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

Ao'ei, Wien JuuSe crowley. the re-
form candidate for the state senate.
had opened the joint debate with q
sharp arraignment Of the railroads
methods, not only in its dealings with
Its patrons as q common carrier, but
also in the pertinacity with which it
invaded the political field. there was
tumultuous applause But it was no
heartier than that which greeted
Blount when he rose to present the
railroads side of the argument.
During the journey from the capital,
which had consumed the night and the
greater portion of the forenoon, he
had prepared his speech. His aryu-
ment-the one unanswerable argument.
as 1t seemed to him-was the existence
of a law which presumed to limit the
earnings Of a private or at most a
quasi public corporation. without max
ing a corresponding regulation limit
ing the cost Of such a corporations
service. Upon this foundation he was
able to build a very fair structure of
oratory.
The judge. his opponent. was a rath-
er turgid man, whose speech abounded
in flights Of spread eagle %eloquence
and whose appeal was to the emotions
and the impulses Of his audience.
Blount, on the other hand. made a
typical lawyers speech, calmly deliv-
cred, logical in every syllogism and
appealing frankly to the intelligence
of his hearers. In every period of it
he was greeted with generous ap-
plause, and at the close of the meet
ing he had what the editor Of the local
paper called in his issue Of the follow
ing day IAN ovation"
Steuchfield and his fellow commit
teemen escorted him to the midnight
train, and no n in the crowd Of con-
gratulatorS was more enthusiastic than
the opposition chairman.
That was a great speech, Mr..
Blount," he said at parting. eff you
can go all over the state making as
good talks rs you have made here to-
night you'll tie US all up in a hard
knot. But McVickar won't let you do
it, not by Il long shot"
Blount laughed. "There are no
strings tied to me, Mr.. S~teuchfeld,' he
declared. This is a new deal, and I
am the dealer. Come down to the
capital and let me convince you that
we are out for open publicity and a
square deal for every man. including
the railroad man"
"All right was the cordial reply.
"I1l be down along some of these
days. and if you can show me that
McVickar isn't going into politics any
further than you have gone here to-
night I'll promise you to come back
here and tell the boys that the jig is
up"
Five minutes later the branch train
pulled out. and the chairman and his
fellow committeeman gave the depart
ing joint debater three cheers and an
other. When the red tail lights Of the
train had disappeared around the first
curve Steuchfield turned to his fellow
conspirators.
"Well. boys" he said, with a grin
that went from ear to ear, 81 guess
we did it up all right and according to
orders. don't know what sort Of
game the Hon. Dave Sagebrush is
playing this time, but whatever he
says goes. and I reckon we gave the
young man a right pleasant time.
Anyway, he seemed to think So"
Blount did not reach his Office in the
capital until the afternoon Of the Sec
up the Inter-Mountain. and when the
clerk disappointed him by telling him
that his father. Mrs. Blount and their
guest had gone out to Wartrace Hall
he counted it as n more opportunity
missed and settled down to business.
First in the memoranda on his desk
was a stenographer's note asking him
to make an appointment with one S.
P. Hathaway. whose address was the
Inter Mountain hotel. Since the note
was marked important he told the
clerk to call up the hotel at once, and
in dne time the gentleman. who, the
stenographer said, had called several
LulcS uul1uS Lie SdS, ndue LIS dp-
pearance at the door Of the private Of
fee.
1t was a mutual shock. Blount rec
ognized instantly his companion of the
Omaha-Aretas Pullman smoking COM
partment and the man who had doubt
less sent the three h%ighbinders after
him on the night of mysteries and who
had been the prime mover in the Sc
ries Of singular incidents ending in the
midnight homecoming to Wartrace
Hall.
On the other hand, the president saw
before him the supposed agent of the
forestry service.
well. I'll be hanged!', he ejaculat-
ed. dropping into the nearest chair.
You needn't be-" laughed Blount
easily. "TIl admit that it was partly
my fault, Mr.. Hathaway. What can
I do for you todayY
By this time the lumber king had re-
covered his breath and some measure
Of his composure.
Great Scott" he said. eff you had