The Ordway new era., 1913-12-19

tend she shall. She's the equal OF any
girl in Belmont, and. by God. she'll
have an equal chance"
What can do?" asked Gilbert.
1t was for this Kerr had waited.
It was for this moment that he had
called the past to mind. He had
wanted Gilbert to have before him
the many obligations under which he
rested. 1t is true that he could have
commanded. but he was too much the
easy boss to issue orders where he
could hold forth a glittering reward
as the price of valuable services. To
the ward heeler the word of the boss
is q fetish to be blindly worshiped.
To his few leading lieutenants the
command is coated with sugar which
has a negotiable value. Gilbert hav-
ing asked what he could do brought
Kerr at once to the arrangement he
had planned whereby the lawyer
would profit through the Introduction
of Miss Kerr to society.
I've made bargains all my life.
Amos,-tonight / make one with you.
Prosecuting attorney. judge. corpora
tion counsel. with all the money
you've made"
At this Gilbert made a disparaging
gesture which caused Kerr to add, Sin
fees-with all the money you've made.
you still fall short of the riches thatll
purchase real freedom. l know how
you stand. and things are pretty much
in the balance.
Think what It means to your
daughter. money" AS he spoke he
pointed to the girls picture. ITS
leisure. travel, friends abroad. an as
sdred future. can give them to you,
/, David Kerr; and wilton ono
condition. Gloria Kerr must have the
place she thinks is hers in Belmont"
He paused to let the lawyer grasp
the importance and the value Of such
an undertaking, and then disclosed
the means by which the fortune was
to be secured. II man should ever
pay another out of his own pocket
for such a service he would be a
philanthropist and not poiiticS!
leader: Ker was certainly not the
former, and his life training had
never caused him to separate a dollar
from his own bank account when he
could extract 1t without pain-to him
from some one else.
For this one thing" he exclaimed.
Il give freely into your hands any
franchise you may draw for the stock
yards belt line railway. Disguise it
as street railway line to run down
Maple avenue. Make what bargain
you like. Ave hundred thousand. a
million dollars. it's worth it. And al
ways remember. I'm back of you"
The possibilities of the scheme
overwhelmed Gilbert. What he was
to do for Kerr. even the fight for the
franchise. did not enter his mind. He
was busy thinking Of the freedom he
could purchase in 80 short time.
All that he had ever dreamed Of could
be brought to pass. Kerr. who knew
almost to a dollar the financial stand
ing OF every man in Belmont. was
well aware that Gilbert had been hard
actions. SO badly In the lase one that
he had called upon the boss for as
sistance. Yet he had Just told Ken
dali that he would have nothing more
to do with that kind of work. He had
begun to develop a conscience-for
Julia's sake. perhaps. for his daugh-
ters fnture-and here came Kerr who
wanted him to go down once more
into the maelstrom of shady politics
for the sake of his daughter.
His gratitude for what Kerr had
done for him was great enough to
cause him to do anything for Kerr's
10 ~ tav hn htt o{rn ha hnau
had put 1t up to him and he had back
of him all the boss's power, he began
to wonder why he should not accept
the opportunity to make fortune
quickly. 1t had been held out to him
as meaning leisure. travel. friends
and roseate future for his Julia. He
longed for those things for himself.
no less. and here was the chance of
his lifetime. He would know how to
make those Chicago schemers pay
well for the legal advice he would
give them.
1T won't be easy" said Gilbert
finally.
Kerr had won his first victory. The
lawyer had surrendered
That's why came to you." was
the boss's answer. a reply charged
with subtle fattery. Gilbert really did
represent In his autocracy the best
element; Snug set. perhaps. but
still the best To other lieutenants
were delegated hammer and tong
jobs: Gilbert was the instrument
when finesse was required.
There's a certain element, Mr..
Kerr. 1t will be hard to win over
that wholesale clique. You have no
direct dealing with the men. and
well-that is-you see, they don't
know you and they might not be in
terested in Gloria They're clan.
nish lot"
CTo BE coNTINUED) "A