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EVENING BULLETIN, HONOLULU, T. H., SATURDAY, JULY 15, 1911.
L
.
,
The Honorable
Senator
Sagebrush
By FRANCIS LYNDE
Copyrlfht. 1910, by Street O Smith
I
TTnii? Interview between the father
ami buu, lu which Uvnn liml nu
iiounccd lilt Intention of accepting n
place under MeVlckar, nothing win
said lu tlie newspapers, for tln very
(rood reason that no reporter was prcs
cut. If the young man hail been prepared
fur n storui uf opposition lie huh dis
appointed. The Interview took place
In the evening of the day Mr. Me
Vkkar's private car was attached to
castbound train No. 10'.', and the place
wan the sitting room of the senator's
private Htilt. llloiint had meant to
give Dome of the ethical reasons for
taking tlie step which would put mult
a summary end to the, attorney gen
eralship scheme. Hut when the time
calm- and he had brusquely declared
lils purpose of accept I he the railroad
appointment he did not llnd It entirely
easy to sny the other things.
"So MoVickar talked jou over" wns
the father's gentle comment. "It's nil
right, son. You're u man grown, and
1 ret Lti'n you know best what you
want to do. If It ptitH us mi uppusllu
sides of the olltlcul creek we won't
let that roll the water any mure than
It has to, will we"
To such a mild mannered surrender
or apparent surrender the pmely Illlal
emotions could do no less than to re
sound heartily. x
"We mustn't let It," wns the quick
reply, but after that he ndded: "I feel
that I ought to make some explana
tions, though. I've been going about
with my eyes mid ears open, and I
must confess that the political Held
has been made to nppear most iiu.it
tractile to mo. I'rnm what I can
learn .the political situation hi this
state seems to be very frnnkly eon
trolled upon the principle of bargain
and sale. 1 couldn't go Into anything
like that and keep my self reelect."
"No, of course you couldn't, son, so
you Just took a place w here you could
earn rood clean money In your profes
sion. I don't blame, you."
Blount was vaguely perturbed. Tie
could not help feeling that his father
was keeping something back.
"You think thete will be moro or
trxs political work In my Job with tin)
fallrund" ho asked, determined to get
at the submerged facts, If thero were
any.
"Oh, I don't know. MeVlckar has
hlrtsl you to do n lawyer's work, and
I guess that Is what he will expect
jou to do, Isn't Itl"
Mr. MeVlckar had not defined the
duties of the new assistant cuiiusclshlp
very clearly. Hut there was a strong
Inference running through all that was
said to the efect that the headship of
the, legal depnilmeut would carry with
It Houie political responsibilities.
At the moment llloiint had been
rather glad that such was the case.
The Alee president had convinced him
very thoroughly of the Justice of the
railroad company's contention that
the laws of the slate, If rigidly admin
istered, amounted to n practical conlls
cation of the company's property.
While Mr. McVIcknr wan talking
Blount had rather hoped that his new
position would give him opportunities
to place the railroad's iwlnt of view
fairly before the people of tho state,
and to do this hn knew that ho would
have to enter the campaign hh a polit
ical worker. Surely tils father must
know this, and ho went boldly iton
the assumption that his father did
know It.
"I Bin ,to bo chief of tho legal de
partment on this division, and as such
it will, of course, bo necessary for mo
to defend, iny client lu court and out
of court," ho said finally. "And I mean
to. do It."
f"Of course you do; you'vo got to be
holiest with jourself nnd with Me
Vlckar. I don't mind telling you, son,
that I nm squarely on tho other side
this time, and I had hoped you were
going t lie. Hut If you're not, why,
that's the end of It. Wo won't quarrel
attout it."
Now, this was not at all tho paternal
attitude which the young man had
prefigured. But before nnylhlng moro
could bo said Mrs. llloiint came In to
remind thcin.tiolli that they had u din
ner appointment with Professor An
njrx and Ills" daughter nnd that thero
was barely tlmo to dress for It.
t was Into that night, several hours
after the Informal little dinner for live
In.' tho liiter-Mountalu cafe, when tho
octiator had himself lifted from the
lobby to the fourth floor mid made his
why to tup door of his own npart
mentH. As wns her custom,' his wlfo
was waiting up for him.
J'DId you llnd out nnylhlng moro"
she asked without looking up from tho
tiny embroidery frame which seemed
to bo her constant companion nt home
ot elsewhere,
J'Nbt. very much. MeVlckar has
filed things to suit himself. II van's
law otllco position Is lo bo pretty large
ly" nominal, I guess, nnd Gantry's
crowd is to Hft to It that he doesn't
get to know too much, which men mi
tbat the bribery Is not' to be do'ile by
the legal department In this cam
paign.".
