Evening star., 1909-06-24
CHPTER xvIII-Continued.

Miss Standishs departure did not great
ly trouble Caleb. He himself was near
ing the beginning of his much-heralded
"first vacation" Indeed Caine, comma
disconsolately to the Fighters room one
evening. just after seeing Letty's train
off, found Conover sitting on the floor
beside an open trunk. A mass of cloth
ing, also on the floor, radiated away from
the trunk on every side. Perspiring, red
of face Caleb was reaching out method
ically for garments. folding them with
slow care of the self-made man and stow
ing them away in fast-risng layers in
the leathern nav that gaped so hungrily
for them.
I've just come from seeing Miss
Island" announced Caine routing a pile
of clothes from chair and seating him
self
Block Island, hey?" said Caleb. ANY
thing like Coney?"
other place on earth. A treeless plateau
above the ocean. Ugly at first glance
but with hundred-year-old charm that
somehow grips one Sea. sunshine and
wind, and the eternal roar of the surf
HIM grunted Caleb. disapprovingly.
man to go loOkin' for fun! Bout as jolly
as It's own Jail. l should think
1T has no jail" retorted Caine. mo
jail no almshouse. no asylum. There
hasn't been criminal, nor pauper.
nor an insane person on the whole island
in century. There is only one police
manor was when I used to go there
And he used to take turns serving as
driver of one of the islands two horse
cars. There's historic yoke of oxen.
fOo that-''
mot a jail-or a crime-or an institoo-
tion of any sort?" cried Conover. 'Son,
you're stringin' me! What do the local
pol ticians do for livin'. then? If Moo
York's paradise for grafters, this Block
Island of yours must be a hell for 'em.
Amt any one ever walked up there to the
chances that's layin' around waitin' to be
took?"
standishes again." counseled Caine. Mrs
Standish looks on Block Island as part
of her religion. She
Yes" grinned Caleb. Il s'pose SO.
can see the old lady doin' saint poses on
the sand there
"All her attitudes are beatitudes, =
agreed Caine. But as far as concerns
Conover's comprehension. he might as
well have said it in Greek.
by the way" went on AmZi. Il have
political reporter that ought to interest
both of us. It's about Blacarda.''
IF you mean Blacarda's got next to
the gov'ner and arranged a special ses-
sion of legislature in September, inter-
posed Caleb. II qxnew that 4 week ago.
The Starke bills to be flashed on EN-
in a new form. without our gettin' wind
of it. an it's to be rushed through, with
an idea of knockin our Steeloid combine
flattern q pancake"
You knew all this week ago? Why
didn't you-?"
Its my business to know things re-
piled Conover. IF l didn't. I'd be takin'
orders STILL instead of givin' 'em. AS for
not tellin' you, what was the use? You'd
a found II out soon enough: an I've
been too busy to run an inf'mation bu-
reau. I'll be ready for Friend Bacarda
an his crowd when the time comes;
same's as ! was before. Just because
don't hire a brass band to p'rade the
streets carryin' a placard of my plans
you mustn't run away with the idee that
I'm overlookin any bets. I've got every
thing In line. Well win out. same as we
did last spring; an by bigger margin
But you may be detained as you were
before And next time you may not get