The Washington herald., 1913-10-05
here the following year. leaving

\ not move. Ills eye was as STEADY as
Tanners own. But he twitched in
wardly with the shock.
i You recall that?'
"No. never knew of that-and it
is a liep
He had broken from his spell at
last. He started forward with hot
4 menace.
! Thad raised lis hand deprecatingly,
but his grin of triumph came. He had
made his boast good to the others
that lie would crush the editor.
There was" he went on laconically,
"a child born on the third day of June,
in a hospital on Rampant Street. We
have the name. The child was bap-
| tized on the first of August We have
that name-the name of the priest; it
was taken charge of by an institution
We have the name OF that institution.
| We have the after history of that
child-we know its identity today. Do
you follow me, Mr.. Curran? Do you
believe me?'
No"
you admit this-marriage?
Il admit nothing except that my wife
died during the yellow fever when
people were rushing out of the city.
wrote to ask OF her-to this same
Madame Artois, you mention-yes. But
did not desert her-and there was
no child of this union"
He spoke steadily again. Judge Van
! Hart was studying him. They all were
watching. He had impressed them.
Even Old Thad nodded appreciatively.
Then he went on We'll, we need not
quarrel on the issue. The point is
that We, as representatives. of the
party, OF the honorable men and good
women of the communication the
good name OF that communicates
you to withdraw from the Congress
sional contest 1t is not a pretty tale,
Mr.. Curran, and we have no desire to
spread it broadcast. Our people, you
know how they detest double life
a concealment-a lapse in personal
morality-the honest wholesome sense
OF decency in our country people"
Wiley had raised a hand. Wait,
he retorted, what if | do not deny
! the NATTER"
There was a pause. Ransdell of the
I Mercury Journal muttered. Boydston
glowered They had been gibed so
often by Wiley Curran that they had
glutted their imaginations with the pic
ture of him dumfounded, crushed to
earth.
Not deny the NATTER" Tanner
looked up sharply.
No"
you dare admit it :"
| Il do not admit it But, gentlemen,
I l will tell you this: You have called
|
with this story. YoR have called on
me to resign under threat of this story.
And l tell you-Nor
He stepped nearer. his eyes flashing.
He struck the table before the county
chairman's face.
! Go ahead with your storyH He
whirled on RanSdell of the Mercury
journal: Il know what you were
brought here for! Go on-spring that
damned story tomorrow in your sheet
scatter it over the county! And you"
he faced Boydston-''I've called you
thief for six years. and you've never
had the nerve to come to my office
and tell me I'm a liarl And you, Cal
Rice-a poor dog who rattles his chain
when the boss speaks And you, Judge
Van Hart, I'm surprised at you, a
good man Yes, a good man - the
I most pitiable object in American life
today good man who stands for
other mems crookedness. You are all
pack of Matchmaking liarsr
Rapsdell was on his feet furiously.
Boydston growled hoarsely. Judge
Van Hart arose, paling to the lips. But
quicker than all, Thad Tanner was on
his feet and between them.
Gentlemen! Be still! This heat
this is uncalled forr
Il refuse to withdraw! l call your
bluff I'll print that story myself /!
| The story of my life-all of 1.-THE
least of it. And with that story I'll
go before the people OF this district
| and say that | was summoned here
and blackmailed. That you bought
this story of a hound and with it tried
to fosce me out OF public life. You,
who profess to guard the morals of
this community! I'll publish today
press day-my story. 1t shall have all
your names-all your SNUG respectable
! faces-and in it | shall tell that you
brought me here, and, for a considera-
| ton. agreed to hush UP this villainous
awful past of mine-you, the Best
People, tried to force and bride me
out of politics! That shall be my
storyr
Cal Rice, of the Presbyterian Church,
muttered. Boydston moved in jelly
fish way. Judge Van Hart hastily
reached for his. hat. Gentlemen" he
gasped. I'VE were not summoned here
for thisl I beg of youths voice
failed him-"let me withdraw-let me
withdraw"
Curran's grim smile was on him.
"Your Honor, it, is no place for YOU
"A moment" Thad raped the
table. Let US have this clear. You
refuse to withdraw
Il do. Tell your story! III tell
mine. Yes, tonight-at my meeting
here among my home people. Let any
man of you arise tonight and accuse
NELL admit it! And, by God, I'll
ask the people what manner of men
you are. I'll appeal to them-their
sympathy, their hearts, their reason
with just story of my youth-a story
that might have been any man'sl The
people-the great honest heart of the
peoplep
Thad was smiling coldly. But a
curious admiration was in his eyes.
He lifted his hand Gentlemen, he
defes us"
Il defy your
The little gray boss smiled on. Cal