The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-05-04

reluctant stir within and voice, a
sacred woman's voice, said:
Who's therep
The Governor" he responded "Is
Mr.. Mendenhall at homer"
The woman slid back bolts and opened
the door circumspectiy. She thrust out
q tows'ed head and shoulders wrapped in
shawl The Governor heard a baby.s
cry. The woman's teeth chattered with
nervousness and tho cold,
"No. sir; he hasn't got In YETI
The Governor thanked her and turned
AWAY. The woman opened the door wide
and watched him, as ne retreated down
the moist brick walk. At the street he
paused. Then he turned on toward Sec
ond Street The woman closed the door,
and her key grated IN the lock.
The fGovorpor strobe on into Second
Street. past the residence of the Bishop
bof Springfield. standing behind white pill
larsS deep In its naked grove. past St
| Agatha's Seminary. sleeping in its
gloom, until he reached the state house.
The brooding building doomed above him,
dark and dour, sheaving It's great gray
dome into the grim night. Huge granite
piilarA lifted themselves above him. he
was lest In the shades Of the left portico.
He unlocked and pushed open the heavy
door. The great marble corridors were
dark and echoed to the touch of his heel
upon the stones. In the wide rotunda,
under the enormous dome, thick with bill
lowing gloom. . janitor. the peoples soil
tary night watch. slept profoundly In his
chair. his mouth open. his white beard
upon his breast. His gossips had depart
ed. Their deserted chairs stood aimless-
~ about. He-had finished the nightly re-
cital of the strenuous part he had borne
In the great rebellion. and he slumber-
ed. his SHORES echoing In the monstrous
| inverted bowl above him. The Governor
assembled to the floor above. and turned
down the north corridor. A golden bar
Of light was thrown across the marble
floor. 1t streamed from the open door
Of the State treasury. The, Governor
quickened his steps. He heard the lunge
of huge bolts as they Were tumbled
home. He heard the dull spin of a COM
bination lock, and as he reached the
treasury two men were emerging from
the dark vaults.
Thank God. that's"
The sentence was lost in the mouth Of
the Attorney General Of the State of ILL
nois. who stood with dropping jaw star
ing at the Governor. The Attorney Gen.
eral stood motionless. and then plunged
a hand with three pieces OF paper into
an outer pocket of his overcoat. Men
denhall stood behind him, a fame flash
ing over his face.
The Governor was the first one to
speak.
Good evening. gentlemen" he said.
The two men did not reply, and the
Governor spoke again.
Under the law, gentlemen" he said,
1.-The duty devolves upon me of closing
and locking the treasury and temporarily
assuming possession Of it."
Still the men did not reply. The It's
sues of Grigsby's face had become fac
cid. and a greenish shade had over
spread them. His eyes had contracted
to sharp points under angry brows. The
Governor scrutinized the two men close
ly as he advanced, and said, speaking in
a calm tone:
"And so. If you gentlemen have con.
cluded your business'-he paused-"I
shall proceed to the execution Of that
duty"
II am" he added. a moment after
ward, perhaps fortunate in finding you
here, Mr.. 'Mendenhall. You may be able
to assist me-"
He drew toward them, and they stood
aside. He entered the vaults. where a
gas Jet glimmered, its light glinting on
the nickel-plated knobs of the great
steel doors He tried the doors. They
in thought. and then took from his
pocket a stick of red sealing wax. He
hesitated another instant
NO. he said. the great seal could
not be utilized"
The great seal of state Of the State
of Illinois, though 1t has a political his
tory, Is. nevertheless, physically but a
huge overgrown seal such as notaries
public use in their little businesses. And
in Illinois the Governor has no privy
seal as he has in some Commonwealths
The Governor warmed the sealing wax
in the gas jet that blazed beside him in
the vault. When it began to melt he
dribbled and daubed its softened sur