Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1913-10-29
CHAPTER Vl.--contInued.


Then he paused The rugged mask
OF a face had not changed. But the
pupils Of the half-shut eyes had sud
denly contracted as though binding
light had been flashed before them.
Yet, second later, when Blake spoke
again, there was no trace OF pain or
resentment in his dry drawing voice,
''Blackmail?" he said once more.
How about the way Standsh dragged
up that franchise affair of mine last
year? What was that but blackmail?"
We'll" demanded Tom, in the stark
mercilessness of youth, you we're
stealing the franchise, weren't you,
dadY'
YES" asserted Blake with a de-
llghtful absence OF an false modesty
Il sure was. And was doing 1t neat
ly, too. Not a ripple, not a kick, till
Standish butted in with his measly
reformers and queered the whole job
and cost us a half million dollars.
Son, every time think Of that, want
to chase some one with an ak. don't
lie awake nights thinking how cum
ming our friend Standish would look
with seaweed in his hair and sand I'M
der his nails. But / keep that fran
chlse memory and few others fresh
on the ice. And it sure doesn't break
my heart to have a chance now of
getting back at him"
But" persisted Tom, that was a
public matter. 1t doesn't justify you
in dragging his private life into the
lime-light"
"The deuce it doesn't? Who told
you that?"
my self-respect."
ooh! / thought maybe you might
have got the tip from some reliable
source. Go ahead, son. Doesn't iusti-
fy me, hey?"
mo, dad, If you want truth, 1t
doesn't. 1t isn't-clean!"
Clean? Say, son. this is politics
Not prayer-meeting. You've got in
the wrong pew"
"If the right pew justifies dirty
work like that" flashed the boy, Pm
glad have And want to stay there
This business of making political cap
ital of a mans dead-and-buried sins
is enough to turn the stomach Of 9
camel. A thousand times more sc
when one considers the Woman"
WELL" queried Blake, in high good
humor, as he always was when he
could stir up quarrel between his
adored only son and himself. "Wha
about herr"
Everything She made fool o
herself Presumably when she wa
young. She has probably repenteC
1t bitterly, ten thousand times Sht
may have atoned for what she did
She may even be wife and mother
now. Respected, loved. All the worl,
and Heaven, besides, to her HUSBAND
and children. And, just to pass a rot
ten railroad bill, you are going to drai
her out into the glare of the newspa
per world and cruelty her! You ar
going to strip from her her husband
love; you are going to make he
friends shun her as an outcast; your
throwing black shame on her innocen
children's name. You are"
Excuse me, son, interrupted Blake
But I'm not doing single one G
those terribly dramatic things
Standlsh is doing it--or, rather h
has done It, Not l. Catch the idea
If Standish committed murder an
found the body, woL you call m
murderer? Hey? Well that's wha
has happened this time When STAND
ish took the lady on that little lef
handed wedding trip, five years ag
in March, he rendered her liable to a
that and worse. A man doesn't thin
of such things at the time. Neithe
does a woman. guess. This on
sure didn't, or she'd never hav
thrown over her one hope of safet
by iilting him"
Listen, dad" returned Tom, chol
ing back hot answer. Ever sine
you brought me here into the thick {