The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-06-26
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 ssSend for your best, sharpest report er," resumed Caleb. Give him an out line of this case against old SheVlln. Tell him to spread himself on it. As a starter, tell him Shevlin an me used to be friends. an suggest that he a better chase around here first or all an interview me, to find out If l ever heard of the graft trick that was worked on those two public buildin's I never let reporters get in here; but I'll make an exception. in this case, cause he'll bring a per'nal note from my pers'nal friend. AInzi Nicholas Cajne, Esquire. I'll talk to him kind of guarded-Iike. But pretty soon I'll get rattled under his questions, an let out enough to put him on the right track. Then when I see he's s'plclous, I'll give in an tell him the whole thing, an exonerae OF Shevlin to beat the band. That reporter'l feel like the man who went out for squirrels an brought home a bear. Then, when he reports back to you, want you should be firm in your dooty to the c'moonity You must decide that pers'na1 friend ship can't stand in the way of the public's sacred right to find out things that's none of their business. Print the whole terrible trooth. Don't spare name till it shines like it had a Satdy night bath. An Dey- ain't-to-be- mentionedI Understand?"
 H0fIGClly, dnSWeTGQ Sdlhe. <Aiiu I'll do nothing of the sort.'
 Dye mean you-?"
 q mean just this: You are the most constituencies, inhuman brute I ever met: but have sort of morbid liking for you. Besides. as you so often take graceful occasion to remind me. am in your debt for certain financial favors. Also. I have some regard for newspaper. For all those reasons-and for several more-Tm not going to help you to commit social suicide. nor to stamp yourself as more of a highway plain?"
 ESQ plain that it's plumb ugly" re- piled Caleb. But you'll do 1t just the same. If it ain't the Star. it'll be one in to be in print by tomorrow morn in. You speak bout likln' me an be- in in my debt. The best way you can show that nkin' an gratitood is by best paper in Granite an it's read by the best people. Don't you s'pose I'd rather have folks get their first idee of the story from such a paper as that to front page of some screechin' sheet. in letters two feet high?"
 .But,'' argued Caine. What sense is there in doing it at all?"
 From a grown mans point of view" admitted Caleb. There ain't mite of sense in it. It's straight craziness. But if you think I'm goin' to let Dey go around knowin' the trooth about her old crook of a father who she worships. you're wrong. She thinks he was a measly saint with tin halo. An she gets pleasure out Of thinkin' 1t. An she's goin' to go right on thinkin' it to the end of the game. What sort of a yellow dog would I be to let her hear. things about him that'd make her cry an that would sure break her heart? There's another thing: She's Inf int a She to folks houses an has g. good time there Who's goin' to invite a crooks daughter to their house? Or. do you think she'd go to such places. knowin' how they thought of her father? Not her. She'd die first. Why, ev'ry time folks looked at her in the street. she'd be thirkin' to herself: Tt ain't because I'm so pretty an cause my eyes look like two chunks of heaven. an cause when I smile at you it makes you feel as if someone had lent you money. She'd think: They're pointin' me out as the daughter of Shevlin who stole cash from the cityI' No. no. son! She ain't going to have none of those things happen to her. Not while Caleb Con- ain't in my line. That's why I say you've got to help me. An you'll do it. too.''
 Of course you know" suggested Caine. that this will ruin those weird social ambitions of yOurS?"
 'I know nothin' of the sort. Even if I did. I s'pose I'd have it to do just the same. But it won't. I'm too well off to go to jail. or to have folks say: Get out? when I say Let me inr There'll be a sight of talk in the pa pers an all through the State. But folks get tired talkin'. after awhile. win out When I flash on 'em that merger of the Upstate R. R. with my c. G. & x.. they'll see I'm too big a man to be sat on. That's comin' off schemes to folIer Oh. folks won't be sore on me long! So you see it ain't such a great stunt of heroism Pm doin for the little girl after all. Now you'd better start. For we"
 ''But Miss Shevlin? She will read what the papers are bound to say of you. She will hear what her friend"
 ''Yes,'' ruefully admitted the Fighter. on that If she drops me. why it's better'n if s'ciety dropped her. Better for ev'ry body concerned. Unless may be for me. How's Miss Standish?''
 Quite well, thank you. She"
 '1've been meanin' to come round been pretty busy Am Dey says there's no great hurry
 "Just now,'' answered Caine, re- membering Letty's moist appeal, 'fThe Standish household is a little upset. I'd call sometime later. if I were you. They will understand. Give Standish !
 
 There's only two kind of kids" | philosophical Conover. Bad ones and | sick ones. But I ain't afraid of catch | in anything. I'll be round there in | day or two, tell her."
 By the way" remarked Caine. to | change the subject he found vaguely | distasteful, Miss Shevlin tells me she | has been invited to spend the summer | at the Hawarden's cottage at the Antlers.'
 "Yes." returned Caleb, drily, Kind | of Mrs. Hawarden, wasn't it? Dey's | as pleased as a small boy with @ re- volver. She's been crazy to go to the | I never knew she wanted | to till last week, or-'
 And Mrs. Hawarden providentially | invited her the next day?" put in Caine, his mouth-corners twitching.
 That's right assented Caleb, "1 guess some big-hearted philanthrofist just took such a fancy to Mrs. Ha- warden as to pay the whole fam'ly's board bill there for the season;-on condition she asked Dey. But keep