El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-03-28
FRANCIS LYNDE

80 you have said before number
Of times and in a number Of different
ways" was the mild counter sugges-
ton.
81 shan't say 1t many more times
David. You're pushing me too far"
What will you say then?"
"Just this-if you won't meet me
halfway, if you insist upon a fight. I'll
fight you with any weapons 1 can get
hold Off
you've said that in other cam
paigns, Hardwick, and in the end
you've always been like the possum
that offered to come down out of the
tree If the man wouldn't shoot
"I'll hand you another proverb to go
with that one," snapped the man in
the chair by the window. The pitch
er that goes often to the well is sure
to be broken at last. You've got q
joint in your armor now, Blount.
You've always been able to laugh at
publicity before. Can you stand it
now? 2"
II reckon I'll have to stand it if
you buy up few newspapers, as you
usually do" was the half quizzical re-
ply, then for an added flick of the
whip, you and your folks can't paint
me much blacker than you have al
ways painted me, Hardwick."
Maybe not. but this time we're go
ing to give you a chance to start q
few libel suits-if you think you can
afford to appear in the courts. We've
got all the evidence in black and
white. We might possibly make your
own state too hot to hold you. Have
you thought of that?"
go ahead and try it." was the Ia
comic response
But that isn't ALL" the man In the
window chair went on remorselessly
"Your fellow citizens here know you
for exactly what you are. Blount. You
rule them with rod of iron, but that
rule can be broken. When it is bro
ken you'll be looked upon as crimi-
nal In our last talk together you had
something to say TO me about our not
keeping up with the change in public
sentiment. 1t has changed-changed SO
far that 1t is coming to demand the
punishment of the great offenders as
well as the failing of the little ones
If we want to push this fight hard
enough it is not impossible that you
may find yourself a broken man at the
end of it, David"
Pm taking all the chances" was the
even toned rejoinder.
But there is one chance l am sure
you haven't considered-this son Of
yours! ] know as much about him as
you do-more. perhaps, for l have
taken more pains to keep tab on him
for the past few years than you have
He is clean and straight, Blount-a
son for any man to be proud OF. If
that is the real reason why we are
afraid to have him instructing the
grand juries of this state it is also
your best reason for keeping the past
decently under cover. What will you
say to him when the newspapers open
up on you? And what win he say to
you? Had you thought of that?'
For the first time since the begin
ming Of the one sided conference the
senator laid his cigar aside and sat
thoughtfully tugging at the dropping
mustaches.
You'd set the house afire over my
head, would you, Hardwick" he
queried, With the gray eyes lighting
IS-eateningly; then: THE last time
we talked you posted your def; now
I'll post mine. You go ahead and do
your worst The boy and viii try to
see that you don't have all the fun. l
won't say that you mightn't turn him
if you went at it right But you won't
go at it right, and as matters stand
now-well, blood is thicker than wa
ter, and If you hit me you hit him.
And I reckon between US Wen man.
age to give you as good as you send
That's ALL" rising to lean heavily upon
the table, "all but one thing. You
fight fair, Hardwick. Say anything
you like about me, but If that boy has
in his past that don't know
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