The Clio messenger., 1912-01-26

y
manent, and, advancing against a blast
of band music and salvo of applause,
Senator-Chairman Pownal began his
address.
Now" remarked General Way
mouth grimly, IL am ready to open
headquarters in earnest. My boy, in
that 'anteroom across the stage you'll
find your grandfather and Mr.. Presson
and certain members Of the state COM
mittee. David Everett will be there
too. Inform them | sent my urgent
request that they meet at once the
Hon Arba Spinney and delegation In
my room here. l think that cOmbina-
tion will suggest to guilty consciences
that they'd better hurry. If they show
any signs of hesitating you may init
mate as much to them"
The plain and stolid men came in
| just then. They brought Mr.. Spinney
| through the side door. The unhappy
conspirator, jostled by his bodyguard,
was near collapse. He was now traitor
to both sides. Circumstances hemmed
him in. But more than he feared the
VI lluhc IlCoSOn dHo
his associates he feared the papers In
the breast pocket of Warden Way
mouth.
Harlan did not knock at the ante
room door; he walked in, and for a
moment he thought that the enraged
chairman was about to leap at his
throat
"Spinney, eh?' he blazed at the
young mans first word. Explain to
me, Mr.. Thornton, what is meant by
your assault on a decent and honest
citizen. What do you mean by team
ing him from the hotel to this conven-
tion hall with bodyguard to insult
men who have business with himY'
The question was a confession that
the chairman had been unable to get
at the political property he had paid
dearly for. 1t indicated that he sus-
pected but did not realize fully how
deeply Spinney was in the tolls.
General Weymouth is waiting to
explain, sir. He's across the stage
there. And Mr.. Spinney is with him.
I'd advise you to hurry"
81 don't need any Of your advice. II
you've got him on exhibition at last
where the public can be admitted
can't get there any too quick"
He rushed out, charging like a bull,
and the others followed. Young Thorn
ton waited till all had entered the
generals anteroom and again took his
post as guard on the inside Of the, door.
General Weymouth checked ,Presson
at the first yelp Of the outhurst with
which he had stormed into the room.
Gentlemen, l haven't ALLIED you
here for the purpose of al guing or
wrangling. You'll waste tin, m,e by try
ing to do either. You are hdTe to lisr
tep to what -mrs$ be done. Yls6 fss,,s.-s- fsis.-
sent the warning factions. There are
enough Of us to straighten the matter
out. There are not so many that the
secret of this shameful mess cannot
be kept and our party saved at the
polls
He paused to draw the fateful docu-
ments from his pocket.
In the hush Of the little room they
heard Senator Pownal declaiming,
And it is upon these firm principles,
bedrock Of inalienable rights guaran-
teed to the people, upon the broad is
sues Of reform, inculcation of temper
ance and the virtues of civic life that
the Republican party is founded"
Harlan, at the door, younger than
the rest, found a suggestion of humor
In what the orator was saying COM
pared with what the party managers
had met to hear. But there were NO
smiles on the faces Of the group.
IL have here FIVE affidavits from eye
witnesses, swearing that Arba Spinney
was bribed to sell out his faction at
the last moment today, leaving only
David Everett in the field" He BRAN
dished the papers under the nose Of
Presson, who attempted to speak. II
do not propose to have my intelligence
| insulted by denials from you or any
one else. If you don't believe l have
full proof of what l charge you walk
| out Of that door and put the matter to
the test! And hasten to assure you,
sir, that you'll be eternally disgracedw
He waited moment, because roar
tor Pownal's utterances resounded even
in the remote anteroom.
"It all means, gentlemen, that I'm 70
be the nominee of this convention to-
day. It's time for cleanup, and I'm
going to start one. The men who are
running our party are not fit to be I'm
| charge Of 1t. The voters deserve a bet
| ter show. I've called you here to give
you an opportunity to save yourselves,
personally. I'm willing to submit to .
little byplay for that purpose. You are
to allow Spinney's name to 20 before
the convention, according to the regu-
lar program. That's to divert the at
tention of the convention and the state
at large from what otherwise would
seem split in the recognized manage
ment of the party. Then, you gentle
men Of the state committee, each In
| Ats oaupty Aa1aUotfop ora fa or re a