The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1902-03-19

HE GREETED HER WITH PoLITENESs.
tell the truth even upon the ordinary
news of the day. Was there any one
whom she could trust who understood
politics? She could think Of no one but
Mortimer
Women have an appetite for martyr
dom: they prefer the worst, if bad must
come. SO Celia went to Mortimer be-
cause she would rather have died than
do it; not that she hesitated to ask ia
Vor of him, but that she would rather
die than confess her ignorance to him.
She was far from suspecting him of
any serious enmity toward Rowland.
To her Mortimer was merely young
man whom she had been obliged to
snub mildly, and she was no exception
to the rule that a woman always be-
lieves that she has treated man bet
ter than he deserves even when she
has driven him to suicide. 1t is but
necessary to smile upon him once more.
and he is again a debtor.
Celia smiled upon Mortimer when she
found him in one of the small commit
tee rooms of the city hall, where he sat
chewing the cud of lonely meditation.
If Mortimer had not been as deep as a
well and as cold as the water in the
northeast corner of it, he might have
been seriously affected by that smile.
The girl looked sweeter than blossom
on tree, but Jack Mortimer knew that
that blossom grew on a bough that he
would never reach.
He greeted her with politeness that
was as smooth as glass and expressed
desire to serve her before she could
open her mouth to ask him. He was
very nice about it. She had never sus-
pected that Jock Mortimer could be
such a fine fellow. Perhaps his hope
less passion for her had improved him.
She had read of such things in books.
AS be was so nice she told him her
story with perfect frankness after
swearing him to secrecy. He seemed to
regard the matter as merely amusing
a good joke on Rowland that he should
have chosen this particular day for his
fishing excursion. AS for any help that
Miss Thayer might require, he was en-
tirely at her service 1t would be a
great pleasure to assist her, and he was
obliged to Rowland for giving him the
opportunity.
Celia almost feared that she had be-
gun too graciously-had excited false
| hopes in this young mans breast-and
she proceeded to surround herself with
a slight atmosphere of frigidity. Nor
timer was entirely unaffected by the
oh hn hn ho6
mistaken. He was, after all. a really
good felow-in her notion.
"Of course" said he. 81 can give you
lots of points that l can't use myself.
You know the policy of The Free
PreSsT
Mr. Mortimer" she said, blushing,
81 didn't know The Free Press had a
politically. | shouldn't know a
political policy if l met one coming
down Main street in broad daylight"
Mortimer pondered, while in his mind
there rose the vision of a unique dou-
BILE revenge.
Just jot down these points that |
I give YOU" he said. And she made ready
her notebook.
Inwardly Mortimer was wondering
, how strong Il dose he should mix. If
, he should make the forecast too alb.
e surd, The Free Press wouldn't print it
q 1t must get into cold type in order tc
j have its full effect upon Rowland
= Therefore he made his opening state
r ments as strong and as accurate as
y possible. They would inspire conf
4 dence
t Then he proceeded with the predic
l. ton, and he did a beautiful piece Of
work. On national, state and local tick
n cts he forecast the vote precisely til,
e. way in which he knew it wouldn't go
d He did not 'slop over" by predictin:
N majorities that would be seen to b,
Ia preposterous by the editor of The Ere,
II Press He merely nndn nrer,.t In.