Polk County news-gazette. (Benton, Tenn.) 190?-191?, 1913-12-04

Why, how are you, my ooyt How
are you? Take chair. Neligp p. get
him "a"
Thanks" declined standish. can
talk better on my feet"
obi" deprecated Blake, in pathetic
disappointment you've come 70 TX?
was hoping you lad come DO
ITO lie DOWN." supplemented Scynd-
ish.
WELL" answered Blake oracu h.
"the man who lies down can get up
again But the man who is knocked
down, Is apt to take the count"
The question Is this, Mr.. Standish,
broke in Mark, impatiently at his IA
ther-in-law's slower method of reach
ing the point. "Will you support us,
or will you not?"
81 will not" returned Standish.
COR at least resign your leader
ship?"
mo. l thought we had settled all
that"
Then" asked Van Dyke, you are
prepared to take the consequences,
Mr.. Standish?"
IF there are consequences-yes.
"Oh, therell be consequences, all
right" Blake assured him 'Hell's fun
of consequences SO you won't even
protect the Woman?"
You haven't found her yet"
"No?" smiled Blake. "Son, told
you there was a trap. Well, it caught
her. And we'll have her name in half
an hour at most Probably sooner. If
you think that's a bluff, you're well
come to. But you've only half-hour
to keep on thinking It,"
Look here, gentlemen" said Stan
dish, turning to the others. "All this
does not interest me in the least,
came here tonight for just one rea-
son--to appeal to your sense of JUS
tice"
A ripple of derision from his hearers
stirred his slow voice to slightly faster
measure.
"You can't beat me-" he went on.
"And you know it as well as | do. |
am secure. But, for the sake Of others,
| ask you not to make political capital
out OF something in my private life"
Gregg's loose mouth parted in
grin. Neligan laughed aloud. But
Mark Robertson could see no humor in
the situation.
You're wrong, Standish,' he de-
clared. This scandal will beat you.
Let us suppose, for arguments
sake, that it would" agreed Standish.
Cant l appeal to your honor? Won't
you fight fairly"
Wen publish the truth" retorted
Mark. IF that's unfair"
1T is unfair. II not to me, then to
the Woman"
ut is too late to go into that matter
now, Mr.. Standish. Your presence
here tonight is, by itself, strong proof
against you; If further proof were
needed"
Standish made gesture of weary
PROOF" he echoed. II don't deny
the story. You wouldn't dare use it
if you couldn't prove 1t. But, gentle
men, there comes a time-even in poll
tics-when we've got to be men first
and politicians afterward."
Then" suggested Blake, "be man.
Give up the fight"
NO." replied Standish, 81 won't be
blackmailed. The affair was over and |
done with before l asked the people to
accept me as their leader. Long be-
fore 1t has no bearing on my pres
ent fitness"
That's your misfortune" sneered
Mark. "The people have right to
know who represent them. In the
articles we have prepared,
there are no facts we cannot prove;
your affair with the Woman-your
failure to carry out your pledge to
marry her"
Then the story is written?" ex-
claimed Standish.
1T is in type" put in Van Dyke,
and waiting our word to send 1t out
10 the whole country"
81 see," mused Standish. "And I see
how such a story will be handled In
print. You'll use every trick of sug-
yestion, every fact inferring a lie"
And" cried Mark, 'it will beat you
Il will beat you, man-and that's what
we've been working for, for years"
I'm not beaten yet, retorted Stand
sh. And | advise you, Governor Rob-
srtson, to be careful"
ooh, we shall be careful" returned
Van Dyke. "The proprietor of the bo-
eel Is coming tonight. The hotel where
Mr.. and Mrs Fowler were registered.
We may not need him tosidentify her,
But he'll be on hand in case we do.
Take my word for It. Mr.. Standish.
,ou1l save great deal of unneces-
ary trouble IL you'll quietly step down
md out"