The Washington herald., 1913-02-16
The CoL0nels Last CnrnpQig1 Z====@ @$=$==E 80 s:
- lcopyri.h. by tn. Bobss- Merrill eau, @

Malachi Nolan, in black garments and
white cravat. came presently, his biz
diamond flashing. his face shining and
red from, his dull razor, and then Car
roll, at the sound Ct whose step and
fresh laugh the colonel succeeded in
evoling n wan. tired smile.
"Just lazy; that's ALL" he declared re-
assuringly, seeing Carroll halt In sur
rrise. He reared himself on his elbow.
and as he raised his head. its white hair
all tangled. Carroll saw how haggard he
was He never had seen him look SO old,
SO white, SO worn before.
IT was waiting for you," said the col
onel, indicating Nolan with a finger that
] was like a claw. I've fixed everything
but the First District" He paused for
breath. "The First wards solid, isn't
| II? Well, all right. But watch Donahue.
I'm sorry We ever let him get on the
delegation. And then, let's see''-he
pressed his brow in a troubled effort to
steady his senses-"oh, yes See Nc
Glynn and have him lay down on Hardy
and tell Reinhold that il he wants tha,
job from the South Park board he'd bet
| ter get in line. and as to Wright-his
brothers a conductor on the Cottage
Grove line. and you can get at him
through Harlow. Tell him / sent you
| That'n give you thirty-five votes on the
! first ballot, and"
Carroll. who had turned to reply &c
! some Jest OF Mosely's. heard a groan
| Instantly he looked back at the colonel
| The old politician. his face livid. was
struggling as II he wished to get out
OF bed. He writhed a moment, then his
head nodded. his chin dropped to his
| breast, and he collapsed in a heap
o. xha ty,r iaA had CIpfbaa CARROLL
| paled with a sudden sickness.
He's tainted" said Garwood, fumb-
| ling at the throat OF the colonel's shirt
Malachi Nolan brought a cup of water
| Mosely hunted impatiently for a fash
OF whisky, and when they had straight
| ened him out upon his pillows. Carroll
| ran for the hotel physician. The colonel
| recovered consciousness before the ply
| sician came and glanced around with ar
expression of embarrassment
Damn such a heart. anyway" he said
Then young DIR. Lambert came with his
new stethoscope. When the doctor had
finished his ausculation. the colonel said
Malachi. vote your delegation solid
| every time-don't give complimentary
votes-its dangerous. And remember
I don't care what happens so long as
Carrolls nominated. trade anything for
| that, and send me word
But they hushed him.
At noon DR.. Foerdcr, the specialist. ar.
rived.
"Ah. Lambert" he said, scowling about
him as he put down his tremendous
leather vaIise. big with the mysterious
contrivances of modern surgery. pulled
on his gloves. and with his quick, pro-
fessional tread. stepped to the bedside
He exposed the conoleI's big chest. and
began a delicate percussion with his
g. hA h.A 20 n.
pirg. he laid his ear over the colonels
heart, and listened silently a long time
to the cardiac murmurs, he rolled under
his fingers the superficial vessels of the
temples, the forearms. the wrists. the
knees. he counted the pulse; and he
looked long at the old mans fingernails,
When he paused, the colonel said:
"Mell?"
DR.. Foerder had retreated from the
bedside and was writing his directions
precisely. logically, as an official draws
up a report, beginning each paragraph
with a Roman numeral. He did not an
swer the colonel.
Foerder briefly consulted with Lambert,
that is repeated the directions he had
already written out, and began to buckle
his big valise.
And as to a nurse?' asked DR.. LAM
bert.
Il II send one OF my own. said Foer-
der hastily lighting A Russian cigarette.
He could not remain long in one place.
He had patients to see and lecture
tc deliver over at Rush -acdIcaI College,
and his man was waiting with his high
hooded phaeton down in Jackson boule-
ward.
The nurse. difrusing a faint odor of
antiseptics. came from Doctor Foer-
der's private hospital. laid aside her
Neii and nanSinC in
stant TO give a womans touch to her
hair, quietly and deftly set the room
in order.
All that afternoon the colonel lay
in his darkened bedroom. fghting the
battle of his life. He lay so still the
nurse almost fancied him asleep, so
regular was his breathing. Once he
broke the silence by asking the time.
Twenty minutes after three the
nurse responded, Elancing at her little
watch.
Some of the conventions then" the
colonel said. ARE over. l wonder why
they don't send me word
The nurse did not notice his speech.
and he added:
Pardon me. you doubtless are not
interested in politics.
The talking brought on a spasm of
dyspnoea, and the colonel struggled so
pTedtn tudI Ine nurse
had to prop him up with pillows in a
sitting posture. as those who are afflict-
ed with asthma pass their night finding
II easier thus to breathe. The colonel
begged the nurses pardon. as IL he had
committed some indelicacy
About this time news was brought
from the Fifth District convention in
Arlington Hall and from the Sixth in
Jungs Hall that the Warren men had
carried both districts. The colonel. hear
ing the hoarse whispering between the
messengers and Moseiy in the room out
side. demanded information. and DIR.
Lambert had to tell him. The colonel
wished to see Mosely, he had some new
plan for the West Side to offset their
loss; and he saw Mosely and the plan
was put in execution. Then the colonel
seemed once more to sleep. When he
opened his eyes he askd IL he could not
have cigar-"seegar," he pronounced
it-assuring the nurse that he felt much
better, but she said. as one might say to
the whim of a child to whom explana-
tons are rot vouchsafed:
Not Just now
ticking Of the nurses little watch.
BY 4 o'clock the colonel became rest
less once more, and asked IL there were
any news. When the nurse said no. he
insisted that there must be some message
some letter. some telegram. He did not
know that his followers. vindicating all
history, were now standing afar OF. He
u,orried and grew incOherent He seemed