The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-06-29
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(Continued.l

(COnttuueo.l
 Don't talk that way when you see the Standishes again." counseled Ca1ne. Mrs Standish looks on Block Island as part of her religion. She
 ''Yes,' grinned Caleb. T s'pose so. I can see the old lady doin' saint-poses on the sand there."
 ..AII her attitudes are beautitudes," agreed Caine. But as far as concerns Conover's comprehension, he might as well have said it in Greek.
 By the way went on Amz1 have some fairly sure information from our political reporter that ought to interest both of us. It's about Bla- carda."
 eff you mean Blacarda's got next to the Gov-ner and arranged a special session of Legislature in SeDtember, interposed Caleb, "I knew that a week ago. The Starke bilrs to be flashed on 'em in a new form. without our gettin' wind of it, an it's to be rushed through, with an idea of knockin' our Steeloid combine f1atter'n a. pancake
 You knew all this week ago! Why didn't you-?"
 Its my business to know things" replied Conover. eff I didn't, I'd be takin' orders still. instead of givin' 'em. As for not tellin' you, what was the use? You'd a found it out soon enough; an I've been too busy to run an inf nation bureau. I'll be ready for Friend Blacarda an his crowd when the time comes; same's I was before. Just because I don't hire a brass band to p'rade the streets carryin' a placard of my plans, you mustn't run away with the idee that I'm overlookin' any bets. I've got everything in line. We'll win out. same as we did last Spring; an by a. bigger margin" But you may be detained as you were before. And next time you may not get back on time. Blacarda will move heaven and earth to keep you away. He knows bv now. as we all do,-that you weren't boast1ng when you said your presence in the lobby meant all the difference between de- feat and victory"
 That's right said Caleb, gently f1attered, But I'll be on deck. It's a way I've got. There's always bunch the Assembly that's so scared at re- form threats an all such rot that they're ready to stampede if I'm not on hand to hammer the fear of the Lord into 'em. An that same crowds still big enough to turn the vote if they l bolt to cover. But they won't. I'll be there. Blacarda ain't likely to play the | same game twice. A part from its be- | in useless, he's too scared. An there's not another trick in all the pack that can get past my handy little bunch of secret service men," But if the bill should pass" 'It ain't goin' to. How often have
 no. to ding that into your head? It
 
 Perhaps I'm over-anxious," Caine | defended himself. But you must re- | member, practically all my money is | in Steeloid. On vour recommendation I have put every available dollar in | it. So have Standish and a half dozen others I know"
 "Then lay back an be happy" ad- viSed Conover. After that bill is smashed an the public sees Steeloid | in on the ground to stay. the stock'll | take another big hop. If you an Stan | dish an the others have a few thou- sands to use in buyin' on margin you'll | clean up good lookin' pile. I've got other deals on now that make Steeloid | look like thirty cents. So I ain't lyin'
 awake worryin' on my own account.
 It's as much for you fellers as for my | self that I'm going to get down to work on the Blacarda matter. as soon as come back from my vacation. It'll | mean a week or two of big work. on
 the quiet. Then the bills comin' up
 an'-goin' down for keeps.''
 You're awfully good to give us these l tips" said Caine. And we all ap-
 preciate it. But aren't you afraid Bla- | carda may attack some other interests | of yours we'll as Steeloid? He
 hates you; and he is not the sort of | a man to conf1ne himself to single | line of revenge"
 There's where you're wrong. son. answered COnOver. "The trouble with you people is, YOU get all your learnin' | DOOkS WTOle ON OlHeT IOlAS dS stoopid as yourselves. The thing to study ain't a book. It's your feller- l man. Then there'd be fewer folks took | in by gold-brick games. Look at me, clear through in my life. But there ain't man of my 'quaintance I | haven't read through. So, they're as easy for me to read as a primer. Now, you look at sBlacarda as a sort of man who's li'ble to attack me from dozen sides at once. That's cause you can't
 read him. I can. An I know what he's li'ble to do an what he ain't. | Blacarda b'longs to the King Cobra | class. Harmless as a kitten to them
 that knows where his poison's hid, an | only dang'rous to folks that picks him | up by the wrong end"
 | Caleb, warming to his theme. leaned l back against the corner of the table | and laid down the coat he was folding. | Men who read men," said he, oracu-
 larly, 'rule men. Men who read books
 are ruled by the folks who wrote them.
 That's the difference Let me explain
 cobras. I had to run down to Moo | York last fall on business. I had a
 couple of hours on my hands an
 went into squat. Dago-lookin' joint | called the 'Reptl House. Full of
 snakes and craw1y, slimy things. Big | crowd in front of one glass cage. Only
 snake in that cage was a big, long,
 brown critter with an eye that want l good to LOOK aC. Ine sign Sd1O ne was | a. King Cobra an habitated somewhere or other. The attendant wanted to | wash the winders of that cage from the inside. What does he do? Does he put his arms in an wigsle a mop | within reach of Mister King Cobra | Not him. He, or his boss, guess, had | learned to read snakes like I read men. | What does he do? He slaps open a lit | tie door in the back of the cage. slings | in a two-foot black snake an slams
 shut the door, Quicker'n scat. before | the Cobra knows what's up. There l lays the little black snake wrigglin', | scared like. on the floor of the cage | among a lot of little red lizards that's | runnin' round in the sand.
 l ''The King Cobra lifts up till his | heads about six foot above ground. | an he looks down at the wrigglin' black snake, like he was siZin' up | whether the little feller has any fight | in him or not An say! It was
 'nough to give a feller the creeps to | see that cobra-snalxe's eye as he watch
 ed 'tother. Then, he seems to make up