The Winslow mail., 1897-04-03
THE :FAIR CANDIDATE.



must be overcome by some means if he
hoped to win. Unfortunately, he was
worried, and his actions showed It; on
one or two occasions while speaking he
had given way to puerile bursts of tenn
per that by no means enhanced his
chances for success. Some of the older
heads had warned him that by making
slurring remarks about his opponent he
would only hurt himself, to which he
responded by the childlike remark:
'Well, If a woman doesn't want to get
herself talked about she'd better keep
out of politics."
This he practically repeated to a mix
ed crowd at Conover's schoolhouse, In
one of the strong "cow Districts" on
Friday night before election, adding:
Il cannot believe that parents inter-
ested in the future welfare of their chill
dren are willing to intrust their early
ira ning to the hands and methods Of
one who so far forgets her womanhood
as to stand as a candidate for public
office" OF course he regretted the re-
mark almost as soon as it was uttered,
and recognized that the silence with
Of disapprOval too strong to find ex-
preston In words. But 1t was too late
for regrets, and he expressed none.
The next afternoon came brief but
pointed note from Miss Smith, in which
she gently reminded him that his youth
had evidently led him astray so far as
to forget the fact that she was practi-
cally defenseless, and that in speaking
of her as he had he had been both un-
manly and ungentlemanly. This, COM
Ing as it did, at q time when he was
mentally cursing himself for an ass and
brute, did not tend to soothe him. for
he knew that every word the note con-
tained was true. So, instead Of answer
ing it as a man should, he wrote at the
bottom Of the sheet: You have no
business in politics if you don't want
to stand the consequences" then signed
1t and remailed it to the original sender.
An hour later he was sorry he had done
so, and tried to get the letter out of the
postoftice, but failed.
Thus it was that the next evening, as
he rode along the lonely trail leading to
the "enemy's country" where he was
to address big meeting Of cattlemen
and make an effort to redeem himself
by practically recantlng all that he had
said derogatory to the opposing candi-
date without losing too much of his al
ready shattered self-respect, he was so
absorbed mentally in thinking over
what he should say that he did not hear
a sudden command to halt, and realized
that he was in trouble only when a
sinuous, swishing thing hurtled
through the air, pinioned his arms to
his sides, and jerked him from his sad
die to the rough ground.
Good shot, OF man!' said some one
in cowboy costume, who came up and
sat on the victims chest. "Ye got him
right round tn elbows, fust throw O.
the rope"
LET me up, you - scoundrelw
fumed Van Vert. "You can take my
money without taking my wind at the
same time, can't you?"
Easy, m son." chuckled the giant
who was sitting astride him, as he held
the candidates wrists so that the other
man, who now came up, could the more
easily tie them. 1--WE don't want y'r
stuff. Do we, pardner?"
"Nopey, van," said the second man,
in voice that Van Vert tried in vain
to recognize. eve jest want t put yc
where We won't make no mo- fool
rmarks bout th' lady this ag'n ye--
not this evenin', anyways"
'See here, boys" said Van Vert,
more calmly, this isn't square deal.
You know I've got to be at the meeting
at Meeker at 8 o'clock? Well, It's almost
that now, SO let me GO"
"Oh, no, Jlmmiew laughed one of his
captors heartlessly. "Not t'night.
'Squar' DEAL b'lieve ye said? Was it
a squar deal FIR you t git up an make
th' talk We did bout tn little school
ma'am las night? Not any. So STAN
up, Jimmie, an let tn gent tackle We
to tn tree. Well let ye go fore ye git
cold. Easy, lad. Eff ye git gay we
won't do a thing but hawg-tle ye an
leave We lay till ma awnin'."
The next hour was as long a one as
Jimmie Van Vert ever spent The
night was chilly one, and the ropes
with which he was bound prevented
the free circulation Of blood so that in
a very short time his extremities were
aching with cold. To add to his dis
comfort, an owl took It's station in the
brush near by and hooted derisively
whenever the prisoner shouted, and the
cries of the owl were responded to by
several wolves, whose voices sounded
as though they were very close at hand.
Several times Van Vert heard people
go by on horseback and In wagons, and
shouted to them at the top Of his lungs,
but the trail was some distance from
the clump of brush, and they did not
hear him. At last, however, when he
had about given up all hope Of escaping
until his captors should come and re-
lease him. he heard the sound of horses
coming along the trail, their riders
laughing and chatting, and he lifted up
his voice In a mighty effort to make
himself heard. The riders evidently
heard him, and stopped. He shouted
again, and presently heard them COM
Ing toward him.
How did it happen" queried the
Young woman, after she and the boy
had released the candidate from his