The Mena weekly star., 1913-11-06
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 You can't beat me-" he went on. And you know it as well as I do l 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 ir 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?"
 We'll publish the truth" retorted Mark. ''If that's unfair"
 Tt is unfair. If not to me, then to the Woman"
 Tt is too late to go into that matter now, MT. Standish. Your presence here tonight is, by itself, strong proof against you; if further proof were needed"
 Standish made a gesture of weary impatience.
 'Proof?" he echoed. "I don't deny the story. You wouldn't dare use it if you couldn't prove it. But, gentle men, there comes time-even in poll. tics-when we've got to be men first and politicians afterward."
 Then" suggested Blake, be a man Give up the fight"
 "No," replied Standish, q won't be blackmailed. The affair was over and done with before I asked the people to accept me as their leader. Long be- fore. It has no bearing on my pres ent fitness"
 That's your misfortune" sneered Mark. 'The people have a right to know who represent them. In the newspaper 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.
 Tt is in type" put in Van Dyke land waiting our word to send it out to the whole country"
 q sec" unused Standish. And I see how such a story will be handled in print. You'll use every trick of sug- gestion, every fact inferring a lie"
 And" cried Mark, it will beat you It will beat you, man-and that's what we've been working for, for years"
 Pm not beaten yet retorted Stand ish. And I advise you. Governor Rob ertson, to be careful"
 "Oh, we shall be careful" returned Van Dyke. "The proprietor of the ho- tel is coming tonight. The hotel where MT. and Mrs. Fowler were registered We may not need him to identify her But he'll be on hand in case we do. Take my word for it. Mir. Standish, you'll save a great deal of unneces- sary trouble if you'll quietly step down and out"
 If l did" said Standish. q would be politically dead. You know that"
 You're politically dead, anyway" insisted Mark. If this story will beat you tonight it will beat you 20 years from today. Particularly if this Wom- an proves to be-what shall we call it?-a trifie off color?"
 'Robertson!"
 "Ah! That hurts, does it? Then it's probably true. If the Woman is the kind that-that would not do you credit, you can understand how much more effective it will be-"
 You are wrong!' denied Standish. She Is of good family. She"
 She may have been a good woman when you found her." said Mark. But there must have been a bad streak in her, somewhere You left her to sink as low as l expect to find her and"
 Drop that, Mark" burst out Tom Blake, jumping from his seat and con fronting his brother-ln-law. Don't! cant listen to it any longer. Standish is right. What you men are doing is vile. If you've got a scrap of man. hood left in the whole bunch of you, you won't drag this Woman into your dirty schemes. r."
 Ong LII Nlth ilidhG NANAl lliN olA Cl sleepy man bothered by fly, flor the love of Mike, don't you butt in! The situations punk enough as it Is, without your laying your trophies of idiocy at it's feet"
 Tdiocy?" flared Tom. Perhaps common decency's a better term. Or perhaps in your vocabulary the two mean the same thing. You men are known as political leaders. The pub lie looks to you for examples And yet you stoop to a currish trick like this! Isn't there enough whiteness in the whole lot of you for single voice to protest against such use of g wom- ans name? You've just been told she's of good family. That she has name to lose. And you answer Pc litical necessity You know this story will destroy at least two lives. Prob. ably several more. And again you an- swer: Political necessity You have the power 10 ruin these lives. + you use that power, I tell you now, one and all-my father as well as the rest I'm ashamed to have breathed the same air with you!"
 Good night, Tom," drawled Blake, no, so much as troubling to glance ia his irate sons direction.
 "No,' corrected Tom, "good-by."
 It's up 10 you," yawned Blake.
 "G3od-by," reiterated Tom, stamp. ing from the room and slamming the outer door of the suite behind him.