The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-07-09
THE EVENING STORY
Standing the Test.

i convention HOW'LL NO rms "oS - -
last ditch. fighting gamely. Robert
woodham. who had led many announcer
forlorn hope, and who had grown gray
| in the service OF his party Gas he had un-
derstood that service), shook his head as
he went over the columns Of figures In
the inner office at the temporary mead
quarters.
| Try as he would he could not figure
victory The two-thfrds rule prevailed
and he could count barely a majority for
the ring candidate. The nomination OF
Dudley for governor meant the triumph
of the reform faction and the utter dis
ruption of the state machine, for Foster
stood pledged to investigate to the fuilest
the graft charges brought against the
ring.
On the other hand. Graham Bailey
was secretly pledged to forget the same
promises he HAD made. Apparently ootn
men were eager to uncover the erait
that was the disgrace OF the party oue
Foster alone was sincere.
The exposure OF the graft scandals
would not affect Woodham directly. he
had always kept himself clear OF the
crooked work in the party. Could II Dc
accomplished quietly. he would welcome
the feat of Kidding the party OF those
politicians who were responsible Tor the
| scandal. but there lay the trouble! Inc
graft was widespread. Its uncover1nS
would disrupt the entire party machine
New and inexperienced men Wouio DC
placed in charge OF the party interests
and no member of the old ring couio iino
| a place in the counsels.
To Robert Woodham politics was as
the breath Of life to his nostrils. He had
played the game from the day that ne
| had organised the Junior Marching cruz
boyhood home. It was his sole rela1a-
| ton. Other strateg1sts played chess; ne
preferred the political pawn to the pits we os
Now he saw the end of it all. Unless
doubtful delegates into the Bailey ranks;
there would be a stampede to roster. y
he could arrange 10 sIa ai9ev the uncer
| tain delegates would probably Ioiio" ZIG
| lead of the deserters.
down the column. his hands clnched
nervously His glance rested for mo-
ment on Crosby county with Its eleven
Crosby county stood committed to Fos-
| ter. Gould Woodham induce them TO
tWenty-two Votes for Bailey, the eleven
votes added and the eleven taken away
| from the Foster adherents. The head OF
Graves The others would vote as he
voted Ans only cd few days 70 m 1eiDrs
At the time Woodham had refused be.
cause Graves was young attorney sun
struggling for recognition at the bar,
while Woodham was ambitious for his
daughter. Now he drew a sheet OF paper
| toward him and wrote rapidly for a mo-
envelope a nd called a messenger.
An hour later Howard Graves resting
! in his room at the hotel for .ne oa Ute
read 1t a dozen times before he placed
1t was automatically worded. It did
suggested
writer had learned that he was mistaken
| as to Graves's political affiliations II II
| Iieve, that Graves and the Crosby delega-
| ton were in reality supporters or the
| Bailey boom. he begged to withdra ora ms
opposition to the match Graves had sug-
| gested.
Graves was still uncertain when he
went into the convention hall the ioh1 }%e
Skeene county delegation Woodham nod
| ded pleasantly to him. and with GLANCE
| the galleries.
These ran about the four sides Of the
hall and directly aSS0e ab the ch shs has
come down in answer to her fathers
telegram the night before, and they en-
e es1Sa ned to her the reason he had sent
for her. 80. =, cr.vas and he
admonition Your wedding present will
be that house on Maple street. and you
can furnish It n. as tS you f,, like III take
It was heavy brfbe The house alone
was worth ten thousand and partner
would save Graves a weary struggle. 1t
was scarcely to be wondered at that her
face was white and wan as she leaned
at Graves
She heard as in dream the prelimi-
ley's name in nomination and her father
seconded 1t. asking that the nomination
be made unanimous There was de-
and some one else made the seconding
t sRssen and the chairman Of the conven-
! ton directed that the balloting begin.
| 1t was the custom In the convention
announce the vote when the name Of his
county was called and the lifeless voice
| of the clerk began.
the contest would be close, and as Cros-
| by county was called there was a stir
| through the hall. All the morning there
didafe. and Crosby county had been one
his place men moved forward on the
edge of their chairs. and Marian's face
went deadly white
regarding the blur Of faces, in which
Marian's stood out distinctly. Even at
| that distance he could see that she was
intensely Interested and the thought that
| she counted on his treachery hurt for a
\ moment. even though he realized that IT
| was natural that she should be interested
In her fathers success.
To him the time seemed an hour. to
others 1t seemed a full minute, though
| 1t was not one-ouarter of that time. Then
! with a steady voice Graves answered:
| Crosby county casts eleven votes for
| the Honorable Dudley Foster
/ For a moment there was the stiffness
| of a house of death, then the ringing
cheers broke out and a moment later
Danton county, one OF the uncertain
| quantities, followed Graves's lead and the
| stampede was started. but not at all in
accordance with woodlands plans
| The hall was still ringing with the
cheers of the triumphant Foster rooters
| when a telegraph boy approached Graves
| with message that he was wanted out
side. Quickly he made his way through