Evening star., 1909-05-30
CHAPTER III-Continued.

''All this is somewhat beside the point,
gentlemen" interposed standish. lis
there any further"
He paused and glanced about the table.
But no one cared to couch lance against
the brute who had thus far held the lists
so successfully against the Arareek' s
doughtiest champions. At length Caine
spoke.
1T appears to me-" he drawled in his
lazy. haf-bantering way, that these pro-
ceedings have been decidedly informal: !:
even for an avowedly informal meeting
Also, that we have made little real prog
ress on either side. There are several
broken heads, and the atmosphere Is
somewhat heavy with the reek of battle.
But l fail 10 hear any shout of victory
Certainly not from our honorable COM
mittee. Perhaps you will all pardon me
II l suggest that our learned body has
gone about the present business in a less
tactful way than one might have expected
from such natural diplomats. Mr.. Con-
over. you have had to answer some ex-
tremely impertinent-unnecessa i'm
pertinent-questions this afternoon. If you
ha ke answered them in their own key,
anr sure no one can honestly blame you.
Unless you care to say anything more.
] think the committee may as we'll go at
once into executive session and put the
matter to vote. / so move, Mr.. Chair
man.
Hold on a second" said Conover You
people can vote in a minute If YOU want
to- First I've got a word more to say
The main counts against me. as I take
IL, are that had a bad start in life an
that my business methods aren't any bet
ter than the methods of other men in this
club. Also that / amt a gentleman.
We'll let the question of my business
methods slide. I guess there amt as
many stones on the carpet as there's
men here to throw 'em at me on that
score. Now. as to my not bein' gentle
man an my start in life: i started at
the bottom of the ladder. I'm only in the
early thirties and I'm not far from the
top. How many of you could a got where
] am IL you'd started where 1 did? Not
man of you. ] worked my way up from
tally boy OF the C. G. G. X. yards to the
job of president OF the whole road An
I'm maxim it the biggest road In the
state.
How'd do 1t? BY fghtin'. I had no
pull. no cash no family at my back.
Everybody took a turn at tryin' to step on
my hands whenever I'd grab a new rung
of the ladder. But / climbed on-an' 1
fought on. Today I'm rich man as
there is in Granite Other rich men were
members of this club an got fun out OF
IT, So l Joined it, too. I've as a good a
right TO fun as any one. An I'm going
TO have il. That's why 1 won't get out.
An you can put me out. 1ou Roln'
TO vote on my case In few minutes.
An you're goin' to vote to keep me here.
Not because You want to: but because
I've made you do IL. II you hit a sulky
dog with an ak handle he won't exactly
love you. But he'll mind you next time.
An it's better to be. minded than to be
ignored I guess there won't anybody
here ignore me in future.
by the way. gentlemen: Just to show
how much interested / am in the clubs
welfare / bought in the mortgage on
the Arareek's house and grounds last
month. / bought ii for fear ii might
fall in the hands OF some crank member
who'd forecIose IL he was dropped from
the club. Or such a crank as might fore
close If he was treated like measly SO
cial leper at the clubs blowouts. That g
all, gentlemen. I'll wait out on the porch
for your verdict. Good day. all. I'll ex-
cuse the committee from risin' and escort
in me TO the door"
He rose. stretched his big frame and
lounged out of the room. Silence accom-
panied his exit. but was split by a dozen
excited voices the moment the door
slammed behind him.
Caleb Conover was loafing in a long
wicker chair on ahe veranda. a cigar be-