El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-04-11
By
FRANCIS LYNDE

-but l tell you we can't withdraw
the specials. you wild eyed fanatic,'
"All right; then level down the pub
lies rate to fit them. And do it quick
", Dick. The time is growing fear
fully short, and my patience isn't what
it used to be-"
Anybody would think you owned
the Transcontinental, lock, stock and
barrel. Where under heaven did you
get your nerve, Evan? Blest if don't
believe you could outbluff 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. bear the name, too, Dick. Don't
you see that I've got to make good?'
1t was during this Woodworking in
gret, 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 out 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
its 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 faneied 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 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
himself seated opposite his father at a
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 an
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.
For 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 on the part of the news
bringer-of Mrs. Honoria's growing
love for the young woman whose am
billions reached out toward Career"
working you pretty hard these days.
aren't they, SOM was the friendly re-
bark that opened the way for more
10 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 Matched"
81 have my work to do" said the
son gravely. 'and Patricia Anners
would be the last person in the world
to put obstacles in the way of It, /