The elder Chase smiled and said: “You don’t understand, Wint. I’ve known him longer. He’s absolutely without principle or scruple. You know, for instance, that he’s a wet man; but he’s doing this for his own ends, using you--” Wint protested: “He’s not doing this. I’m doing it.” Mrs. Chase cried: “I should think you’d be ashamed, Wint, to do anything against your own father. He’s been a good father to you, Wint. You know he--” Wint cut in, almost pleading: “But, mother, you said yourself this was a good thing. To clean up Hardiston. And father’s always been in favor of it.” “That was before I understood that Congressman Caretall was doing it to hurt your father. I don’t think anything is good that hurts your father, Wint. You ought not to say that. You know I--” “But he’s not doing it to hurt dad, mother. I told you that. I’m doing it myself; he’s not doing it at all.” “Your father understands these things better than you, Wint. Didn’t he tell you Congressman Caretall was just using you? I shouldn’t think you’d be willing to--” The elder Chase said uneasily: “I know him better than you, Wint.” Wint pushed back his chair and looked steadily at the older man. “You talk like V. R. Kite, dad,” he said. Chase confessed his guilt by the vehemence of his protestations. “That’s not so, Wint. And in any case, Kite is an honest man compared to Caretall. He plays square with his friends, at least. That’s more than Amos can say.” Wint asked: “What makes you think Amos is playing crooked now? Not that he has anything to do with this....” “I know him. He’s always crooked. A crooked, double-crossing politician.” “I’m not defending Amos,” Wint said stubbornly. “He’s treated you badly. But he’s been decent to me. I’ll not turn against him. And anyway, this is my doing, my business. He’s not in it at all.” “You said he was backing you.” “I said he thought I was doing a good thing. I expected you to think that, too.” Chase flushed uncomfortably. “Ordinarily, I would say so. If you’d done this without prompting from him, I would say so. But it’s significant that you didn’t; that you waited till he came home, and talked to you, and then gave your orders.” “I’d been thinking about it for a long time.” “But you didn’t act without word from him, Wint. That’s why I--regret it.” Wint asked harshly: “Listen! Do I get this straight? You’d have me let them go on selling whisky in Hardiston just for fear I am helping Amos by stopping them?” “I don’t like to see you letting Amos use you.” “Aside from that, isn’t it a good thing to clean up the town, no matter what the motive?” “You’ll find in your law books somewhere the statement that the motive determines the deed,” Chase told him. “Don’t you think it important to clean up Hardiston?” “I think it important not to cement Amos Caretall’s hold on this county, and this town.” Wint said angrily: “Forget Amos. Forget he exists. I’m asking a flat question. Why don’t you answer it?”