The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1913-01-03

chell maintained his legal
EE1rN residence in New Chelsea only
&U because an unwritten law re-
quired each end of the state to be
represented In the senate, and the va
cancy which he had been elected to fill
had been from the western district
This was only half truth. He really
liked these men and women among
whom his youth had been spent, who
looked upon him half Familiarity, half
in awe, and who. until the late upris-
ing and the advent of John Dunmeade,
had followed unquestioningly his po-
litical gospel. Most of the time he
spent, from the exlgencies of his po-
sition, In Washington or in the big
house in Adelphia; but as he grew
older he came to look forward more
and more eagerly to the summer
months that supported his illegal resi-
dence'
He looked, hesitating, toward the old
colonial house across the street. Then
he started toward 1t. Must the habit
of a lifetime be broken merely be-
cause a son Of that house had leveled
lance against him? And, besides,
there was a small matter of business
to transact. He perceived the figure
of an old woman on bench under the
trees, darning industriously, and he
smiled at first In amusement. Then
the smile became gentler.
hO
held out his hand. "Good afternoon
Miss Roberta"
"Good afternoon, Will Murchell."
She continued her darning. "Tll not
shake hands," she answered his ges-
ture calmly. 81 don't think I'll ever
shake hands with you again. John
says you're a dangerous man. John is
right"
81 inferred from his speech" he an
swered with a twinkle, that he held
some such opinion. We're you at the
trial?"
'T was not! You may sit down."
she commanded, making room for him,
because | want to ask you a ques-
ton" He obeyed. "What have you
been doing to Hugh and our John
ever since these trials began. Hugh
has been as grumpy as-as dog with
a boil. And Johnnie doesn't say
much, but he feels it. It's this politics!
wish," she concluded vengefully, "a
plagued carry off all you politicians"
But, Roberta, who'd run the coun-
tryY'
| Miss Roberta shifted. 81 guess the
country could run itself better than
you politicians do"
$50 there's coolness between the
judge and John, eh? suppose they've
fallen out over the trials. Naturally!
John is just hot headed idealist,
while the judge is-a practical man."
| "a practical manw she shifted tartly.
'If you'd been doing for the judge for
nearly thirty years you wouldn't call
him that, I guess. Why, he even be-
ueves that you're going to put him in
the supreme court"
"And you don'tT
"Of course not! tell him so, but he
won't believe me- He's so puffed up
with his own Importance and selfish
ness he won't listen to sense and tries
to make his sons life miserable"
"Roberta," he said abruptly, "try to
keep John out of politics."
because he is fighting your"
''That," he said sententiousiy, "might
be a sufficient reason. But I'm not
thinking of that. 1t isn't the game fol
a man of his sort"
"You didn't think of that when yor
believed you could use him. 1 wish
could keep him out. But we Dun
meades are set In our opinions. Hell
go on fighting, now he's started, unit
he breaks himself against your hard
ness or becomes-llke you"
He got up abruptly and went int
the house. In the library he foun(
Judge Dunmeade before his desk
scratching away at an opinion. Witt
that heavy dignity which he impaired
even to the smallest actions of life tn,
judge waved Murchell to a seat.
'That son of yours gave us some
thing of a surprise to-day. Looks al
though Sheehan would have to go owe
the road. Unless" Murchell added in
quiringly, "there's a chance to win OF
appeal?"
mo John tried his case carefully
There were no errors"
"Er-about what ought to be tn,
sentence, do you thinkF'
1t would not be correct to say tina
the judge assumed a judicial air; that
consciously, he always wore. 1t mere
ly became heavier. "What should yor
suggest?"
Murchell made a slight motion will
his hand to indicate that any sugges
ton from him was negligible matter
and answered, Would four months b'
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III