The Topeka state journal., 1913-11-08
zM EVENING STORY
After Election.
(By Annie Hinrichsen.)

After Election.
(By Annie Hinrichsen.)
Virginia Byrnes standing on the
highest rock at the point Of the cliff
waved a white sweater In wide circles
above her head. She held 1t by the
sleeves and waved 1t slowly. Occasion-
ally she dropped her arms to relieve
| the strain on them and then resumed
the waving. Tho SUN had not risen
above the hills-
She dropped her arms. put on the
| sweater and jumped down from the
high rock to the path beneath 1t.
'What were you doingr' A young
man stood at the base Of the rock.
For q moment Virginia looked at
him in amusement. II do not explain
my actions to strangers" she said
coldly.
..I was impertinent- beg your par
don. But your signals interested me-.
They are no concern Of yours"
| "Of course not" he agreed hastily.
| But how could help being interested?
This is a desolate country: nothing but
scenery and a few widely separated
houses. came last night to spend q
few days in these hills. The first per
son I saw, except my landlord, was q
young woman waving signals from
high rock"
vember breeze. Around his white fore
head his hair criaped in tightly cropped
red curls. When he smiled the lines
| of laughter crinkled about his keen blue
eyes.
asked. Are you one Of the water
power peopler'
"Water power?. he repeated. II do
not know what you are talking about.
.sYou are not one of those pirates who
wish to take away from US our right
! to this river?''
i at certainly am not"
You speak sincerely. But we are
suspicious Of all prosperous looking.
well dressed strangers. This river runs
beside my fathers property 1t ID
necessary to the success OF his farm.
Through a small plant OF our own We
secure power from the river for our
grain elevator and electric lights Tor
| our buildings. But certain envtous ana
meddlesome marauders have set up
preposterous claim that my father has
no right to q power plant here. ana
that the state should remove it and
grant them, by act of legislature. the
right to establish a power plant and q
factory. feared you were one OF those
evil spectators who want to take our
plant"
Il am not a marauder nor a spec
ulator."
Gordon Prentice and Virginia sat be-
fore a blazing log fire In the Byrnes
| %
he had found her signaling from the
high rock Prentice had seen Virginia
either at her fathers house or in the
hills.
"You know Dick Calvin well. do you
not?' Prentice asked. You have heard
crowd of other young fellows have
still at their club. Deer Lodge. where
thew make moonshine whisky. They
are not ignorant mountaineers. They
are wild, harum-scarum young sinners.
Virginia. are you willing to tell me any
thing you know about the stil?"
II know nothing"
els Calvin a friend Of yours?'
He is a member of the legislature
from this country. The Dill to take
come before the assembly in a few
weeks. Dick Calvin II the man we de-
pend on to defeat 1t:
IT am also q member Of the legisla-
ture. Do you not expect me to help
defeat this bill? You know there ts
nothing in the world I would not dc
for you. Virginia, answer this question
What il Dick Calvin to you?
Nothing"
, .sThen why did you signal to this
moonshiner that q stranger was In
the hills? Why did you go at sun
rise to the highest point of the hills
: and wave a banner where 1t could
be seen from Deer Lodge? If Calvin
!. ! is nothing to you. why did you do
!, this for him?
.'Did do this for him?" She had
: risen from her chair and stood fac
ing him. Her eyes were blazing
j. did signal danger to q moon
: sinner? I will not answer your ques-
Z ton. will never speak to you
{ again. I hope I may never zee you
t again.
. The bill to remove the power plant
e Of James Byrnes from Spring riveI
4 and to grant power rights to q
) wealthy corporation had been intro
]. duced in the legislature. 1t had been
/. referred to the committee on rfvers
. and lakes and there 1t had remained
Il The committee had taken no action
|, ! ON 1t and the corporations demands
that 1t should be returned to the
ignored.
,. Gordon Prentice and Virgins
Byrnes met in the corridor OF the
state house. Prentice raised his hat
and would have passed her withou,
:. speaking. She stopped him.
"Mr. Prentice, IL 1t true that you
an chairman of the COMMITTEES or
rivers and lakes. intend to smother
g the power bill In the committee?"
, ''It H."
'Why?"
ct told you that I should do my
best to defeat that bill The corpora
, ton behind It il enormously rich. II
{ | the bill goes to the House for the
vote the corporation viii buy its pas
: sage. The only way it can be de-
e feated il by smothering It In the com
miftee. I gave you my promise.
D am keeping it,
"Men say that this corporation win
never let you como back to the 1egfs-
! lature. You arc rislking your political
|. future for me. Why Gro you doinG
| this?''
I'll Because love you
Whn =