The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1913-04-10


deposits. 1t used to b ons Of the easy
banks An guess Il ID still. Elise
why 10 q hank that's friendly to Muir
ehell carryin' deposits under sherr,ni!
] guess they must he gettin' pretty
shaky. because amt the only one
they're after I've been skirmishin
around mere scein' some mel used
10 know M they tell me Blake's push
In n p,"n' many Old notes hard "
but L. mldeu and Rlake. with their
stock. wu,,tln't. let"
"Stock bet they haven't ten shares
apiece IL you want to End that stock
you've got to look In the tin boxes OF
the farmers or In the estates Of the
widows an orphans"
"But their last report was fine"
that's easy You just carry the
notes as assets. Assets!''
"See here, Sheehanv John was stern
slave you anything but suspicion for
this?"
saint suspicion. the kind I've got
oaough2 You 60 after 'em an show
EN- up. bet you'll nnd 'em rotten
Those easy banks always do bust up
sooner or later. ! s'pose I've got to
pay. I've got property an. II they sue,
] can't make any defense. But" he
concluded vengefully. somebody else
Aas got to pay too"
"Sheehan." John said coldly, rising.
''you're letting your desire to get even
get away with your common sense. I'll
not destroy confidence in bank, ruin
H. by going after 1t on mere suspicion.
A. for yourself he added, more kind,
", If you report at my office next Sat
urday morning with new bail ri go
before the court and ask that execution
Of your sentence be postponed until your
affairs are easier" With that he left
Only a few days remained before the
primaries During the two terms Of
once John had acquitted himself with
skill and fidelity. Fear of him had
doubtless restrained the machine from
many characteristic depredations, but
victory was well nigh hopeless. He had
become candidate again only that the
0ght might go on. In the faint hope that
something might occur to turn the tide
In his favor In the absence of the un-
foreseen he would carry the townships
by slight majority. bnt New Chelsea
and Plumville would 20 strongly
against him The little city had grown
remarkably in population and impOr,
lance. John was an old story III which
Il had lost interest 1t got the Impress
ion that in turning deaf ears to his plea
It was righteously squelching shall
low. impudent, self seeking upstart.
Even among the farmers John met
With the unresponsiveness Of disc0ur-
agement. They would vote for him,
most of them. but 1t would be perfume
torily. hopelessly. They were disap-
pointed. The reform that had begun
% auspiciOusly six years before was
0nding In dismal failure. With no other
fruit than to evolve new and stronger
machine.
Well 1t was for Johns melting trust
= himself and his fellows that he
could meet an occasional Cransha we
q Sykes or Criswell Their faith sur.
vived. He met the trio. the night 30.
fore the primaries. at Cranshawe's
home on the pike. They did not pre-
tend a vain optimism; they knew that
they faced defeat.
"At any rate" remarked Criswell. at
the close of the discussion. we've had
ok years Of good tightin'."
~ guess" said Cranshawe kindly,
sye think 1t hasn't paid. In one way
mebby It hasn't. An then again In
another It has. It's like what once
told ye. Ye've showed Us the way.
II we haiD't follered. It's our own
lockout. Ye've done your part
"Ye have" agreed Sykes solemnly.
And when he left all three made q
Point Of shaking hands with him.
CHAPTER XVII.
Shadows.
fNYlN the bank. behind closet
blinds. Warren Blake wa!
1Soy working at his desk. He haC
I4 been seen coming out of thu