Page:MacGrath--The drums of jeopardy.djvu/99

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The Drums of Jeopardy
91

It makes you want to weep. Socialism—the brotherhood of man—is a beautiful thing theoretically; but it is like some plays they read well but do not act. Lopping off heads, believing them to be ideas!"

"The poor things!"

"That's it. Though I betray them I pity them. Democracy; slowly and surely. As prickly with faults as a cactus pear; but every year there are less prickles. We don't stand still or retrogress; we keep going on and up. Take this town. Think of it to-day and compare it with the town your father knew. There's the bell. I imagine that will be Harrison. If we can move this chap will you go to a hotel for the night?"

"I'm going to stay here, Cutty. That's final."

Cutty sighed.