The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1907-08-26

The Girl in the Gallery
By Ez-Congreaman v. H. Buck Hinriehen
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~ story Pub Coz
alone, 1--WE must do something with
York county"
Hardin shook his head despond.
entity,
1T seems to me" said Jones, Sig.
nifcantly, that you ought to be able
to do something with French. Isn't
there a gentle influence that could be
used@
Il do not understand your" said
Hardin.
There was a time said Jones.
when French came to this house
very often ard it was said that be
was engaged to your daughter.
Hardin frowned My daughter has
been In Europe for a year
But she returned to-day" said
Jones
Il shall not permit her to have any
part in my political affairs said
Hardin, haughtily. besides, she and
French are no longer friends They
quarreled before she went abroad"
Have you talked to him about this
nomination?7 asked Jones.
mo; knew 1t was a waste Of time
and words"
Suppose / telephone him to come
here now" said Jones. 1T will DO no
harm"
"And no good, either" said Hardin.
Jones telephoned to the hotel at
which the York county delegation was
staying, and in few minutes French
was in Hardin's library.
Hardin received him cordially, and
explained that they had sent for him
to discuss the situation and expressed
a hope that a compromise between
the factions might be effected.
The young man listened politely.
"Mr Hardin he said respectfully,
there can be no question OF a com
promise My county is pledged to
Mr.. Stevens and we shall nominate
him tomorrow. / regret that this
means your defeat, for personal rea-
sons / should be glad to do anything
in my power for you But this is
political matter. and | must support
Stevens
"Mr French, said Jones slowly.
"our people can do a great deal for
young man. We are rich, and we
never forget favors."
For a moment French looked at him
with cold contempt In his strong.
honest face that embarrassed even
the hardened politician. Then he
bowed to Hardin and left the room.
The convention met IN the court
house at noon the next day. The great
hall was filed with people assembled
to witness the downfall Of the silk
Stockings and the nomination Of Mr..
Stevens The usual preliminaries
were disposed Of and the chairman or
dered the secretary to call the roll of
che counties.
ALLEN county" called the seore-
tary.
@Twenty-one votes for Hardin" re-
spondad the chairman Of the Allen
county delegation.
Blaine county called the secre-
tary.
Ten votes for Stevens" said the
Blaine chairman.
Morton county"
Sixteen votes for Hardin"
Sherman county
Twenty votes for Stevens"
York county"
Mr.. French rose ia his place TO cast
the vote Of his county. the vote that
was TO nominate Mr. Stevens.
Twelve votes for
He stopped suddenly. In the gal.
lery above the secretary's desk sat a
girl She was leaning over the rail-
ing looking down at him. 1t was the
girl he loved. the girl who would have
been his wife had not a misurder-
standing come between them. the girl
be believed was III Europe.
: Vote, whispered one Of hrs dele.
! gates eXcitedly. Vote.
The room was very still but he did
notice It, He saw only the girl Ia
the gallery and unconscioualy the
words came from his lips.
Twelve votes for Hardin
The roar that went up from the en-.
tire audience showed what he had
done. He realized that without inten.
tion he had nominated Hardin and be-
trayed his own candidate. The face
OF the girl told him that she knew It
was mistake, and it also told him
something that made even the angry
denunciations and accusations sound
to him like sweetest music.
Costly Experiment.
eBy Gosh. but Uncle Hezekiah Is