The Washington herald., 1913-09-21

them to oppose him either.
well, Harlan, l hope you under.
stand you didn't even have to make {
fight. People knew your dad-anC
they just could figure on you. It's :
good thing you're our man."
Mr.. Van Hart smiled impersonally
Il am not your man"
The county boss stared at him. Ther
he bit the end off a cigar. Then he
spat on the sidewalk against the ordi'
nances made and provided. We'll, I'm
son-of-a-gunp he murmured. Curl
GUS | never stopped talk with you be-
fore!' Then he rubbed his gold-head-
ed cane against Harlan's sleeve
Young man, you're mighty young
you'll get over this"
But the Honorable ThaddeuS Tan
ner sided into Judge Van Harris
chambers, after court that day, and had
talk on number OF things
but mostly of Harlan and what
a brilliant career he had opened for
Harlan. And the next day the Earl
vile Mercury-Journal - controlled
through the stock which Cal Rice's
wife owned in it-came out with full
some forecast of young MIR. Van
Harris career.
Harlan met Arne Vance reading that
column to his sister when he left the
Office that night. The farmer-student
fixed his black eyes on the nominee:
Trying TO rope and brand you, eh? ?
See here-Mike Mcbride and | sup
posed we had something to do with
your big vote"
Harlan smiled. 81 think so, Arne.
Arne. You surely put Wiley over!"
Arne grimaced, nodding his head to-
ward Janet Il know" continued Har-
Ian. Every one says she did it," He
put out his hand to Janet in the buggy.
She appeared tired and distrait 1T
has been a strain, hasn't it? But Wiley
it will be the making of him, Janet.
She smiled a rare gratefulnesS. HE
can't fail of election now. Only"-she
paused and Harlan lifted his serious
eyes to hers, Il have sort of feeling,
Harlan, he-he'll do some of the er-
ratio audacious things that have always
wrecked him!"
Like taking up the cause of these
Pocket squatters whom the county is
going to evict for the new creek dam
ZAlhN Llh
you see the News? He's already plead
ing some right of theirs"
Janet looked away We'll, | hope-l
trust-but its like Wiley" Then she
smiled upon them. We'll, l am tired
out. I'm going away
Away" Harlan's tone lifted. ITO
rest?o
To work. l feel as if-weH, my
work was done here, Harlan. And
have chances. To speak, to write
well, for all the fine things we used to
discuss in the old News office, you re-
member. The child-labor laws-the
women's movement-my old ambitions,
Harlan
He nodded sympathetically. Then
muttered: But your place here-it's
hard to fill, Janet. The school system
you've made a model for the State |"
Then he was silent. Janet was think
ing of the long years fight And the
best people had not been with her I'M
til OF late. She was too practical, too
busily efficient, to be about the Shake
speare Club teas at Mrs. Van Harris.
Harlan sharply differentiated her from
the tabby affairs of High Street.
He told his mother that night that
Janet Vance would resign her next
term and go East. The lady elevated
her brows wisely. The teas had heard
something of the kind. Il suppose
that will end the affair between her
and Mr.. Curran."
The affair." was a matter of years
gossip. Harlan said nothing; he had
never, after a mans fashion, bothered
his head about it.
Il imagine its true, then, that that
Lindstrom girl has come between
them"
He looked attentively at her with
trace of suspicion of her subtility.
Aurelie's name had never been men,
toned between them except in the
ladys amiable satire on her career"
And Harlan had never looked upon
Aurelies appeal to the erratic roman
ticism in Mr.. Curran in that light. 1t
seemed preposterous. Mrs. Van Hart
went on with cool impersonality, hu-
manized by her sense of amusement,
with which she looked on the affairs
of her neighbors, even the ladies be-
mused in the Shakespeare afternoons
Il think it would be quite fit Those
it would be quite fit. Those two-Mr.
Curran in Congress and imagine
person who goes along High Street
whistling to all the dogs on his way
to the postoffice, in his shirtsleeves, in
James Halls seatP'
Harlan looked at her in imperturb-
able silence. The judge smoked his
dinner cigar with his deprecating as
sent
His nomination, my dear, is more
than amusing. He-and all the rabble
Of demagogism-take it as an indorse-
ment by the people of the rant that is
our political theory. Our
public men, our financiers, persistent
ly yelped at by Curran's sheet, and our
sober constituency applaud" He
looked mildly over his glasses. "MyI
boy. l wish you had stayed out of it
Il do notp The mother was in
cisive, 1T is time he was in the bat
tie. 1t is the parting of the ways,
and there is enough common sense
in the county to make Harlan's
career. 1t is the day of the young
men,"
And to Harlan's mind there came
the memory of a phrase. A vision
Arne Vance and the tramp of his
young men up the hill. He became
conscious of a conflict within him
here in the dear familiar home. Here
were his people-the best people, ever
clinging TO fixed forms, righteous, wor-
thy leisurely developing but needing