"That's what I understood," said the young man, extending his hand. "Barrett's my name."
H. R. ignored the outstretched hand and stared at the clean-looking young man.
On the faces of eleven Christian gentlemen came a fraternal look of self-conscious modesty. But young Mr. Barrett, unabashed, said, cheerily:
"Keep on looking. _I_ know you want me. When _you_ discover it, we'll do business."
"Go to the foot of the class," said H. R., impassively. You could tell nothing from his voice. It is a valuable gift.
The young man eyed H. R. shrewdly, then walked to a corner of the room, sat down, pulled a memorandum-book from his pocket, and began to count his contracts in advance.
"Your _last_ name, please," said H. R., looking as if what he had asked for was the _right_ name. The assumption of guilt has the effect of putting even the innocent on the defensive. The strategic inferiority of the defensive is always acknowledged by the defeated--even before the defeat.
He jotted down the replies, one after another. Within one and three-quarter minutes these men felt themselves deprived of their individual entities. They had been turned into a list of surnames, a fragment of the rabble.
The leader stood alone--he alone had a _first_ name! Smith merely votes; John Smith has his own opinion. H. R. had acted instinctively. He never would have had the conscious wisdom of an editorial writer. There are many editorial writers in all republics. Hence, practical politics.
"Where did you see my advertisement?" asked H. R. "One at a time, please. Also, state why you looked in that particular newspaper?"
They told him, one at a time, in the hearing of the others, thereby intensifying their own feeling of having been lumped into an electorate. He made notes as they answered. Some had seen it in the _Herald_. Others blamed the _World_ or the _Times_ or the _Sun_, or the _Tribune_. Three gave two papers; one had seen three. They expressed their professional opinion of that particular advertising medium, feeling that said opinion was a qualification of fitness.
Young Mr. Barrett from his chair answered: "In all the papers. I also looked in the German, Yiddish, and Italian papers; in the _Courier des Etats-Unis_, and in the first morning edition of every afternoon paper. I did it to get a line on _you_."