"Mr. Barrett," declared Wade, earnestly, "on that basis you have my honest co-operation." He took his hat. There was no excuse for remaining longer in a directors' meeting of the Umcolcus Lumbering Association. His head whirled with the suddenness of this new situation. There was a general mumble of indorsement from the men massed at the rear of the room, but one of the group spoke out after a moment's hesitation: "I'm glad to hear you talk of a square deal before next legislature, Mr. Barrett, but I can't help rememberin' that when some of us went up to the state-house two years ago, to see if we couldn't get a few rights, we butted square up against a lobby that was handlin' some fifteen thousand dollars of King Spruce's money to beat us with, and to keep things right where they were." There was no mistaking Barrett's sincerity now. "Gentlemen," he cried, "I have just been admitting that there have been mistakes made in handling this matter. I didn't intend to go into details. It is not a pleasant task. But when I say that this matter shall have fair and square hearing in future, I mean it. And I pledge for myself and my associates--call us 'King Spruce,' if that means most to you--that not one dollar will be used by us in the next legislature, except for expenses of counsel and witnesses before the committees--the same legitimate expenses that you of the opposition will incur." There was no Thomas among them who could persist in the face of a declaration like that. They dispersed. Barrett overtook Wade in the corridor, slipped his hand beneath the young man's arm, and, without a word, led him back into the private office. "I want to ask you a question, Mr. Wade," he said, still holding him by the arm. "Once, in stress of feelings and under peculiar circumstances, I promised certain things and did not fulfil them. You therefore have a perfect right to be sceptical as to my good faith now. I ask you--are you?" "No, Mr. Barrett, I am not," returned Wade, with simple earnestness.