The Dolores star., 1909-05-14

SlOucn mats WIN RaIStcO4t8 open anu
cravats loosened. delighting In . new
cause for chaning the Chicago men,
who had resumed their customary
complaints Of the Springfield weather.
The smoke Of cigars hung in the air.
The sound of many voices. the ring Of
heavy laughter, the shufYle OF feet over
the tiles. the clang of the clerks gong,
the incessant chitter OF a telegraph in
strument that sped news to Chicago
over the Courier.s private wire, all
these influences surcharged the heavy
air with nervous excitement that
made men speak quickly and their
eyes glitter under the brilliant lights
Of countless electric bulbs. There was
in that atmosphere the pl,S, Of myriad
hopes and ambitions. political. social,
financial. Special delegations Of emf
nent lawyers. leading citizens and
prominent capitalists were down from
Chicago to look after certain meas
ures of Importance. Newspaper cor
respondents hurried from group to
group. gathering bits of information
to be woven into their nights dis
patches.
A-dte tuc evening tHc BOVtTuOI
came over from the mansion. and his
coming stirred the throng with a new
sensation. His secretary was by his
side. and they mingled awhile with
the boys, as the governor called them.
after the politician manner. Half
dozen congressman were there. think
ing always Of denomination. Over In
one corner sat United States sena-
tor. his high hat tilted back on his
perspiring brow. A group Of men had
drawn their chairs about him: they
laughed at his stories.
One was aware that the speakers
apartments upstairs were crowded
One could easily imagine It, the door
OF his inner room, as men came and
went. opening now and then, and CIV
Ing glimpse OF the speaker himself.
tired and worn under the strain that
would tell SO sOrely on him before an
other week could bring his labors and
his powers and his glories to an end.
Through all that hotel that night. In
the side halls and up and down In the
elevators. throbbed the fascination Of
politics, which men play not SO much
for its ends as for its means.
Vernon was OF this crowd, moving
from one group to another. smoking,
laughing. talking. His heart may have
been little sore at the thought Of
Amelia's strange neglect OF him, but
the soreness had subsidized until now It
was but slight numbness which he
could forget at times. and when he did
nj nf h,st
to play the game more fiercely.
He knew that It was incumbent ON
him to make sure Of the adoption Of
the resolution on the morrow. He had
already spoken to the lieutenant gov
ernor and had promise OF rerognit on
But he realized that 1t would be wise
to make little canvass. though he
had no doubt that all was we'll, and
that by the next night he could mingle
with this crowd serene and happy in
the thought that his work was done;
perhaps he might even spend the even
ing in the company Of Maria Greene.
His heart gave q little leap at this
new and happy thought. and If the re.
membrance of Amelia came back Just
at that instant, It's obtrusion only
made his eyes burn the brighter.
He found 1t pleasant as he threaded
his way through the crowd to halt sen
ators as he met them and say:
We'll, the suffrage resolu-
ton comes up tomorrow. You'll be
for 1t. of course?"
1t gave him such a legislative and
statesmanlike Importance to do this.
AS he was going leisurely about this
quest, testing some of the sensations
Of a parliamentary leader, Cowley.
the correspondent of the Courier. &C.
costed him, and. showing his teeth in
that odd smile of his, asked II he
cared to say anything about the reso-
luton.
Only that 1t comes up as a special
order in the morning. and that have
no doubt whatever of its adoption by
the senate"
Have you assurances from"
From everybody. and every assur-
ance." said Vernon. They're all for
it. Come and have a cigar"
They went over to the cigar stand.
and when they had lighted their cigars
Cowley said:
Let's go out for little walk; !
may be able to tell you something that
will interest you"
CHAPTER TX.