The Springfield herald., 1913-07-25

was pacing the floor.
"Hell.' he would say. why the
devil doesn't he GOMEZ"
The little man was William Grigsby.
and he was the attorney-generalo of the
state of Illinois. He had come down
from the 10 Daviess hills. to serve a
term in the house, and been nominated
for the office he now held by the gov
ernor. John Chatham. John Chatham
was his political creator, and the two
men had once been friends. The ad-
ministration had begun harmoniously
enough. but before two of the four
years OF Its political life had expired
there was a split. and factions had
formed, There had been fierce fight
for the control of the state central
committee that year, and the struggle
had been carried into the state conven-
tion, which nominated state treas
urer, superintendent OF public in
struction. and trustees Of the upiver-
sity of Illinois. In one faction were
the governor the auditor of public. .ac-
counts, and. OF course, his appointees.
the adjutant-general, the railroad and
trustees of the state institutions. In
the other were the attorney-general
and the secretary of state. Jennings.
Lockhart, the state treasurer. had
been neutral. He was everybody's
friend.
And now Grigsby was an avowed
candidate for governor. in opposition
to his old friend, John Chatham. the
man who had made him.
The attorney-general continued to
smoke and pace the floor. and swear.
After while he consulted his watch
again. and then gave the old-fashioned
brass bell-pull vigorous jerk. Pres
emily a negro boy came bearing pre-
sumptive pitcher of water, the tinkling
of the ice heralding his approach. The
Encouragement would have welcomed
ice water in the morning. but now he
seized 1t from the black boys hand
set it down with a splash on his wash
stand. and shouted:
go and tell Jim to mix me com.
modore."
Just as the boy reached the door. 1t
opened. and tail man entered. The
tall man seeing the boy, looked at
Grigsby.
"Whatll you have. Hank?" said the
attorney-general.
"A little whisky"
Bring Mr.. Jennings some whisky"
ordered the attorney-general.
Bourbon. boy" added Mr.. Jennings.
The boy withdrew.
The attorney-general paused before
the fire. and looked up into the face
of the secretary of state.
well, Hank" he said. II began to
fear you hadn't got my message.
Heard the news?"
What news?"
why" replied the attorney-general.
haven't you heard? Jim Lockhart's
dead"
THE hell he ISL responded Jen-
nings. 81 hadn't heerd ary word.
When'd he die?"
This afternoon"
"Sudden?"
Rather"
What was ailin' OF him?"
The encouragement smiled. a pecu-
liar, mirthless smile.
The secretary Of state ceased to.
rock.
you don't reckon now"
That's 1t, exactly"
II didn't know it'd got that bad.
What'd they give out fer the cause!"
"Oh. heart failure l suppose"
Beats hell. don'tit?"
The secretary of state was silent.
Presently he spoke again in an alb
stracted way: .
well. Jim as devil of good fel-
ler: as good as you'd meet up 18th in a
coon's age. An reckon when it
come to a showdown. he as our
friend II the boys 'p'ints an investi-
gatin' committee-Jim as al'ays lee-
tie too free 18th the stuff"
Hank. didn't send for you to-
night to hold memorial services over
Jim Eockhart. There's something more
important than that-there's some
thing damned important. and 1t con-
Germs me"
Your"
"Yes. me. I'm in this thing Just
twenty thousand dollars"
1.-THE hell you are!'
"Just-twenty-tho -thousand-dollars."
Grigsby sank into chair.
"Borrowed?" asked Jennings.
"Yes."
Public funds?"
"Well-I don't know Course"
Jim Lockhart didn't have no pri-
vate fortune-'ithout 1t as the in
trust"
well. suppose 1t was"
"An'thin' to show fer it?"
81 gave him three notes-one for
ten, two for five thousand each"
well, you're bigger damn fool
than gave you credit fer bein'."
The attorney-general, clutchipg his
fingers into his hair, rested his elbows
on his short knees, and bowed his
head "And with tho governorship
just in plain sight, too" he groaned.
We'll. it wasn't so damn plain said
jennings.
Then as his eye rested on the man
bowed beside him, the sweat trickling
down his sallow face. something in
the droop of the figure touched a chord
of pity In his heart, and the tall Egyp-
tian laid hand on Grigsby's shoulder.
saying in another tone:
Don't take on that way. Let's see
what can be done"