Middletown transcript., 1897-01-30

4 II
lined in the moonlight followed a sec.
ond later by the wondering eounte-
nance of lad of about twelve years.
4 ssHow did It happeu2" queried the
young woman, after she aud the boy
| had released the candidate from his
uncomfortable predicament aud he was
untying his horse from a neighboring
tree.
4 Van Vert explained, in an injured
tone, adding, with as much dignity as
he could command: 81 am the candid
ate for Superintendent of Schools, and
I suppose this is sample of the meth
i ods Miss Smith and her cowboy friends
have adopted to defeat me. They
knew l was to speak at Meeker to-
night, and thought that by preventing
me from doing SO, they could gain
few votes. I'll show 'em when get
there.
The young woman laughed merrily.
Politics is a funny business, isn't itp
she said. "The idea of resorting to
such measuresl But,n she added sober
ly, g, ou should not blame Miss Smith
for what her oyerzeaIous friends have
done. Miss Smith is a friend of
mine, and know she would not SAN
ction such a thing. lit would be
most unfair to accuse her of it, don't
you think, without being certain Of
your groand2"
Van Vert admitted that it would.
''Then as favor to me-" said his
fair res cuer, "do not, please say any
thing about it, at least by way Of con-
necting her with the affair. Pm sure
no one would regret it more than she
if she knew about it'll
After some hesitation, Van Vert
promised. and presently his rescuer and
her escort left him, branching off on
trail that led toward a farmhouse that
he could not see in the distance.
The candidate noticed with grim
smile, on his return, the CONSERVATION
his appearance created in a certain
part of the room, and concluded that
two or three men whom he knew to be
friends of his looked rather sheepish;
but he kept his own counsel, and made
no reference to his adventure. In the
course of an excellent speech he pres-
emily made he sttook backn what he
had said about his opponent in man
ner SO graceful as to win for him
rounds cf applause, and when he sat
down it was with the consciousness
that he had in part redeemed him
self,
AS he started, along with some of
the other candidates, to leave the hall,
he no ticed for the first time that the
young woman who had rescued him
from the 'siix" in which the cowboys
had left him, had not gone home to
stay when she left him, for there she
was jnst leaving the hall in company
with an older woman in widows
weeds.
"Who is that?" he asked of the can
didate for Sheriff, who was at his
side.
"That girl2" queried the other.
why boy that's your hated adversary,
Miss Smith. Hadn't you seen her be-
fore?"
But Van Vert did not hear the
question. He hurried to catch up with
the opposing candidate, who started
when he addressed her, but quickly re-
covered herself and smiled sweetly
upon him.
miss Smith, I" he burst out impetu-
ously, 81 don't know what you must
think of me, after all the low-down
things I've said about you, and the
holy show / made of myself this eye-
ming. But l hope you'll bell eve me
when say I'm sorry for the things
I've said and honestly hope you'll
be elected after all. shall vote for you.
any way, and you can count on lots Of
my friends"
But his boyish enthusiasm in behalf
of his opponent came too late to be Of
service to her, for the returns showed
that Van Vert was elected by small
majority for which he was indebted to
the miners. On Thursday after cleo
tion he went to Miss Smith.
ST regret this as much as you do,"
be said, earnestly. 81 wish l had met
sou earlier in the campaign. But l
have proposition to make. What are
you going to do nowP''
ST don't know" she said, trying to
conceal the sadness in her tones. sYou
see. 1 had to give up my school and
there are no vacancies now.n
sWell, what was going to propose
is this: Win you take an appoint-
ment as my deputy? Remember all thu
work will devolve upon you.n
Miss Smith gasp. aud her pretty
face turned rosy red, then turned
pale. She did not wish to be under OBJ
legations to this mau-and yet. there
was the mother to be considered, and
the invalid sister in Chicago, whose
hospital bills were such severe tax on
the family resources. '.Yes," she said
finally, sand thank you very much, for
offering me- the place. You have lifted
q great load from my mind.''
There was some comment on this ar
rangement by the voters of the country
but it was hardld adverse. and the dep
uty soon showed that she was the
right one insthe right place. She
worked day and night. aud denied her
self necessary sleep that her beloved
schools should not retrograde;in fact in