Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1911-09-14

barrel! Where under heaven did YOU
get your nerve. Evan? Blest if I don't
believe you could outbiuff the older
your father himself if you once got
the fool notion into your head that it
was your duty to try"
This time Blount's smile was rather
sorrowful, and he shook his head.
"Come and hear me speak tonight
if you're staying over that long.
Then you'll know why must have the
solid rock of good faith under my feet,
Gantry. You spoke of my father Just
now. I bear the name. too. Dick. Don't
you see that I've got to make good?"
1t was during this Woodworking in
terval that Blount saw. with keen re-
greet, the gradual widening Of the
breach between him and his father.
That the long arm of the machine of
which his father was the acknowl-
edged head was reaching u into all
corners of the state there was ample
evidence. and that the machine cam
paign was a thing to be reckoned with
and fought against was a cardinal
principle with the young reformer.
But it is hard to fight in the dark.
The organization was so perfect that
it's very existence seemed mythical at
times-a mere bugbear set up to be
knocked down by the honest voter at
the polls on election day.
Yet Blount knew that it was no
myth. Sometimes he fancied that it
was the machine which was interpos-
ing the invisible barrier beyond which
he was not permitted to pass. With
that thought came the old doubts and
fears that his father and McVickar
had consulted together to make him
the fence behind which all the trickery
of a venal campaign could be safely
screened. But while this thought Wis
IDLY widened the growing breach it
made him only more determined to
fight to the bitter end. What one man
could do to herald the dawn of a new
political epoch for his native state
should be done.
1t was on one of his short %stopovers
in the capital city that Blount found
lhioSiL SStLSN ol'PoSltS LID AdlHNl dI q
table for two in the Inter-Mountain
cafe. The meeting was purely acct
dental. as most of their meetings had
come to be. Inquiring for his father
at the desk. Blount had been told that
the senator was out of town. But al
hour later. when he had taken his seat
at the dinner table, the supposed alb
sentee had walked in to take the OPP
posite chair.
Fol a time their talk was of the do
ings at Wartrace Hall, of the profess
sor's enthusiastic digging for fossils, of
Patricia's keen enjoyment of the life in
the open and-thiS put with gentle
hesitation Oh the part Of the news
bringer-of Mrs. Honoria's growing
love for the young woman whose am
billions reached out toward a career"
working you pretty hard these days,
aren't they, son?" was the friendly re-
mark that opened the way for more
to follow. IF you belonged to my
generation instead Of your own you
wouldn't be cold ~shouldering that
young woman out at Wartrace the way
you do-not for all the politics that
was ever hatched."
Il have my work to do" said the
son gravely, land Patricia Anners
would be the last person in the world
to put obstacles in the way Of it. I
wish 1 could say as much for other
people"
The boss looked up quickly. "Some-
body been trying to block you""
Evan Blount met the gaze Of the
shrewd gray eyes without finching.
II don't know Of any good reason
why we shouldn't be frank with each
other, dad" he said. using for the
first time since his return the old boy
hood father name. you know better
than any one else. I think, what the
stumbling blocks are and who is put
ting them in my way"
Instantly the faraway look came
into the gray eyes.
IT know a heap of things that I
can't tell-not just vet, son. Has Nc
Vickar been calling you down."
"No one has called me down. but
some one or something is keeping me
out Of the real fight. There isn't any
fight that I can get into. Everywhere
I go there is the same cut and dried
welcome. the same predetermined en-
thusiasm. Sometimes it seems as if
all the people 1 meet had been in
structed to make things pleasant and
easy for me-"
The senator's chuckle was barely
audible.
II wouldn't find much fault with
that If l were you, son." he said.
you'll get enough of the real thing
by and by"
Blount felt his anger rising. He
was in precisely the right mood to be-
Heve that his father, failing to make
him a cog in one of the wheels in the
machine, had gone about in some mys-
FERROUS way to insulate him, to make
it impossible for him to get into the
real tide Of affairs. But he kept his
temper.
Its no use," he said, with a tang
Of in his tone stWn Owe