Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1911-08-17

AAS " la "Ao IL
is going to cost us to get your consent
to do the practical and possible thing"
Want to buy me outright this time,
do your said the boss. still smiling
gently.
"We'-McVickar was going to say,
we bought you BEFORE" but he
changed it to a less offensive form
I'VE have had no difficulty in arriving
at some sensible and practical conclu-
s1ons in the past, Blount, and we
shouldn't have now. We can't let you
nave your son for attorney general.
That's out of the question. If YOU put
your son in as public prosecutor you
can have but n object in view-you
mean to squeeze us till the blood runs.
We're willing to discount that object
before the fact"
80 you have said before q number
Of times and in a number of different
ways" was the mild counter sugges-
ton.
II shan't say it many more times,
David. You're pushing me too far"
"What will you say them"
"Just this-if you won't meet me
halfway, If you insist upon a fight, I'll
fight you with any weapons I can get
hold Of"
you've said that in other cam
paigns. Hardwick, and In the end
you've always been like the possum
that offered to come down out of the
tree if the man wouldn't shoot"
eli HAND you another proverb to go
with hat one," snapped the man in
the chair by the window. "The pitch
er that goes often to the we'll is sure
TO be broken at last. You've got a
joint in your armor now, Blount.
You've always been able to laugh at
publicity before. Can you stand it
now?"
81 reckon I'll have to stand it If
you buy up a few newspapers, as you
usually do" was the half quizzical re-
ply, then for an added flick of the
whip, you and your folks can't paint
me much blacker than you have al
ways painted me, Hardwick."
Maybe not, but this time we're 60
ing to give you a chance to start a
few libel suits-if you think you can
afford to appear in the courts. We've
got all the evidence in black and
white. We might possibly make your
W state too hot to hold you. Have
you thought of that?"
go ahead and try it, was the la
comic response.
But that isn't ALL" the man in the
window chair went on remorselessly.
Your fellow citizens here know YOU
for exactly what you are, Blount. You
rule them with a rod of iron, but that
rule can be broken. When it is bro
ken you'll be looked upon as q crimi-
nal. In our last talk together you had
something to say to me about our not
keeping up with the change in public
sentiment. 1t has changed-changed so
far that 1t is coming to demand the
punishment of the great offenders as
well as the failing Of the little ones.
If we want to push this fight hard
enough it is not impossible that you
may find yourself q broken man at the
end of it, David"
Pm taking all the chances" was the
even toned rejoinder.
But there is one chance I am sure
you haven't considered-this son of
yours! I know as much about him as
you do-more, perhaps, for I have
taken more pains to keep tab on him
for the past few years than you have.
He is clean and straight, Blount-a
son for any man to be proud of. If
that is the real reason why we are
afraid to have him instructing the
grand juries Of this state 1t is also
your best reason for keeping the past
decently under cover What will you
say to him when the newspapers open
up on you: And what will he say to
you? Had you thought of that?"
For the tirst time since the begin
ming Of the one sided conference the
senator laid his cigar aside and sat
thoughtfully Juggling at the dropping
mustaches.
You'd set the house afire over my
head, would you, Hardwick?" he
queried, with the gray eyes lighting
threateningly; then: THE last time
we talked you posted your def; now
I'll post mine. You go ahead and dc
your worst. The boy and l will try tc
see that you don't have all the fun.
won't say that you mightn't turn him
If you went at it right. But you won't
go at it right, and as matters stand
now-well, blood is thicker than wa.
ter, and if you hit me you hit him
And I reckon between us We'll man.
age to give you as good as you send
That's ALL" rising to lean heavily upon
the table, "all but one thing. You
fight fair. Hardwick. Say anything