The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-07-05
CHAPTER XIV (Continued).

CHAP z n NlN kSOntlluCbI'
Leicester's Farewell to Taviton.
"Ah, good morning Mr.. Grayburn
Good morning, Mr. Leicester
Have you breakfasted? | see the
man has set the table for one only
but that can soon be restified,'
Thank you, | have breaktasted.'
Mr.. Grayburn spoke very quietly
but he was evidently i'll at ease. Had
Leicester appearel before him has
gard and trembling his work would
have been easier. 1t seemed impossi
BILE to take the superior attitude to
ward Leicester as he appeared AT
that moment.
Il have come, Mr.. Leicester, at the
request of the executive committee
of our POLITICAL association. As chair
man of that committee, they thought
| was the proper person. You will,
of course guess why
Leicester was silent.
The events of last night will
of course, make it impossible fol
you to again appear in the division
as a candidate"
Excuse me-" said Leicester. ''but
surely my illness of last night will
not"
Illness" interrupted Mr.. Gray
burn. Rs6
We'll, call it what you like. Say
was intoxicated. Is that enough
to nullify all the work | have done
in the constituency for the last
! three years.
The member for this division
must be a gentleman whose persona
character is stainless" said Mr..
Grayburn. 1T is true that many
would excuse last night in view of
your recent disappointment, but only
a few. And even they would turn
against you as soon as certain facts
came to light"
What facts"
Facts which Mr.. Osborne could
reveal if he would. At present he
simple characterizes them as dis.
graceful
Leicester still fought on grimly
! Why, he hardly knew.
81 take that even political. or
ganizatiCn will not be so mean as to
believe a vague improved charge" "
he said.
when it comes from a man like
Mr. Osborne, yes Leicester laugh
ed bitterly-'his old cynical laugh.
"Oh, | see" he said The hero
of one day is the criminal of the
next. OF course, three years serv-
ice and hundreds of pounds spent go
for nothing Well, | might have ex.
pected it."
"One of the chief planks of ou"
political platform is temperance re-
form" said Mr.. Grayburn How can
the people believe in your sinceri-
ty?"
Again Leicester laughed.
IF | were a brewer, and maze a
huge income out of the drink,
should be believed in," he said.
Possibly, if you did not appear
/ in"
Exactly My great sin is, not
that drink whisky. but that
happened to drink it at the wrong
time. Why, my dear fellow, | have
seen you in this very room hilarious
by the whisky you have drunk at my
expense. have heard you sing
comic songs in most melodious tones,
and have had to send for a cab
to take you home
But never in public" said Mr.
Grayburn uneasily.
Just so. | see my failing. Mr.
] bTdSDuIn, allow me 10 congratulate
you on your high moral standarh
Drink as much as you like, only
don't let any one know it,"
Look here, Mr.. Leicester said
the other Il am as sorry for this
as any man, and if | only consider
ed myself-well, things would be diff
! ferent. But I'm only one. There
are these teetotalers to think of, and
| they are a strong party here | tell
you the people are mad with YOU;
| if you appeared outside the hotel
now, you'd be hooted II you ap-
peared at a meeting you'd be hissed
off the platform; nay. more. | don't
believe you'd safe to go into the
streets You'd be pelted with rotten
eggs. and the refuse Of the town"
He had stung Leicester at last All
the cheap veneer of cynicism was