"
"The party! I ain't thinking of the _party_, Mr. West. I'm thinking,"
said Neal, the indignation in his voice giving way to a sudden
apologetic softness, "of you."
"Me? What on earth have I got to do with it?" asked West, rather touched
by the look of dog-like affection in the other's eyes.
"Everything. If the party gets let in for this extravagance, you'll be
the man who did it."
There was a silence, and then West said, rather nobly:
"Well, I suppose I will have to stand that. I must do what I think is
right, you know, and take the consequences."
"Two years from now," said Mr. Neal, gently, "there wouldn't be no
consequences."
"Possibly not," said West, in a firm voice.
"While the consequences now," continued Mr. Neal, still more gently,
"would be to put you in very bad with the party leaders. Fine men they
are, but they never forgive a man who puts a crimp into the party. You'd
be a marked man to the longest day you lived!"
"Well, Plonny! I'm not asking anything of the party leaders--"
"But suppose some of your friends wanted to ask something for _you_?"
Suddenly Plonny leaned over the table, and began speaking rapidly and
earnestly.
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