Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1906-04-11


man, Ormsby came in to answer for
himself. Whereupon the crisis was
outlined to him in brief phrase, and
he rose to the occasion, though not
without grimace.
I'm not sure just how we'll you
know Mrs. Hepzibah Brentwood" he
demurred; "but it will be quite like
her to balk. Don't you think you'd
better go along? You are the COM
pany's attorney, and your opinion
ought to carry some weight"
David Kent thought not; but eau
tious diplomatist, having got the idea
well back into the back part Of his
head, was not to be denied.
"Of course, you'll come. You are
just the man I'll need to back me up.
l sha'n't shirk; I'll take the mother
into the library and break the ice,
while you are squaring things with
| the young women. Penelope won't
care the snap of her finger either way;
but Elinor has. some notions that you
are filter to cope with than 1 am.
After, if you can give me lift with
Mrs. Hepzibah, I'll call you in. Come
on; it's getting pretty late to go visit
| ing"
Kent yielded reluctantly, and they
took car for the sake of speed. 1t
was Penelope who opened the door
for them at 124 TETON avenue and
| Ormsby made it easy for his coadjutor,
as he had. promised.
81 want to see your mother in the
| library for a few minutes" he began.
| will you arrange it, and take care of
Mr. Kent until 1 come for him?"
Penelope arranged" it, not without
another added pang of curiosity,
whereupon David Kent found himself
the rather embarrassed third of a 81
lent trio gathered about the embers
of the sitting-room fire.
els it to be Quaker meeting?"
asked Penelope, sweetly, when the ST
| lence had grown awe-inspiring.
Kent laughed for pure Joy at the
breaking of the spell.
Zone would think we had come to
drag you all off to Jail, Orn6sby and t."
he said; and then he went on to ex-
plain. tits about your Western Pa
cific stock, you know. To-day's quota
tions put it point and half above
your purchase price, and we've come
to persuade you to unload, pronto, as
the member from the Rio Blanco would
say"
'Is that all?" said Penelope. sitting
a yawn. 'Then I'm not in it.: I'm an
infant" And she rose and went to
the piano.
"You haven't told us all of it: what
has happened?" queried Elinor, speak
ing for the first time since her greeting
of Kent.
He briefed the story of House Bill
Twenty-Five for her, pointing out the
probabilities.
"Of course, no one can tell what the
precise effect will be- he qualified.
But in my opinion it is very likely to
be destructive of dividends Skipping
the dry details, the new law, which is
equitable enough on it's own face, can
be made an engine of extortion in
the hands Of those who administer
it. In fact, happen to know
that it was designed and carried
through for that very purpose
| She smiled
| Il have understood you were in the
opposition. Are you speaking politi-
| cally?"
Il am stating the plain fact" said
Kent, nettled little by her GOODNESS.
"Decadent Rome never lifted a baser
set of demagogues into Office than we
have here in this state at the pres
ent moment"
He spoke warmly, and she liked him
best when he put her on the footing
of an equal antagonist.
Il can't agree with your inference, -
she objected. GAS a people we are
neither obsequious nor stupid"
| Perhaps not. But it is one of tn
failures of popular government that
an honest majority may be controlled
and directed by a small minority of
shrewd rascals. That is exactly what
has happened in the passage of this
bill. l venture to say that not one
man in the ten who voted for it had
the faintest suspicion that it was a
graft"
| IF that be true, what chances there
| are for men with the gift of true lead.
ership and love of pure justice in
their hearts!" she said half-absently:
and he started forward and said: "I
beg pardon?"
She let the blue-gray eyes meet his
and there was a passing shadow of
| disappointment in them.
Il ought to beg yours. I'm afraid
I was thinking aloud. But it is one
OF my Dreams If were a man I
| should go into politics.
ITO purify them?"
To do my part in trying. The
great heart of the people is honest
and well-meaning: 1 think we all adj
NIT that. And there is intelligence,
too. But human nature is the same as
1t used to be when they set up a man
who could and called him king. Gen.
tie or simple. it must be led"