The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-05-18
BOOK III.
The Trial BY Fire.
l..
The Lion I'm His Den.

Apparently McLeod's triumph was com
plete and permanent. The farmers We're
disappointed in their wild hopes Of a sub
treasury. and other socialistic chemes. but
the passions of the campaign had been
violent, and the offices they had won with
their negro ally had been soothing to their
sense Of pride.
CASTOR could see but one weak spot in
the alliance. The negroes had demanded
their snare Of the spoils. and were gradually
forcing their reluctant allies to grant them.
He watched the progress of this move
ment with thrilling interest. The negroes
had demanded the repeal of the county
government plan of the Democracy. under
which the credit of the forty black counties
had been rescued from bankruptcy at the
expense of local selfgovernment.
When the lawmakers who succeeded
LeSree had put this scheme of centralized
power in force, these forty COUNTIES We're
Immediately lifted from ruin to prosperity.
But no negro ever held another office in
them.
Now the negroes demanded the return to
the principles of pure Democracy and the
right to elect all town, township and county
officers direct. They got their demands.
They took charge in short order of these
great rich counties in the Black Belt, and
white men ceased to hold the offices.
= negro cOllege-graduate had started a
newspaper at Independence. noted for its
open demands for the recognition of the
economic. social and political equality OF
the races. Young negro men and women
walking the streets now refused to give
half the sidewalk to a white man or woman
when they met and there were an increas-
ing number of fights from such causes.
CASTOR noted these signs with growing
anE af th.fY Frr1rprr arl Iau., hfu rrprl-
for the second great campaign. The cleo
ton for a Legislature alone he knew was
lost already. His party had simply abandoned
the fight. The Allied Party had passed
new election laws, and under the tutelage
of the doubtful methods of the past they
had taken every partisan advantage pos
sible within the limits of the Constitution.
They could not be overthrown short of a
political earthquake. and he knew it. But
he thought he heard in the depths of the
earth the low rumble of its coming, and
he began To prepare for it
Three weeks before Christmas he began
to dream of the visit he was to make TO
independence to see Sallie Worth.
And then like q thunderbolt out OF n
clear sky came a fearful letter announcing
another storm at home. Her father had
again forbidden her to write. She SAIL,
at the last. that Gaston's visit must be
postponed indefinitely for the present. He
gazed at the letter with a hardened look.
II will go. III face General Worth in
his own homa, and demand his reasons for
such treatment. l am a man. / am entitled
to the respect of a man" He made this
declaration with a quiet force that left
no doubt about his doing 1t.
He wrote Sallie that he could not and
would not endure such a fight in the dark
with the General. and that he was going
% Traannnhanna an the 6av before IhrlGf-
mas as she had planned at first, to have
it out with him face to face.
She wrote in reply and begged him under
no circumstances to come until conditions
We're more favorable. He got this letter
the day before he was to start.
IN go and I'll see him if l have to fight
my way into his house, that's all there
is to it" he exclaimed.
When he reached Independence, st. Glare
met him at the depot, and gave him an
welcome.
i've been expecting you. you hard-headed
fool" he said impulsively.
We'll, your words are not equal to your
What's the natter" asked
CASTOR.
You know what's the matter. Miss Sal
lie has been to see me this afternoon, ana
begged me to chain you at my house II you
came to town to-day"
We'll, you'll need handouts. and help to
ohp NPhNN . "Ah fdirI
Look here, old boy, you're not going
down to that house tonight with the old
man threatening TO kill you on sight, and
your girl bordering on collapsed
II am. I've been bordering on collapse
for some time myself. I'm getting used to
You're a fool"
"Granted. but I'll risk it."
''But, man, I tell you Miss Sallie will be
furious with you if you go after all the
messages she has sent you."
I'll risk her fury, too"
castor. let me beg you not to do It"
I'm going, Bob. 1t isn't any use for you
to waste your BREATH"
You know where my heart is. Old
said Bob, yielding reluctantly. II
go down to that house tonight
under the conditions you are going for the
|
why not? It's the manly thing to do |
It's a dangerous thing to do. Fathers
have killed men under such conditions with |
provocation." |
We'll. Bob. IN risk it. I'm going as soon ;
as / can brush up a little"