The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1913-02-21

modestly sat down on the bench be-
fore us. Peace touched my arm, and
we moved along until we were just
behind him.
The chairman ended at last, and,
amid fresh applause, Coran rose and
stood gazing down at the little crowd
with benevolent satisfaction. Their
respect and admiration was the breath
of life to the man. You could see it
in his eyes, in his gesture as he beg
ged for silence.
"My friends"
He had got no farther when Hor-
ledge sprang to his feet with raised
hand.
"Mr. Chairman" he shouted. 81
have question to ask the candidate"
There was a slight outcry, a few
Kisses and groans; but the tide of To-
cal politics did not run strongly in
Brendon. Besides, everyone knew
Horledge. He had the largest gro
GERS shop in the town.
at would be better to question him
after his speech, Mr.. Horledge," pro-
tested the old chairman.
II should prefer to answer this gen.
tleman at once" Coran interposed.
He stood with his hands, clasping
and unclasping, before him, but new
er moved his eyes from his opponent.
There was grit in the fellow, after all.
ut would be simpler If you with
drew" said the red-faced man, shufi-
ing his feet uneasily.
THAT your party's candidate might
be returned unopposed?"
Don't force me to explain" cried
Horledge. "Why not withdraw"
"You waste the time Of the meet
ing"
Very well, gentlemen, I say that
Mr.. Coran there is no fit candidate,
| because"
There Is something unsettling in
the official tap on the shoulder which
the police Of all countries cultivate,
something which 1t does not take pre-
vious experience to recognize. Hor-
lodges face turned shade paler as
he glanced over his shoulder at the
little man who has thus demanded his
attention.
"And what do you want?" he
growled.
II am Inspector Addington Peace.
of the Criminal Investigation depart
ment. l warn you. Mr.. Horledge, that
you are lending yourself to an attempt
at blackmail."
The detective spoke in so soft a
voice that !, who was standing by his
side, could barely catch the words.
"Bless my soul, you say SOP" cried
the other.
II should like five minutes talk
with Mr.. Coran and yourself. After
that you may take your own course.
Will you suggest it?"
Mr.. Horledge did not take long to
make up his mind. He told the meet
ing that he might have been misin-
formed. If they would permit it, he
asked for five minutes private con-
versation with the candidate.
The meeting received the sugges-
ton with cheers. 1t was something
unusual in the monotony of such func-
tons. We walked up the central aisle
between a couple of hundred pairs of
curious eyes, mounted the platform,
and followed Coran into a small ante
room, the door of which Peace closed
behind him.
On June Is the Brendon Anti-Vivi-
section society, of which you, Mr..
Horledge, are president, received the
sum of twenty pounds from an anony-
nous source" said the little detec-
tive.
Certainly"
"That sum was extorted from Mr..
Coran by the threat of revealing the
secret which Miss Rebecca Coran told
you this morning, and which you veri-
fed this afternoon by a reference to
the old newspaper files in the British
museum"
81 had no idea--this is most sur
prising. lis it i,lsgal" he stutter-
ed.
"Blackmail for whatever purpose Is
illegal. Further attempts have been
made to extort money: 1t is because
they failed that you were placed In
possession OF the facts today"