Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1913-10-22
CHAPTER v.


CHAPTER v.
Jim Blake.
The man whose advent In the Kes
wick corridor caused more attention
among the loungers than would the ar
rival Of a stage beauty. had az FIRST
glance little about him 10 Justify such
interest. He was long rather than
tall, thin with a wiry compactness. and
OF a pleasant non-committal face. His
age might have been nifty. But a
closer glance at his half-shut eyes al
ways gave an odd impression that they
were fully a thousand years old. Per
haps this was why Jim Blake seldom
opened them wide.
Hello, boys" repeated Jim Blake
glancing genially and inexpresslyely
from one to the other. from beneath
his hanging lids. Seemed to me
smelt something burning How are
you. Standish? What's up. Tom?"
why" answered Tom vaguely en-
barrassed, nothing very much. Just
!
so ! gathered" yawned Blake.
Mark, you seemed to have been sup.
plying the fireworks for 1t. don't sup.
pose It occurred to you that the whole
surrounding landscape is fairly crawl
ing with reporters? Nice little story
for the morning papers, hey? High
Words Between Speakership Aspirants
in Keswick Lobby And half col
umn more OF what you both would
have said II you'd said what the re-
porters thought maybe you might have
said. Fine business. Especially at
this time"
He called me-" burst forth Mark
And you showed your hand?"
hazarded Blake. Good poker, Mark
But punk politics. Mark, I'm afraid
we're keeping Mr.. standlsh from his
dinner"
Good night, replied standish. tax.
ing the broad hint with no show of
feeling.
Good night-till the house meets
at ten O'clock" said Blake. Il suppose
you'll lead your gallant insurgent Co
horts in person this EVENING""
yes"
Don't want to call it off and come
into the fold again, s'pose?" suggest
ed Blake quizzically.
mo, thanks, smiled the insurgent,
and passed on toward the dining room.
Hello, Van Dyke!"> called Blake as
the lawyer, with Neligan and Gregg in
tow, came along the corridor toward
them, from the bar. What brings you
to Washington? What's up?"
That's what I'm trying to find out, "
answered Van Dyke, shaking hands
with Blake and instinctively leading
the way to the adjacent amen corner
What is up? You're supposed to be
managing this fight, Jim. And here
we find ourselves In the very worst
hole we've been in since nlnety-seven
If you and hadn't fought shoulder to
shoulder for years and years, I'd be
tempted to say you we're lying down.
"The crowd down on Broadway,
answered Blake, have handed US q
raw proposition in this Mullins bill
The bill smells so rank that even this
dear, dear public have got a Whit q
it. And when the public gets its sense
of smell into good working order-Oh
what's the use, Van Dyke? You car
see what we're up against. You know
the temper of the country. We can
even defend that bill of yours. Ant
this is no time to put over such raw
one It's like"
STILL" argued Van Dyke, "you sail
you'd be able to put the deal through
And there's surely enough in 1t TO
us all"
81 said l could put It through. An,
l could-when we started. But Stand
ish wasn't fighting 1t then. This ism
the Bill versus the People. It's Ma
Standish versus the Organization. An
Standish has the people-the waked-u
people-behind him. He's their lido
He's the parsons pet. They look O
n him as the Worthy Young Man VIII
couldn't do wrong if he tried and VIII
ISL NiChSu SuOu6u W Try. IN OJ0e
ID words, he's never been found on
~ There's only two classes Of men that
ever met-the sort that have bee
a found out and the sort that haven
s II we can damage Standish in the eye
he of the people-if we can make tn
r clergy repudiate him"
That's just the point" cried Va
;" Dyke why haven't you been able [
to do that. instead of sitting peaceful
It. to one side and waiting for him I
ye wreck HIMSELF"
rs We've had detectives on him." D,
s. in Neligan. II told you all that, Va
~ Dyke"
ID "Detectives?" snorted the lawye
he What good is that? Your detectiv,
will charge you seven dollars a df
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