Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-07-30


over to office buildings and apartment
houses.
The hour was late. An hour and
more had passed since the young mny.
or and his mother had returned from
tho administrator ball. The house
was silent and even the usually busy
streets outside were wrapped In the
hush that never fnlls until after mid
night md Is dispersed by the gray Of
dawn Late as II was Alwyn had made
no move to discard his evening clothes.
Alone he sat, his head resting between
his crossed arms on the desk before
him.
Motionless. Inert. hopeless. he had re-
uieincd there ever since his arrival
from the ball. But II his body was
moveless. his brain was nwhlrl. Try
os he would I've could see no light IN
the tangie Of events into which his
own sense OF right had plunged him,
lie SOW the future stretching out be-
fore him drcary and barren as rainy
sea.
Through all Of his months OF battling
he had ever struggled forward through
Increasing difficulties toward one bright
goal-Dallns love. And now that 1--we
was snatchcd from his grasp. through
no fault OF his own. and bestowed on y
man unworthy to kiss the hem OF her
garment.
At each step In the long climb Alwyn
had asked himself. Would she np.
provey" And now through trying to
be worthy that approval he had for
ever lost II. for Dallas. he knew, had
not only rejected him and engaged her
self to Gibbs, bu: had done so with the
belief thu. Ben lett was hcartless, I'M
scrupul>us intrigue. undcservinG OF 4
good woman regar!
A rnp at tho doc aroused Bennett
from his bite; thought' He lifted his
head wearll..- and gave wore to enter.
HE says IT'S important business sir, -
said the footn.an. And he wishes to
see you at once II possible.
"Show him up answered Bennett.
dropping his voice so as not to disturb
his mother. who SLEPT on tie fAmc
floor Il W.T. see him here"
A minute later Horrran's bulky form
blocked the threshold.
Queer tim. OF nigh. for n call" hc
observed casually. as he entc et unn
vited. closed the door benin. him and
took chai'. but M business
wouldn't wait"
Then state 1t ~ briefly ns ron can, II
directed. Bennett making no move &c
rise or welcome his unbiddcn guest
ut Is very late. and am tired.
i've come &c SCI yor about ou- Eor
ough bill"
''Sc | snppos. "a"
you won't cal! or your fight ngnins
u.s."
THAT question is hardly worth an
swerlng. No"
II though: net. Well. Mr.. Alwyr
Bennett, I've got YOU I've 60: you
no you understand me-
"Perfectly. Is that nl.:"
NO. II mint ALL" miInicked the boss
where | want vow"
THAT doesn't interest me. II you've
nothing else to say
"Rut have" chucklcd Horrigan
"When 1t came to n showdown he
tween us two | put staff Of men t
looking up your record
"You found nothing you could use
Is that
mo; It isn't even the beginning
Then I remembered about your IA
Their"
about my fnthcr?'
1t grated on Bennett thnt hts den,
fathers honored name should he spc
ken by this low politician, but befor
he could protest moro forcibly Horr
gan went on:
What d'you think II l said your IL
Their was II grafter-one OF the wors
OF his time;'
I'D say you lied" answered Kennel
calmly. and Ia drive the foul II
down your throat with my FIST. You
have to think OF some better scheM
than that"
do you think Id BE- Idiot enough ,
come here with the story II dldn
have full proof Of IT." asked IIorr.ga
in contempt.
And. despite himself Alwyn saw III
man was speaking what he believed
be the truth, He paused in his impu
sive forward move. rescntcd himse
and asked coldly:
What 40 called proofs hive yC
been fooled by your heelcrs into thin
ing
Don't believe me. hey? Well, yc
Will fast enough before I'm done. Y
less you're afraid Of what I've got
say"
"l'm not afraid OF anything You CT
say. The highest tribute 10 my
theirs memory Is the fact that n c.
like you cannot defllc IL. Go on. I
listen to you,"
VERY good" said Horrigan, qui
uhmoved. I'll make 1t as short as
can. I remembered your father 8
rich pretty quick. lie was n memb
Of the organization, and his firm 6
the Jobs OF building the aqueduct al
the new library, That gave me n
clew. looked up the specifications
both Jobs. md turned them over
the old engineering firm OF Morris
Cherrington. You know the firm. p'
haps. II You don't, you can look the
up. They don't belong to the orgnni'
ton; they're the best experts In til,
line. and they can't be juggled with.
Il know them. Go on"
II paid them fancy sum to 60 ov
those specifications and then exemi
~