Lower coast gazette., 1913-08-16
The Woman.

Tom said III q voice none too steady:
Il wish | could tell you know
you're mistaken. But I'm afraid you're
not. I know they do those things-as
you said-'for the good of the party!'
Oh" he broke out fercely, ITS that
sort Of game l can't understand. l can
never understand. l know them all.
And personally they're white men, ter.
der-hearted, clean, honorable. But pro-
fessionally- Why, for instance.
there's my brotherinlaw, Mark Rob
ertson. He and Grace have been mar
ried over three years now. and his
love for her is still a sort Of alteration.
He's the perfect lover-husband. But
as a lawyer he won the name of being
a bloodhound. And. as a politician
well, he's like the rest. They'll all re-
sort to the dirtiest trickery, the rot
tenest sort Of corruption. I can't make
1t out. But why should dads political
deal affect you and me? I'm not to
blame If"
"And I'm not blaming you. But I've
been brought up to hate Jim Blake and
his crowd and to pray for a chance to
get back at them. ! know that isn't
a meek and womanly way to talk. But
it's the way I feel. IL loved my ia
Their SO! My square. honest, white ia.
ther. And they killed him. All, there's
something coming to that crowd! To
Blake and all Of them! And It's com.
ing from me. Some day I may be able
to deliver the goods! IL oughn't to
talk so to you." she caught herself up,
half apologetically. I'm afraid / hurt
you. Perhaps you didn't fully know"
why in blazes did 1t have to be
your father, of all men, that they
chose to-"
1T didn't He was just n Of hun.
dreds that the party machine smashed.
He used to say the machine vas like
the Juggernaut car, crushing every
thing that dared stand in It's path. Jim
Blake guides that "a And he guides
1t over the bodies of better men. He
and his crowd prosper. But some
things coming to them, Just the
same"
But"
"The machine has tried to run over
the wrong man at last. And its joints
and wheels are rafting with fear.
Standish became an insurgent. But he
had the cleverness and the strength
not to he crushed. And he has rallied
weaker stupider insurgents around
him. till he has formed an obstacle the
machine can't override. He's done
mor He's reused the whole people.
And the people are watching their rep
r~esentatives so closely, at last, that a
lot of crooks have to play fair o. lose
their jobs. Oh, I'm following Standish's
work! When he clashed horns with
Jim Blake over this Mullins railroad
bill it did me good all over. For when
Standish defeats the Mullins bill he'll
break the backbone of Jim Blake's po.
litical power. Yes, and he'll smash
Jim Blake's plan to put Governor Rob.
ertson in the speakers chair. He'll
keep Robertson out. And he'll sit
there himself. And when he does
his gavel blows will beat the Jugger.
naut a into scrap-iron."
"Wanda!" protested Tom, amazed at
her trade. Haven't we better things
TO talk than politics? I'll tell dad
about your father and see IL he
won't"
NO! You mustn't. You must prom.
Use not to tell him who I am. P%rornise!!'
"Oh. I promise, II you like. But
can't bear to have you go on hating
dad. He's the kindest, dearest old
chap. alive. Maybe he didn't know
Does the organization do anything
Jim Blake doesn't know and dictate?"
Mister Thomas Blake!" PACED a
liveried boy, at the far end Of the cor.
ridor. mister Thomas Blake!"
Tom caught sight of a telegram on
the tray the lad carried. But before
he could signal the boy himself, the
latter had gone out Of sight.
Hes carried it to the bar with all
the unerring instinct Of a homing