Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-03-25
CHAPTER XXI.
By THO.MA.S A. e
Noveiissd From she assay by Frederick

"ENATOR PEABODY was the
 most surprised man in Wash
 ington when he heard the jun ~ for senator from Mississippi state that TO one was to enrich him. self out of the government naval base project.
 He heaped q mental anathema on the head of Stevens for saddling such a man on the senate machine" for I.angdon would of course never had been put on naval affairs" dust now very important to the machine) with out the 70. K" of Stevens. who had won a heretofore thoroughly reliable reputation as judge of men, or of what purported to be men. The thought that at this time. of all times. there should be man on the commit tee on naval affairs that could not be "hacdled' was sufficient to make him who reveled h the title of .boss of the senate" determine that he must get another chief lieutenant to replace Ste vcns, who had proved so trustworthy in the past. Stevens had lost his cun- ming.
 As the vote of Langdon could not be secured by humbug or in exchange for favors and as 1t could not be 'deliy cred" Peabody, of course. was willing to pay in actual cash for the vote. This was tie final step. but one in po- litical conspiracies of this nature-cash. But Lan,Slon would not take cash, so Peabody had to resort to the last agency of me traiocd and corrupt ma nipulator of legislation.
 He would threaten.
 Moreover, he knew that to make threats effective, if it is possible to do so, they must be led up to systemat- ically--that is. they should be made at the right time. The scene must be set, as in a play.
 Senator Peabody gtar~d at Langdon as though to convince the latter that to stand in his way would rSSan polit- ical destruction.
 "So nobody Is going to maks cent. eh? Well, I suppose you want all the profits for yourself" Turning to Ste ye.5, C"-,,::c s-s ..-.-t entered, the Penn sylvanian cried:
 Do you but listen to our suddenly good friend Langdon. He wants to be the only man to make money out of the naval base. He won't listen to any other member of the naval committee making cent out of it. Why. he"-
 "Great God. sir!" exclaimed Langdon. You are going too far. Peabody. You state what is false, and you know 1t, you-you"-
 "Then you are willing that others should have their rightful share" put In Stevens. ''Oh, I understand now. senator"
 "No. no, nov' cried Langdon. You do not understand, Senator Stevens, and I must say am ashamed to speak of you by the honorable title of sena- tor, sir. will not listen to any person enriching himself at the government expense, and l am your enemy, you, Peabody, and you. Stevens, beyond re- cail. You both know you iaisrepresent me-"
 Langdon walked over to Stevens and faced him directly.
 "Do you remember, Stevens, Lorimer Hawkslee, back in wartime"
 Yes" said Stevens. puzzled. q re- member him-a very fine gentleman"
 The old planter sneered.
 "Yes, very fine gentleman. You remember he got rich out of contracts for supplies furnished to the Confed- crate government when it wasn't any too easy for the Confederate govern ment to pay and when he was in that government himself. l never quite thought, that the act of gentleman, Stevens. It seemed to me to be very like dishonesty. l refused to speak to Lorimer Hawkslee in the Carroll hotel at VickSburg and when the peo- pie there asked me why told them l want to warn you, Stevens, that I'm likely to meet you some time in the Carroll hotel at yicksburg."
 Stevens backed away angrily. "I catch your insinuation, but'--he re- ceived a warning glance from Pea body and broke into pleasant smile calculated to deceive the old planter this once I will overlook it because of our old friendship and the old days in Mississippi"
 You are fine talker, Langdon," said Peabody, coming to Stevens res cue, "but can readily see what you are driving at. You want an investi- gation. You think you will catch some of us with what you reformers call the goods but forget evidently the entirely simple facts that your family I has invested in Altacoola lands more heavily probably than any one else among us. You want to raise a scan dal, do you? We'll, go on and raise 1t, but remember that you will have to explain how 1t happened that there is $500O0 invested in the name of your son and $25,O00 in the name of your daughter, Miss Carolina. not to men, ton fews thousands put in by the gentleman who. I am given to under stand, is to be your son-in-law. Con- gressman Norton.
 How about that NortonT Peabody asked turning to the con rresamau