The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1906-08-23

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sibilities for corruption opened up by
the proposed law; a journalistic salvo
of publicity to be fred as a last re-
sort
The measure as amended had
passed the senate without debate,
and had gone back to the house. Here.
after the second reading. and in the
very hour when the Argus editorial
was getting itself cast in the limo
types, there was a hitch. The mem
Der from the Rio Blanco. fayoring the
measure in all its parts. and fearful
only lest corporation gold might find
a technical flaw in II, moved that It
be referred TO the committee on ju-
dietary for a report on its constitution
atty; and, accordingly. 20 the COM
mittee on judiciary Il had gone
Kent recalled the passing OF the
crisis, remembering how he lad has
tened to telephone the Argus editor
TO kill the expose at the last moment.
The incident was now a month in the
past, and the committee had not yet
reported; would never report. Kent
imagined. lie knew the personnel
OF the committee on judiciary; knew
that at least three members CT Il we're
down on the list. made up al the be-
ginning OF the session by his col
leagues in the army Of observation, as
"approachables." Also. he knew by
inference at least. that these three
men had been approached, not with
out success, and that House Bill
Twenty nine, with its fee-gathering
amendment was safely shelved.
Its an ill-smelling muck-heapl" he
frowned, recalling the incidents Of
the crisis at the suggestion let fall
by the two outgoing lobbyists. And so
much Of this dog-watch as isn't sick
eningly demoralizing is deadly dull.
as Crenshawe puts IL. II | had any
where to so. I'd cut the galleries for
tonight"
He was returning the newspaper 10
his pocket when II occurred TO him
that his object in buying It had been
to note the stock quotations; a daily
duty which. for Elinor's sake, he had
never omitted. Whereupon he re-
opened II and ran his eye down the.
lists. There was decided upward
tendency in westerns Overland Short
Line had gained two points; and
Western Pacific
He held che paper under the near
est electric globe to make sure.
Western Pacific. preferred. was quoted
at $50, which was one point and a
half above the Brentwood purchase
price.
One minute later an excited life
saver was shut in the box OF the pub
lie telephone. gritting his teeth at
the inanity Of the central operator
who insisted on giving him "A-l224"
instead OF "A-1234." the Hotel Vel
lington.
NO, no. Can't you understand?
want twelve-thirty-four; one, two.
three, four; the Hotel Wellington"
There was more sldrling OF bells.
another nerve-trying wait, and al last
the clerk Of the hotel answered.
what name did you say? Oh. It's
you. is H.. Mr.. Kent7 Ormsby? Mr..
Brookes Ormsby? No. be ism here;
he went out about two minutes ago.
What's that you say Damn? Well.
I'm sorry. too. No message that can
take? All right Good-by."
This was the beginning For the
middle part Kent burst out Of the tel
ephone box and took the nearest
shortcut through the capitol grounds
for the street-car corner. At a quar-
ter OF nine he was cross-questionlng
the clerk face to face in the lobby of
the Wellington. There was little more
TO be learned about oTmsby. The club
man had left his koy and gone out.
He was in evening dress. and had Ia
ken a cab at the hotel entrance.
Kent dashed across to his rooms
and. in a feverish race against time,
made himself 1T TO chase a man in
evening dress. There was no car in
sight when he came down, and he.
too. took a cab with On explosive order
70 the driver: "124 TETON avenue, and
be quick about it,"
II was the houseInaid that answered
the ring at the door Of the Brentwood
apartment. She wRs a Swede. re-
cent Importation; hence Kent learned
nothing beyond the bare fact that the
ladies had gone out. with Mr.. orms-
by?' ne asked.
"Yaas; Aye tank II will pee dat yen
tlemans"
The pursuer took ;he road again.
rather unhopefully. There was a
dozen places where Ormsby might
have taken his charges. Among them
there was the legislative reception at
Portia Van Brooks. Kent tipped
hguratiye coin, and gave the order for
Alameda Square. The reception was
perhaps the least unlikely place of the
| dozen.
lie was no more than fashionably
late at the Van Brock house. and for
tunately he was able 20 reckon him
self among the chosen few for whom
Miss Portals door swung on hos
pitable hinges at all hours. Lor-
ing lad known her in Wash
ington, and he had stood sponsor for
Kent in TIE first week Of the exilc's
residence at the capital. Thereafter
she had taken Kent up on his Own ac-
count. and by now he was deep in
her debt For one thing, she had ret
/ the fashion in the matter Of leeisla-