Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1912-03-07

1 -~-~e~
Mrs. Gilbert She stopped as abb
ruptly as she had begun.
He made no answer, and after
awhile she continued gently:
as there any reason why they
shouldn't be happy-as men and wo-
men want to be happy. PauI?'
Again it was Il long time before he
answered in voice that was very
tired: There is no reason. All that
is dead. 1t has no right to live. Kath
leen
In her heart she was crying jealous
ly to her secret. Its the last thing |
can do for him." Aloud she said:
you must tell him that toe''
He did not notice that her voice was
sharp and constrained. He was
watching the fires of real suffering
burning out the last vestige of. the
self that had been Paul Remington.
When Bob came home the two men
met quietly. What was said then
need not be set down here. but a new
footing was established. Thereafter
many things were ignored by them.
Paul went on the staff of Bob's news
paper. The Buges editorials are
4 often quoted in other newspapers Of
note
Many have often tried to initiate
them in vain. perhaps because they
breathe a spirit that cannot be simu-
lated convincingly. He is no longer
| public figure in the Steel City. Few
now remember his sensational dis
avowal of McAdoo. fewer still his
equally sensational amende Some
times there have been struggles with
burning appetite. At such times he
has fed to Kathleen. He tells her il
is she who has conquered.
Both Kathleen and Paul are happy
At least they have achieved content.
The train that whirled Paul toward
| the Steel City was passed by another
/ bearing Mayor McAdoo to the death
! bed of man who had come very close
to him
Bob saw much of Murchel during
the two years following the Steel City
mayorality election He came to feel
q mighty admiration and affection for
the great general who had created a
new political era. who had shackled a
nation to the service of vast. vora
/ cious system who had lifted at least
one nonentity to the presidents chair
and who in the last years of his life
was struggling to undo the work of his
| prime.
When man reaches his threescore
years and ten" Murchell said to him
one day. "he has learned that the evil
or good man does concerns himself
least of ALL The balance must remain
/ heavily against me. | must strive not
to atone. but to make the way ready
| for other men who will undo what
have done"
Murchell's lofty self ignoring gave
him an example that be strove to emu
late
Many other things of less abstract
kind he learned from the. master
/ Murchell revealed to him the secret
/ intricate inner workings of the vast
machine that gripped the state as in
| wise 1t was not all pretty. More
than once he saw rebellious bosses en-
ter the presence of the master to leave
shaking. stunned by the knowledge
that they were inextricably in the
power of man who seemed to know
everything. Many things Murchell
and Bob did of which they said naught
to the gentle Dunmeade that they
might save his heart from burning.
Gradually Bob came to understand.
too, why the secrets and sources of
MurchelI's power were revealed to
him. He was being prepared to take
Murchell's place. Upon him, not upon
Dunmeade, the masters mantle was
to fall
! And now Murchell was dying.
Bob knew as the train bore him
swiftly to the east that he was going
to assume that mantle.
4 Years before 81 will be master of the
state before die!' ambition had cried.
Now he said. II am not yet forty.
and am master of the state"
Master of the state. He had dream
ed of power. Now power. tremendous.
farreaching. almost unlimited power.
would be his If he could retain what
Murchell would very soon place in his
hands.
II can! will" His teeth clinched.
his muscles frightened in the stress OF
his determination. II will be true to
my trust. will use my power for
the good of this people. So help me
God!'
His words were prayer. not an
oath. There was no exutation in his
heart, neither was there humility. Self
was forgotten. His task loomed large
4 before him. self obiiterating, filing his
horizon as he hurried toward the gov
ernor's mansion. In the library some
one was playing the piano very softly.
the gentle, soothing chords lingering
in the air. Thither the servant show
ed Bob.