Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-03-13

title by which the ex-senator was best
known In bis home country.
'T don't mind telling you, though
you win call it an old mans foolish
ness. I have a grown son, McVickar.
Did you know that?"
Yes"
HE is a lawyer, and pretty bright
one, they tell me. As happen to
know, he is well up on the corporation
side OF the argument, and have been
afraid he would marry and settle
down somewhere in the east. I'm
getting old, Hardwick, and ia like to
have him with me. Out of that no
ton grew another. I said to myself
this: II McVichar could have a good,
clean cut young man representing his
railroad, a man who not only knew his
business in the courts. but might also
know how to plead his clients case
before the public-if Mcvickar could
have such a man as that for his cor
poration counsel and would agree to
1--we somewhere within shouting dis
lance of such a young mans ideals
we might all be persuaded to bury
the Ratchet and live in peace and am
ity."
A slow smile spread itself over the
strong face Of the railway magnate.
''Why didn't you say in the beginning
that you wanted a place for your
boy?"
I'm not saying it now" was the
sober retort. You forget that you
have Just been telling me that you
don't intend to comply with the con-
dition.''
What condition."
''That you turn over a new leaf and
meet the people OF this state hal
way"
There isn't any halfway point in
a fight for life. You know that as
well as do. But wen give your son
the place gladly"
The man who had once been his own
foreman of roundups Strengthened him
self in his chair and smote the table
with his fist.
mo, by thunder, you wop't-not in
a thousand years, McVickar! Maybe
you could buy me-maybe you have
bought me in times past-but you can't
buy that boyl Listen and I'll tell you
= 49, SOAA6 " w. L IClCSAdp1tA
him this afternoon, telling him to
throw up his job in Boston and come
out here. II he comes pretty soon he
will be legally a citizen OF the state
before election. You said we didn't
have anybody but Rankin to run for
attorney general III show you If we
haven'tn
Mr.. Hardwick AcVickar was not OF
those who fight as men beating the
wind. What time the def waiter was
clearing the table and serving the
small cofrees he kept silence, but when
the time was fully ripe he said what
there was to be said.
You've got US by the nape of the
neck, as usual, Blount," he said.
Name your terms"
'I have named them. Get in line
with the new public opinion, and well
do what we can for You"
McVickar had anticipated the thing
which was about to happen, not pre-
cisely In its present form. perhaps, but
In some form which would involve the
providing OF a place for the senator's
son, and he smiled inwardIy when he
remembered that he had given Gantry,
the division traffic manager OF the
Transcontinental, instructions to look
up one Evan BIount, a young lawyer,
on his next visit to Boston.
By all odds II would be better to wait
for Gantry's report before taking any
decided steps in the bargaining with
Evan Blounts father. but unhappily
the crisis had arrived, and quite prob
ably it could not be postponed. None
the less the vice president tried for the
postponement.
You're asking GOOD deal Rlount.