Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-07-23
She Hrgus Daily Short Story
Standing the TESTIFY w. F. Bryan.
Copyrighted. 1903, by Associated Literary Press

EXCITEMENT was at white heat in the
convention town. The ring was in the
last ditch, fighting gamely. Robert
Woodham, who had led many another
ferlorn hope and who had grown gray
in the service of his party (as be had
understood that service), shook his
head as he went over the columns OF
figures IN the inner Office at the tenn
porary headquarters.
Try as he would he could not figure
a victory. The two-thirds rule pre-
vailed and he could count barely q
majority for the ring candidate. The
nomination of Dudley for governor
meant the triumph of the reform fac
ton and the utter disruption of tho
state machine, for Foster stood
pledged to investigate to the fullest
the graft charges brought against the
ring.
On the other hand, Graham Bailey
was secretly pledged TO forget the
same promises he had made Appar
emily both men were eager to uncover
the graft that was the disgrace of TIA
party. but Foster alone was sincere
The exposure of the graft scandals
He had always kept himself clear OF
the crooked wcrk in the party. Could
it he accomplished quietly. he would
welcome the feat of Kidding the party
of those politicians who were respOn-
sible for the scandal, but here lay the
trouble, The graft was widespread.
Its uncovering would disrupt the en-
tire party machine. New and mex
perienced men would be placed in
| charge of the party interests. and ne
| members of the old ring could find g
place in the councils.
To Robert Woodbam politics was as
| the breath of life to his nostrils. He
| had played the game from the day
| that he had organized the Junior
| Marching club in the little village
which had been his boyhood home
| 1t was his sole relaxation. Other stra-
| tegists played chess. He preferred
| the political pawn to the bits of carved
wood or ivory and his board was ar
| entire state
| Now he saw the end of It all. I'm
less on an early ballot he could swing
| the doubtful delegates into the Bailey
| ranks there would be Il stampede ia
| Foster. If he coald arrange to stani
| pede some OF the Foster delegates tC
Bailey the uncertain delegates would
| probably follow the lead of the &c
| serters.
As for the hundredth time his ey,
ran down the column his hands clinch
ed nervously. His glance rested for ;
moment on Crosby county with its
eleven votes.
Crosby county stood committed t,
Foster Could Woodham induce then
to change it would mean a difference
of TWENTY-FIVE votes for Bailey, thu
eleven votes added and the eleven TAX
en- away from the Foster adherents
The head of the Crosby delegation wa
Howard Graves. The others woul,
vote as he voted. And only few day
before Graves had asked consent +
marry Marian Woodham!
| At the time Woodham had refused
because Graves was a young attorne.
still struggling for recognition at th
bar. while Woodham was ambition
for his daughter. Now he drew
sheet of paper toward him and wrot
rapidly for moment Then he thrus
the sheet into an envelope and Gale
a messenger.
An hour later Howard Graves, res
Ing in his room at the hotel for th
battle of the morrow. received til
missive and read ii dozen times b,
fore he placed it in his pocket.
1t was alphabetically worded.
did not openly bride. but suggeste
that the writer had learned that b
was mistaken as to Graves polite:
affiliations. If it was true. as he no.
had reason TO believe, that Graves an
the Crosby delegation We're in realit
supporters of the Bailey boom, he be.
ged to withdraw his opposition to th
match Graves had suggested.
Graves was still uncertain when b
went into the convention hall the 70
lowing morning From his place
the Skeene county delegation Woo
ham nodded pleasantly to. him. an