The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1913-02-07

triton, gratitude, promises mingling
disconnectedly.
Murchell listened in cold contempt.
"You don't mean word you say" he
interrupted the flow at last. You're
only a coward frightened out of his
wits. You'll be the same treacherous
hound when it's over-I'm not doing it
for you"
He turned and went out of the room,
not to return until Watkins and Pair e.
the messenger arrived with the sec ri
ties.
An afternoon train, rolling doy n out
of the hills into the fat land. bore
William Murchell to the city that had
witnessed the last step in his over
throw. A cab took him, by appointment,
to the home of Philip Wilder, where he
lay overnight. Philip Wilder was not
a monarch, to be sure, but he was a
prince of the blood, and he ruled over
a province of street railways. Many
things did this princely gentleman de-
sire, and for them he was willing to
DdN-Jle lGdSJ DllOS lhlL Lluol NC paul
He, like Miss Roberta and Watkins,
was astounded when he beheld, not
shuff1ing, harmless shadow, but a man
who showed the marks of ages bat
tering, yet was clear minded, hale and
hearty, who had not forgotten how to
drive a close bargain, who knew ex-
actly what he wanted and who got it.
| So pleased was he by his discovery
that the next morning, breaking a SOL
emn promise to Murchell, he reported
it to Sackett. "'Richard,'" he declar
ed "is himself again."
But by that time Murchell was well
on his way back to the capital.
A rumor that the once great poll
tician was on the train quickly spread
among the passengers, and many of
| them found occasion to stroll past his
seat. But there was no visible ripple
of emotion to betray to their curious
eyes the swelling sense of triumph
within him.
When, his energy sapped up by the
sickness, the seriousness of which he
did not yet realize, he had confronted
Sackett and declared his purpose to
quit, he had spoken in all truth; but,
the operation over and strength creep
ing back into the body whose tissues
austere living had never devitalized.
the hunger, the need for action reas-
serted itself.
Hence he planned, not consciously
20 reseek his old power and RESPONSE
Dility, but from his castle in the forest
10 make sudden. unexpected forays to
harass those who had deprived him of
his glory. Then came the opportunity
10 wreak the sweetest of all revenges
to save those who had thrown, him
over, to torture his enemy with the
sense of inferiority and obligation
perhaps-the warrior soul leaped-to
make of revenge also a lever to open
the gates in the road back to su.
premacy.
Under the stimulus of sharp, sue,
ceSsful action he felt almost the
strength of his prime. WhirrinG
wheel struck from rail an iron song of
triumph in which his soul joined-the
mad, eXultant shout of the viking re.
turning victorious.
But he found a Sherrod who had had
time to think, to measure the situation
who had recovered his nerve. And of
Sherrod this may be written: he was
a great fighter, cunning and daring
conscienceless, proud, disloyal-yes-
but even his treacheries were ac-
complished with a certain reckless
grace and decision that gave them
the seeming of the born masters in,
stinctive strategy. And he had what
Murchell had not, a personal magnet
ism that often won faith even where
interest failed; though he lacked what
made Murchell great, infeXibility and
self control Coward he was not. AL
most any man, beaten by the same
knowledge of crime and imminent dis
coVery, with so much to lose, would
have suffered a lapse from courage
But the hour of cringing and weak
ness was past.
Murchell found him in the same hOte
room, through the open windows OF
| Wnlch biting wind had swept the las
trace of the fetid fumes of tobacco
and whisky. Murchell carefully CLOSED
and locked the door and, withou
speaking, sat down across the table
from him. Sherrod's eyes, cool, moi
defiant, but aggressive, menacing al
most, locked with Murchells stead!
ones.
'Well?" The voice was cool.
81 went to Wilder" said Murchell
almost in whisper HE is selling
your securities today at the market
He will lend you the balance. To
morrow a man will come with the
cash"
"And in retirn?" Sherrod knew tn
prince
He wants some charters in Adelphi
and some traction legislation. He viii
explain in detail when you see him.