The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1911-12-21
THE Man
HIGHER UP
By HENRY RUSSELL
MILLER
Copyright. 1910. by Bobbs Mer.
rill Co.
CHAPTER XII-Continued

MISS Jones. VIII you ask MalaSSey
to step in? And. Miss Jones. IL Mr..
Remington should come in. please hold
him until ! can see him. I rely on
you"
Malassey was a type Of the profess
sional mixer" a big. red faced fellow
with a bluff. bOisterous that
passed for good fellowship among the
undiscerning. One eye was set slight
~ lower than its fellow. Bob greeted
him with a curt nod and lolled back
in his chair. Haggin grimly ignored
the entrance Of the newcomer. Ma
lassey seated himself awkwardly on
the edge of a chair.
I'm mighty sorry about the conven-
ton. Mr.. McAdoo." he began eagerly.
"I"-
Bob chuckled. IT see. really think
he'd better hunt another job, Tom"
Malassey sprang to his feet, pale and
trembling. Before God. Mr.. McAdoo,"
he began with nervous vehemence, II
didn't
Bob anne sharply upright in his
chair.
Before God. Malassey." he said
harshly. you did. You were to go
into the Democratic nominating com
mittee and help get me their indorse-
ment. But you didn't"
ITS a lie. whoever says it." Malas.
sey cried. 81 voted for you, and the
recordIl prove it."
Yes, you voted for me when the
committee was safely against me. You
took a fier in double dealing, Malassey.
1t has netted you a thousand dollars,
and that's all. The mayor expects your
resignation at once, Good morning,
Malassey."
An hour later Paul came in and
threw himself YEARLY on one Of Bob's
uncomfortable chairs.
well" be said modify. "you lost
that trick"
I'm not infallible," Bob returned
calmly. And they played this hand
better than the last one"
Paul nodded "Yes But why, in
heavens name. did they pick out Har
land? He's a good man and indie.
pendent. They can't control him"
"Yes. he's all that. And he'll make a
good run. which is more to the point.
He's the only man in the city who
stands a chance against u.s."
But where do they come in between
you two?"
Bob shrugged his shoulders. ANY
port In a storm. They prefer to take
their chances with him rather than
with me"
Paul sprang to his feet and began
to pace the floor nervously. They'll
use him to break you. and then they'll
break him They are relentless-and
patient. It's an invincible combina-
ton. Good God. Bob. what an enc
my you are fighting! You're a big
man. but you're a pygmy beside them
You've won u so far, but that is be
cause they haven't really taken you
seriously. But now you've taught
them what you are. and they are de
termined to crush you"
He sat down again dejectedly. "Do
you know. I've a terrible presentiment
that we're going to lose this time"
do you mean that you don't care
to help me out in this fght?"
Paul strobe to Bob's side and placed
his hand ~affectionately on the latter's
shoulder.
'tOf course not. old man. I'm with
you in this scrimmage and In every
other you ever go into. but while we
are working out our plans here in the
state can't | have the chance to work
out mine in a separate field where |
can act for myself and in my own
way? Bob. If you're e~lected-and of
course you will be in spite of my pre-
sentiment-why can't | take Gerwig's
place on the ticket this fall and 60 to
congress?'
Bob shook his head.
why not?" Paul demanded petu
lantly.
''In the first place. I have promised
Gerwig. In the second"-
You can get Gerwig to step aside"
81 can" Bob said quietly. but it's a
rule of mine to keep my word in such
cases. In the second place. 1t will
meal six years wasted. Here: have a
cigar. Now sit down and Wen discuss
this thing nationally" Paul lighted
his cigar and sat down. putting nerv-
ously.
"You go to congress-what happens?
You'll find yourself shunted of to one
side. a bushei basket clapped over your
head. bound. muzzled. | can imagine
nc sadder fate for you than to be muz-
Zled."
Paul laughed. 1--WE can agree ON
that anyhow. Go On"
Its worse even than that Even the
machine congressman has no real pow.
er. He must take his orders just as
our legislator must take orders from
the state boss. There aren't q half
dozen men In both houses who hold
even a shadow Of power. and they
have that only as agents for those
back Of them. II you're content with
being a fgurehead. with having only