The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-02-01
CHAPTER TX.
Criticisms and WiIss

BS residence in New Chelsea only
u$U because an unwritten law re
quired each end of the state to be
represented In the senate, and the va
cancy which he had been elected to fill
had been from the western district
This was only half truth. He really
liked these men and women among
whom his youth had been spent, who
looked upon him half Familiarity, half
In awe, and who. until the late upris
ing and the advent of John Dunmeade.
had followed unquestioningly his po
litical gospel Most of the time be
spent, from the exigencies of his pc
sition, in Washington or In the big
house In Adelphia; but as be grew
older he came to look forward more
and more eagerly to the summer
months that supported his illegal resi-
dence"
He looked, hesitating, toward the old
colonial house across the street Then
he started toward it. Must the habit
of a lifetime be broken merely be
cause a son of that house had leveled
a lance against him? And. besides,
there was small matter of business
to transact. He perceived the figure
of an old woman on bench under the
trees, darning industriously. and he
smiled at first in amusement. Then
the smile became gentler.
She looked up as he approached. He
held out his hand. "Good afternoon.
Miss Roberta
"Good afternoon, Will Murchell."
She continued her darning. "T'll not
shake hands," she answered his ges-
ture calmly. 81 don't think I'll ever
shake hands with you again. John
says you're a dangerous man. John is
right"
81 inferred from his speech" he an
swered with a twinkle, that he held
some such opinion. Were you at the
trialp'
81 was notl You may sit down.
she commanded, making room for him,
because / want to ask you ques
ton" He obeyed what have you
been doing to Hugh and our John?
This house has been like funeral
ever since these trials began. Hugh
has been as grumpy as-as a dog with
a boil And Johnnie doesn't say
much, but he feels it. It's this politics.
1 WISH" she concluded vengefully. "a
plagued carry off all you politicians"
"But, Roberta. who'd run the coun-
tryY'
Miss Roberta shifted. Il guess the
country could run itself better than
you politicians do"
$50 there's GOODNESS between the
judge and John, eh? | suppose they've
fallen out over the trials Naturally!
John is just hot headed idealist.
while the Judge is-a practical man."
"a practical man!' she shifted tartly.
''If you'd been doing for the judge for
nearly thirty years you wouldn't call
him that. I guess. Why. he even be-
lieves that you're going to put him In
the supreme court
"And you don'tT'
''Of course not! tell him so, but he
won't believe me- He's so pulled up
with his own Importance and selfish
ness he won't listen to sense and tries
to make his sons life miserable
Roberta" he said abruptly, try to
keep John out of politics"
Because he is fighting your"
That he said sententIously. might
be sufficient reason. But I'm not
thinking of that. 1t isn't the game for
man of his sort"
you didn't think of that when you
believed you could use him. I wish
could keep him out But we Dun
meades are set in our opinions He'll
go on fighting, now he's started. until
he breaks himself against your hard
ness or becomes-iike you"
He got up abruptly and went into
the house. In the library he found
Fudge Dunmeade before his desk
scratching away at an opinion. With
that heavy dignity which he impaired
even to the smallest actions of life the
Judge waved MurcheH to a seat
THAT son Of yours gave US some
thing Of a surprise to-day Looks as
though Sheehan would have to go over
the road. Unless" Murchen added in