News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1903-04-15

moment when he knew their indigna-
ton against him was at its highest.
He took off his hat as he bowed.
GLOW do, Miss Andrews? I've got
some good news for you, and thought
maybe you wouldn't object to my
bringing it. Lots II, 10 and q back
of the settlement have changed hands
since the fire. Maybe you didn't know
it, but I've had my eye on those lots
for some time Now, | don't mind tell
ing you that l admire your pluck.
You've been doing good here, and l
want to help in a small way. So I've
decided to give the settlement those
lots. l understand you've been want
ing more room to build on new hall.
This will give you chance"
He stopped very suddenly and his
shifty gray eyes, still fastened on Miss
Andrews, had look of such malignant
satisfaction in them that John Gordon
wanted to strike him across the mouth.
He did not do that, but he did say, as
he stepped in front of Miss Andrews,
directly between her and Randall
"When we want any donations from
you, we will let you know it. Better
take your gifts where they're better
appreciated"
The man gave Gordon one evil look.
Gam talking to you? My offer was
made to the head of the house. If you
are authorized"-
Miss Andrews is not going to enter
into any conversation with you" Cor
don spoke with a rising tide of wrath
in him that was nearer to actual VIC
lence that he had ever been. But the
man in front of him was visible rep
resentative of the most corrupt, Vi
cious, damnable political system that
was directly responsible for practically
every dwarfed child, every ruined girl,
every debauched soul in the district.
There was no room left in John Cor
dOn's heart for anything but over
whelming Indignation toward the man
who stood for all that monstrous
wrong. He wanted to strike some
thing. His soul was bursting with
compassion for the hundreds of help
less lives in that hell of misery and
with supreme anger against the man
who got his living out of it.
sob, Mr.. Gordon" Miss Andrews
spoke almost timidly. Luella, watch
ing every tone and gesture, noted her
apparent willingness to let John Cor
don have his way. And indeed, with
the exception of those three words adj
speak again during the whole OF the
strange encounter
"By your leave, Miss Andrews,
will do the talking, and unless you say
otherwise | will take the whole respon-
sibility of refusing any gifts Mr. Ran
dali may, for his own reasons, make
the settlement. We know perfectly
well how lots II, 10 and 81 changed
hands. We do not care to be receivers
Of stolen goods"
He said the words looking straight
into Tommy Randalls face. Tommy
Randall knew as he tried to return the
look that here was one man who was
not afraid of him, come what might,
Nevertheless the boss of Ward Is lad
been ruler so long, he had grown so ac-
customed to regard the methods by
which he eXtorted revenue from his
subjects as a legitimate part of the eX'
listing political system, that Gordon's
almost brutally frank denunciation
caused him only feeling of contempt.
"Just as you say" he answered cool
ly enough. Lots in Hope House block
are not given away every day. know
plenty of men who will buy them.
suppose, seeing you are so particular
hbout the lots, you viii be overparticu-
lar about who gets them"
He said it with a deliberate sugges-
tiveness SO full of possible evil that
Gordon was again tempted to knock
him down. Nothing but the knowl-
edge of Miss Andrews presence pre-
vented him. Tommy Randall felt his
own power and went step further.
Perhaps you would be interested to
look at my plans" The suggestion
was so profoundly insolent that no one
said word. Tommy Randall unroled
the blue print and spread it out before
them. With the same degree of fas-
cination that they might have felt in
looking at a battlefield during the
slaughter John Gordon and Grace An
drews followed the grimy hand of the
boss as he described his plan. Mrs.
Penrose, Archie and Luella looked on
as interested spectators, but to them,
especially to Luella, the main interest
of the occasion lay not in the dirty
blue print, but in the expression and
attitude Of the settlement workers.