Wint stared at him with a curious, threatening light in his eyes. “What’s the idea? You turned me down cold, in public. Now you come whining around....” “I’m not whining, Wint,” said Amos cheerfully. “Do you think I’m whining, B. B.?” B. B. smiled. “Congressman Caretall has his own methods, Wint. I know he seemed to be against you; but I also know that he’s been secretly working for you, that every vote he can swing will go to you. He’s been passing that word around for a week.” Wint hesitated, looking from one to the other. “I never caught you in a lie, B. B.,” he said. “It’s true enough,” the editor told him. “You see--” He looked at Amos, then went on: “You see, your father has no use for Amos. And Amos knew it. He also knew your father could do a good deal to help you win this election. But--Chase would not be on your side so long as Amos was with you. Do you see?” “I see that much,” said Wint. He was thinking hard. “But your father has been working for you since Amos pretended to have turned against you. Hasn’t he?” “Yes.” “I don’t suppose you ever thought of that,” B. B. suggested; and Wint drew his hand across his eyes, and looked at Amos, and asked huskily: “Is it true, Amos?” Amos grinned; and he said: “I’m like you. I never knowed B. B. to tell a lie.” “But why didn’t you tell me?” “You can’t keep a secret, Wint. You’re too damned honest. Maybe you’re too honest for politics. I don’t know. Anyhow, I couldn’t let on to you without your father seeing it in your eye.” Wint said, grinning a little shakily: “It hurt me a good deal, just the same.” “I guess you’ll outgrow that.” “I suppose so.” He said nothing more for a minute; and Amos puffed at his pipe, and B. B. studied Wint, smiling a little at the young man’s confusion. Wint was flushed; and he was happier than he had ever expected to be again. These two were true friends, at least. Not all the world had turned its back on him. He crossed abruptly and gripped their hands. “Why, that’s all right,” said Amos, marking how Wint was moved. “If you hadn’t run away last night, before we could move, I’d have told you then. I tried to find you, after. But no one seemed to know.” Wint nodded. “I just walked blindly, for a while. I could not go home. This was the first place I thought of.” Amos blew a cloud of smoke. “Well, that’s all right.” “How did you find out I was here, now?” Wint asked. “Just guess? Or what?” “Jack Routt is--spreading the word,” Amos explained. There was a suggestion of something hidden behind his simple statement. “Routt? Yes, he was here last night,” Wint agreed. “Yes, he said he was.” Wint caught the implication in the Congressman’s tone, and he asked: “What’s the matter? What does Routt say?” “Well, as a matter of fact, he says you were down here last night, stewed to the eyes and getting steweder all the time.” Wint’s eyes narrowed; then he laughed. “Oh, he says that?” “Says it frequent and generous.”