Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1909-01-27

vile with dignity ''f am no longer
! state regent. BY methods that would
shame the most hardened men politi-
clans was defeated; why! didn't you
read about it?"
You know I only came back from
the Philippines In February"
1T was In all the Chicago papers.
was interviewed myself. assure
you the other candidates (there were
twol tried the very lowest political
methods. Melville said It was scandal
ous. There were at least three lunch
cons given against me. It wasn't the
congress, 1t was the lobby defeated
me And their methods! would not
believe that gentlewomen could stoop
to such infamy of Misrepresentation. /"
The colonel chewed his mustache; he
felt for that reporter of the Chicago
paper; he was evidently getting a
Photographic record now; he made an
inarticulate rumble of sympathy In his
throat which was as the clucking Of
the driver TO the mettled horse. Mrs.
Melville gesticulated with Delsartian
grace as she poured forth her woes
"They accused me of a domineering
spirit; they said l was trying to set
up a machine. /! worked for them,
Ihany time, half the night, at my
desk: never was a letter unanswered;
/ did half the work of the correspond
Ing secretary; yet at the crucial mo-
ment she betrayed me! learned
more in those two days of the petty
Jealousy, the pitiless malevolence OF
some women than had known all my
life before; but at the same time, to
the faithful band of friends"-the
colonel had the sensation of listening
to the record again-"whose fidelity
was proof against ridicule and cruel
Misrepresentation, / return a graft
tude that will never wane. Rupert
she turned herself In the seat and
waved the open palm of her hand in
graceful and dramatic gesture,
those, women not only stopped to
malignant falsehoods, they not only
trampled parliamentary law underfoot,
but they circulated through the hall
a cartoon called the Making of the
Slate OF course we had our quarters
at hotel, and after the evening meet
ing, after had retired, in fact, bell
boy brought me a message; 1t was
necessary to have meeting at once.
to decide for the secretaryship, as we
had found out Mrs. Ellennere was
false. The ladies in the adjoining
rooms and the others of us on the
board who were loyal came into my
chamber. Rupert, will you believe it,
those women had a grotesque picture
of us, with faces cut out of the news
papers-of course, all our pictures
were in the papers-and they had the
audacity and the meanness TO picture
me in--in the garments of night"
That was pretty tough. But where
does Miss Smith come in?"
"She was at the convention. She is
a Daughter. I've always said we are
too lax in our admissions"
"Who drew the picture?'
1T may not be Miss Smith, but
she does draw. I'm sure that she
worked against me; she covered up
her footprints so that have no proof;
but | suspect her. She's deep, BERTHE,
shc's deep But she can't hoodwink
me, I'll find her out"
The colonel experienced the embar-
rassment that is the portion of rash
man trying to defend one woman
against another; he retreated because
Re perceived defense was in vain;
but he did not feel his growing opinion
of Miss Smiths innocence menaced by
Mrs. Melville's convictions
She played too square game for n
kdnaper--and Smith was the COM
moncst Of names. No, there must be
some explanation: Rupert Winter had
lived too long not to distrust the plaus-
ible surface clew. 1T is fne improba-
BILE that always happens, and the i'm
possible most of the time" Aunt Re
bacca had once said He quite agreed
with her Whimsical phrase.
Nothing happened to arouse his sus-
picions that day. Haley reported that
Cary Mercer was going on to San
Francisco. The conductor did not
know his name; he seemed to know
Mr.. Keatcham and was with him In
his drawing-room most OF the time.
Had the great man a secretary with
him? Yes, he seemed to have, q little
fellow who had not much to say for
himself, and jumped whenever his
boss spoke to him. There was also
valet. an Englishman, who did not're-
spond properly to conversational over
lures. They were all going to get OF
at Denver.
Haley was not masinformed, as the
colonel perceived with his own eyes
and he saw Cary Mercer bow In part
ing to the great man, who requited the
low salute with gruf nod. Here was
an opportunity for nearer glimpse Of
Mercer, possibly for that explanation
In which Winter still had q lurking
hope. He caught Mercer just in the
car doorway, and politely greeted him:
'..Mr. Mercer. think? You may not
remember me. Col. Winter. met you
in Cambridge. three years ago."
It seemed brutal thing to do, to re-
call meeting under such circum-
stances; but IL Mercer could give the
he would excuse him; Il
was better than suspecting an limo
cent man. But there was no oaDor-