Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1911-08-31

elNA sS III - W
and liyeried state in Il castle-like house
in Mesa circle. the o expensive II
not the most ~aristocratic no thorough
fare Of the capital city.
Weatherford. the father. egged on
by Mrs. Weatherford. had political as
pirations pointing toward a United
States senatorship. the election to
which would fall within the duty of
the next legislature.
The mine owner himself would will
angly have lodged, but the ambitious
wife vas memorable. There were two
grown daughters and a growing son.
and it was for these that Mrs. Wealth
erford was socially ambitious.
The reception. for which the sena-
tors wife had driven her guest thirty
miles through the dust of the sage
brush hills. was one of the moves in
Mrs. Weatherford's private campaign.
From room to oom in the vast
house q curiously assorted throng of
the bidder ones worked its way as the
jam and crush permitted.
1t was a mark Of the newness of the
Weatherford riches that the glass and
iron greenhouse. built out as an extern
sion Of n of the drawing rooms, was
called "the herbarium." 1t was q re-
production on a generous scale of a
tropical garden.
The senator's party Of three was
fashionably late at the function in
Mesa circle. but in the crush filling
the spacious drawing rooms the host
ess and her long line Of receiving as
sistants were still on duty.
Having successfully passed the line
with her husband and Patricia, little
Mrs. Blount looked about her, saw
Mr.. Richard Gantry. signaled to him
with her eyes and, with the traffic
manager for her center rush to wedge
q way through the crowded rooms, was
presently lost to sight-at least from
Miss Anners' point of view.
Whether she knew it or not, from
the moment of her appearance at the
hostess end of the long receiving line
the senator's wife had been marked
and followed in her slow progress
through the crowded rooms by a pros
porous looking gentleman, whose hawk
like eyes never lost sight of her.
When his quarry stopped, as she did
frequently, to chat with one or IN
other Of the guests the man with the
eager eyes circled nervously and once
or twice seemed about to make the
opportunity which was so slow in
making itself.
But it was not until the little lady
in the claret colored party gown had
drifted, still with a hand N Gantry's
arm, in among the palm and banana
trees that the bird of prey person
made his swoop. A moment later
Gantry had taken his commands and
was disappearing in the direction Of
the refreshment tables. and the little
lady was saying. Dear me, Mr.. Hath
away. you almost startled mel"
"Did II" said the lumber king rather
grinlly, as if he meant the query to be
apologize. 81 am sorry. 1 didn't
mean to, but Mrs. Gordon said I
would find you here, and so I took the
liberty of-er-following you. I'm
needing a little Strengthening out, you
know, and-er-would you mind let
ting me talk business with you for a
minute or two, Mrs. Blount?"
Certainly not, if you can talk bust
ness in such a place as this" she said,
making room for him on the rustic
settee.
"Perhaps it isn't business; perhaps
it's only politics." he resumed. "First,
I wish you'd tell me what I've been
doing to get myself into your bad
books"
She laughed easily. "Who said you
had been doing anything?" she asked
1.-THE SENATOR" he answered shortly
"He said I would have to make my
peace with you. I want to be put next
in this pigs in clover railroad puzzle
Our contract with the Tr%anscontinen-
tai is about to expire, and I'd like to
get it renewed on the same terms as
before"
WELL" she said ENORMOUSLY, why
don't you do it?"
II can't" he clustered. Everybody
has suddenly grown mysterious. Kit.
tredge, the general superintendent,
doesn't seem to remember that we ever
had any contract, and Gantry is just
as bad. And when I go to the senator
he tells me I must make my peace
with you. I can't understand what
everybody is driving at. I've got
something to sell that the railroad
company needs. Where's the hitch!
You can put me next. Why can't
get my contract renewed"
The little lady was opening and shut
ting her fan slowly. what was your
%contract?" she asked i%nnocently.
IF I thought you didn't know
wouldn't tell you," he said bluntly.
"It's a rebate rate east and west from
all Of u sawmills, and it was given
us two years ago. a few days before
election"
"And the considerations" she asked,
looking up quickly.
you know that, too, Mrs. Blount.
II -nn 49, -i1, 80 A. s.ysJ -.