"Hut they can't Keep him from find
ing out nboilt It." she protested.
"They iie going lo try mighty hard
nnywiiy. Evan wants to believe that
every thing I on the high moral plane,
nml when n man wants to believe n
thing It's pretty easy to fool him. It'll
be n winning card to them If they can
win! the boy out to talk cnnvlucliigly
nbmii the cleanliness of the coinpnny'8
campaign. That sort of talk, handed
out as llvnn can do It, If he Is convinc
ed of the truth of what ho Is saying.
will capture tho honest ranchman ev
ery time."
"We must get him back," she said.
"Have jou thought of nny plan'"
".So."
Sin-mllcd. "I have a plan, lie mar
have to take u regular course of treat
incut, and It may make lilm very III.
Would j oil mind that?
David Mount leaned back In his
ch.ilr and legurdcd her through half
dosid eyelids.
'I don't want to see the boy surfer
any mote than he has lo," he objected.
"Neither do I," was the quick ngice
lnent; then, with no apparent rele
vance, "What do you think of Miss
Aimers"
Tho senator sat lip, mid the slow
smile wrinkled humorously at tho cor
ners of his ejes. "I haven't thought
much nbuut her. She's the kind jou
aii't get near enough to think nbuut,
Isn't she?"
"She Is n young woman with n very
bright mind ami n very high purpose,"
was the little lady's gumming up of
I'atilcla. "Hut. she Isn't altogether a
Hostou Iccbug. She thinks she Is In
love with her career; but, really, I
think she Is very much hi love with
llvaii If we could win her over to
our side"
This time the senator's snillc broad
ened Into n laugh.
"You are nvvay yonder out of my
depth now, little woman," he chuckled
"Does your course of treatment for
the Isiy Include large doses of the
young woman administered frequent
ly" "Oh, no," was tho Instant reply, "I
was only wondering If It wouldn't be
well to enlist her sympathies."
"Why not-If you think best"
"Will you give me carte blauchn to
do lis I please" asked tho small In
trlguor.
"Why not" said the senator again.
"You can always oiitllgure mo two to
line when It comes to real politics.
You have made a line art of It, fluiio
r!.i." "You deal with people In the mass,
David, and no one can do It letter. I
deal with the Individual. That Is nil
the difference. When do the Anncrses
go up to the fossil fields?"
"1 don't know any time when you
will Invite them to make Wnrtruce
Uall their headquarters, I guess."
"Then I think It will bo tomorrow,"
dil the confident mistress of policies.
"It won't do to let llvuii (See too much
of tlie .voting woman until after his
course of treatment has been begun.
Shall we mnko It tomorrow? And will
you telephone D.uv kins to bring down
the big car? I think Miss I'ntrlcla
Aimers will stand a little Impressing.
Sho Is very democratic In theory."
CIIAPTKlt IX.
Till! HANK AMI I'llX.
CONSIDIIIIABLY to Ids surprlso
and no less to Ids satisfaction,
the newly appointed "division
counsel," as his title ran, was
not required to tako over tho old legal
dep.utuient nlllccs In the second story
of the station building, where nil tho
other olllces of tho company were lo
cated. Instead ho was directed to lit
up u suit of rooms lu Temple court,
tho capital's most pretentious uptown
skyscraper, und thero wus something
more than u hint that tho Item of first
"ost need not ! too closely considered.
It was the vice president himself,
writing from Chicago, who authorized
tho new departure and loosened tho
purse strings, lie wrote:
Don't be afraid u( spending a llttlo
moni'jr. Malco your uptown nillco ns at
tractive us may 1ki nml arrnngo matters
with Ackerton so that you will nnt he
burdened with too much of tlio routlno
lexul work. A successful l-gul represent
ative will ho a good mixer, as I ntn suro
5011 ure, and will uxttml I ho circle ot liln
acquaintance as lapWlly anil as widely as
tmRsihie. lour appointment will lie fully
JuatUUd when you shall hnvo ituulo our
uptown ofncu u placa wtiere tho good cit
izens ot the capital and tho state rnn
nrop la for a conllul word with tlio com
pany's spolu-fnun and for n better mu
tuul umlerstanuini; of tlio facts.
Acting upon this suggestion, mount
opened the Templo court headquarters
and threw himself energetically Into
the Indicated field. Ackerton, a tech
nical expert with n noodle-like mind
and tho state code nt Ids fingers' ends,
was left In charge of the working of
fices lu the r.illro.id building, with In
structions to npply to his chief only
when ho needed specific ndvlce.
