The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1914-01-22


whom The SnAercsrreat q Blaks's ~
fvsal Vas entirely lost It's The nrst
tine we've ever economixed"
Before Blake could reply tAs buzsse
sounded
There's Standish. now" said jim.
Let hin IN. Nslisaa- Take the lsaA
from NE. all Of yos- And don't d.
grace me by acting like Wild sssss ef
the desert"
Nelisan. In obedience = his chisG
had opened the outer door. Standish.
after . quick and seemingly indifferent
look that itemized the rooms occu-
pants. walked forward. Neligan care
fully closed the door behind him.
The men nodded stimy. uncomf0rt
ably, In response to the visitors slight
bow.
Good evening. gentlemen" said
Standish pleasantly. This setting Of
the stages seems to suggest Daniel In
the lions den. hope none Of you
has made the error of casting me for
the role Of Daniel"
Neligan's lips nev apart with the
force Of . rstort that leaped to them.
But the words were never formulated.
For Blake. bsaming on the newcomer
like . father upon his dearest loved
son. exclaimed snsctionately:
Why. how are you. my boy? How
are you! Take chair. Neligan. get
him A."
Thanks" declined standish. II can
talk better on my feet"
''Oh!" deprecated Blake, in pathetic
disappointment. You've come to talk!
I was hoping you had come to"
ITO lie DOWN." supplemented Stand
ish.
Well" answered Blake oracularly.
the man who lies down can get up
again. But tho man who ID knocked
down. 10 apt to take the count"
The question Is this. Mr.. Standish."
broke In Mark. impatiently at his IA
therin-law's slower method Of reach
ing the point. will you support Us.
or will you not?"
Il will not" returned Standish.
Or at least resign your leader
ship!"
mo. thought We had settled all
that"
Then" asked Van Dyke. you are
prepared to take the consequences.
Mr.. standish?"
III there are consequences-yes."
oh. therell be consequences. all
right" Blake assured him. "Hell's full
Of consequence So you won't even
protect the Woman"
You haven't found her yet"
Nor smiled Blake. Son, told
you there was trap. Well, 1t caught
her. And we'll have her name In half
an hour at most Probably sooner. II
yon think that's . blum. you're vel
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 I
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 NO." he went on.
And you know 1t as we'll 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 q
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 1t would" agreed Standish
Cant appeal to your honor? Won't
you fight fairly?"
Well 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: II further proof we're
needed"
Standish made 4 gesture of weary
impatience.
"Proof?' he echoed. 81 don't deny
the story. You wouldn't dare use it
IL you couldn't prove 1t. 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 hight"
No" replied Standish, II won't be
blackmailed. The affair was over and
done with before 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 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 10 writtsn7" ex-