The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-07-01
BY ANNIE HINRIcHsEN.

small, hard rubber ball. sne was
looking at it SO intently that as she
! stepped into the street she almost
coliided with q man who was pass
Ing.
What is your treasure. Miss Mil
dred?" he asked. curiousiy.
Mildred's eyes dropped to the bah
and the color famed over her face
1T is a ball., she said, as positively
as If she were throwing knowledge on
Il state of ignorance; "a rubber uall. =
What are you going to do with
it -
81 bought it because-because
wanted 1T"
do you often buy balls for the
pleasure of carrying them about with
you?"
Il do not. Mr. Powell" Her tone
informed the young man that further
questioning concerning the ball would
be most undesirable.
"Yo our paper he said. hurrying TO
safer conversational fields. contains
this morning an especially yitriolic
attack on the Water Company bill."
The bill was introduced IN the
house several DAYS ACC anu rlforred
to a committee of which you are a
member The Moon is doing every
thing possible to defeat it,"
THE belief Is current In the gen
eral assembly that the reason for the
papers opposition is the fact that Mr.
Zane. the proprietor, Is n heavy stock
holder in one of the water companies
which this bill VIII affect. You are
one of the Moon staff.
II am only an assistant, a picker
up of scraps OF news for the men who
chronicle the Legislative affairs.
hope and expect that some day
Flx. .nf.sA
high place on the STAFF"
II intend to-"
TT Is q great metropolitan paper
1t has here at the apisai "a staff of
trained Journalists and also several
good lobbyists. 1t Is lighting the
Water Company bill. 1t will grant
advancement to any Of its staff who
can influence legislation against this
bill. Would you, a charming. we'll
bred young woman, be willing TO earn
advancement in this way -
II would do anything In my power
for my paper and for myself.
The Water Company bill had reused
a storm Of controversy throughout
the State 1t MIS- Il hill popular with
the people and opposed by certain
powerful interests. The Moon, the
largest paper In the State was leading
the hight against il. The measure
had been introduced In the house ard
referred TO the committee on corpora
tons II was believed that II the
committee allowed the bill TO leave
it's hands and return to the house
to he voted on 1t would be passed
1t was so popular with the people that
few legislators would dare vote against
it, Its enemies determined that IL
should he smothered beyond resusci-
tation in the COMMITTEES.
It was the day on which final action
on the bill was TO be taken by the
committee.
On his way to the meeting, Harold
Powell passed John Zane. owner or
the Moon and Mildred Grant. They
we're standing in the rotunda Of the
state house. As he passed them
Powell caught the words Zane was
speaking.
While he waited for the elevator
Mildred j0ined- him. w hat are You
going to do with the bin today
she asked.
Send it back to the house for their
vote. / hope" ho said eraVely. ne
members are about evenly di"loed LOT
and against it, Albert Catlin is the
uncertain member Ills vote "lii W
eide the matter
..you are in favor of ths bill, Change
your mind. oppose II and make MI
Catlin oppose It," She spoke laush-
| ingly, but powelrs face clouded.
Il would do anything on earth Tor
YOU. Mildred except allow YOU TO
direct my political acts contrary to
my convictions. Mildred, VIII YOU
/ give up your work, your struSsIe loi
success. and take what | can give
tvou- II rs Il home. dear, and 1t helat
full of love
The girls keen eyes softened. out
she shock her head, turned abruptly
from him and hurried away.
The committee was called ro order
Albert Catlin. the man who held the
balance of power, sat near an open
window.
Through the window came small
rubber bali 1t came slowly. as II
lightly tossed. 1t dropped on Sa,-
Inns desk. He picked it up, but Pow
euts hand caught ii from him. Both
men had seen the letters ana hsures
Ten minutes later the committee
adjourned IN the corridor PoWeH
l.,+44-A iIarad a. Lnme-Mith- nle.- be
said harshly Il want to tax 10
YOU
In the deserted committee room he
closed the door. Here is something
that belongs to you" He held the
ball toward her. You have failed
in your attempt TO bride Albert Cat
lin. "A. C.-J. $4,000. You
threw that ball In To him at criti-
cal moment to show him what he
would receive for his vote TO kill the
bill. ] took the bali from him, ana
wfrh the proof OF attempted bribery
In my possession he dared not vote
as Zane wished him to. I saw you
hl,viug this ball You told me frank
Nv that YOU would do anything for the
paper and your own advancement. l
heard Zane say to YOU You are
clever enough for any work. You
will succeed in this The evidence
against you is conclusive. The one
POINT I do not understand is the
meaning of the j. s. on the ball.
The other letters mean Albert Catlin--
ten thousand dollars to Kill the bill.
you believe this? Did !. the wom~
an YOU .professed to love, attempt an
act of bribery"
! For a moment he looked inro her
/ face Then his hands came down
/ on her shoulders. You did not, ne
exclaimed toyously. You did not.
"You had the proof of my quit
! What proof have you of nay inno-
/ cence?'
Your face-your true. gentle. wom-
AMY face No greater proof could
nv man ask
The door was pushed open and the
I ts4t la1 Of thu SfHfa house 1aU-