The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1912-02-03
RY RUSSELL MILLER

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[CoNT1NUED.]
In her heart she was crying jealous
" to her secret. Its the last thing l
can do for himy' Aloud she said:
"You must tell him that too"
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 hare, but new
footing was Established. Thereafter
many things were ignored by them.
Paul went on the star of Bob's news
paper. The Bug le's editorials are
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 a
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 1T
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. 49,. H. p, +
Bob saw much of Murchell 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
new political era, who had shackled q
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 tic work Of his
prime. ~:
when a man reaches his threescore
years and ten" Murchell said to him
one day, ''he has learned that the evil
or good a man does concerns himself
least of all. The balance must remain
heavily against me. l must strive not
to atone. but to make the way ready
for other men who will undo what l
have DONE"
Murchell's lofty self ignoring gave
him an example that he 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 a
wise. 1t was not all pretty. More
than once be 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
MurchelPs 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.
Years before II will be master Of the
state before der 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. y
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 fol
the good Of this people. So help me
God!'
his words we're. a prayer, not an
oath. There was no exultation in his
heart, neither was there humility. Sell
was forgotten. His task doomed large
before him, self obiiterating, filing his
horizon as he hurried toward the gov.
ernor's mansion. In: the library some
one was playing the plano very softly
the gentle. soothing chords lingering
In the air. Thither the servant show
ed Bob.
On the threshold Bob halted sharp
". Death, power, battle. were in ar
instant swept from his mind. Hi
heart leaped convulsively. Il s
The players back was toward him
She did not notice his entrance. He
did not move, lest he might disturb
her. Then her. voice rose. full ant
clear and plaintive in song that no
all the street pianos in the world cal
rob OF its appeal, Bob listened in rap
attention. Once before he had heart
her sing that song. on the night when
on that very spot, he had dealt be-