At tho uptown headquarters llloiint
gavo himself wholly to tho pleasant
task of making friends-. With a good
Etoro of Introductions upon which tq
mnko a beginning and with tho opcii
handed, whole honied caiunrnderlo of
the west to help along, the list of ac
quaintance grew with timazlng rapid
ity. f
Kor tho throo or four weeks! lifter
Mrs. Mount had whisked the Anncrses
awu.v; to Wart nice Hall and the habitat
of the megalosaurldae, tho newly ap
pointed "social secretin-" for tho rnll'
rond, ns Ilonnrln hud dubbed him. re
fused no Invitations, never Inquiring
whether they vvelo extended to Ml
father's sou, to the railroad company's'
legal chief or to Evan Mount In tils'
proper person.
During fhls social Interval ho saw
little of his father, though ho still ne
iiiphsl Ids share of tho private dining,
room suit ut tho Iiitcr-Mmintnlii; Part
of .tho tliuti.. ii he .knew, Uio benji:
lor wns ut Warlrnce Hall, looking lift
er his huge landed eslnfe and help
ing to riitertnln the visitors from Mas
saehuelis. ltut now llnd again the
fafbrr came und went, nnd occasion
ally there was u dinner for two In the
hotel enfe, with u little pood iinturcd
lalltcry from the senator's side of tho
ible.
"Got jou chasing your feet right
lively lu the social merry-go-round
lliii ilavn, haven't they, sou? Like It
as far as you've gone'" nsked tho ex-
cattle king one evening.
"It's nil III the dill's work," laughed
the young r man, "I'll need all the
pull' I can get u little later on, wont
1?"
"I shouldn't wonder If you did, son!
I shouldn't wonder If you did. And
I reckon you're doing pretty good
work. Wns It McVlckar's Idea or your
own- this sudden splash into the social
water hole?"
"I don't mind telling you that It Is a
part of the new policy," returned the
social splasher, still smiling. We are
out to make friends this time, friends
who will know Just whnt we nro do
ing nnd why we are doing It."
Il'ml" mused the senator.- "So pub
licity's the word. Is It?"
'Yes. publicity Is the word. Tlie
(lordon people say they nre going to
show us up. There won't be anything
to show up when tho tlmo comes. Wo
ure going to beat them to the bill
boards."
You can't do tho circus net-rldo
two horses nt once and do the same
stunt on Imtli, son," the senator re
marked gravely. "If you're really go
lug to put the saddle and bridle on tho
publicity nag you've got to turn tho
other one out of the coiral."
"It Is already turned out," nveired
the young man, not affecting to nils
understand. "We buy no votes lu this
campaign."
Tho stout assertion wns good ns fur
ns It went. Tho new division counsel
made It and believed It. Hut a little
later he could not hi lp wondering If he
had been altogether candid In mak
ing It.
Tho olllces In tho uptown skyscraper
were not exclusively n railroad Boclal
center where the disinterested voter
could como and have the facts ladled
out to htm without fear or favor on
the part of the ladler. They had come
to bo nlso n rail lug point for a hetero
geneous crowd of waul workers, wire
pullers and small politicians, most of
whom were anxious to be employed or
retained ns henchmen.
Some of these "stretcher men," tip
Mount contemptuously called them,
had been employed In past campaigns;
others were stilt the lienollclnrles of
the railroad, holding pa) roll places
which Hlount acutely suspected were
ihlclly sinecures.
Latterly this contingent of strikers
nnd heelers hud been greatly augment
ed, and It was beginning to mnko Its
demands more emphatic. A dozen
times a day Hlount hud the worn
phrase "nothing fur nothing" dinned
Into his ears, nnd lie was shrewdly sus
pecting that his olllce had been made
a dumping ground fur the other de
partments. Seeing Gantry, Hlount took mi early
opportunity of saying:
"See here, Dick; you fellows down
town nre making my olllce u eysspool,
nml I won't stund for It. (iarrlgnu,
that saloon keeper In the Second ward,
came up today to nsk for u fns ticket
to Worthlngtoii nnd return, and when
I pinned him down he admitted that
you sent 1dm to me."
"1 did," said Gantry, grinning. "Why
othervvlso have we gut a ixistgrnduatc,
doublo certificated political manager,
I'd like to know?"
"I guess we mny ns well light this
out right hero nnd now, Dick," said
Mount coolly, "I'm not chief voto
buyer for the Transcontinental com
pany." "Who said you wcie" retorted tho
trulllc manager.
"It says Itself If I nm to cut tho plo
nnd hand out pieces of It to these gmh
stnkeis that you and (.'arson and Hcnt
ley nnd'Klttredge are sending to me."
