The Washington herald., 1913-09-21

to me since-he has seemed to look
at us now and then so measuringly--
and there has been something almost
abnormal in his desire for work-as
if he were trying to forgetr
Harlan was in his Office two hours
on that same indomitable application.
At 8 he closed the desk and went
across to Wiley's shop, for a light
/ was there, and he felt like bantering
the editor as in the old days. 1t
would be a relief after the curious
at home. Yet he could not bring
back exactly the old open eomrade-
ship with Wiley; and that, also, was
curious. He had felt oddly alone, con-
scious as he was of a furtive and
friendly interest in him When he
dropped in the courthouse the other
candidates were cordial, but there
was a hushing of conversation. He
began to mix with the county crowd"
as he said, under an idea that it was
what a young man, and the only new
face on the ticket, should do. But
somehow he was treated with respect
and passed by in the chatting fellow
ship of the local politicians.
He spoke of it to Curran as they
sat in the dusk. Curran was COM
placently at ease since his triumph /;
he had discovered pleasant vanity
in this new regard of men. Perhaps" !"
he suggested, they're rather afraid
of you, Harlan. You've laid aside
your bulldog pipe, and the college
clothes do not stick out so eonspicu-
ously, but all the same you're differ
ent" He eyed the young man intent
ly. And besides, you'll be the dis
trict attorney, the first one whom they
are unable to size up"
Il don't see what any honest man
has to fear in that o..
Curran smiled enigmatically. 'Ex+
actlyl But there are Dan Boydston
and Curry, the two men who put
through Tanners contracts on the
board-all friends of your fathers, but
you-well, the old crowd wonders
about you"
Harlan looked away. Boydston's
daughter was one of the two or three
town girls under his mothers especial
social chaperonage, who met their
Eastern connections.
We'll, they all supposed that the
son of your father was safe
Harlan watched him silently. The
elder man went on more slowly: Its
just that things have come too easy
for you, boy. Never had rough and
tumble fight in your life-clean,
strong, shelteredl That's why II
loved you, son! And why IL envy
you. ] wasted so many years, oh, so
many yearsr
And while they sat in the dusk the
eyes OF both went to the street. to
four men who were crossing from the
courtyard. One was Rube Van Hart.
Rube and autumn were here once
more. Another was Arne Vance. An
other was T. P. Purcell, the dapper
young lawyer-manager of Mr.. Cur
rams campaign. And the fourth was
a little, cheap-arrayed. faSt-talking
started with smothered cry.
Rube greeted them all with his Ia
comic shyness. Finished with the
Cotton Belt League, Wiley. They
canned me when the pennant rush
came. And here's guy that used to
know you, he says. Shagged up the
line with me from Memphis. l hap
pened to mention you. and he sure
was delighted to find his old friend,
WiIeyl Ladeau, that's his name
Curran was staring. Maurice" he
muttered at last.
The newcomers small coffee-col-
ored face wrinkled amiably. He held
out his hand Arne Vance and T. P.
Purcell appeared noting, with merci-
less intentness, Curran's greeting.
Curran, the most democratic of men,
to whom even the lame dogs came for
sympathy, appeared not honored by
Ladeau's acquaintance