Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-02-01
CHAPTER XXI.
The Meeting.

| I was vindicated in the eyes of the
| world. at least the official stamp had been
put upon me, but l was a lonely and UNI
happy man. The regular session of the
| Legislature had not begun, life in Frank
| fort was not active. and in the evenings
when the work of the day was over and
l went from my office to the governor s
house. silence and gloom hung over the
old mansion. Seth exerted himself TO
cheer me up. His feeling that we shared
the responsibilities of the state and that
we were united more closely than ever
by our former life together continued and
inspired him with deepening attach
ment. During these days, although in a
sense a servant, he was also good
| friend.
Jimmy Warfield came often to Frank
| fort, on business before the court of APP
peals he would always say, though ! sus-
pect that lie invented the preteXt more
| than once and lie unfailngly brought life.
| light and gayety with him. / invariably
| compelled him to stop with me, and his
going always left Frankfort the darker.
| He was also my messenger from those
| in whom l was interested the most, and
from him l learned that Alicia had gone
| back to her home in the country, taking
| her mother with her. The cold-hearted,
maneuvering Mrs. Warren, who had SD
wretchedly mismade her daughters life.
seemed now to be totally eliminated. IT
was Alicia who dominated. Grey was In
| Louisville Jimmy said. and he intimated
once that Pauline Harmon had appeared
again upon the scene.
December came and with it extremely
cold weather. inclos!ng our little city IN
! icy chains. Judge Wharton and l, new
ertheleSs, continued our walks on the
| hills, and he was as of old. the most
steadfast of friends. the relationship that
H. I,.x n
the paternal. l learned much of him in
those days. much of the government OF
| men and of life. His quiet sympathy and
encouragement were a continued source
of strength to me, nor did Peden. the
lieutenant governor, my old ally of the
Legislature. WAIVER particle in his friend
ship. Yet as Warfield and the judge had
told me, and as I foresaw. | encountered,
despite my position, manly Sights and
sneers, and l knew that l should encoun-
ter more. 1t was d matter that could be
left only to ''silence and slow time"
In the second week of the month I was
called to Louisville on business connected
with two or three of the state institu-
the metropolis on an exceedingly cold day.
The rails creaked under the car wheels,
the surface of the river was a g!ittering
sheet of ice as we crossed and the forest
that covers the hills around Frankfort
bent to an arctic wind.
There were few in the train and occa-
sionally passenger recognizing me came
to me and introduced himself. bly,
they showed respect. respect that l
| wanted because of the position that
held and the exhibition of it now was
very grateful to my mind. / had resolved
| that SO long as ! was the Governor of
| Kentucky, chosen by the people, l should
be treated as such, and the longer /
fought for my honor and my honors the
| better ] liked the fight.
We came into louisville in the early
winter twilight. the lights of the city
showing warm. red and hospitable
through the chilly dusk. The railroad
station was almost deserted, and, turning
UP the collar of my heavy overcoat.
| hurried out in search of carriage, In
which / was quickly taken to the largest
hotel. The clerk gave me his usual lofty
salute as ! registered, inquired gravely
AN excellent front room for you. gov
ernor. the same that you have always
| had. I've just sent up your baggage"
l turned away intending to enter the
| reading room, where I would write a
letter or two, but was stopped by sew
eral people who knew me. and / ex.
changed greetings with them. The large
lobby was a warm-hued. cheerful place
and / was not loath to linger, because
I like light and warmth.
As / talked with my friends | saw a
man come out of the cafe, one door
of which opens into the lobby. and even
before his face was disclosed l knew
by the swing of his thick shoulders that
it was Grey At first l felt a deep SEN
sation of regret that he should be there
thinking he would pick a quarrel with
me. but. he seemed to take no notice OF
my presence, lighted a cigar at the
stand. staring few minutes out of the
window at the street and then going
back into the cafe. His face, red and
infiamed had become brutalized and SEN
sualzed to the last degree
One of my friends. seeing Grey. made a
significant gesture by spreading out his
hand and then dropping it by degrees;
it meant. sinking lower and lower and
l understood.
y chance meeting in a hotel lobby may
seem a small thing. but / had been in
semi-isolation so long that ! enjoyed
the presence of my friends and their talk.
and l fingered. a little group gathered
around me, and while we stood there a
striking figure entered by the front door.
1t was Harrison. thin TO gauntness. but
with the air of ease and distinction that
to me- saying: Il did not know that
you were in Louisville. Mr.. Clark. but
am glad to see YOU" and he held out
his hand. Despite my belief that he had
ami returned his grasp. There was good
in Harrison. mixed with the evil. and
no one could deny his charm of person
ality. He remained in our group a lit
tie while. joining incidentally in the talk.
and, making his excuses, sauntered off
toward the reading room.
I changed my mind about writing the
letters and went up to my own room.
which was on the next floor. but not
beinS sleepy at all. l sat down by the
window looking out. but not looking at
anything. ! was affected by my meeting
with Harrison and Grey the same
evening but it was not strange, as men
Of their temper were likely to be about
the hotel But ii seemed to me that
wherever | went | was likely in some
way or other To meet them. and that
thei. lives had become interviewer per-
manently with mine.
/ had left my door open and in the hall
outside the usual dim lights burned. From
the lobby below came now and then the
faint noise of talk and laugh, making a
steady and pleasing hum in my ears hut
do not know how long sat there. until
suddenly the soft muTmur ceased making
the silence by contrast painful. Then
came sharp. terrible sound. breaking
the silence. the report of "A pistol shot.
and after it cry that / knew. cry
that any one would know, though he had
never heard it before. 1t was the death
cry of a man struck down by a bullet.
Every nerve in me thrilled with horror
and for moment l sat motionless Then
L sprang to my feet, and ran into the
hall thence down the great staircase to
the lobby The place was deserted The
clerk had left his desk and the loungers
were gone All were crowding into the
cafe and | followed them to witness a
CHASTITY sight. The first thing that caught
my eyes was the spectacle OF a heavy