This tl'nio (iantry's grin was play
ful, but behind It there was a shrewd
flash of the Irish blue eyes that llloiint
did not see.
"I guess the company will bo willing
to furnish n few small pies if jou
think' you need thcm'lo go along with
your Temple court otllco llttlngs," ho
Mid. ,
"Ah!" said Hlount calmly, giving tlio
exclamation tho true Huston lullectlou.
Jv
"I'M aOINOTI) J'fKK THKU OUr NECK ANU
onor."
"You nro either too shrewd or not
quite shrewd enough, Dick. You cov
eted that up with a laugh so that 1
might tako It iih a Joke if 1 happuncd
to bo too thill skinned to take It In
disreputable curliest. Let iw under
stand each other. Wo nro lighting In
the open In this campaign. Publicity
la the word. 1 have Mr, McVlckur for
IV.
SrV '"U.
wfi
my niitluirli.v. A'lylM'v U ''. i '
know nnyitilng'ab'ait .! . lallin, il ecu
panj's business In this slale can Icirtr
It for the nskliV.- ft ml ut I'.r I Iriml
Sc-reey nrd nil t'le virl lu IrivM-b u.
politic.)! nKuMm1drr that have h -Wi
admitted lu llu pit ' me to le ylinu'.i
the door. Tills I.- I lie Intimation that
vni.-i iu.nle to mi . Wn.uf t It iiimte f.)
you''
(lantry did not renly directly to the
direct ili'illiilid. m the ullnr hand, ho
vi ry en refill ly refrained from answer.
Ing It In nuy degre what never.
"Yon have jour Job to hold down
and I have mine." he letiinud. "What
jon 'say go,s as It lies, of mure, but
I shouldn't be too hard on the little
brotlurs If I were you."
"If by the 'little brothers.' you lucati
the pie caters I'm goli.g to lire them
out neck mid crop, Itlcluud. Thej'
make m,t excessively weary."
(Iiuitry's playful moiid fell nvvay
from him like n uiMnlT caimont.
"I don't quite believe I'd do that If
I were you, Mvan. There nre pie cat
cm nu both sides In every political con
test, and, while they can't do nny cause
nny great amount of good, they can
often do a goml bit of harm. I
wouldn't be too hard on them If I were
you."
"What would jou do, or, i rather,
whnt did you do w hen you were man
aging the slate campaign two years
ago'" Inquired Hlount pointedly.
"I cut the pie," said the traffic man
ager simply.
"In other words, yon let this riff
raff blackmail jou and Incidentally
put a big black mark against the com
pany's good name."
"Oh, nu; I wouldn't put It quite that
strong. Not many of these little fel
lows nsk or expect mono-. A free ride
now nnd then on the railroad Is about
all they look for."
"Hut you can't give them that un
der the Interstate commerce law," pro
tested the purist.
"Not outside of the state, of course.
Hut Inside of the state boundaries It's
our ovv n business."
"You mrmi It was our own busl
ncss previous to the passage of tho
state rate law two jcars ago," cor
rected Mount.
"It Is our own business to this good
day In nis;t. That part of the law
has been u comp'cte dead letter from
the day tho governor signed It. Whj',
i bless your Innocent heart, Kvan, the
very men who argued the loudest and
voted the most spitefully for It came
to me fur their return tickets homo nt
the end of the session. Of course we
kept the letter of the law. It snj-s
that no 'free passes' shall be given.
We didn't Issue passes. We merely
gave them tickets out of tho case und
charged them up to 'expense.'"
"Knugli!" said Hlount. "You maku.
ran sick, (lantry, It's that same child
ish whipping' of the devil around thu
tump by the corporation, an expe-
dlontythut wouldn't deceive the most
Ignorant voter- that ever east u ballot
It's that very thlug that has stirred
the, whole nation up to this unreason
ible light against certiorate capital.
Don't you see It?"
Gantry shrugged his shoulders.
"I guess I take the lino of the least
resistance like the majority oftheni,"
was tho colorless replj'. "When It
comes to practical politics"
"Don't say 'practical politics' to me,
Dick," rasped the reformer. "We've
got the strongest argument In the
world lu the fact that tho present law
Is an unfair one, needing modification
or repeal. We mustn't spoil that argu
ment by becoming lawbreakers our
selves and descending to tho methods
of tho grafters and the machine poll
IKIans the country over. If you havo
been sending these pie enters to me,
don't do It aliy more. I have no use
fur them, and they won't have any
uso for mo lifter I open up on them."
"I don't bellevo I'd do anything
rash," said Gantry.
