Part 26 (1/2)
from me, just for fun, to help the game along?”
”We don't accept ads.”
”Oh, I know! But if I contribute handsomely! I'd like to show it around to my friends a bit. Come, come, don't be unreasonable, Mr. Blaine.”
Sally shuffled about, coughed, arose, sat down again, and Joe laughed.
”Can't do it. Not even Rockefeller could buy a line of my paper.”
”Do you _mean_ it?”
”Absolutely--flatly.”
”Well, what a shame! But never mind. Some other time. Tell me, Mr.
Blaine”--he leaned forward--”what are you? One of these b.l.o.o.d.y socialists?”
”No, I'm not a socialist.”
”What d'ye call yourself, then--Republican?”
”No.”
”Democrat?”
”No.”
”Insurgent?”
”No.”
Marrin was horror-stricken.
”Not a blooming anarchist?”
Joe laughed.
”No, not an anarchist.”
”What are you, then? Nothing?”
”I can tell you what I'm not,” said Joe.
”What?”
”I'm not any kind of an _ist_.”
”A fine fellow!” cried Marrin. ”Why, a man's got to stand for something.”
”I do,” said Joe, ”I stand for human beings--and sometimes,” he chuckled, ”I stand for a whole lot!”