Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-18
CHAPTER XIII-Continued.

silence Harrison still by my side. /
knew that he was thinking over his plan.
and 1 was sure that the idea appealed
strongly to his strange humor. He was
Grey's lieutenant. that is in a political
sense. but he could never care for Grey
himself. At the crest of the second hill
he left me, turning back toward the town
and from the heights / saw his figure
far down in the valley. clearly outlined
in the bright sunshine.
The next day Pauline Harmon appeared
again in the lobby of the house. duly es-
corted by the elderly aunt. Mrs. Crossfield,
and took a seat quietly in a rather re-
mote corner. She was fully maintaining
her new reputation. which was now prac-
tfcally her only Frankfort name, and
many of the members were glad enough
to go into the lobby and talk to one SO
handsome and so attractive. Nor was I
surprised to see Harrison rise from his
desk. walk deliberately down the aisle
and make his way TO Pauline Harmon,
where he took seat beside her and was
soon In animated conversation. Harrison
was a man of fine face and figure, with
the addition of the intellectual quality
that Is generally known as personal mag
netism. and I knew that his attentions
would please Pauline Harmon. From my
seat I could see her eyes sparkling and
a gratifled smile on her face.
The next afternoon a beautiful one,
Harrison took Pauline Harmon driving.
AS | have said, In small place like
Frankfort everything is known. and two
or three people tod me of it. There was
no reason why he should not take her,
she was widow and he unmarried
man, while both had reached the years
Of discretion. yet felt sure that it would
cause much talk I was not mistaken. In
few days the whole town was discussing
Harrson's infatuation, and l was forceo
to smile at the use of the word 'infatua
ton in this instance. 1t was Jimmy
Wartfeld who told me a tale of progre IS
two or three days later. He came into my
room and threw himself into my easy
chair by the window and said:
We'll, Harry, It's on, and It's in full
blast"
What's on. and what In full blast?'
THE Irritation between Harrison and
Pauline Harmon. He is in constant at
tendance upon her. and / understand
Gtorge Grey is in a state that cannot be
described. He Is furious and at the same
time helpless. Harrison Is his campaign
manager, and Grey believes that Harrison
Is infallible. He still chershes the fool
ish idea that he can be made governor.
but that nobody except Harrison can do
it, therefore he is afraid to quarrel and
also he is afraid to stir up row because
he has a wife here in Frankfort. such a
lever In the falibility of Providence
when it gave her to George Grey"
l did not answer him. found no amuse-
ment In the situation.
Il think" continued Warfield, that it
is all malicious mischief on the part of
Harrison. I don't believe he really cares
for Pauline Harmon"
He had made a shrewd guess, but l was
still silent.
II believe Mrs Grey does not object to
IIar ,~fcDv, &c., ~
/ could we'll believe it. 1t would be a
relief to Alicia to see these energies
turned elsewhere. But Of Alicia herself I
saw but little. though | met her once at
the house Of Judge Wharton.
My attention was absorbed now for the
time being by the apportionment bill,
which was fast coming to an issue. Har-
rison led the opposition, speaking often
with great eloquence, satire and point, and
showing himself consummate parliament
tary leader. when he cared.
In this contest, in which. through no
choice Of my own, | was pitted against
him, / studied his methods closely, and l
felt that l was learning much from him.
But did not borrow from Harrison when
1t came to the use of personal irony. AS
have said already, anybody can be d
wit of the kind that generally passes for
such If he has no regard for the feelings
of others.
The night before the taking of the vote
1oat and walked two or three hours in
the darkness strolling far out on the
hills.
Then 1 came back slowly, down the
At the ladies' entrance a man sprang
from a carriage that had just stopped
and helped out a lady. The man was
Harrison. l saw his face distinctly in the
electric light. and should have known
his figure in the darkness. The lady,
wrapped in heavy cloak. looked up at
Harrison and I saw Pauline Harmon.
But 1t was the look on her face, not the
woman herself or the fact that she was
there. that surprised me. There is a
certain look which woman gives only
to one man. and one who has seen much
of people always knows 1t.
I turned away toward tile main en-
trance, but Pauline Harmon quickly en-
tered the hotel. and Harrison, dismissing
tire carriage. followed me. When he stop
ped me with some ordinary remark. l felt
that I could take a liberty that he had
often taken with me. and l said:
What is begun in jest or for passing
fancy may be carried too far!
What do you mean?' he asked, with
quick uplifting of his head.
"A woman can never be played WITH,
replied. Either she or the man must
suffer-
He seemed surprised at first. but became
thoughtful and said no more.
! was in the house early the next morn
ing, and assuming an Indifference that 1
did not feel, / read my letters while the
members assembled.
looked now and then at the Hobbies,
which were rapidly filling up, and l Won
dered when Alicia would come-that she
would come l never doubted-and present
ly saw her enter with her mother. There
was just a little touch of color in her
dress, but her face was white like snow.
not the white of illness, but the white of
long sadness and sorrow. She and Mrs.
Warren sat down together and She looked
slowly around the house, bowling slightly
later and took a seat about a dozen feet
away. Pauline Harmon was on the other
side of the lobby, quietly dressed and say
ing but little. ! noticed that she watched
Harrison attentiveiy.
AS the clerk began to call the roll my
confidence rose, l believed that fair play
would triumph over partisanship. The Is
were reached and my name was called. l
voted for the passage of the PedAn bill,
and as the clerk went Oh down the line l
began to feel sure that We should win. l
glanced first at Harrison and ! believe
that he read the verdict as | had read it.
His face fell little, not much, but in a
moment he was composed and began to
whisper something amusing to his neigh
bors.
The calling of the roll was finished and
the Peden bill was passed by majority
OF eight. That 1t would pass subsequently
in the senate was known already, and it
was now as good as a law. The house
and the Hobbies. despite the speakers
gavel, broke into cheering. and Peden,
leaning over, graSped me by the hand
Clarke he said its YOU who have