Dating from this, little heart to heart
talk with the truffle manager, Hlount
begun to carry out tho new policy
"I ho starvntlou policy," ns It soon enmn
to bo known among the would be
henchmen. The result was not alto
gether reassuring.
Many of tho small grafters were on
tho payrolls of tho railroad company,
and Hlount wns soon definitely assured
of what liu had before only suspected
that they weio merely nominal em
ployees, given u payroll standing so
that there might be an excuse for giv
ing them free trnusiortatlon and n re
tainer In the form of wages, If need
ful. In many cases, (ha rumlflcutlons of
the petty graft wero exasperatlngly
Indicate, Kor example, one Thomas
dry sou, who was on tho payrolls as
u machinist's helper In the repair shops,
demanded free transportation across
tlie slate for eight luumhcrH of his
"fainllj-," Questioned closely, ho nil
mlltid that the "family'' was Ids only
by n figure of speech; flint tho rela
tionship was entirely political.
Hlount promptly refused to ris-om-meiiil
tho Issuing of employees' pusses
for the eight, und the result was an
liniuislliite cull from Hcutlcy, tho di
vision master mechanic,
"About that fellow tlrysou," Hentley
began, "f'an't you ninnngo some way
tu get him transportation for his Jones
born eiovvd? lie Is going to niako
trouble for us If you don't."
Hlount wns Justly Indignant, "dry
son Is on your payroll," ho retorted.
"Why don't you recommend tho pusses
on account of tho motive power depart
ment, if ho Is entitled to them?"
"I can't," admitted tho master me
chanic, "t nm held down to tho Issu
ing of passes to employees traveling
on company business only. Wo can
htrotch It ii little sometimes, of course,
but we can't mnko It cover tho whole
earth."
"Neither can I," Blount exploded.
'I.eUJjiMinderstood. once for nil, Mb
Hentley. that I nm not the scapegoat'
for all the other departmcntsl I have
cut It off short, I am not recommend
ing pnsses for nnybody."
"Hut,, siirferlnT? Scott, 'Mr. Blount,
we've slniply got to tnke care of Tom
Grjsont He's tho lsg of his ward,
and he hits Influence enough to turn
oven our own employees against usl"
J'IntlHencel" scoffed the young man
from the east. "How docs he ncqulro
his Influence? It Is merely another It
lustrntlouiof the vicious circle. You
put Into his hands the prlco of the club
with which he proceeds lo knock you
down. Let me tell j;ou whnt I'm tell
ing everybody. If we wnnt n square
deal we've, got to set tho example by
being square."
The master median went nwaj, si
lenced, but not convinced. A Week
Inter Gryson, who lu appearance was
n typical tough and In reullty was it
postgraduate of the lawless mining
camps of tho Carnndlne" hills, saun
tered Into Mount's olllce with an Inso
lent taunt In his mouth.
"Well, pn'rdiier, we got them dickey
birds, over to Joncsuoro after so long
n time, and tip thanks to you, neither.
I Just blew in to tell you that I'm going
to hit you ngnln about day after 'to
morrow, and If you don't come ncross
there's going to be something doing
see?"
Hlount sprang from his chair and
forgot to bo politic.
"You needn't come to me -the day
after tomorrow or any other time," he
raged. "I'm through with you and
your tribe. Get out!''
After (Irysoii had gone, muttering
threats and curses, the young cum-
palgn mnnagcr had nn attack of moral
nausea. It seemed such a huge waste
of time und energy to traffic mid chaf
fer with these petty scoundrels. Thus
far every phase of the actual iKilltlcal
problem seemed to be meanly degrad
ing, and he was beginning tu long
keenly for an opportunity to do some
really worthy thing.
Notwithstanding his Ideals were still
unshaken. He still clung to tltebellef
that the corporation, which wns creat
ed by tho law and could exist only
under-the protection of the law, must
of necessity be a law abiding entity.
It was unfair to hold It responsible for
the disreputable iwlltlenl methods of
those"whoui It could never completely
control.
It wns on the day of Gryson's visit,
as It chanced, that Hlount wns given
his first opportunity of entering the
wider field. A letter from ono of the
party chairmen In n distant mining
town brought nn Invitation of the
kind he bad been waiting for. He iwas
nsked to participate In a Joint dcbat.0
at the campaign opening In the town
in question, und he was so glad of the
chance that he Insjnntly wired his nc
ceptohee.
That evening at the cafe dinner at
tho Inter-Mouutnln lie found his father
watting for him mid lu a burst ot
confidence Ui'rf him of the Invitation.
