The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-09-06


can't turn that trick. but If Sommers don't
do 1t he goes back to the mines, and you
get the best thing 1 have to hand out after
1 get to Washington.
Now, gentlemen, L want an answer. and
I'm sorry haven't time to give you bet
ter chance for consideration. We'd better
all stay here until the DECISIONS made. and
I don't think it's necessary for you two to
consult. I'm to meet my men at IL o'clock
to give them final directions, and 1t lacks
ten minutes of that hour now. What do
you say?'
Shacklett saw Sommers's thoughts in his
sharp eyes, that had just the faintest gilt
ter in them. He knew that Sommers need
ed still another blow, so he kept on: Gal
loway. suppose you speak first. Is it go?'
Neither Galloway nor Sommers could see
much of the face of the other Both had
from habit looked around for a mirror that
would help them out, but that was the one
hotel suite in the city without mirror on
the wall. Now each furtively tried to
glance at the other out of the corner of
his eye, but it could not be accomplished.
If one accepted the other was lost If he
refused Shacklett's plan. Galloway gave
up the effort to seem cool. He exclaimed:
'Of course I'll do it, Shacklett Do you
imagine that I'm degenerate idiot? I'll
tell you frankly now that 1 was scared to
death when I saw that thing in the Times,
for 1 figured that you'd make 1T boom
erang to elect you. I've not enjoyed this
fight against you, and I'm only too glad to
be able TO talk to you again in the corners
of the corridors"
Judge Sommers?" Shacklett let out the
words with all the suavity of gesture of
which a mendicant is capable, and with all
the meditation of tone that a long lesson
in elocuton might have given. There were
but two words uttered, but they stood for
IF you dare-be a dead duck, or acknowl-
edge you're a rascal You have to-and
you know it; take your medicine like
little man."
"It's CO." said Sommers.
Now, gentlemen, each two of us stand
as witnesses to the pledge of the other.
You'll want to go to arrange for bagging
my men, and as 1 said, 1 go to tell them
to fly to either coop they please 1 shall
also tell them that they have lost nothing
by sticking to Shacklett Sommers, you
can take the front door, the way you came
in. Galloway, you pass into that adjoining
the ladies' entrance. I'll go through that
other room and see my friend the chef as
go out the back way
During the next four days there was no
lack of energy in the fight for the senator
ship. Shacklett had started east on the
| fastest train out of the capital, and at
| Council Bluffs was delighted to hear of the
| phenomenal runs made to Burlington. At
| the latter city he felt he was nearly home
again, and from the very station the rail-
| road ran so near the river that he threw
| cigar stump into the water from the car
| window. Above Keokuk he took q long
| look at the hills of Illinois, less than a mile
away, but yet belonging to that other
world that the river cut off thoroughly
| that it seemed to have been moved over a
| little, leaving a crack like the space be-
tween great stepping stones. He had for
saken that office back there determined to
induce Mary Stoddard to change her mind
When he saw the road across the river, so
near that he could distinguish the different
kinds of vehicles, and So far that 1t seemed
in another hemisphere, the road over which
| they had driven so often, he said to himself
| that this was a case Of absolute necessity,
| and that he never before really knew what
| necessity meant.
He left the train at the little depot at
Alexandria, and the driver of the carryall
drawn up at the platform seemed to take
it as personal injury that Shacklett ig-
nored him and started to walk brskly
toward the ferry. He crossed the river to
Warsaw and jumped into the first hack,
but not before the boy in the railroad tele-
| hod iobt Of
the prescience of telegraph Office boys this
| one had reasoned that well-dressed gen.
tleman coming off the down Kline train
and hurrying over the river in a hack must
be the great man from out West for whom
the telegram was meant.
| Shacklett differed from the townspeople
who got kilograms, in that he signed the
book and tipped the boy before he tore open
the envelope. The telegram did not seem
to be of much interest to him, and the office
| boy wondered how 1t would affect such a
man to be elected general manager or train
| master of the universe. In fact he made
remark of this kind to the agent when he
got back to the Office. The telegram was
this:
| '.Hon. n. c.. Shacklett, Warsaw, ILL.,:
| Deadlock between Sommers and Gallo
/ way broken Dy el6ctlOU OI yOurSeII as sem
ator We sprung 1T right without hearing
| from you. Messages scattered all along the
road for you. Why don't you answer? Van
Steen.
Shacklett thought it just as we'll to delay
answering now until he had seen the girl
who had the decision to make. He might
be able to telegraph Van Steen yet tonight
that the unexpected honor was accepted
as a duty that he owed to the State of his
| adoption, and one that he could not shirk.
He might have to stay back here for ten
| or twelve years before he could induce the
girl to see things in the right way, and by
that time it would be another term and he
should have to make keen contest for the
honor.
The shadows were creeping up the bluf1
from the river when Shacklett arrived al
the Heights. Mary Stoddard came to the
door when he rang. She started back sc
suddenly when she saw Shacklett, whom
she thought a thousand miles away, that
she trod on the toes of the Rev. Mr.. Brad.
bury. The light of amusement in her eyes
at the evident disapproval Of the minister
was still there when she turned to Shack.
lett and said: Your coming East is some
what of a surprise
''I did not wire you," said Shacklett, ''be.
cause l wanted to begin the conversation
wbep 7 Gould fal diractlv vo,, ~ ,,,-