The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-05-17

chance came IL was only half chance,
since there was little privacy to be had
in the crowded rooms.
eft Is a question Of conscience this
time" he told her when she had agreed
to sit out dance with him in one cor
ner Of the canvas carpeted assembly
room. II have discovered positive evil
denee Of frauds to be perpetrated In
the election next Tuesday. How far
am 1 justified in suppressing this evil
dence%
Mercy" she exclaimed. How you
can bring a thunderbolt down upon
one out Of a perfectly clear sky! Is 1t
ever right to shield criminals or GRIM
inalityf"
'.That is just what I should like %
know" he persisted. AT the present
moment am shielding not one Grim.
inal, but good many"
May / know the circumstancesT
she asked after a moments considera-
ton.
Eyes. There has been fraudulent
registration In a number Of the state
legislative districts. and I have Sc
cured positive evidence Of It."
ION which slider she asked point
edly.
ION both sides, I am sorry to say"
he returned gravely.
Whom does 1t implicateT
THAT Is further than my tnforma-
ton goes" he admitted. II know only
the fact Of the false registration. But
with a fully equipped political ma
chine on the ground the inference is
! pretty plain, isn't itT'
II suppose So" she admitted. yet
you say the frauds are on both sides"
"That doesn't make any difference"
he declared "It Is a fight for mer
and not for parties. So far as can
see, the machine picks its men quito
irrespective of party. There is al
ready reason to believe that some Of
the candidates who have the most to
say now about the free ballot and
Will Of the people are themselves the
sworn henchmen of the machine.
ready when the time shall come to
vote yea or nay, as my father shall d.
rect"
'I can't believe it." she protested,
with generous warmth-''of your IA
Their, mean. am sure he has never
authorized anything so despicable-"
Blount shrugged. "Shall publish
| this evidence that has come into my
hands, or shall continue to suppress
itT
It was the first time she had ever
| failed him. ''Give me a little time"
she pleaded. "Tomorrow-comet to see
me tomorrow. It's a dreadful thing
for you to have to do, Evan-the most
dreadful thing that could be imagined.
| r.
But here young Gordon, to whom the
next dance had been promised, came
to claim her, and Blount's hard won
interview was at an end
When he left the Gordon house,
which was rather far out in the south
eastern suburb, he meant to 60 direct
to the hotel and to bed. He had been
losing much sleep in the strenuous &C.
ttvittes of the campaign, and 1t was
beginning to tell upon him. AS the
trolley car was passing the Temple
court building he saw a dim light
illuminating his upper floor office win
dows.
With all his suspicious rearoused, be
dropped from the car and took the all
night elevator to his Office floor.
The sleepy elevator man let him out
IN the upper corridor, and almost i'm
mediately the car sank away out Of
sight.
Before Blount had taken two steps
| toward his Office door there came the
dull crash Of a muff1ed explosion, and
two or three Of the glass doors In the
suit were shattered.
Blount quickened his pace to a run,
let himself silently with his latchkey
through the door of his private room.
fiung open his desk and CROPPED in an
inner drawer for the revolver which
was part of it's furnishings.
With the weapon In his hand, he
passed on through the swinging door
into Collins room. There was an
acrid odor Of high explosives in the
| air. and when he hurried through to
the room beycGd the fumes were
sitting.
His first act was to press the electric
/ button which turned on the lights.
7 b g workroom