Thai's good," was the senator's
even toned comment. "Gives you a lit
tle chance to shine the way you can
shine best, doesn't It?" Then, "That
wns one of the things MeVlckar wnut
cd you for, wasn't It"
"Why, yes. He Intimated that thero
flight bo some public speuklug," ad
mitted tho younger man.
"Well, whnt all nro you going to tell
these Ophlr fellows when you get over
there, son" nsked tho veteran quiz
rlcnlly. "Golug to offer 'cm all freo
pusses anywhero they wnnt to go If
they'll promise to voto for tho railroad
candidates?"
"Not this year." wns tho laughing
reply. "Aa I told j-ou n week or so
ngo wo'vo stopped all that."
"MeVlckar has told you it was stop
ped?" The newly fledged political manager
tried to bo strictly truthful.
"I have had but ono Interview with
Mr. MeVlckar, but In that ho gave mo
to understand that my recommenda
tions woukl be given due considera
tion, and I have said my say pretty
ompliatlcnlly."
The senator's smile wns not derisive.
It was merely lenient.
"Sat on 'cm good nnd hard, did you?
That's tight, son. Never lie afraid to
nny what you mean nud to suy It
straight. Don't forgot that when
you'ro making your appeal to the
horny handed sons of toll over nt
Ophlr. Give 'cm straight fucts and
back up the facts with figures If you
happen to havo tlio figures. When do
you pull out for tho camp?"
"Tonight nt U:.'10. I can't get thero
In time If I watt for tho morning
train." Then, dismissing tho political
topic abruptly, "What do you hear
from Professor Aimers"
''Oh, he's having tho time of Ills llfo.
I got him n state permit und scrapped
him up n buueli of pick and shovel
men, nnd ho Is digging out those fossil
skeletons by tho wagon load,"
"And Miss Anncrs?" pursued Patri
cia's lover.
"I shouldn't wonder If sho was hav
ing the tlmo of her life tori. I've giv
en her tho llttlo four seated enr to cull
her .own while sho Is out here, and sho
nud Honniiii go careering around the
country, bieaklng the speed limit ev
ery inlunto In the day, I suppose."
"I'm glad you uro giving her n good
time," said IZvnn, nud he looked glad.
Then he added regretfully: "I wish I
could get a chiuico to chnso uround a
llttlo with them, 1 have seen n I most
nothing of them since they ciuuo west.
I shSuld think Mrs. Hlount might bring
Patricia down to tho city onco In
nw Idle."
"Perhaps tho young woman doesn't
want lo come," laughed tho senator.
"You told mo you hadn't got her tag,
son, und I'm, beginning to believe It.
What has sho got against you, any
way" "Nothing, save that I don't fit Into
her schema for her llfo work.
J!It'8 too. bad you're going". out ot
town tonight, son. Honorla phoned me
a llttlo spell ngo that she nnd Patricia
wbuld be driving dovn after dinner to
tako In the Wcntherford reception.
Ybu'll miss' 'em, won't you?"
'isn't that Just my Infernal luck!"
lamented Evnn; then, "Give thm my
loo and tell them I hope they will
stay until I get b-ick."
The senator line nml gripped tho
hand of lenvctnliliig. Shall I tay that
to both, of 'cmr he iiftlctl, with tho
quizzical smile Which llvuu was learn
ing to expect. ,
"Yes, to botlf of (hem, If you like,
only I suppose Mrs. Hlount will hold
It against me. Good night and good
by. I'll be back day after tomorrow If
the Ophlr miners dou't mob me."
It was only, a few minutes after
Evnn mount's train had steamed
Ophlrvvard out of the Sierra avenue
station that n dURt covered louring cur
dievv up nt the curb In front of tho In-ter-Mouutnlu
and "the porter vfliu had
put Mount's hand bag Into the tnxlcnb
opened thu tuniieitu door for two ladles
In mullllng dust coats nnd heavy veils.
The senator met the two late travel
ers In the vestibule, nnd while the
three were waiting-for nn elevator a
rapid lire of low toned questlou nud
ntiswer passed between uusbaud and
wife.
"You got Evan out of the way?"
The husbuud nodded. "That was
casj. I passed the word to Steuch
Held, nnd he helped out on that In
vited Kvnn to come to Ophlr to speak
lu a Joint debate. He left on the night
mall."
"And Hathaway will he be here?"
"He Is here. Nantry has turned him
down, according to Instructions, and
he Is clawing about In the air, trying
to get a fresh bold. I bluffed him
told him he'd hnve to make his peuco
with you for sonlethlng, I didn't kuow
whut, before I could talk to him."
Miss Aimers Was' watching the ele
vator lights glow and darken as tho
enr descended, and tho wife's voice
sank to n whisper.
