The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-09-20


 like that and keep my self respect
 ''No, of course you couldn't, son, so l you just took a place where you could earn good clean money in your profes- sfou> don't blame you"
 Blount Twas vaguely perturbed. He could not help feeling that his father was keeping something back.
 ''You think there will be more or less political work in my job with the raflroadT' he asked, determined to get at the submerged facts, if there were 1 any.
 'Oh, don't know. Mcvickar has hired you to do a lawyers work, and 1 I guess that is what he will expect you to do, isn't it?"
 | MT. McVickar had not defined the duties of the new assistant counse1shfp very clearly. But there was a strong Inference running through all that was Baid to the effect that the headship of the legal department would carry with It some political responsibilities. At the moment B1ount had been rather glad that such was the case. | The vice president had convinced him very thoroughly of the justice of the railroad company's contention-that the laws of the state, if rigidly admin lstered, amounted to practical confis- cation of the company's property. While MT. McVickar was talking B1ount had rather hoped that his new position would give him opportunities to place the railroads point of view fairly before the people of the state, and to do this he knew that he would have to enter the campaign as a polit- ical worker. Surely his father must know this, aHd he went boldly upon the assumption that his father did know it.
 'T am to be chief of the legal de partment on this division, and as such 1t will, of course, be necessary for me to defend my client in court and out of court,'' he said finally. ''And mean to do it."
 "Of course you do; you've got to be honest with yourself-and with Mo Vickar. I don't mind telling you, son, that am squarely on the other side this time, and I had hoped you were going to be. But if you're not, why, that's the end of it. We won't quarrel about it'
 Now, this was not at all the paterna1 attitude which the young man had prefigured. But before anything more could be said Mrs. B1ount came in to remind them both that they had din- ner appointment with Professor An ners and his daughter and that there was barely time to dress for it.
 It was late that night, several hours after the informal little dinner for five in the Inter-Afountain cafe, when the senator had himself lifted from the lobby to the fourth floor and made his way to the door of his own apart ments. As was her custom, his wife was waiting up for him.
 Did you find out anything more?'' she asked without looking up from the tiny embroidery frame which seemed to be her constant companion at home or elsewhere.
 ''Not very much. Mcvickar has fixed things to suit himself. Evans law office position is to be pretty large ly nominal, I guess, and Gantry's crowd is to see to it that he doesn't get to know too much, which means that the bribery is not to be done by the legal department in this cam paign.''
 But they can't keep him from fnd- Ing out about it, she protested.
 'They are going to try mighty hard anyway. Evan wants to believe that everything is on the high moral plane, and when a man wants to believe a thing it's pretty easy to fool him. It'll be a winning card to them if they can send the boy out to talk convincingly about the cleanliness of the company's campaign. That sort of talk, handed out as Evan can do it, if he is convinc- ed of the truth of what he is saying, will capture the honest ranchman ev- cry time-''
 we must get him back" she said. Have you thought of any plan?''
 "No'
 ~ She smiled. t'I have plan. He may have to take a regular course of treat ment, and it may make him very ilI Would you mind that?'
 David BIount leaned back in his chair and regarded her through half closed eyelids.
 "I don't want to see the boy suffer any more than he has to-" he objected.
 Neither do I,'' was the quick agree ment; then, with no apparent rele- vance, What do you think of Miss Anners?''
 The senator sat up, and the slow smile wrinkIed humorously at the cor ners of his eyes. 'I haven't thought much about her. She's the kind you can't get near enough to think about, isn't she?''
 She is young woman with a very bright mind and a very high purpose was the little lady's summing up of Patricia. 'Buf she isn't altogether a Boston iceberg. She thinks she is in love with her career; but, really, I think she is very much in love with Evan. If we could win her over to our side''-
 This time the senator's smile broad ened into a laugh.
 You are away wonder out of my depth now, little woman," he chuckled- '.Does your course of treatment for