The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-06-20
by George, believe you're right. !"

~ 00SA Sc UclASNc yOu TO tight,
said Donnelly.
Neither of the three suspected that
Winning might have had dealings with
Tank on account Of his own private en-
terprises which placed him absolutely
In the power of the boss.
Then We're agreed on the PROPOSE
tom" said Manning, looking at Don
nelly and Macy, both of whom nodded
assent.
There was in Donnelly, surfeited
with overmuch power, more than q
trace OF boastfulness. Feeling no COM
junction for the treachery to an accom-
pllce and with an exaggerated sense Of
the Importance of his own acts, he
brought his fist down upon the table
sharply. saying in tones of bravado
Tank is done for. /"
At the very instant of speech the
door OF Manning's private Office opened
and Daniel Tank himself entered the
room. half-jovial look of assurance
was on his face as he appeared in the
doorway. and his mouth was open, no
doubt to utter some jocular explanation
OF his hurried entry unannounced
though none might have been consid-
cred necessary. since in the private Of
flee OF Manning the four had rendez-
voused almost daily for years. and
between the hours of eleven and twelve
on any day but Saturday, either of the
quartette would have felt quite certain
of finding the others there.
But the jocular expression leaped
sc sunbeam from the features of
the Boss. In its stead came a hard
setting of the muscles on the great
face, while the auburn brows were
lowered and under them the two small
blue eyes burned fiercely Tank walked
deliberately to the table, and laid his
huge fist by the pudgy hand of the sur
prised Donnelly.
What was that you was sayin'?"
he asked, In low, tense voice, passion
mastered by self-control, quivering in
the tones.
Donnelly hesitated while he rallied
from his surprise, but he was not a
coward. He countered with q question.
You heard me?" he said.
Yes" said Tank.
Then | guess we'll let 1t go at that"
responded Donnelly, coolly.
The Boss Strengthened his great body.
He could have crushed the skull of
Donnelly with a blow. He could have
set the building vibrating with the bel
lowing Of his great rage But he did
neither. Tank, in the volcanic heat OF
wrath was one Of the most violent Of
men. but he never seemed to lose con,
troll of his temper except when passion
played into the hands of purpose. Just
10 80 %hn
hearty support of these men in an
effort to save him from prosecution.
Well. I'm not done for" he said
with considerable warmth, land I'm
not going to be, but you are, all three
Of you, If you don't quit this croquet
game you been playin' and get out on
the coachin' lines. There's three things
you've got to do right to-day. Give out
signed interviews that you're against
the graft prosecution being carried any
further becaus, they're hurtin' the
town; put the Press and the Mail to
hammering the prosecution on this
ground along with the Telegram, and
in any other way that you can; and
put the screws on Dunno through the
banks and through the heavy adver-
tisin' merchants. You got to get this
goin' right now to save me-"
We are not going to save you," said
Donnelly, coldly
Tank looked quickly into the faces of
Macy and Manning, only to read the
same answer.
Great heavens. he shouted. Are
you crazy? We sink or swim together"
:" do not think we do" said Man
ming, in those bitingly precise tones
with which, adder-like he stung the
man whom he had chosen for his vic
tim. - do not think, Tank, you can
blame us for feeling that we cannot
afford TO interest ourselves in your
fight. You seem to be going down and
out. AS long as you had matters we'll
in hand, we could stand by you and do
business with you, but now-well. 1t is
going to be different. Mind you, we do
not depose you. We merely recognize
the fact that you are deposed."
Tanks face was the picture Of amaze
'ment. amazement at such folly-amaze-
ment that rapidly gave way to disgust
and outrage.
When he spoke it was in voice like
the distant rumble of an 43tna-a tone
trolled words on entering the room,
but so full of the tensity Of biting pas
sion that it sounded like the rumbling
cannonade of volcanic thunder.
"I'll put you In he pen for this" he
said II money can ever be sent to
Jail, Ill send you there, so help me God!
And if l have to go, myself, to get you
there, I'll gladly stay year for every
minute of your time. and hope you each
stay there million years" A great
gulp Of something like exultation
gripped his throat for moment. I'll
send you to the pen. / will! | will!
So help me God, Twill!
1t has been remarked, whether justly
or not, that the more money man has,
the more timid he is. OF these three
men, Macy was richest. How much of
these riches had been piled up quickly
in the last ten years out of the free
use of the citys funds, which by means
of heavy bride to Tank were annu-
ally deposited in his banks 1t would be
difficult to compute. but the proportion
was large. The cocksure arguments of
Donnelly and Manning Of quarter Of
an hour ago, now appeared inconclu-
sive to him at least. The fiery presence
of the man who in q moment had been