"Ho will be ut tho Weatherfords'?"
she Inquired eagerly.
"He Is sure to be. I told him you
would be there."
The small plotter noddid approval.
I "Give us half an hour to dress and
have the car lendj-," she dheeted. and
then the senator put the two Into tie
elevutor und tinned avvuj to finish his
elgur.
x niAPTi:n x.
IV -ritK IIFHUMlipvf.
Tlin Weatherfords. mtlllonnlr.'
mine people mid so -newly rich
that the crisp bank notes fair
ly crinkled when Mix. Wcnth
erford spout them, kept their lackeyed
nrtd llveiled state lu u eastle-llke house
In Mesa circle,- the most ei.uslTe If
tut the must urlstncralle no thorough
fine of tlie capital i tj
Weiitlii-rftnxl. the father, egged on
by Airs. WedilieifiiruTliiid Isilltluil us
plrallous pointing tounul a United
Brutes scmirorxhlp. the election lo
which would fall within the duty of
tin!, next legislature.
The mine ovrner himself would will
ingly have dodged, but the iimblllous
wife was IncMiruble, Thero were tvvo
grown daughters nml a growing son.
and It was for these that Mrs. Weath
crfurd was socially ambitious.
The 'reception, for which the sena
tor's wife. had driven her guest thirty
miles through the dust ot the sage
brush hills, was ono of thu moves In
Mrs. Weatherford's prlvuto campaign.
Prom room to room In tho vast
houso a curiously assorted throng of
tho hidden ones worked Its way as the
Jam and crush permitted.
It was a mark of the newness of tho
W'eathcrford riches that tho glass und
Iron greenhouse, built out ns an exten
sion of one ot the drawing rooms, wus
called "tho herbarium." Ii was n ro-a
production on u generous scale of a
tropical garden.
Tho senator's party of threo was
fashionably Into at the function In
Mesa circle, but lu tho crush filling
the. spacious drawing rooms tho host
ess nnd her long Hue of receiving as
sistants wero still on duty.
Having successfully passed tho line
with her husband and Patricia, llttlo
Mrs. Hlount looked about her, suw
Mr. Ilk-hard Gantry, signaled to him
wth her eyes nnd, with tile truffle
nmnuger for her center rush fo wedge
a way 'through tho crowded rooms, was
presently lost to sight at least from
Miss Anncrs" point of view.
Whether sho knew It or not, from
the moment of her appearance at the
hostess' end of tho long receiving Una
the senator's wife hud been marked
nnd followed In her slow progress
tl'j-ough the crowded rooms by a pros
perous looking gentleman, whose hawk
illio eyes never lost sight of her.
When his quarry Btoppcd, us she did
frequently, to chat with one or an
other of the guests tho man with the
eager eyes circled nervously and once
or twice seemed about lo make the
opportunity which was1 so slow lu
making Itself,
Rut it 'was not until the little lndj'
In tho claret colored, party govyn had
drifted, still with n hand on Gantry's
iirni, In among thu palm and banana
trees Hint the bird of prey person
made his swoop. A moment later
Gantry hud taken his commands nud
was disappearing In tho direction of
the refreshment tables, and tho llttlo
Indy was saying, "Denr me, Mr. Huth
nvvay, yon almost startled me!"
"Did I?" wild the lumber king rather
grimly, an If he meant the query tu bo
apologetic. "I am sorry. I didn't
mean to, but Mrs. Gordon said I
would, llnd you lure, and so 1 took the
liberty of er- following you. I'm
lleiillng n llttlo straightening out, you
Know, nnd-er would jou mind let
ting mo talk business with you for a
mIuuteortwq,Mrs. Hlount?...
1
rtYrfnuify nor. If yon can tnlk busi
ness in such n place ns this," she said
making room for him on the rustic
settee,
"Pernhp It Isn't hlislness; perhaps
It's only politics," he resumed. "Klrst.
I wish you'd tell mo what I've been
doing to get myself Into your bud
books."
She laughed easily. "Who said you
had been doing anything" she asked.
"Tlio senator." de answered shortly.
".He snld 1 would hnve to make my
peace with you. I want to be put next
In this pigs In clover railroad puzzle.
Our enntntet with the Transcontinen
tal Is about to expire, nnd I'd like lu
get it rotievvfsl on (lie same terms ut
fieiotc.'.'
"Well," she snld Ingenuously, "why
don't you do It?"
"I can't," he blustered. "Everybody
has suddenly grown mysterious. Kit
tredgo. the general superintendent,
doesn't seem to remember that wo ever
hf.d ndy contract, ami Gantry Is Jnst
ns bad. And when I go to the senntor
he tells me I must make my pence
with you. 1 can't understand whut
everybody Is driving ut. t've got
something to sell that the railroad
company needs. Where's the hitch?
