The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-09-13


me personally? hope you catch the dis
tinction." And Mckee tried hard to laugh.
81 think you can work it out IL you go
at it right Shacklett said, with a little
display of interest. Its always the best
rule to bunch your shots. in legislatures as
we'll as in fighting in the navy. Now. if it
were /, although I'm not posted enough to
know much about this case, I'd let the
| main line of privates and noncoms. alone
and fire all my ammunition at one shot at
the commander chief. That might work
but can't tell. of course. as you can. when
| you've been there so long"
THAT so long was unkind." walled Nc
Kee, "and how can do that when I can't
| find out who the commander-in-chief is?
| find that out"
he had been furtively reading while they
were talking. and looked at Mckee for al
| most the first time.
I'll tell you frankly" he said. that
don't want to have anything to do with
this part Of the company's business, and
/ don't want to talk to you about 1t. but
evidently the chairman Of the committee
that has the bill knows his business and
don't you go to him and talk business from
! the jump? Find out what will bring him
off the perch. and then shoot it at him.
| That's what I'd do. But don't even ad-
wise you to do It, nor suggest it to you for
/ action. Let me do something else for you,
and don't mix me up in this thing, please"
Mckee went out vexed, but the more he
thought Of the plan Shacklett had laid
/ H. h. bad ot,6 ot
rate, there was nothing else to do. as far
/ as he could. see. Sc. as soon as he got
back he asked the committee chairman up
to his room at the hotel, having casually
| met him in the corridor.
| I've been thinking that you folks
weren't taking much interest in that BILL"
| the chairman replied to McKees opening,
land there's not the least doubt that it
| will make farmer votes for me and the rest
OF them by the wagonbedful. What ben
eft do you think the State will derive from
its defeat that is greater than a wagonbed-
full of ballots?'
"a hundred thousand dollars more" said
Mckee. quietly and firmly
Then hunt up somebody to pay the
| money to, and your handful Of artistic en-
cravings is better than theirs full of cheap
don't mind telling you, so that you'll un-
derstand 1t, that hundred million dollars
is no temptation to me. and 1 think you
ought to know it yourself If you're capable
of earning your salary in the third house"
Senator" Mckee said, cropping in dark
ness again and at the extreme end of his
string. would you mind telling the I'M
known, invisible. impalpable. unfindable.
indefinite spook that drew. that bill and is
pushing 1t along here like heavy express
train on a down grade, that if 1T will tell
me the mystic words which will send 1t
back where it belongs and stop it's internal
work in this Legislature. I'll say them,
and don't care what they are. I'm ex-
ceeding the limit given me, but 1 don't
care. I'll give our road away and hunt
another one to work for. but I'll kill this
sandbagging bill If have to sell the devil
my well-earned right to the craftsmanship
of his committee on thermostats and APP
paratus."
The chairman leaned back and laughed
heartily. while Mckee continued to scowl.
"Oh. yes; I'll be medium for you." he said.
"Come to my room tomorrow evening at
o'clock, after I've had my great mater
ializing seance."
When Mckee kept the appointment he
sat down without a word, and while he
looked expectantly at the chairman, he said
nothing, for he was thoroughly discour-
aged and Disguised with the problem that
had not only no solution by any known
rules. but not even a point of attack. The
chairman's eyes twinkled at the remem-
brance Of his last speech at the hotel as
he opened the conversation briskly.
There's one way to beat that BILL" he
said. "and only one. I will never report II
out of committee, and you can go into the
committee room and steal it IL you want
to. provided
Mckee leaned forward almost over the
table and looked straight into the chair
mans eyes. which only continued to laugh
back at him. A twinkle is a mask for the
eyes that nothing can penetrate or pass
behind, and Mckee was furious, although
he did not dare to show It, He kept silent
and perfectly motionless for the several
seconds that the chairman paused. Their
the latter went on
Provided that you pay the sum of s., 0O(
in cash, with a contract for suitable en-
ployment for life to Lawrence p. McNoo-
gan"
Wen do It." snapped out Mckee, like
4
who the devil is Lawrence p. McNoogan?'
Hes the plaintiff in suit against your
road for damages resulting from the kill
ing of his COW and the breaking of his leg
which suit is now appealed from the re-
fusal of the trial court to give him a new
hearing. His lawyer Is out of the case
having given 1t up in disgust and because
he is busy defending himself from various
criminal charges. Since he has no attorney
now 1t will be necessary for your road tc
appear and of It's own motion allow the
granting of a new trial, and then consent
TO the entering of judgment for 5000. He
won't need to employ another lawyer
then"
Even IL Mckee had failed to find tn,
mechanism concealed in the box IL wa:
pretty evident that the pendulum started
, by Larry's cow was still swinging. Wha
IL accomplished after that belongs to tn,
chronicles of an ordinary life with another
cow and the children, and not to the pres
ent biography.
On the evening before the next Fourth Of
July Mckee was trying to comply will
Shackletts request to find his celebration
speech in the middle drawer of his desk
while Shacklett himself packed his wallis,
in time to catch the train. When the gen
eral counsel of the railroad came in hur