"Oh, I understand your position, Sayler," he answered, when he had got control of himself again, "but I see plainly that the time has come when the power that rules me,--that rules us both,--has decided to use me to my own destruction. If I refuse to do these things, it will destroy me,--and a hundred are eager to come forward and take my place. If I do these things, the people will destroy me,--and neither is that of the smallest importance to our master." His phrases, "the power that rules us both," and "our master," jarred on me. So far as he knew, indeed, so far as "our master" knew, were not he and I in the same class? But that was no time for personal vanity. All I said was: "The bills must go through. This is one of those crises that test a man's loyalty to the party." "For the good of the party!" he muttered with a bitter sneer. "Crime upon crime--yes, crime, I say--that the party may keep the favor of the powers! And to what end? to what good? Why, that the party may continue in control and so may be of further use to its rulers." He rested his elbows on the table and held his face between his hands. He looked terribly old, and weary beyond the power ever to be rested again. "I stand with the party,--what am I without it?" he went on in a dull voice. "The people may forget, but, if I offend the master,--he never forgives or forgets. I'll sign the bills, Sayler,--_if_ they come to me as party measures." Burbank had responded to the test. A baser man would have acted as scores of governors, mayors, and judges have acted in the same situation--would have accepted popular ruin and would have compelled the powers to make him rich in compensation. A braver man would have defied it and the powers, would have appealed to the people--with one chance of winning out against ten thousand chances of being disbelieved and laughed at as a "man who thinks he's too good for his party." Burbank was neither too base nor too brave; clearly, I assured myself, he is the man I want. I felt that I might safely relieve his mind, so far as I could do so without letting him too far into my secret plans. I had not spent five minutes in explanation before he was up, his face radiant, and both hands stretched out to me. "Forgive me, Harvey!" he cried. "I shall never distrust you again. I put my future in your hands." XII BURBANK FIRES THE POPULAR HEART