The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1909-07-08
A THOROUGH VICTORY.

him as an intruder and meddler. lie
rather liked this opposition. 1t devel-
oped his fighting resources.
One day Laura Edwards passed an
angry man on the stairway. She knew
he was angry by his mutterings and his
heavy tread and his fiery face.
"Did you inst have a caller?' she
asked Allan.
| He laughed.
eyes. That was the great McCool."
"The boss!"
eyes. He came here to have it out
with me. He warned me to keep oil
the grass. He even used threats"
The girls face suddenly grew pale.
"You mustn't be rash.'' she said. Then
she hastily added, "The league can't
spare such a valuable official"
He laughed again.
"The great McCool is good deal of
buffer" he said. Besides, I fancy l
have trimmed his fangs."
"How?"
''There is a certain man who feels IN
debted to me. I have helped him at
times-helped him when his need was
urgent. In some way he has come into
possession of certain facts regarding the
great McCool, facts which are not to
| that eminent politicians credit. [ used
little of this material in my talk with
him. and he straightway collapsed. In
| fact, I don't expect he will trouble us
again"
'Why. that's splendid!" Laura cried.
"He was such a stumbling block"
Allan glowed at this praise.
T foy-
he said. II am to have an interview on
Thursday morning with the dreadful
| Crimmins 1t is the first time he has
consented to see me-"
"Be careful" said Laura. 'He is called
revengeful man. May l come on
Thursday afternoon and hear the result
of the meeting?'
MAY you Gomez" echoed Allan. 81
shall feel much hurt if you fail to
Gomez
When Laura entered the office of the
league that Thursday afternoon, Allan
was sitting at his desk with a bandage
about his head.
She gave a little gasp.
"Wh-what has happened? ?" she cried, !.
He turned about with a quick smile.
"Nothing serious" he answered.
Merely a bump with Mr.. Crimmins'
compliments
"Tell me about it?'
"There is little to tell,'' Allan an
swered. "After Mr.. Crimmins presumed
upon our brief acquaintance by handing
me this souvenir, the discussion became
absorbing. 1t ended in my favor. Mr..
Crimmins seemed to accept his defeat
with a poor grace This obliged me to
use an argument that | had hoped to
hold in reserve"
'What was the argument?"
| 1t was based upon my ability and
willingness to hunt up Mr.. Crimmins
at any time and beat him to a FRAGILE
if he persisted in annoying u.s."
| Laura was little Mortified and yet
could not help smiling.
"And what was the result of this
heroic form of persuasion?'
"The wreckers will begin to demolish
| the Crimmins tenements next Monday
morning"
"Splendid!" cried the girl
| Allan was busy man, while the
dreadful old buildings gave up their
horde of dodgers. There were homes to
be found, there were hungry mouths to
be fed.
| And then one morning man in a
| blue uniform came to the Edwards
home
'I'm a sanitary officer, MISS he said
to Laura, ''and I bring you message
from Mr.. Merling He has been taEirg
care of a sick boy, miss, and we find it's
smallpox, and they've both been sent to
the hospital for contagious cases." He
saw that Lauras face suddenly blanched.
| Everything will be done for him, miss,
that can be done. He, sent you his
kindest regards and asked you to visit
the office occasionally, if convenient,
miss. If you wish it, miss, will let
you know how he is faring from tire
to time" He paused on the steps. lie
is fine young man, miss, and has done
a splendid work, and we all hope it will
60 light with him."
He saw that Laura was crying and
said no more.
| The weeks that followed were anx-
ious ones for others beside the girl. The
story of Allan's labors, of the good he
had accomplished, of the sacrifices he
had made, was told throughout the busy
city.
So the weeks went by and then let
ter came to Laura. Allan was no longer
in the hospital. He was at sanitarium
where they were trying to build him up
so he could go away-to Colorado or
Arizona the doctor wasn't sure which.
IT am coming to see you before I 60,
although it will hurt my pride" he
wrote. "I'm not Scared up so much,
but bony, painfully and unpleasant to
look upon. But 1 want to see you,
want to tell you what you have done
for me- / had lot of time to think it
over there in the hospital If it hadn't
been for you I would have gone on in
the old profigate way. You saw some
thing in me that nobody else knew l
possessed. I didn't know it myself.
They tell me I've done a few worthy
things, but it is to you the credit is due.
In all things I have only been your
agent"
Three days later he followed the let
| ter Laura heard the carriage and ran
to meet him, and drew him into the
library and put him in the big easy
chair.
He was just little overcome by
these attentions, but tried to conceal it..
''This is fine," he said. Everybody
is so good to me. Such funny things
happen. That carriage driver out there
asked me if he might shake hands with
me. And do. you see this little bunch
of flowers. A woman was waiting at
tha door of tho Sanitaril1rn She ora we