The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-09-17

"A man can hold his own against all the
devils or against all the preachers in his
environment, but he has the short end OF
the lever when his own inclinations and
his wife are pulling against him at the
same time Shacklett said TO himself when
he told his wife of McDougal's secret mis-
sion to him and it's result. They were out
on the lawn again. where there was less
likelihood of being overheard by the serv-
ants, and ii was a warm afternoon In May.
Eve been thinking ever since those other
men from the opposition were here" she
said. and I've concluded that there's a
new life opening before us. We are apt to
close a case and consider it ended for all
time. forgetting all about such things as a
think of that?"
Yes, frequently" he replied, but why
have a new trial when the present settle
ment is eminently satisfactory? Here we
are. happy with each other. lovers as In the
old days, and out OF danger. Why under
AXE to shoot the rapids just because we
used to do 1t skilfully once upon a timer
well. for one thing she said. slowly.
because of duty: for another thing be-
cause the rapids cease to be rapids when
the water Is high. You're constantly think
ing of my danger. it seems. but I know
that I am out of danger; 1 know it this
time, while l recognize that I used to think
I knew it when 1 didn't. It's like falling
In love, you see; one is sure that they love
to distraction. and later, when love does
come. one knows that the other was some
thing else. / went to pieces in Washington,
I know, and 1 thought 1 was strong then.
I thought / could play politics just as some
of the men thought they could play poker:
but don't you suppose that some of those
men can play whist now without getting
into a jackpot? 1 probably paid as high a
price in drafts on my Christianity for being
the wife of a senator as some of the rest
paid for their seats in election expenses.
But my safe is full again. thanks to your
giving up everything to bring me here, and
1 was wounded too badly to a to get
into that conflict again.
"And, as l said, there Is a question Of
actual duty. 1t seems to me that when
God gave you the ability to secure places
of trust and responsibility He meant for
you to taxi them and use them in the right
way. We did nothing worth while, as I see
things now. when we had the position be-
fore; let's go in again and use our power
and privileges for good"
Shacklett was looking at her in a way
which told her he was trying to see into
the depths of her mind. She looked him
straight in the eyes and went on:
Because I skated out there on the thin ice
two years ago, and came near drowning, is
no indication that 1 should not skate again
next January. Because a man upsets his
skif down there is no reason why he
should not cross the same place with a
steamboat; very especially 1t Is no reason
why he should fail to run the ferry given
him by some one, and thus fail to be Of
service to his neighbors."
Shacklett looked over the Mississippi
without replying. Over the fiat Missouri
lowland he saw the Capitol at Washington,
and up above the iron bridge across the
Des Moines, just above its mouth, the
house in which they lived while he was in
the Senate. The haze hiding the bluff a
dozen miles from the western bank became
to him the fog in which his wife had wan
dered until she was lost, and he came near
perishing also before she found her way
out. There was a little matter concerning
a postoffce appointment in which the
shrewdest Of workers had used Shacklett's
wife to get him into a cloud which came
near hiding them both forever. He had
reached her just In time to snatch her
away and bring her here to safety and the
old peace which she had enjoyed close to
the religion of her forefathers. Now she
felt strong enough and nimble enough to
go back into the dangerous places and live
there without danger to her religious life,
which. to her husband, was the most beau
tiful he had ever seen. Should they try 1t?
Along the river on the other side a train
ran swiftly northward, although it seemed
to be moving very slowly to the watcher,
over a mile away. Shacklett kept his eyes
on the engine, deeply engrossed in thought,
and after a little while he saw the white
steam rise, like a miniature tornado, be-
hind the black cloud OF smoke. After an
interval sufficient for his mind to go over
the entire incident of the postofice ap-
pointment again Shacklett heard the sound
of the steam whistle corning loud and clear
to his elevated position, and he saw the
train slow down and stop for the briefest
instant before going over the bridge across
the river. The rule he had seen on the
trainmen's schedule so many times came
into his mind irrelevantly to the subject
which had filled it, and he found himself
thinking. I'm case of doubt take the safe
side"
He looked over to his wife again, and she
saw that warm smile that had captured so
many recalcitrant politicians. and to his
friends always meant sincerity.
NO." he said; II think we had better
stay here and watch the other pilots shoot
ing the political rapids. I've already de-
clined both propositions. anyhow, and well
let it go at that"
ITO be Continued.l