Evening star., 1909-06-02
CHAPTER VI.
Caleb Conoyer Runs Away.

had arrived from Granite late Sunday
night: with Caine and with one or two
personal followers on whose timely aid,
he knew from experience. he might count
For two days there had been a ceaseless
doWn3our of rain. Conover and Caine,
wrapped in long waterproof coats. stood
at the entrance of their hotel. looking out
on the flooded streets and dingy. stream
ing sky. They were waiting for the car
riage that was to bear them to the state
house. Caine glanced ever at his watch.
his armor Of habtual bored indifference
worn perilously thin. Conover. on the
other hand, showed no more emotion than
if he were his way 10 luncheon. AS
Gaines hand. for the tenth time, crept
toward his watch pocket. the Fighter re-
marked
Il can save YOU the trouble of lookin'.
son, by telln' You the staltlin' news that
it's just about thirty seconds latern it
was when YOU took out your watch be-
fore What's your worry? We're in lots
of time As long as we get there when
the assembly's called to order it $ all We
care. I've done everything that can be
done. All I'm goin to the lobby for is TO
jack those able statesmen UP when Bla-
carda starts to stampede 'em. I've made
my arrangements with each man who's
goin' to vote our way. An, as | tigser
nHt, We'll kill that Starke bill by two
votes. Easy that many. But there's four
or five assemblymen that need my father
ly eye on 'em when the bill comes up.
Otherwise they'll sure bolt. | know 'em.
While I'm there I'm like your friend Ma
poleon; worth 4o.Ho men. Or $4,000 if
YOU like it better that way. I've got my
grip on the rens. Don't YOU fret"
Il heard something just now." said
Caine. something that 1t will surprise
you to learn. / had il from the Stars
legislature correspondent. 1t seems Ba
carda tried to prevent your coming to the
capitol at all. I'm rather surprised at
his playing such a trick. But / suppose
it goes to prove that man is known by
the company he promotes. He heard you
were due from Granite on the $40 train
this morning. And he paid the engineer
$500 To have the locomotive break down
thirty miles from here You would have
been stalled there until TOO late to be of
any use. The assembly would have met
and"
''-An' stampeded,' finished Caleb stolidly.
An the Starke bill wouldve gone
through an we'd a been licked Quite So
That's why l changed my plans. the last
minute, an came here last night"
You knew of Blacarda's move?" cried
Caine in amaZement.
Son" yawned Conover, Its my busi-
ness to know things. An there's plenty
little don't know when it comes to %
caliber en'mies like Blacarda. The en-
gineer took the cash an then brought the
whole story TO me. Us railroad men pull
together, you know. / told him to keep
his $500 an let the engine break down
accordin' to schedule. Then / came on
another train last night. Didn't you see
how pleased Blacarda looked when he
came into the hotel? He knows he amt
got ghost of chance with his Starke
bill while I'm on deck in the state house
lobby. Here's our carriage. Come on.
since you're in such hurry"
The two men splashed out through the
ch of yain ord fi,,o
hicle. Caine stood aside to let Conover
step In. AS the latter's foot was the
step the hotel telegraph clerk came run
ming out calling the Fighters name and
holding up a slip of yellow paper whose
message-ink was still wet.
Just came.' announced the clerk.
handing Conover the dispatch Il thought
you were still in the hotel. Lucky /
caught you before you started!
Caleb made no reply. He was reading
land rereading the telegram. Caine. watch
ing him impatienty. saw the Fighter S
face turn muddy gray. Then. shouting
to the driver: Union station! Go like
hell" Conover was in the carriage. Caine
all at loss. had barely time to scramble
in after him before Caleb had slammed
shut the door. The horses were off at
full speed: the wheels dashng a cascade
of mud blotches through the vehicles
lowered sash.
What is the matter?" insisted Caine
as Conover huddled-inert, bulky, word
less-in one corner: whom are you to
meet at the station? l thought all the
aSsembymen-
I'm goin to catch the 9:32 to Granite
if we can make it, growled Conover.
shut up an let me think Here!'
He showed the tight-saueezed ball of
yellow paper toward Caine The latter,
as he took the telegram, noted the sud
den clammy chill of the Fighters hand
and noted that his lips were dry as
fever-patents. Never before had Caine
seen him nervous. and he turned with
redoubled interest to the unfolding. of the
signature-that of Desirees aunt-and
Caine, marveling, ran his eyes over the
body of the message:
"Dey taken dangerously i'll last night.
Delrious. Calls fer you all time Come
if can
The banal wording, the crude phrasing
for the sake of saving expense-every
detail of the telegram Jared upon Caine's s
fastdious taste. But new thought
made him turn, incredulous, upon Con-
over.
I'm awfully. awfully sorry to hear
this" said he. "But-but. of course, YOU
can't think of leaving everything at the
statehouSe today and
"Statehouse?" muttered Conover, duly.
Don't you understand" cried Caine,
gripping the dazed. limp giant by the
shoulder and trying to shake him back to
his senses. Don't you understand the
You can't desert us and run off to Granite
like this
Take your hands off me-" mumbled
Conover, pettishly. Lord, how | hate to
be paved, Can't that driver 20 any
Eastern a hearse? I'll miss the
"Conover.'' fairly shouted Caine. Brace
up man, What ails you? l never saw
you like this. Have you lost your head?
The Steeioid fight comes up in the
sembly today. Your fortune and mine
hang on your killing the Starke bill. You
say yourself that unless you're at the
statehouse we'll lose. You can't get to
Granite and back before the session
closes. If
I'm not comm back said Caleb in
utter WEAKNESS. She's = Deys sick.
Dangerously ill., the telegram said An
she's calm all the time for me. If the
aaD2 is on time 1 ought to be to her house
E noon. Maybe before"
Look here. old man. pleaded Caine.
"Of course, I'm sorrier about Miss Shev-
lin than l can say. But she VIII nave
the best possible medical care. And you
can't help her by rushing off like this.
Think of all that depends on your being
at the statehouse today. You can catch
the o'clock train for Granite this even
ing just as well. For all our sakes.
don't desert us now, If Blacarda gets
Don't bother me-" snarled Conover.
shifting his big body to move out of
reach of the appealing hand. ''What-
what dye s'pose can be the matter with
her? She was all right yesterday noon.
Train leaves in four minutes, an
Caine broke in on the Fighters speech
with a final plea for sanity. He had an
almost uncanny feeling at his own prox-
unity to this demoralized hulk of what