The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1913-10-31

Thanks, declined Standish. i car
talk better on my feet
OH" deprecated Blake, in pathetic
disappointment You've come to talk
| was hoping you had come to
ITO lie down." supplemented Stand
ish.
Well" answered Blake oracularly,
the man who lies down can get up
again. But the man who is knocked
down, is apt to take the count
THE question is this, Mr. Standsh.' -
broke in Mark, impatiently at his ia.
ther-in-laW's slower method of reach
ing the point. will you support us,
or will you not?"
Il will not returned Standish.
Or at least resign your leader.
Ship"
No. | thought We had settled all
that
Then" asked Van Dyke, you are
prepared to take the consequences,
| MI SlanQlSR,
IF there are nSeQuenCeS-yeS."
oh there'll be consequences, all
right" Blake assured him. "Hell's full
of consequences. So you Won't even
protect the Woman
You haven't found her yet"
Mo-" smiled Blake. Son, ! told
you there was trap. Well, it caught
her And Well have her name in half
an hour at most. Probably sooner. If
you think that's a bluff, you're vel.
come to. But you've only half.hour
to keep on thinking it."
Look here, gentlemen" said Stan
dish, turning to the others. 'All this
does not interest me in the least. |
came here tonight for just one reAs
son-to appeal to your sense of JUS
tice."
A ripple of derision from his bearers
stirred his slow voice to slightly faster
measure.
You can't beat me-" he went on.
"And you know it as we'll as do. |
am secure. But, for the sake of others.
ask you not to make political capital
out of something in my private life."
Gregg's loose mouth parted in a
grin. Neligan laughed aloud. But
Mark Robertson could see no humor in
the situation.
You're wrong, Standish,' he de-
clared. This scandal will beat you. "
Let us suppose, for arguments
sake, that it would" agreed Standish.
Cant l appeal to your honor? Won't
you fight fairly?"
Well publish the TRUTH" retorted
Mark. IF that's unfair"
1T is unfair. If not to me, then to
the Woman"
1T is too late to 90 into that matter
now, Mr. Standish. Your presence
ere tonight is, by itself, strong proof
against you; if further proof were
needed"
Standlsh made a gesture of weary
impatience.
"Proof?' he echoed. II don't deny
the story. You wouldn't dare use It
If you couldn't prove it. But, gentle.
men, there comes time-even in poli.
tics-when we've got to be men first
and politicians afterward."
Then suggested Blake, "be man.
Give up the fight"
NO" replied Standish, II won't be
blackmailed. The affair was over and
done with before asked the people to
accept me as their leader. Long be-
fore. 1t has no bearing on my pres.
ent fitness
That's your misfortune" sneered
Mark. THE people have a right to
know who represent them. In the
newspaper articles we have prepared
there are no facts we cannot prove:
your affair with the Woman-your
failure to carry out your pledge to
marry her"
Then the story is written?" OK.
claimed Standish.
1T is In type" put in Van DYKE
"and waiting our word to send It ont
to the whole country"
81 see" unused Standish, "And COO
how such story will be handled IN
print. You'll use every trick Of sug-
gestion, every fact inferring a lie"
And cried Mark, ut will beat Won
1t will beat you, man-and that's what
we've been working for, for years /"
Pm not beaten yet" retorted Stand.
ish' And l advise you, Governor Rob
ertson. to be careful"
"oh, we shall be careful" returned
Van Dyke, "The proprietor of the ho.
tel Is coming tonight. The hotel where
Mr.. and Mrs. Fowler were registered
we may not need him to identify 'her
But hell be on hand in case we do
lake my word for it, Mr.. Standish
youit save a great deal of unnecos.
sary trouble II you'll quietly stem down
and out" ~