Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1900-01-25

slight flush on his cheek. II shall leave
this house ifmy presence nffellds either
OF you; but have done you no dirt II
any one has been slandering you it has
not had my consent"
Then it wasn't you, hey, that started
that story in Montrose township that L
swindled George Jones in the division of
gram last month, when we shipped to-
gether, by pretending that the load was
No. 2 when it was M. land now he's
gone of to Canada, and lean treach him
to get him to deny it?" sneered Somers.
"Iknow nothing Of such q story, and
il hear it, shall take pains to deny it.
take little interest in the stories which
hear about myself. Some OF them ad-
nit are annoying; but they are nearly all
so plainly false that think they do me
no harm; and, presume that has beer.
your experience. You will notice, how!
ever, that the conduct OF the 'Republi-
can toward you has changed, aud am
glad to say that brought about the
change"
''Oh, yes, know that. You knew it's
course was doing you more harm than
good, and that was the reason you
choked Jones off, I'm told. 1 guess can
see through your game" and he leered
into Ned's face. Then he burst out:
"What are you doin' here, Keeping com
pany with my sister, when everybody
knows you've got girl in Boston and
get regular letters from herr"
ooh, William! cried Mary. and she
rushed upon him, and too late placed
her fingers upon his lips, receiving in re-
turn push that almost threw her off
her feet.
Ned could have struck Somers down
of the post-office, he reflected, had bee II
gossiping about the weekly letters that
his aunt in Milton insisted on sending to
him; and he smiled little, but the smile
passed from his face and he replied:
"Really Mr.. Somers, this has gone too
far. | ace that, as you stated at the be-
ginning, my presence here is unwelcome,
and ] shall not bother you any longer"
and he glanced at Mary, who stood with
face averted and bosom heuving with
emotion.
"Then you don't deny that you have a
girl back East?" demanded Somers..
, Was it only imagination, or did he
see Mary's face take on an eagerIook and
turn Just IL trfe toward him, while her
breath seemed TO suddenly stop. as il she
, waited for his answer? But he scornod
to look again and replied proudly: II
, deny nothing, and must decline to pay
any attention to such insolence, Good
evening Miss Somers; good evening sir, !"
and left the house.
, Mary turned away with great sob,
and passed quickly to her room, flinging
herself upon the bed.
How dared William say what he did
and how beautifully Mr.. Cushman
acted!'' she moaned. But he didn't
deny it, he didn't deny it; and am sure
it is true. Aud have gone on thinking
that perhaps he cared for me. He's just
8 been playing with memo, he hasn't-he
j never said a word to me that was any;
q thing more than kind and helpful, and
!. l. Oh what a fool have been! How
= miserable am! Why did ever come
I here? I wish could die!."
William sat in the other room, and
h stared into the fire with gloomy face
y He had made himself and two other
2 persons miserable, and he could no: see
+ that he had gained anything. He tried
i several times to go in and console his
+ sister as she lay sobbing in the little bed
n room, but at length he went out. anC
: rode back to town to consult with the
n committee.
!, AS for Ned. he was livid with rage
3 tempered with sort OF excited happiness
! Does she care? Was that manifesta
i ton kind OF jealousy? Did that change
l. of features mean anything? Does sht
o care? And if she does care, what is thai
o. to me?' And so on he ran. He could
. not rid himself OF the picture OF Mary
o standing in the house with that odd ex
4 preston OH her face. 1t bothered hin
! that night, and the next day he was sc
4 distracted in his canvass that his driver
was DerpleXed. and he made little head
n way.
l. Election day dawned with clear sky
4 and both sides were rushing to ''get Out
= the vote" Two OF Ned's colleagues OF
q the ticket had plucked up courage, ant
4 hoped to win, and this fea, IRE made the
n fight all the more interesting. On tn,
4 day before, the Democrats suddenly
a began to boast OF the ease with which
y accepted some ofothe bets which Repub
h Leans had been vainly Offering since tn,
opening OF the campaign. This fac
Ia caused feeling OF apprehension among
q Cushman's friends, and they soon tount
h that the Democratic chairman hat
4 secured good sum OF money from tn,
q State commit tee by pretending that tn,
= Legislative ticket was in danger. and hae
r. placed it to be used against Cushman
= When he learned this fact, Ned smiled
h and said with energy: 'All right, well
n be ready for them, il that's their game
4 Have all our men notified to be on tn,
n lookout for that money, and if any OF il
is offered, we'll have some OF thos,
y fellows in the Bismarck pen before tn,
h snow is off the ground
II This declaration alarmed the Demo
;: cratic leaders, and they We're very
@ cautious. Ned was not sanguine o
e winning; he knew too much of thu
q uncertainties OF politics, and he was not
. . satisfied with reports coming from
g certain venal "leaders" whom he haG
o decline to pay for their support. Ht
i stoutly refused to work at the polls or
q election day. saying tersely: "It't
:, plainly against the law. and don't
n believe i'll it anyway" He would have
!. liked to spend the day with Mary Som
I ers; but he had not been at the house
! since the scene with her brother; anG
% felt that. with all her unconventionality