The ready tears brimmed into his uncle's eyes. "You're like your father, boy. I believe I would have known you by him," he said impulsively.
"You couldn't please me better, sir. And what about James--would you have known him?"The old man looked humbly at his handsome, distinguished son. "No, I would never have known him.""He's becoming one of our leading citizens, James is. You ought to hear him make a speech. Demosthenes and Daniel Webster hide their heads when the Honorable James K. Farnum spellbinds," Jeff joked.
"I've read his speeches," the father said unexpectedly. "For more than a year I've taken the _World_ so as to hear of him.""Then you know that James is headed straight for the Hall of Fame. Aren't you, James?""Nonsense! You've as much influence in the state as I have, or you would have if you would drop your fight on wealth.""Bless you, I'm not ****** a fight on wealth," Jeff answered with good humor. "It's illicit wealth we're hammering at. But when you compare me to James K. I'll have to remind you that I'm not a silver- tongued orator or Verden's favorite son."The father's wistful smile grew bolder. Somehow Jeff's arrival had cleared the atmosphere. A Scriptural phrase flashed into his mind asapplicable to this young man. Thinketh no evil. His nephew did not regard him with suspicion or curiosity. To him he was not a sinner or an outcast, but a brother. His manner had just the right touch of easy deference youth ought to give age.
"Of course you're going to make us a long visit, Uncle Robert."The old man's propitiating gaze went to his son. "Not long, I reckon. I've got to get back to my business.""Nonsense! We'll not let you go so easily. Eh, James?""No, of course not," the lawyer mumbled. He was both annoyed and embarrassed.
"I don't want to be selfish about it, but I do think you had better put up with me, Uncle. James is at the University Club, and only members have rooms there. We'll let him come and see you if he's good," Jeff went on breezily.
James breathed freer. "That might be the best way, if it wouldn't put you out, Jeff.""I wouldn't want to be any trouble," the old man explained.
"And you won't be. I want you. James wants you, too, but he can't very well arrange it. I can. So that's settled."In his rooms that evening Jeff very gently made clear to his uncle that Verden believed him to be his son.
"If you don't mind, sir, we'll let it go that way in public. We don't want to hurt the political chances of James just now. And there are other things, too. He'll tell you about them himself probably.""That's all right. Just as you say. I don't want to disturb things.""I adopted you as a father about a year ago without your permission. It won't do for you to give me away now," the nephew laughed.
Robert Farnum nodded without speaking. A lump choked his throat. He had found a son after all, but not the one he had come to meet.
PART 2
At the ensuing election the progressives swept the state in spite of all that the allied corporations could do. James was returned to the legislature with an increased majority and was elected speaker of the Houseaccording to program. His speech of acceptance was the most eloquent that had ever been heard in the assembly hall. The most radical of his party felt that the committees appointed by him were in their personnel a little too friendly to the vested interests of Verden, but the _World_ took the high ground that he could render his party no higher service than absolute fair play, that the bills for the rights of the people ought to pass on their merits and not by tricky politics.
Never before had there been seen at the State House a lobby like the one that filled it now. The barrel was tapped so that the glint of gold flowed through the corridors, into committee rooms, and to out of the way corners where legislators fought for their honor against an attack that never ceased. Sometimes the corruption was bold. More often it was insidious. To see how one by one men hitherto honest surrendered to bribery was a sight pathetic and tragic.
