"
"Carrie," he had been intensely earnest. "I want to do the best thing,
but I'm puzzled. I wonder if I'm selling my birthright for six thousand
dollars?"
"In case of doubt, do it."
"But there's the doubt: I may convert; I may open the eyes of the blind;
I may start a crusade for Negro rights."
"Don't believe it; it's useless; we'll never get our rights in this
land."
"You don't believe that!" he had ejaculated, shocked.
Well, she must begin again. As she had hoped, he was waiting for her
when she reached home. She welcomed him cordially, made a little music
for him, and served tea.
"Bles," she said, "the Opposition has been laying a pretty shrewd trap
for you."
"What?" he asked absently.
"They are going to have you chosen as High School commencement orator."
"Me? Stuff!"
"You--and not stuff, but 'Education' will be your natural theme. Indeed,
they have so engineered it that the party chiefs expect from you a
defence of their dropping of the Educational Bill."
"What!"
"Yes, and probably your nomination will come before the speech and
confirmation after."
Bles walked the floor excitedly for a while and then sat down and
smiled.
"It was a shrewd move," he said; "but I think I thank them for it."
"I don't. But still,
_"''T is the sport to see the engineer hoist
by his own petar.
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