"I know that better than you do, my boy; but they can’t hurt me personally, if that is what you mean. What little money I have comes from the rents of an uptown apartment house. It’s in a good neighborhood and full of steady people. Nobody can take that away from me. It isn’t as if I drew my income from bonds, but if I did, and if these people could ruin me"—he took Luke’s hand—"I should go right ahead." They had been talking in Luke’s office. Shortly after Venable left it, Yeates was shown in. The young man was excited. "Look here, Huber," he said. "A little bit’s good, but you’re going pretty damned far." He dragged a chair toward Luke’s desk, turned it about, and sat down astride of it with his arms folded across its back. A smile twitched at Luke’s mouth. "What way-station do you want to get off at?" he inquired. "I don’t want you to make a monkey out of the League," said Yeates. "I’ve been reading over your letters and interviews and things, and I think you ought to realize that this is a reform organization and not a bunch of Anarchists." "You’re a slow reader, Yeates. Haven’t you been hearing these things talked over, too?" Yeates blushed, but he did not flinch. "Well, what if I have? The people I’ve heard talking are the people you’ve been slamming, and I want to tell you that those people are the backbone of this country." "I haven’t mentioned any names." "Oh, don’t think I’m a fool, Huber, and don’t think these people are fools, either. Everybody knows. What do you do it for? It won’t catch any votes, if that’s what you want." "I rather wanted to do some good." "Good? Good?" Yeates laughed angrily. "What are you talking about? You’re talking as if these men were pirates. You’re talking like one of those fellows that make speeches on a soap-box on the corner. It’s all right to fight police-graft, and it’s all right to run the crooks out of town—that’s what the League’s for and why I’m for the League—but I’m not going to keep on with an organization that’s mixing up the biggest men in America with that sort of cattle. I won’t stand for having my personal friends called thieves. I can’t stand for it, and I won’t!" Luke looked at his watch. He rose. "I have to be uptown in half a hour," he said. "But see here——" Yeates’s chair clattered to the floor as Yeates sprang up. "When this nomination was offered to me," said Luke, "you were present. Do you remember something you said—something about outside influences and so on?" "Oh, rot! Who’s talking about outside influences?" "I am. The nomination was given me along with certain promises. I’ve accepted it. I mean to act on the strength of those promises." "You mean you’re going crazy." "Then, the League’s going crazy, too. As the only sane man in it, I’m afraid you won’t find yourself in congenial company, Yeates. You’d better get out." "Get out?" Yeates could scarcely credit his ears. "Get out," Luke repeated.