The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1906-10-28
CHAPTER Y.
king PTuDImer.


Meanwhile the evening was proving Of
no less interest 10 Harley than Il
Churchill. although in quite different
way. lie had noticed when they parted
az the hotel door, the apparent sadness
or rather. the touch Of the pathetic in
the manner OF Miss Morgan. and he OBJ
served IL aEaiu when they were ali re-
united at the hotel table Heretofore she
had been light, ironical. and bearing a
full share in the talk, but now she merely
replied when spoken To directly and heI
tone had the tinge OF melancholy. Mr.
and Mrs Grayson looked at her more
than once, as If they were about 90 refer
to some particular subject. but always
they rrfrained. instead. they sought by
light talk TO divert attention from her
and they succeeded in every case but
that of Harley.
II was not a long dinner. and IS they
returned 10 the ladies' parlOr they were
welcomed by a loud, joyous cry. and out
Of the dark Of the room a big man pro-
iected himself 20 greet them His first
words were for Miss Morgan. whom he
affectiOnately called Little Girl" and
whom he seized by the hands and kissed
on the forehead. 1t was a loud voice
but round, fuil. and mellow, ana Harley
judged that il came from big nature as
Well as a big body
When the man stepped into the light
Harley saw that he was over six feet
tail and with q width according His
broad face was covered with short. iron
gray beard. and his head was matched
with hair equally thick and OF the same
gray shade. in years he might have been
fifty. and it was Harley's first impression
Miss Morsan's- father-it came to him
with a rather queer feeling that Il had
never occurred TO him to ask about her
parents. whether they were living or
dead. and what kind Of people they were
or had been.
The stranger shook hands with Mr. and
Mrs. GraysOn. and expressed yocaily the
pleasure that his eyes also conveyed.
Harley and Hobart were the only others
present and. turning To them. Mr.. Gray
son introduced the stranger. Mr.. William
Plummer-"king Plummer. YOU know"
Then Harley remembered vaguely. and
he began tn place Mr.. Plummer He
recalled illusions I'm the press to one
William plummer otherwise king
Plummer. VINO lived in the far North
west. and who having amassed millions
In ranching and mining, had also become
a great power in the political world.
hence his term king" which was more
fitting in his case than in that of many
real kings. He had developed remark
able skill in politics, and, as the phrase
went, held Idaho. his own State in the
hollow Of his hand and i'm close cleo
ton could certainly swing Montana and
Wyoming as he wished, and perhaps Utah
and Washington, too.
ETarIcy--s interest instantly became keen
and he did not take his eyes off King
Plummcr. Clearly he was a man of
power; he fairly rJdiated il. not merely
physically, but mentally Hty- gestures
his voice. every movement indicated a
vast reserve strength This was one Of
the great men whose development the
rough field Of the new West had per-
mitted.
Harley was not alone interested in
king" PIummer. but also in the kiss
that he had put upon the white forehead
of Sylvia Morgan and his bOisterOus JOY
AT seeing her Since he was not her IA
Their. it was likely that he was her uncle
not by blood. as Jimmy GraysOn was, but
as the husband OF an aunt perhaps. Yes,
this must be it. he concluded, and the kiss
seemed more reasonable.
When King Plummer was introduced
to Harley and Hobart, he shook hands
with them most cordially, but as keen d
man as Harley could see that he regarded
them as mere youths. or kids" as the
king himself would have said. There
was nothing depreciatOry in this beyond
the difference between age and great
achievement and youth which had not yet
had the time to fulfill its promise. and
Harley. because of 1t, felt no decrease Of