Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1905-09-23

over 10 tue 6ucLuy PiCuSOu w AiShiito
1t ran something like this:
"Allen-$2000.
"Brigham-Harry Brigham (son) in the
Mint.
"Ewing-post in U. S. office, S. F.
"Grimmin-$3000.
"Glass-can't be bought.
"IIires-$2500.
"Irton-$2500.
"Johnson-can't be got.
"Jamieson-doubtful
"Kinafy-$l500.
"Klein-$20OO."
And so on down the list. No wonder
Thorp looked shocked he had been out-
bid, without even a notification that he
must bid higher.
How did 1 get it all Through Thorp,
of course. State Senator Newberry had
taken his defeat like a philosopher "a
base, trucking coward" Thorp now
called him) and was working busily in
the Trewhitt camp, with an eye out for
future contingencies. But Thorp-oh,
Thorp was just dancing with rage, just
piping hot, trimming over and a-tiptoe
to pour his tale of woe into sympathetic
ear!
And instead OF one he found two-or
rather four mine and Ted Thompson's.
Aiken was there, too, to sketch the ram
pant Thorp in action, while we listened
and questioned-but artists don't count,
and Aiken anyway never hears word
that's going on.
But really Ted and l hadn't much
questioning to do, Thorp was SO ready.
If we had caught him ten minutes later,
he'd have had time to bethink himself
that a corporation outlives individuals,
scandals, charges, proofs and popular in
dignation that United Power has long
memory and that a certificate OF politi-
cal death from Bassett is all that's neces-
sary before burial promptly takes place.
But when Ted and l overheard Newberry
on the Capitol steps inveighing against
Thorp for cutting him dead in the Senate
chamber that morning, with one accord
we turned and made for the hotel
While Ted scurried through the bar,
the billiard-room and up to the Senator's
headquarters at last, 'phoned for the
artist-and when We got to Thorp's plush
parlor, Teddy had him neatly corralled
and not another reporter on the horizon.
"You can have it all TO yourself, you
lucky girl" Ted said when Thofp had
been turned inside out and left for re.
morse to seize upon him. "The Times
Records committed, you know, to the
belief that U. P. is of the noblest and
most generous OF public benefactors. I'll
give the office the facts, of course, but
they'll only print an obscure paragraph,
vaguely abiding to rumors, ETC., so you've
got bully thing for your own. l won't
give it away we'll keep it in the family"
Whose p | asked, thanking him with
a look.
"Why-ours, yours and mine," lie
chuckled. "Oh, you know it'll come to
that one of these days, Miss Massey p he
added. The bold-faced conceit of him
Il don't know anything of the sort,
Pm welded to my art, Mr.. Theodore
Thompson, l said haughtily.
Tell that to McCabe,' he jeered.
MIR. McCabe would be interested"
remarked demurely.
"Rhoda p 1t was half appeal, half
affected dismay. 'You haven't been
and gone and taken base advantage OF
my being busy to 60 and get old McCabe
to fall in love with you How do you
know that l won't get little leisure one
OF these days"
Il do know" l interrupted, that we
are both a bit intoxicated over getting
this lovely grind on the whole Senatorial
situation. And | know, too, that I'll
never be able to hold you in breach-of-
promise suit, Ted, for you could always
claim that the offer had been made-or
scantlly implied, rather-under intense
excitement induced by the prettiest scan
dial that ever scandalized scandalous Sac
ramento! I'm off to work. want
denial from Bassett. OF course, he'll
deny till he's black in the face. But
there'll be Senatorial investigations, won't
there, and Populations from the city, and
mounting in hot haste all over the pollt-
ical battlefield? Oh, dearp
"1es, darling" he said attentiyely.
Tied Thompson, hared at him, take
care! see signs of paresis and
No, you're too modest, Rhoda. 1t
isn't invariably symptom of alcoholism
or approaching imbecility to care for
you-''
''Shoo oh, there comes Thorp p' l
cried.
He'll want to retract-scoot, Rhoda r.
Ted whispered, "and I'll cover the re-
treat The T-R. will print all the re-
fractions he wants, but you don't have
to, you lucky little thing r'
] hurried up the stairs, but before l got
to my room heard Ted say sweetly:
''Not the slightest use in the world,
Senator. Of course, so far as the T-R is
concerned, I'll fix it all right, but l just
left Miss Massey at the telegraph Office /;
the whole things en- the wire by now
and the News'll have it sure. The only
way you can stop it is by reaching Nc
Cabe himself. Suppose you get the next
train and 90 down and see him ?'
Suppose he did ! Igrinned. 1t would
keep him out of the way of the other
reporters. As for reaching McCabe, that
duck OF Ted Thompson knew as well as
| that McCabe simply can't be reached,
and that the News whole policy as
rabid anti U. P. paper made this bit of
news so valuable that all the Senator's
horses and all bis men and barrels OF
money couldn't buy it back again.
Now, Secret Investigation is direct