The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-02

RAg1pAOC ~ eAAN wy &AA
vastly disturbed my Senator, and that when
he had heard Of her husbands critical con-
dition he had accepted Il al . satisfactory
solution; that Jack Bliven, q %rufian, brutal
and desperate, with q grudge against Adsit,
had been closeted with my Senator but q
few hours before the assault, and now was
recognized as one OF his lieutenants; that
Oh, / remembered many another Isolated
but pertinent fact, hitherto d~isregarded.
which now joined in warning me that /
must let Mr.. Savage know Of the possible
danger.
But howl A Senator'S secretary In the
heat Of . campaign was q privileged person,
free 70 come and 90. So, too, . telegram
always had entr6s into the most exclusive
political gathering. With . muttered ex-
cuse Of some neglected duty, Ihurried from
the room.
The dinner was the one point Of attraO-
tion In tho house, but I managed, undi-
rected, to work my way TO the Governors
once. There I found . telegraph blank
and envelope to match. out Of which I
constructed q telegram, at In substance
and appearance.
Buttons, the Inverted boy at tho door,
was faithful. though sleepy. to his post.
Him I despatched In all haste to the banqust
ball with the message for Mr.. Savage. 40
Just received and marked urgent. Then
/ followed at my leisure, confident that
my method had proved effective.
".
So, too, 10 dynamite effective, though not
always in the way intended. I rhet Buttons
at the dining room door, coming out.
II gev' it to Miss Sheed. he explained.
As I entered Miss Skeed was Just re-
Stunning her seat, and In Mrs. Adsit's hands
! saw tho warning message I had meant
for my Senator.
why, oh, why did you do such . thinef"
I faltered, reproachfully, a. I sunk hot, cold
and adrip by Miss Skeed's aide.
"Why1' she snapped back, Perhaps bo-
cause 1 have . soft feeling for Geraldine,
after all, and would rather see her marry
An honest mar than that bloodless, heartless
Cabaniss. Perhaps because years ago when
my heart was warmer your Senator's heart
was Just a. false. Don't you know better
than to ask q woman who has lived her
rsasons1 Besides-
But besides" whatever IL was, was
never uttered. Suddchly Mrs. Adsit, who
had sat a. II stunned with the message In
her hands, pushed back her chair and rose
to her feet, sweeping the board with one
fash Of rage from her fine eyea
"Oh, q choice lot ye all are she cried;
from thin that sheer and dout TO him
that smiles and fawns.'
And she gave my Senator q side look
that caused him to start and then ~straighton
a. II from an unexpected blow.
s0h, you are all too pure and good for
tho likes Of me-" she continued In q sort Of
singsong, with your skirts brushed back
and your eyes turned away, m II poor
Mollie Merton was wuss than the plague.
And yet, oh, my Gawdi and yet, I have
pr-roof In me hands"-the roll OF her Rs
was like cannonading-"Ih have pr-roof here,
now, this very minute. that It has been
thought wise and prudent TO war; your pet,
your ~fav'rit', your leader, yOur head divil,
that my poor husband may come here In the
full possession Of his sinses-'
IF you refer to me in such extraordinary
terms, my good madam interrupted Mr..
Savage suavely, II must beg to observe that
I am in no wise responsible for the tenor Of
the message which you seem to rave APP
propriated--'
mot responsible whin IL is writ to do
CctVO Oh y EOCOlVcI = blAuA W Olnb POOE
creatureof a Duffer Of yours, and be damned
to you bot
Oil There was q united scream from
the outr lged xisterhood. The Governor
pushed back his chair. and whispered to
che nunky at his back. But the redoubt-
able Mollie stood her ground.
And 30 / say she screeched, before
I shake your dust and your comp'ny for
ever, In the words OF h only decent mar
here, 'Wud to Gawd that my husband might
come and give this assemblage the benefit
Of his restored memoryl'
Scarcely had these words been uttered,
when, az II In answer TO than, tho doors
opened, and In tottered an aged and wasted
man, his head bandaged, his face ghastly
pale, his eyes burning with malignant reso-
luton. It was Bliss Adsit.
Mrs. Adsit, flying to his side. Tell thin
all who 1t was that hurted you; renounc
the villain howiver high his head, that put
up the job
He pushed her aside. For a moment, no
stood erect, gazing around In triumph on
the frightened -women, the bewtldered
dignitarles; on MsrriheId, calm and con-
hdent: on Geraldine, half smiling, half
crying; on Cabaniss, yellow and ~shrunken;
on my Senator, no longer buoyant, but once
Miss Skeed, her faded eyes on the Senator
Il will, at length, he said. Il saw the
man distinctly. II vast wAs-
He stopped short; he staggered. A dull
red surged over his waxen throat, lips,
cheek s and forehead, submerging his eyes,
He str uck his hand to his heart; he fell
forward, never to rise.
As the panic stricken mob rushed from
the ROOM, I stood aside, waiting until Mr..
Savage, as deliberate, as diGnihed, as SUI
perb OF assurance, as II he had just achieved
one OF his spectacular triunphs In the
Senate, passed by.
Rather a narrow squeal, hey, Buffum1'
he whisp cred.
Then 1 followed, leaving a dishevelled
end frantic woman In red bending over the
lead man.