The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-12-06

Her voice dwindled away into silence.
He was hard put to 1t to keep tight
grip on himself, to fight down the long
ing surging within him. Inslstently he
tried to think Of her as she was, an
Uniformed woman of essential selfish.
ness, of generous caprices. He had not
yet found the solution to the problem
presented to him by his campaign, but
he felt bllndly that 1t was leading him
into paths whittier she would not fol
low, into which he, II he yielded to his
longing, would not-could not-go
alone. He had sometimes thought he
felt in her that which would carry her
to great heights; yet he knew she was
now of the earth, earthy. She was
creature of luxury. He thought of his
last years income and laughed un-
pleasantly.
"why this sudden hilarity?" she de-
manded.
ITS joke I've just thought of-you
wouldn't appreciate it."
"Was it." she pressed him-"was it
about your speech tonight?"
Indirectly, | suppose" he replied.
"Wlll you tell me about that? 1t was
the reason-one reason-why l wanted
you to come home with me. I'm of
two minds about it. OF course, didn't
understand what 1t was all about. ex-
cept that you were expected to say far
more and something different. Any
one could see that the men on the
platform were sngry. But one had the
feeling that somehow you were finding
and asserting yourself-doing some
thing rather splendid. / know it made
Aunt Roberta begin to snuffle-she said
1t was cold in her head. l heard one
man near us-a big, hulking farmer
say, by Joshua! l always thought
there was considerable of a man under
that white skin Of Johnny Dun
meade's.' He didn't mean to be funny.
| think. Another, a different sort of
man, laughed and said, Now that's
the cleverest move yet. It's a grand
stand play, but it'll make him if he's
big enough to follow it up. It'll get
him a following"
She looked up at him inquiringly
He saw again the eager interest in her
eyes.
at was neither splendid nor crafty
he said grimly. Il was expected &c
rant and lie about the virtues of can
didates I've no faith in, cover up LOT
of things that, it seems, can't be an
swered. had that speech ready. But
when it came to the point | couldn't
say it. That's all. Sheehan and the
organization will probably knife mt
under cover and beat me if only as {
horrible example to the next young
man who happens along with a work
ing conscience"
why" she exclaimed incredulously
that would elect your opponent
wouldn't it? Senator Murchell won,
allow it, surely"
Senator Murchell will be the first t.
recommend the knifing," he laughed
shortly. II begin to suspect that th
senator is a false god"
What have you against the candi
dates?'
Its rather against the forces behinC
them. Bad methods and general sus
picion, 1 guess. l probably couldn'
make it clear"
"Just that? do not think" she SAT-
slowly, that like it, after all. II
disappointed in-for you"
Would you have me lie? For that
what it would amount to-"
"Oh," she cried, that's not a fai
way to put it. I'm so ambitious 70
you! That's unwomanly, too, l SUI
pose, but don't care. am ambition
for you. And do so admire the me
who get along! And in politics yo
could go so far. You have Senate
Murchell's friendship. You don't kno'
how much he admires you. And 20
have brains and popularity. Do 20
know what would do If were ma
like you? | would go into politics ser
ously. / would master methods an
conditions and adapt them to my pu
pose. l would keep on until the organ
ization was mine. And then when N
power was secure i would remove, Ii
tie by little, the evils l saw, and whe
l had finished and measured my con
promises against the good had done
know the balance would be in my f
> vor"
But he merely smiled bitterly. "An
suspect that by the time I'd got IL
power in the fashion you describe, l
have become the sort of man thu
doesn't use his power for good"
I "What are YOU going to do about 1t
about the electon" He shrugge
' his shoulders in Indifference. LET e
beat me, suppose. / haven't thougl
ahead as Tar as tomorrow"
l CONTINUED in Next Fridays Issue