holding out my porringer to Power never again!" "Power," repulsed, lighted the cigar from the one he was smoking, and snapped the butt at the sheep. "I'm a lover of good oratory, Ivus," he said, placidly, "and I know you've come here loaded. Fire!"