You can put me next. Why can't 1
get my contract renewed"
The tittle lady was opening and shut
ting her fan slouly. "What was your
contract'" ,slie asktil Innocently.
"If I thought jou didn't kuow 1
wouldn't (ell jou," he snld bluntly.
"It's u rebate rale oaiu mid west.fiom
all of our saw mills, tuul It. wus given
us two years ago, a few dnjs define
election."
"And the consideration V she asked,
looking up quickly.
"You know th.it, too, Mrs. Mount.
It will the swinging of the -solid cm
plojees' Viite"of the Twin ISuttes Lutii
tier ' conip.iiiy over tu the rulhoud
ticket.';
"And jou wish to make the sniueur
range incut iH'iiln?" she nsked.
"Exniliy. We've got fo nave that
preferential rate. or go out of bust
liess." ''With whom did you make the cun
tract two jenrs ngo)"
"With Mr. MeVh-Lar. verbally, (it
course then- was nothing put down lu
blink or white, but the railroad folks
Jld their pnrf. and we did ours."
"A gentlemen's agreement," she
murmured. "Yoit have' tried Mr. Me
nckur iigaln?"
"Yes. He referred me to Gaurry."
"And what did Mr.-Gnutry say?"
"I couldn't get' him to say anything
with any sense lu It. The most, 1
could gyt out of him was that I would
have to see the buss."
"And instead of dulng that you went
to see the senator?" she asked.
"Who' else wo'uKl Gantry mean by
the boss"' demanded the befogged
one.
"Possible be meant the senator's
son," she ventured, tapping a Very
pretty cheek with the folded fan.
"Havo yon'been leaving 'Kvan Blount
out In .all of this?"
"I didn't ktiovv where to put hfm InJ
That's what brings me hero' tonight!
The senntor or Mr, MeVlckar or both
of them together have set the whole
statu to running around In circles with
this appointment of young Blount.
Some suy it's a deal between the sena
tor nud McVkkur, and some any It's a
fight. Half ot the professional sell
bluders nre walking In their sleep over
It right now. I thought maybe you
could tell me, Mrs. Blount."
"I can't tell j-ou anything that would
help the people who are walking In
their sleep," sho returned, "but I
might offer n Suggestion In your per
sonal affair. Mr. Blount Is your man."
Hathaway pursed his thin lips and
frowned. "How big a block of Twin
Duttes stock shall I offer htm?"
Her laugh was a silvery peal of do
rlslon. "You always figure' lu dollars
and cents, don't you. Mr. Hlmon Peter
Hathaway?" she mocked.
"I huve always found It the cheapest
In the end."
"Listen," she said, with the folded
fan held up like n monitory finger.
;Mr. Gantry may be, buck any min
ute, and I can give you only the tiniest
hint. You must go to Mr. Evan Blount
nnd appeal to hint frankly as ono
business man to another."
"But I havo heard they say he's
all kinds of a crank."
"Never mind whut you have heard.
Tell him all the facts and ask him to
help you, and, for mercy's- sake, don't,
offer him a block of your stock. Put
It where It will do the most good. Put
It In the name of Professor William J.
Aimers ot Cambridge, Massachusetts,
und show Mr. Mount how dreadfully
disastrous tho loss of the preferential
fielght rate would be to all the poor
people In your list ot stockholders, In
cluding Professor Anners."
Hathaway drew down his cuff and
niado n rapid pencil memorandum of
the nuuia and address ot the new
beneficiary.
"You will tako notice tbat I'm not
asking who this Professor Anners Is
or why 1 should ho making him a pres
ent of a block ot stock, but what you
say goes ns It lies. Anything else?"
"Yes. Be perfectly frank with Mr,
Bount nml don't let him put you off.
He may pretend to bo very nngry tit
first, but jou won't mind that."
"I won't mind nnythtug ff I ran
bring this business down to the every
day, commonplace earth once more,
Ydu and the senator and Guutry nml
MeVlckar are playing some sort of
guiue, and you haven't shown me mure
tliuu the luck of the curds. TIiuI'h all
right I'll phiy my bund blindfolded.
If thut's vvlml jou WMlit. Just so we
win the odd trick. When nud where
can 1 llnd Mr Kvun Mount"
"The day after touiurrow ni his of
tlco In Temple court, He Is out of the
clljiiow, but"
M
ii
-)
(Continued Next Baturdaj)
i.
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lW rsar,.. ifrf.
''ittfovfcl -i.
JL. J . T f
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