The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-12-23
HHLRLSE
CHAPTER xxIv.

Day by day the popularity of Crun- den was waxing. The lower his TOT. tunes fell. the higher he rose in pupnc favor. All prated of his success. cvh otent London and Suburban. not re. mem bering which were his houses ana which the Company's. only caring TOT the fact that new town had sprung into life on the Hill. and that trade was booming. But to Crunden it seem ed that fate was mocking nm. Mas driving him on to rum amiost choiu' of fronical praise.
 There is something in the wind. said Mir. Hope of The Advertiser. You saw my last article on Municipal DE pitx7--weli: a whisper in your ear. MT. Crunden. It has been mooted-to in- vite you to act as Mayor"
 "Gammon," said Mir. Crupden.
 ssThe project has been mboted." said Mir. Hope. with great importance. Tt Is men of your stamp that we want men of wealth who can entertain-and worthily uphold the municipal dignity. Our mayors have been poor little men of iate--we want big men like yonr- self"
 soh. that's just gammon. Tim not even. on the Council"
 | sTt is unusual" said Mir. Hope, pom pousIy, ito go outside the Council Tor Mayor. but 1t has been done again and again--as In the case of these lords l and the large towns--the Duke or Nor l folk--the Marquess of Bute-and many other noblemen possessing urban terri | tory." f
 | MT. Crunden told Jack of this con- l versation, and sadly confessed that the I possibility of such an honour would once have been very welcome. | Tt is thing that would have | liked. sir--beens very proud of--once. l Ilyrf fn m P0n9 l now--it would come too late. :. i Who's that passed the window? Not | that Padfeld again?' l Day after day at Kings Cottage they | were worried with visitors. People wasted the workers time--in silly po- liteness, or because of their own stupid affairs. And ever since Mrs. Dowling's 8
 explosive entrance, then nerves of Crun-
 den and his clerk had been shaky: they
 dreaded callers and started at the sound of bell or knocker.
 I MT. Charles Padfeld was Of late a
 much dreaded tine-waster. He wor-
 ried Lizzie by attention whenever she
 met him out walking. Which way you going, Miss Crunden? I don't
 mind which way go. What? Going
 home? Then I'll walk with you--and
 look in on old Jack" And MT. Pad
 field, vacuously leering, would pay
 most insipid and undesired compli-
 ments.
 How well you're looking. Miss Crun-
 den. I never saw you looking so well
 How fast you walk. D'you ever go tc
 the theatre? Why couldn't we get up
 --theatre party-eh?'
 One could only suppose that MT. Ped
 field. looking about him vacantly. had
 decided that Miss Crunden was, in the ! old phrase, well worth following up.
 He certainly followed her whenever he
 saw her in public places. and even fol-
 lowed her into the shelter and privacy
 of home.
 "IIallo. Jack. must be goin. Just
 escorted Miss Crunden. How're you
 getting on--rakin' in the dollars, eh- Why don't you build hotel. and cut out the White Hart? Got cigarette
 have you. Very well, I won't smoke in here. I must be off," Without telling Mir. Padfield to go. il was almost impossible to make hin go-although he was always promis ing to do 30.
 Jack was extraordinarily busy-mys- teriously occupied from morning til night. thoughtful. absent minded He was in fact attempting task of the most ambitious character He had said to Crunden: Tt sounds rather cheek. sir. but may try to make |
 scheme nova getting-out scheme. don't want to speak of 1t to old Dowl- ing. But let me see if can make i solid and then put it before you-and him. I don't suppose therell be any.
 thing in it-and yet can't help think
 ing see daylight"
 Do you. sir? I doubt it--but try Yes. try what you like-so long as yo, don't let folks guess how we stand" Give me Q week." said Jack. "Giv,
 me week-clear from today-and IT report progress. promise won't q, any harm--if l don't do any good" <f More letters came, for MT. Vincent now than for Mir. Crunden. In thi week 1t was as if the clerk had becom .1 the principal. He hurried hither- ant , thither. round and round the town, ur to London before breakfast, back fl Medford before dinner. He sat at hil desk for long hours covered his tabl, with prodigious masses of papers plans, lists, schedules-that Mrs. Price and the maid were forbidden to touch as he sat writing he would not answe when you spoke to him: when yo, thought he was at last coming to meal. he sprang up, snatched his hat
 and dashed out of the house. He hac thought for nothing beyond his nev
 work. Visitors now made him very ir ritable: the Crundens left him unmo tested, but visitors seemed to conspirt to stop him in his mysterious efforts. Mother dear. I'm so busy---forglv, me-" Lady Vincent had come to tn,
 cottage, but he would not get out of hi N chair to talk with his mamma. H would scarcely look round. ''rll dim with you next week--any day you like Forgive me for the moment; and h went on working.
 Her ladyship. awestruck bv such un X remitting and stupendous labor, talke to Lizzie in the adjoining room. "Is he always like that now?" aske Ladv Vincent solicitously. M Almost always" said Lizzie. ''He 1 engaged on something special--for m father: and he cannot bear being inter N rupted. Father says 1t will only go O for A week."
 "A week! But that is a long time
 His health may break down in week
 Do urge him to be careful. This work
 ing at such high pressure must be dan B gerous.
 ''I was going to tell him." Lady Win = cent added. that we are in the yer = greatest anxiety about our poor Cousi
 Harriet There has been startlin change in her condition and the doci X ha vi Mo ht.e