The Dolores star., 1909-05-28
CHAPTER XII.

Morley Vernon came out Of the din.
ing room In a temper far different
from that he had worn when he went
in. His breakfast. after SO many VI
cissitudes, was sure to be . failure,
though John. striving against fate. had
tried to restore the repast to its orig
inal excellence by replacing each dish
with fresh one. He affected heroic
cheerfulness. too, but the cheer was
hollow. for his experience Of men and
of breakfasts must have taught him
that such disasters can never be re-
paired.
Vernon, however. had heavier things
on his mind. In his new position az
knight-errant Of Illinois womankind.
he had looked forward to this day as
the one Of triumph: now. ct its begin
ming, he found himself with two Of
Tended women on his hands, and two
hopeless.y irreconcilable mistresses to
serve. He began to see that the lot Of
a constructive statesman is trying; he
would never criticise leaders again.
The lobby of the hotel was filling
rapidly. and men with their hair still
damp from the morning combing we're
passing into the breakfast room with
newspapers In their hands. In the
center of the lobby. however. he saw
a group of senators. and out of the
middle of the group rose a dark bon
net; the flowers on the bonnet bobbed
now and then decisively. Around 1t
were clustered other bonnets. but they
were motionless, and. as 1t were. sub
ordinate.
Can you tell me who that is?"
asked Brooks Of Alexander, jerking his
thumb at the group.
YES" said Vernon. that's Gen.
Hodge-Lathrop. She's on her way to
the front to assume command"
"Oh!" said Brooks. Il saw some
thing in the papers" And he went
away. reading as he walked.
Vernon looked everywhere for Miss
Greene, but he could not find her. The
porter at the Capitol avenue entrance
told him that she had driven over to
the State House few minutes before.
Vernon was seized by an impulse to
follow. but he remembered Amelia.
He could not let matters go on thus
between them. II only Mrs. overman
Hodge-Lathrop were not in command;
If he could get Amelia away from her
for a while. II he could see her alone,
he felt that explanations would be pos
sible.
He looked at his watch; It was half
past nine; the senate would convene
at ten; the resolution would not be
reached before half-past ten at any
rate; and 80 he determined to brave
Mrs. Overman Hodge-Lathrop again.
He turned back into the lobby; there
she was, hobnobbing with men; she
did not pass from group to group. aft
er the manner of any other lobbyist.
but by some coercion he wished he
might be master of. she drew them un-
erringly to her side. Now she had
Braidwood. the leader of the house.
and chairman of the steering commit
tee, and Porter. the leader Of the SEN
ate. She appeared to be giving them
Instructions.
She had set her committee on less
important game; the ladies we're scat
tered over the rotunda. each talking to
q little set of men. When Mrs. Over
man Hodge-Lathrop saw Vernon COM
ing. she turned from Braidwood and
Porter and stood awaiting him.
Strangely enough Braidwood and Por-
ter stayed where they were. as If she
had put them there. And Vernon re-
flected that he had never known them,
as doubtless no one else had ever
known them, to do such thing as
that before.
Where's Amelia!" he asked before
/ she could speak.
II have sent her upstairs said
Mrs. overman Hodge-Lathrop. poor
child"