And yet, I was not made mad by this sudden grant of power. I knew by the counsel of Big Kennedy, and the dungeon fate of that Boss who was destroyed, that I must light a lamp of caution for my journeyings. Neither the rôle of bully, nor the bluff method of the highwayman, would serve; in such rough event, the people, overhanging all, would be upon one like an avalanche. One must proceed by indirection and while the common back was turned; one, being careful, might bleed the public while it slept. When the town in its threads was thus wholly in my hands, with every office, great or small, held by a man of the machine, Morton came to call upon me. “And so you're the Czar!” said he. “You have the enemy's word for it,” I replied. “'Czar' is what they call me in their papers when they do not call me 'rogue.'” “Mere compliments, all,” returned Morton airily. “Really, I should feel proud to be thus distinguished. And yet I'm surprised! I was just telling an editor of one of our rampant dailies: 'Can't you see,' said I, 'that he who speaks ill of his master speaks ill of himself? To call a man a scoundrel or an ignoramus, is to call him weak, since neither is a mark of strength. And when you term him scoundrel and ignoramus who has beaten you, you but name yourself both viler, weaker still. Really,' I concluded, 'if only to preserve one's own standing, one should ever speak well of one's conqueror, don't y' know!' But it was of no use; that ink-fellow merely scowled and went his way. However, to discuss a theory of epithet was not my present purpose. Do you recall how, on the edge of the campaign, I said that if you would but win the town I'd lead you into millions?” “Yes,” said I, “you said something of the sort.” “You must trust me in this: I understand the market better than you do, don't y' know. Perhaps you have noticed that Blackberry Traction is very low--down to ninety, I think?” “No,” I replied, “the thing is news to me. I know nothing of stocks.”