The Irish standard., 1910-11-19
CHAPTER XIV.
The Last Council Of War

The Last Council Of War.
Summoned by Liffey at Haldane's
urgent request, the governing men,
bers of the ring met that night at their
secret rendezvous. There were pres.
ent besides the two mentioned, Van
Slyke and Mcdonald, Rutherford, Con-
nell, Habberley, Benson representing
the allies. and the mayor. When Hal
dane arrived. he found the others al
ready assembled.
"Well?" asked Liffey as soon as the
other entered the room.
Hes found it out and he's going to
do It,"
Found out what and going to do
what?' asked Rutherford.
"Gormly has got onto us, Mr.. Ru-
therford," was Liffey's reply. The boss
realized instantly that Haldane had
failed to postpone the disclosure.
Hes found out the secret history of
the Gotham Freight Traction COM
pany. He's found out the whole bloom
in history; where we git our money,
how we spend it,"
"And who was the traitor that be-
trayed you?" asked Benson flercely.
"rd like to know that same" an
swered Liffey, his fat jaws clamping
together, his ''pompadour" crest bris-
| Ting.
II don't imagine anybody betrayed
u.s." said Rutherford. We've known
all along that the thing was bound
to get out sooner or later. If 1t had
been later, it wouldn't have made
much difference; but now Is he
going to publish it,"
| "He u.s." answered Haldane.
"When?" demanded Van Slyke.
Tomorrow. 1t will be in every pa
per in the city except our own"
Great God!" exclaimed Cornell. 1T
we could only stave 1t off for Just
three more days. Gimme three days,
did you bid for him?' questioned
the chief of police
| Haldane nodded.
did you go high enough!" asked
Benson.
II went so high" said the man,
that his refusal covered me with
worse shame than the publication will
do"
"And it wasn't enough?" queried
Rutherford, who had clearer compre-
hension Of what the offer might have
been than the others.
mo"
$50 it's coming out tomorrow, is
it?"
"Yes."
"Well. don't know what We can
d." said Liffey, "but grin and take
It,"
Gents, hear met" burst out Cornell.
IT can't throw no light on this situa-
ton; don't see no way Of keeping
| this rot out of the papers unless we
could burn up the plants or close 'em
down some way, which I'd like to
have the job of dom. But we amt
beat yet.
This man that's posin' as an angel
of virtue before the people Of New
York and talkin' reform and so on is
an adulterer, a thief, and a self-con.
fessed murderer"
What" roared the men present.
you're dreaming! You're mad!"
II am, am 1? Well, you just watt"
returned the chief, land you'll find I'm
the sanest man in the whole bunch
You know the other night when you
was jammin through the franchise at
the city hall and Gormly made his
great play?"
Eyes"
well, one Of my men-I had a
bunch Of plain clothes men scattered
through the crowd-with his eyes and
ears open heard man say, lookin' at
Gormly standin' up on that automobile
and givin' the crowd his Internal rot,
Well, if that amt a dead ringer for
boy named George Fordyce that
used to know back in Kill Devil Camp
in Wyoming twenty-five years ago, I'll
cat my HAITI My man sized up the
| speaker at once. He was big west
ern man free Of speech as he was
with his money. His names Bill Ham
ilton, and he's big Montana mine
owner They call him colonel out
there. They struck up a friendship
right away, had few drinks together,
and my man got enough out of him to
get on the trail Of the story we been
lookin' for without Hamilton in the
least suspectin' what he was after.
sent dozen OF the smartest men on