Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1910-10-28
CALEB CONOVER.
From preceding page.

impulse I'd have been the first person
on earth to guess it. Because no one
else would have cared as l did. AS
I do. l don't understand it at all.
And Just at first it bowled me over,
and whole rush of disloyal thoughts
and doubts came over me. But l
know now it's all right. somehow, for
It's you"
"You mean," exclaimed the girl,
wonderingly, "that after what I've
told you, you trust me?'
"Why, Of course"
"And you don't even ask me to ex-
plain?"
"If there was anything had right
to know-that you wanted me to know
you'd have explained of your own
accord"
She looked at him long, searching
ly. Her face was as inscrutable as
the Sphinx's, yet when she spoke 1t
was of a totally different theme.
What are you going to do?" she
inquired.
"Do?" he repeated, perplexed.
"Yes. about the campaign"
There's nothing to do. I am
beaten. When the convention meets,
in half an hour Conover will be nom-
mated Only my two blocks Of dele
gates will be left to oppose him,
against all that whole"
Eyes; yes, l know that" she inter-
posed, "but what then?"
"That is the end l suppose. Per-
haps by the next gubernatorial cam
paign-"
1.-THE next? This campaign hasn't
fairly begun yet. Do you mean to say
you are going to sit by with folded
hands and accept defeat?"
What else is left?"
Everything is left. You have tried
to fight an all-powerful machine, to
fight 1t on its own ground, along its
own lines, yet refusing to use its own
weapons or to guard against them.
And you have failed. The real fight
begins now"
what do you mean?"
II mean you must call on the peo-
pie at large to hep you. You have
aroused them. Already there Is so
much discomfort against Boss rule
that Mr.. Conover is troubled. You
have no right to abandon the Cause
now that you've interested others in
it. Put yourself in the peoples
hands,"
"You mean to-"
"To declare yourself an independent
candidate"
"'Bolt' the Democratic ticket?
It"
'It Is against CUSTOM but good men
have done it. In this battle, as un-
derstand it, there is no question Of
party issues. 1t is the people against
the Machine. Can't you see?"
"Yes," he replied, after a moment
? of hesitation, T see. And you are
right. But 1t means only the court
ing of further defeat What Conover
has already done in muzzling the press
and using other crooked tactics, he
will continue to do. My speeches
won't be allowed to circulate. My
meetings will be broken up. More
Conover men will register than can
be found on the census list. And on
Election Day there will be the usual
ballot frauds. All the voting machin.
cry Is in Conover's hands. Even II
won l would be counted out at the
polls. No"
wait! If l can clear the way for
you, If l can insure you a fair chance,
If l can prevent any frauds and force
Mr.. Conover to leave the issue honest.
ly to the people of the Mountain State
If l can do all this, then will you
declare yourself an Independent can.
didate, and"
But how can you-a girl-do MI
this?"
"Ill explain that to you afterwards.
But it won't be in any unfair or un-
derhand way. You said just now you
trusted me. Can't you trust me In
this, too?"
"You know l can"
"And you'll do as I ask?"
"Yes."
"Good!"
tits worth trial. I'll do It,"
"Then l shall be the first to con-
gratulate the future Governor"
"Anice!"-the dtime boyish i'm.
petuosity she so well remembered
flashing into one of it's rare occur
rences-"if I win this fight-if l am
elected Governor shall have some.
thing worth while at last to offer you.
II l come to you the day I am
elected"
II shall congratulate you only as
would any other friend"
His lips tightened as at blow. For
a moment neither spoke. 1t was Give
who broke the silence.
II have said it awkwardly," he be-
gan. "If 1t had been less to me might
have found more eloquence, l love
you. l think have always loved you.
You know that. woman always
knows. love you. loved you in the
old days, when l was too poor to
have the right to speak. What little