The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1908-10-01

panic stricken to heed his own indis-
erection. Every cent had in the
world! r.
He checked himself an instant too
late. I. ....r
'So?" drawled Ho:rigan, his keen
little eyes soaring the other with
boundless contempt. $50 it was you
| who were secretly buying up the stock
and failing in Oh to our game, hey?"
'I'm r;!ined! Broke! And
"And you've got it coming to you,
you whining traitor! The man who
goes back on his partners deserves all
the kicking he GETS
II didn't mean any harmw num-
| bled the crushed Gibbs. 1T couldn't
hurt you people to have me buy Bor-
| 0ugh stock for myself, and I'd have
| cleared up Il million and more. Oh,
don't glover like that. Horrigan, but
| try to think out some way off,
''Of what. you cur?"
Isn't there any way even now to
make Bennett let up on his fight?"
If there was you couldn't be of use
to you?"
"But I'd do anything in the world
nything''-
"You would?" cut in Horrigan
sharply.
Eyes. yes! Only give me a chance!
rd"-
Horrigan considered. then said re-
! fectively:
mo chance is too slight to take at a
time like this, and nobody's too rotten
| to be Of use. I've found there are
| three things. one of which will always
| buy any mana woman, ambition or
cash. We've tried Bennett on ambi.
ton; he doesn't need money, so only
| the first of the three remains"
"A woman? l don't understand"
Miss Wainwright"
"But''-
"Listen here. Benefits in love with
Wainwright's niece. You've cut him
| out Go and tell him if he'll let our
bill alone you'll smash the engagement
| and leave her free to marry him.
See?'
Il can't! I-hold on, though! After
ward could deny the whole thing,
couldn't I? It'd be his word against
mine, and she'd never believe 1 could
do such thing. III might try"
Eyes," growled Horrigan, you might.
| A cur that's lost all his nerve can try
things that even an ordinary crook
| would balk at"
But Gibbs did not hear. he had re-
turned to the corridor in search of
Bennett The man scarcely deserved
the opprobrium heaped on him by Hor-
| rigan. A brilliant, daring operator, he
| was, unknown to himself, rank cow
| ard at heart For the first time in his
life the cowardice had cropped out,
and, to do Gibbs justice, it had driven
him temporarily insane. In his nor
NAL senses he would never have stoop-
ed to the plan he was now so eager to
carry out. 1t was a putrid bit of jet
| sam at which financially drowning
man did not scruple to clutch.
Horrigan followed him from the
room, his own splendid nerve quite re-
covered from the crushing blow his
! hopes had received. He had staked
heavily on the deal. Moreover, its fail
ure, as he knew, meant the wreck of
that mighty political prestige he had
so long and wearisomely built up. 1t
might even, if Alwyn fulfilled his
threat about the notes, lead to graver
personal consequences. Yet the bull
dog pluck that had carried this man
of iron from the gutter to the summit
of political power did not desert him,
nor did he show the loss of one iota of
his customary monumental calm.
Scarcely had Horrigan quilted the
room when Perry and Dallas entered
! It.
"You could cut the atmosphere in
there with a cheese knife" Perry was
saying. civilians doesn't think the
Borough bill will come up for half an
hour or so. We'd better spend the
time till then in here than to stay there
and turn our lungs into microbe ZOO"
Dallas did not answer She sat down
! by the table and rested her head de-
jectedly on one little gloved hand The
sight of Bennett, his grave, hopeless
| appeal to her; the calm, utter despair
! of his brave facial these had affect
ed her deeply. Perry noticed with
brotherly concern her look and attitude
"Feeling faint?' he asked.
"No, I'm all right, thanks"
'You look pretty near as blue as Al
wyn. He''-
Don't let's talk of him, please" she
begged.
"Why not? He's the whitest chap
this side of Whiteville."
That's what used to think, but
know better now"
Then. MISS" broke in a voice from
the doorway, you're entitled to anoth-
er Know"
Phelan. who, passing down the cor
ridor, had heard her last words as he
reached the threshold, turned into the
room.
EXCUSE me for buttin' in on a FAM