The Washington herald., 1906-11-04
THE CANDIDATE
APoitcal Romance By Joseph A Alsheer

surprised at her skin. She did not seem
to him now the girl from Idaho. the
child Of the mountains and of massacre,
bun a woman OF variable moods, and all
of them attractive. no whit inferior to
eer Eastern sisters in the delicate airs
, and graces that he was wont to asso-
late with feminine perfection.
As for Churchill, he Yielded completely
0 her spell, not without come condescen-
fon aud a memory OF his own superiority.
5ut he felt himself willing to comply with
ler request, particularly because 1t in
OWED no sacrifice on his own part. lie
nd the Monitor would certainly keep
vatch over Mr Grayson, and he would
/ never hesitate to write the words of warn
'g whenever he felt that they were need
d.
why did you treat him that way?"
sked Harley, when Churchill had gone.
What do you mean by that way.' -
she asked, and her chin took on a saucy
uplift.
We'll to. be plain. why did you make a
fool OF him?'
''Was my haIp needed"
Harley IaugI ed.
Don't be too hard on Churchill, he
said. hes the creature of circumstance
Besides you must not forget that he is
going to watch over Mr.. GraysOn."
Churchill did not join the general group
until shortly before the departure for the
evening speech. and then he approached
| with an undenioDle air Of hostility and de
feuse. expecting To be attacked and haY-
ing in readiness the weapons with which
he had assured himself that he could re-
pei them Miss Morgan. II is truc had
received him wei, but she. so he had be-
gun 70 believe, was a girl of perception
and discrimination, ard the tine taste
shown by her would not be exhibited by
others. The candidate. surprising hin
much. received him cordially though not
effUsively, and he was made welcome n
similar manner by the others There was
no allUSion whatever 10 his dispatch, bat
he found himself included In the general
gossip, just az II he were one OF q group
of good comrades.
Yet Churchill was hot wholly pleased
His great stroke seemed TO be ignored b,
ali except Miss Morgan. when they ought
% be s. '~red deeply by IL, and he felt a
sense G. Unfinished Importance. There
should d. no confusion among them or
lat least trepidation. He closely studied
the faces OF AIr. Grayson and the others
10 see If they we're masking their fire.
but no attack came either then or later.
campaign deepened and popular interest
increased. Not since tie eve Of the civil
war had there been such comp,exity and
intensity Of interests, and never before
had the personal fector been so strong.
Out Of the vast turmoil quickly emerged
James GTayson as the most picturesque
figure that ever appeared upcu the stage
Of national politics in America. His pow
erfui oratory- his daring. and hts mag
uetic personality drew tre eyes Of all and
Harley saw that wherever he might be
there the fight would be thickest The
correspondents intuition had been right:
he had come from a war on the other side
Of the world 20 enter another greater
campaign. one IN which mind counted for
more
The candidate in his rising greatness.
was even hero 20 his own family; and
from none did he craw greater adnlira-
ton than from his niece Sylvia Morgan
a fierce champion OF the West, she al
WAYS bitterly resented the unconscious
patronage Of the East which was really
the natural patronage OF age rather than
/ Of convinced superiority, and her unclc's
triumph filed her with delight, because.
Z 20 her mind, &c was the triumph OF the
West that she loved TO we'll Inspired
with this feeling, she appealed 10 Harley
about the sixth or seventh day Of the
campaign for his opinion on its result.
and tho correspondent hesitated over his
answer. He found that his feeling to-
ward hor I'm this week had changed great
/ r., the elements in her character. which
al first seemed to him masculine and for
| ward, were now much modified and soft
eEed: always the picture Of that child IN
the mountains, alone among her dead,
! rose before him, and then followed the
! trefr Of he crfrI on
his saddIe-bow By the brave borderer. He
would think Of her now with a singular
/ softuess, real pity for those misty days
which she herself had almost forgotten.
Hence he hesitateG. because what he
deemed 10 be the truth would have in it
. a sting for her. But her clear eyes IN
stantly read his hesitation.
You need not be afraid TO tell me your
real opinion. Mr. Harley" she said. If
you think the chances are against Uncle
James, ] should Ike you TO say So
/ Il do think they are against him now,
although they may not be so later.
/ replied he. equivocating with himself
little 1T is an uphill fight. and then
one can easily deceive ones self; in a
nation Of eighty O. ninety millions even
. q min rity can surround q candidate with
a multitude Of people and storm of en-
thUsiasm.'
But Uncle James is the greatest cam
/ paigner ever nominated for the Presi-
dency." she said, -'and We shall yet win -
Harley said nothing in reply. but he
gladly noticed her refusal to be discoUr-
aged, like other people having an admi-
ration for courage and spirit. In fact,
it seemed TO him that she had a cheer
fulness somewhat beyond the occasion.
Three days later-they were in Pitts
burg then-she received letter addressed
] in q strong, heavy hand, her name being
spelled In large letters. Sylvia Morgan
was alone in the hotel psTloT when it was
| brought to her. and a strange shadow, OF
rather, the shadow of shadow, came
/ over her face as she held il uneasily in
/ her fingers and locked at the Idaho post
mark in the corner. She knew the hand
writing well, and she knew that il was
la true index to the character Of its au-
| thorough, strong, and large. That hand
writing could not lie, neither could he.
! She continued to hesitate, with the letter
/ in her hand; it was the first time that
she had ever done so with q letter Of his,
and she felt that she was dlsloyaL She
/ heard a voice In the other parlor-the
wide doors between were open; II was the
voice Of Harley speaking to her uncle.
and a flush crept into her cheeks. Then
/ she shook herself in q sudden little whirl
( of anger, and abruptly opened the letter
/ with a swift, tearing sound. Ii was a
/ longer letter than he usually wrote, and
/ he said:
1 My Dearest Little Sylvia: have been here Just
/ two hours, and, ] tel you the sight Of Idaho is
good for the eyes. though il would be better if YOU
we're here with me. you soon wiz be all the time
! little enc.
/ She paused a moment. looking away.
and the shadow Of the shadow came
hack to her face. Then she nlurmured