Page:The leopard's spots - a romance of the white man's burden-1865-1900 (IA leopardsspotsrom00dixo).pdf/269

 "Then I want you to go on a mission to Col. Duke, the President of the National Farmer's Alliance. He's a good Baptist. He means well, but he's crazy. He dreams of the Presidency when he has established the Sub-Treasury for the farmers. He's afraid of the Negro, and is nervous about using him. He knows I am the most influential Baptist preacher in the state. Tell him I say you will win, and that we will give him the nomination for Governor, and put him in line for the Presidency."

"When shall I go to see him?"

"Immediately. Get ready to-night."

The next week McLeod was seated in his office at Hambright receiving reports from his political henchmen at Raleigh.

"I tell you, McLeod, there's a hitch. Something's dropped. Duke's as coy as a maid of sixteen. He says no decision can be made now until he submits a lot of rot to all the lodges of the Alliance and the "Referendum" decides these points. You'd better get hold of him and comb the kinks out of him quick."

McLeod's eyes flashed with anger, as he twisted the points of his red moustache.

"It's that damned Baptist Preacher," he said. "I'll get even with him yet if it's the only thorough job I do on this earth."