The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1911-05-04
"How?" asked Warrington. The man

"How?" asked Warrington. The man
was fool!
You will go to Senator Henderson
and tell him that you have recon-
sidered."
Warrington laughed. II believed I
knew all phases but this one surpasses
any j. ever heard Of. You have the
nerve to ask me, of the opposition
party to refuse the nomination for
mayorY'
II have"
Are you afraid Of me?"
mot of you, my lad" McQuade ans
wered sardonically, spreading out his
great hands. do look like a
man afraid of anything? But the
thought of a stranger becoming mayor
Of Herculaneum rather frightens me.
Let us have peace Mr.. Warrington.
Il ask nothing better"
Withdraw"
Il never withdraw. / am not afraid
of anything. even promise to be
good natured enough to look upon this
meeting as colossal joke"
McQuade's eyes narrowed again.
Personally, you are nothing to me-"
he replied; politically, you are med
dler, and you are in my way"
'Oh, am in your way? That is to
say, IL I am elected there'll be too much
honesty in the city hall to suit your
plans? l can readily believe that. II
you can convince me that 1 ought not
TO run for mayor, do so. / can accept
any reasonable argument. But buster
will do no good. For man of your &C.
credited ability, you are making poor
move, even a fatal one"
will you withdraw"
"Emphatically mol"
"All right. Whatever comes your
way after this, don't blame me. / have
given you fair warming"
You have threatened"
II can act also. And YOU can put this
in your pipe, Mr.. Warrington, that be-
fore October comes round, when the
republican convention meets, you will
withdraw your name quickly enough.
This is not a threat. It's a warning.
That's ALL I'm sorry you can't see the
matter from my standpoint"
Come, boy" said Warrington to his
dog. You had better keep your ami
NAL under the table"
McQuade did not move or answer.
So Warrington grasped Jove by the
collar and led him out of the private
Office. McQuade heard the dramatist
whistle on the way to the elevator.
Quade. well, I'll break him, or my
names not McQuade. The damned
meddling upstart, with his plays and
fine women! You're a hell Of dog you
are! Why the devil didn't you kill his
pup for him?"
McQuade sent a kick at the dog, who
lodged it successfully, trotted out to
the typewriter and crawled under the
girls skirts.
Warrington went home, thoroughly
angry with himself. Withdraw? It
would have to be something more tan
gible than threats.
There was long distance cal for
you this afternoon" announced his
aunt. 1.-THE Benningtons want you to
come up at once instead Of next week."
Warrington frightened perceptibly.
He went to work, but his heart wasn't
in 1t. The interview with McQuade in
sisted upon recurring. Why hadn't he
walked out without any comment what
ever? Silence would have crushed Nc
Quade. He knew that McQuade could
not back up this threat; it was only q
threat. Bah! Once more he flung him
self into his work.
Half an hour later the door bell rang.
Herculaneum had a unique character.
He was a pompous little man to whom
the inelegant applied the term OF runt.
He never could have passed the army
examination, for he had no instep. He
walked like a duck. fiat footed. minus
the waddle. He was pop-eyed, and the
fumes Of strong drink had loosened the
tear ducts so that his eyes swan in q
perennial mist Of tears. His wife still
called him William. but down town he
was Bill. He knew everybody in town,
and everybody in town knew him.
There was time when he had been on
intimate terms with so distinguished
person as Mrs. Franklyn- Haldene. He
x,,i 4all 60 this ha
wont to dandle her on his knee. Bill
was one Of those individuals Of whom
it is said: HE means WELL" In other
words, he was do-nothing. a ne'er-
do-well. He had been comparatively
rich once, but he had meant well with
his money. One grand splurge, and 1t
was all over. Herculaneum still recol-
Bill was always referring to those gor-,
geous days. Afterward, Bill and his
family lived from hand to mouth
Bill had wonderful memory; he
never forgot those who laughed at him
and those who nodded kindly. He was
shiftless and lazy, but he had a code of
honor. Bill could have blackmailed
many q careless man OF prominence,
had he been SO minded. But a man
who had once dined a governor OF the
state could do no wrong. His main
fault was that he had neglected to
wean his former greatness: he still
nursed it. Thus. 1t was beneath his
dignity to accept a position as clerk
in a store or shop.
Bill marched into the Warrington
place jauntily. He wore q tie. Jove
ran out and shifted the frayed hens
of his trousers. The door opened pres
emily.
els Richard in?" Bill asked He had
had only two drinks that evening.
CONTINUED Next Weekly