New-York tribune., 1909-03-14

sid C.-v-.n gently " We want 10 IND some
means II guarding against "a repetition q these
practices You think that 10 reqai-e "a e.,.-
tavlt would put stop 10 them:
Very largely
That Is all
7 SHOULD like t. say q lew words Mclean
L a-r,esl-l 70 Co-wln. v.ho nodded.
have tried IN al my business lie -o DC
honorable and Just n al my dealings up
pose | did wrong IN this matter, but / u,heNe
that the cltv got fun value Tor that NiniA-ate
bridge contract. The net profit on the -nr n
Guiding the payment l. Nj ''ieu7 "as -
Than seven per cent. We consider seven per
cent. 4. talr profit On such work have never
before OF since gone into any such g"--t-Il.tl ms
with ANYBODY; and have always tried To give
the city full value N work done. one reason
raS 50 hard IIp at the time bid on that Job was
that had done considerable work the year be-
fore for the CITY, and between the time when
I had uid and the time ot dong the Worl the
cost o. material had advanced S" IS not only
10 -.b ne ut my profit, but even o. force me -
do the work - considerable loss MADE u"
complaint: ] didn't squeal And IN the Ninth
ave bridge Job and IN others since l ald not
Try 10 recoup rnvsef for those losses. ! don I
know that l have anything more 70 say
He rose, stepped down from the platform,
and with his head bowed, looking neither 10 the
right nor left, went heavily from the room.
II was late when Mclean entered his house.
After leaving the room where he had sui
tered the InqulsItIon, he had walked tor miles
out 10 the edge Of the city and back, though
MS legs had felt weak and his whole body tired
Walking seemed 10 add nothing 10 his fatigue
and nothing 10 his thoughts
Though It was midnight when he came nome,
there was light IN his bedroom lie eHtergd'
20 find his wife sitting up IN bed reading. She
turned her face toward him with smile; her
ewes looked up with the wide startled look that
he loved.
But Mary" he sat down on the bed beside
her and caressed her reprovlngly, stroklng the
smooth brown braid that hung over her shoul-
der, % YOU ought 70 be asleep With to-TnoTro"
night ahead Of you-
:. | couldn't sleep. I've been feeling somehow
uneasy in my mind"
" Over what.
I don't know ! was thinking this evening
how happy we've been for 50 many Years
Richard: hardly a cloud on our happiness
You've been so successful; and here IS Elr-
g.nia, so charming and happy and successful
TOO And suddenly II came 10 me, how near
are We TO the end Of our happiness, When VIII
the break come, l couldn't 60 10 sleep sal
up waiting for YOU 10 come and reassure me
She snugglcd her head against ms shoulder
and held MS hand, expecting the loElaI out
burst that would make light of her bodlngs.
Instead her husband was silent. In moment
she drew away and looked at him IN dread
Suppose. he sad TO her IN a somber voice,
that we have about reached the end: can Z
reassure YOU. Mary"
Richard What"
Ny dear, once did dishonest thing, !
confessed It tonight 1t will be in al the news
papers tomorrow.
. You dishonest Richard?"
L arranged with a rival to get city con
tract and then signed a statement declaring
that | had entered into no arrangement with
ANYBODY ! acknowledged 1t all tonight At a
public hearing"
I don't understand. Tell me the whole
story"
That-that hurts"
She laid her head against his shoulder at
once. and catching up his hand pressed 1t t.
her lips. \ tear fell on it. " OF course, Richard
hadn't meant to do that She cried. was
lust startled How could YOU thlnk- Hht
choked into silence and he was silent too, "lth
q full throat. while he stroked her haIr.
Then he told her
PUT You didn't cheat anyone! She cried
- when he had finished. You did honest
work: YOU even allowed yourself a less prot'
than YOU might have been expected TO exact
YOU didn't hurt or cheat anyone
&C. | lied
But It was a harmless lie; It didn't mean
fraud. | don't see that you've done anything