The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-03-07

FA.~Ha
snake good your bluff if you dar.."
wonderment became fear. Beads OF
sweat stood out on his forehead He
shook visibly. The defiant attitude sud
denly dissolved.
Perhaps said Murchel grimly
Mr.. Sherrod would prefer to make
this statement himself"
There was an instant of painful 81
lence. Sherrod's mouth worked as
though be were trying to speak But
no sound fell
PARROT came to his relief. Gentle
men, he said solemnly, Mr. Sherrod
has withdrawn his candidacy"
I'm favor of Dunmeade" supple
mented Greene.
The reporters looked inquiringly at
Senator Murchell.
He nodded. That's the statement"
Without a single backward glance
he went out of the room. Greene and
the reporters followed him. leaving
Sherrod and PARROT alone to get what
comfort they could ont of their plight
and to settle certain accounts, IL scene
upon which we considerably draw the
curtain
A man around whom a battle had
been fought leaned OH a rail- fence.
gazing off at the undulating line where
the azure Of sky curved down to meet
the green of hills. He had been there
nf of in Hfubf from
the kindly but obtrusive interest OF
his neighbors.
A state was acclaiming him. and he
was not uplifted. He had read the
news of the morning and knew that Mt
that very hour several hundred of his
fellow citizens in convention assem-
bled were naming him to high honor.
and he took no joy in it, For the ac
clamation was but the schooled chorus
Of a tractable stage mob. And the
victory WAS not for him, nor for the
principle he had served, but for a man
whom he had condemned. for an in
stitution he believed TO be wrong. He
was big enough-or small enough If
you prefer-to resent being catapuited
into power by the strength OF another's
arm, and he was honest enough to
hate the means he knew must have
been used He could not exult. The
advancement had come too tate. The
fiery eagerneSS of youth was gone.
He lOnged not for sword, but for
peace-the peace of the hills. OF the
growing things. of the commonplace
FROM which once be had fed.
A sound, strange for that hour and
place, slowly pierced his abstraction.
He raised his head. startled. listening.
1t was the courthouse bell Another
Joined in. and another. until all the
bells of the town were ringing. The
iron choral was for him.
He walked slowly on.
As be rounded the foot of the knob.
he heard another sound rising TO min
gle with the clamor of the bells
cheering voices He had d strong de-
sire to turn back and flee to some hid
ing place In the hills. but he forced
himself TO march forward.
At the northernmost edge Of the
town he perceived rapidly limping
figure. Ii was Jeremy Apologize.
Heard you came out this way"
Jeremy gasped IAN | wanted to be
first TO tell YOU. Nominated by accla-
| nation at 3:45 this afternoon.
hain't felt so good since Appomattox."
John. beholding the tears shining in
honest Jeremys eyes. felt the moisture
rise TO his own. His heart leaped
sharply; 1t was something to receive.
| even IL one has not earned. such
loyalty!
Down Main street came team
drawing double seated spring wagon.
From the wagon descended a silent
trio whose handcIasp eIoquentIy told
what awkward lips could not phrase.
"Druv into town to git the news of
the convention" Ri explained. They
said ye'd gone out the pike, so we
druv out 10 fetch We in. They're wait
in for We. consider BILE excited"
They've found out" said Dan Girls
well dryly, ''aIl at oncet that ye're
great man."
Low | damned the Amurrican peo-
pie a mite too soon," confessed Sykes,
which caused Cranshawe and Criswell
to laugh
Cit in. commanded Ri Come
right along Jeremy"
They all climbed into the wagon.
John with lips compressed as IL he
faced an ordeal And indeed he did.
Ri was quick 10 perceive what Jeremy
in the hySteria of his JOY had over
looked. His great. hairy hand fell Gu
Johns knee in a tight grip
Il want IN say something while got
the chancet. | guess there's more TO