Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1907-06-08
THE PLUM TREE
lcontinued from a week.l

"Precisely-their appeutes." said
he.
"A starved man has to practice eat
ing long, long time before he can
equal the performances OF a trained
glutton.' ] suggested
His facial response to my good humor-
ed raillery was feeble indeed And
IT soon died in look of depression
that made him seem even older and
more decrepit than was his wont
The same story. wherever go" said
he sadly. The business interests re
fuse to see their peril And when l.
/ In my zeal, persist. they--several Of
them. Sayler. have grinned at me and
reminded me that the legislature to
be elected next fall will choose my
successor! As if my own selfish in
| terests were all ! have in mind, /
am old and feeble on the verge of the
! grave. Do you think, Mr.. Sayler,
that ] would continue in public life
| II IL were not for what | conceive to
be my duty to my party? ! have toll
ed too long for it,"
Your record speaks for itself, SEN
ator," put in, politely but pointedIy
You are very discouraging. Say.
/ Ter" he said forlornly. But | refuse
to be discouraged The party needs
you, and have come to do my duty
and won't leave without doing il 3"
Il have nothing to do with the com.
pany's political contributions, said |.
/ You will have TO see Mr.. Ramsay, as
usual"
He waved his hand. Let me ex-
plain, please Roover is about to re-
sign-as you probably know, he's
been chairman of the party's state
committee for II years. I've come to
ask you to take his place"
1t was impossible wholly to hide
my amazement, my stupefaction. Had
he had the shadowiest suspicion of
my plans of the true inwardness OF
the Croffutt Dominick movement, he
would as readily have offered me his
own head In fact, he was offering
me his own head for, with the money
and the other resources at my com
mand. needed only this place of Off
cial executive OF the party to make
me master. And here he was, giving
me the place, under the delusion that
he could use me as he had been using
Roover
He must have misread my express
sion. for he went on: Don't refuse on
impulse, Sayler. I and the others will
do everything to make your duties as
light as possible.
II should not be content to be a
mere figurehead. as Roover has been"
l warned him. He had come, in his
desperation to try to get the man
Ing. as he supposed, Dominicks
enemy, and a member OF one of the
states financially influential families
He had come to cozen me into letting
him use me in return for a mockery
of an honor. And | was simply tum
bling him, or rather. permitting him
to tumble himself, into the pit he had
dug for me. Still, felt that | owed
it TO myself to give him chance. IF
take the place, l shall fill it to the
best of my ability,
4lnly-we want your
his bland cordial
mask | saw the spider eyes cleaning
and the spider claws twitching as he
felt his net culver under lowering
wings I'VE want you've need you
Sayler. We expect you to do your
best"
Nv hot hAS
have been, had | been only what he
thought-dependent upon him for sup
plies-surFounded by his lieutenants,
hearing nothing but what he chose TO
tell me. and able TO execute only such
orders as he gave or approved!
Il am sure We can count on you"
he urged
Il will try it," said |, after fur
| Their hesitation that was not altogeth-
( er show.
He did not lingerie wished to
give me no chance to change my
mind and fly his net. | was soon
alone, staring daZedly at my windfall
and wondering If fortune would ever
give me anything without attaching to
! IL tudt WHICH NOulu ludhc ilc uoubt
whether my gift had more OF bitter
or more Of sweet in 1t.
| Dunkirk announced the selection OF
a new chairman that very afternoon
las a forecast, of course. for there
was the formality of my election by
/ the GO members of the state commit
! tee to be gone through. His PROPOSE
! tion was we'll received. The old-line
| politicians remembered my father;
! the reformers recalled my fight
against Dominick; the business men
! liked my connection with the Ramsay
company, assuring stability and re
gard for conservatism; the boys
were glad because | had rich wife
! and a rich brother-in-law. The boys"
always cheer when man with money
develops political aspirations.
| | did not see Woodruff until | went
| down TO the capital TO begin my in
itiation. came upon him there. In
/ the lohhv of the Canital CITY hotel