Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1905-11-08
THE,
OR 6 i I r TERS
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CHAPTER XIV.

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.ss CHAPTER XIV.
@ THE GERRYMANDER. :zS
With Judge Marston's hint partly
10 point the way, Kent was no long
time In getting at work on the new
lead. -. = !. : -s-..s' -
Having been at the time a practi-
TONER In one Of the counties affected.
he knew the political deal BY. which
MacF'arlane had been elected. Briefly
described. it was . swapping OF horses
In mldstream. In the preliminary
canvass 1t was discovered that in all
probability Judge MacFarlane's dis
trict. as constituted, would not re-
eject him. But the adjoining district
was strong enough to spare q county:
without loss to the party; and that
county added to MacEarlane's voting
strength would tip the scale in his
favor. The assembly was in session,
and the remedy applied In the shape
OF q bill re-adjusting the district lines
to Mt the political necessity.
While this bill was still in the lower
house an obstacle presented itself in
the form Of vigorous protest from
Judge Whitcomb, whose district was
the one to suffer the loss. The county
IN question was a prosperous one, and
the court fees-which compliant clerk
might secretly divide with the Judge
appointing him-were large: where
fore Whitcomb threatened political re-
prlsals II Kiowa county should be TAX
en- away from him. The outcome was
q compromise For elective purposes
the two districts were gerrymandered
rs the bill proposed; but it was ex
pressly provided that the transferred
county should remain judicially in
Whltcomb's district until the expira-
ton of Whitcomb's term of Office.
Having refreshed his memory as to
the facts, Kent spent forenoon in the
state library. He stayed on past the
luncheon hour, feeding on a dry diet
OF digests; and it was not until hun
ger began to sharpen his faculties that
he thought Of going back of the statu-
tory law to the fountain head In the
constitution of the state. Here, after
he had read carefully section by section
almost through the entire instrument,
his eye lighted upon q clause which
gradually grew luminous as he read
and re-read it
THAT is what Marston meant; it
must be what he meant" he unused:
and returning the book to its niche
In the alcove he sat down to put
his face in his hands and sum I'D the
status in logical sequence.
The conclusion must have been con-
vincing, since he presently sprang up
and left the room quickly to have
himself shot down the elevator shaft
to the street level. The telegraph Of
ftce was closed. but there was another
In the Hotel Brunswick, two squares
distant, and thither he went.
Hold the pool in fighting trim at
all hazards. Think I have found
weak link in the chain," was his wir-
ing to Loring at Boston; and having
sent it, he went around to Cassatti's
and astonished the waiter by order
Ing a hearty luncheon at half-past
three o'clock In the afternoon.
It was late In the evening before he
left the tiny Office on the fifth floor of
the Quintard building where one of his
former stenographers had set up bust
ness for herself. Since five o'clock the
young woman had been steadily driv-
ing the typewriter to Kent's dictation.
When the final sheet came out with
whirring rasp Of the ratchet, he sud-
denly remembered that he had prom
ised Miss Van Brock to dine with her.
1t was too late for the dinner, but not
too late to go and apologize, and he
did the thing that he could. stopping
at his rooms on the way to dress while
his cab-driyer waited.
He found Portia alone, for which he
was glad; but her greeting was dis
tinctively accusative.
III should pretend to be deeply Of
Tended and tell Thomas to show you
the door, what could you say for your
self" she began, before he could say
. word in exculpation.
Il should say every sort Of excuse
full thing could think of, knowing
very well that the most ingenious
lie would fall far short of atoning for
the odense." he replied humbly. 3
Possibly It would be better to tell
the truth-had you thought Of that?"
she suggested, quite without malice.
Eyes, I had; and I shall, If you'll
let me begin back bit" He drew up
. chair to face her and sat on the
edge Of It You know l told you I
was going to CASTOR to sell my six
lots while Major Guilford's little boom
Is on"
I'm trying to remember: go on"
Well, went yesterday morning
and returned late last night. Do you
know, it's positively marvelous!"
'Which--the six lots, the boom,
or the celebrity of your movements
she asked with a stimulation OF deepest
interest.
':All three, If you please; but
meant the miraculous revival Of things
along the Trans Western. But that is
neither her nor there"
II think It is very much here and
there" she interrupted. IN :,..a
II see you don't want me to tell the
truth the whole truth; but am de-
termined. The first man met after
dinner was Hunnicott, and when I
made him my broker In the real es-
tate AFFAIR we fell to talking about
the railroad steal. Speaking of Mac
Farlane's continued absence, Hunni-
. colt said, jokingly, that It was q pity
i we couldn't so back to the methods
.of a few hundred years ago and hire
. the Hot Springs doctor to fobliterate'