News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1914-05-20


voice was hard
Il was afraid she wouldn't"
well, nobody's going to stand in
my way" A malignant light showed
in his eyes.
my boy, I'm out to win"
In spite of the fact that he was in
full evening attire, he thrust his hands
into his pockets and almost strutted
about the room. 81 outgeneraled that
crowd here tonight. BY God, l did!
Do you know" He paused in his
walk and looked down on Hayes six
feet sprawled over one of the brocaded
there's just little drop of
| mel"
Napoleon Bonaparte got on by
| leaving a woman behind" Hayes re-
turned, seriously, refusing to enter into
SHADES spirit of self-satisfied good
) humor.
you mind your own d-n business,
Bob" Slade turned on him, suddenly.
All right-I'm off to the opera. l
; only meant that Napoleon was a bad
| boy for you to follow, because he
| treated his first wife like a dirty dish
rag. That's why I'm glad that second
little Austrian hussy paid him back.
That's all. I love Mrs. Slade. When
l was sick with fever in your mining
camp she was a mother to me-"
Don't forget that l made you,"
Slade reminded him. a." and he
tapped his chest. 81 gave you your
chance"
Il don't. All the same I'd hate to
see you elected, because of Mrs. Slade.
1t seems to be the regular thing be-
coming universal, for very success
full man to leave home the minute he's
on his feet. Good night"
"One minute, Bob. You've given me
lot of good advice. I'll give you
some. Are you in love with that girl?"
Yes" Hayes grunted; good night.
Is that all?"
mo-" Slade paused, watching Hayes
through narrowed eyelids. THAT girl
needs large pie with every one of
her fingers in it. Bob, I'm sorry for
you. Your pie isn't big enough"
"Well-it's my pie. Good night"
and he was gone.
After Hayes had gone, Slade sat, his
arms resting on the table, staring into
space. Every now and then the cor
ners of his mouth came down and his
eyes narrowed He was thinking of
Katherine Strickland and Hayes. That
woman for Hayes! Hayes must be a
presumptuOus pup to ever think of
winning that queen. Such women were
meant for the kings of the earth-not
for their hirelings.
Suddenly SHADES eyes lighted with
the fire of decision. His mouth be-
came a firm, straight line of deter
mination. There was something i'm
placable and grim in his very attitude
as the resolve to win Katherine Strick-
land became fixed in his mind He
longed to hurry after her-to tell her
of his decision to fight, if not with,
then for her. He was eager to show
her just how much they two together
could make out of life, big, fine fight
for position and power.
Even the thought of being governor
was left in the distance as plan after
plan raced through his mind, of greater
conquests and bigger achievements,
possible only with woman like Kath-
crime Strickland for his wife. So alb
sorbed and intense were his thoughts
of the future with her for the moment
he forgot completely the woman who
for 80 years had kept her place as his
wife. In all his dealings he had never
considered obstacles. except to sweep
them from his path. AS he remem-
bered the present and Mary, he never
hesitated or faltered from his newly
made resolution.
Mary could go it alone. He would
see that she had everything that
money could buy. He would make her
comfortable and take care of her That
she should be further considered never
entered his mind Always ruthless in
his methods, he was equally cruel even
when the obstacle to his advancement |
was a fragile little woman who had
given him the best of her love and
years and who would gladly have laid
down her life to save his.
It was not as if a sudden fame of |
intensive, overwhelming love for Kath- |
crime Strickland had surged through |
his heart. 1t was nothing as decent I
or as fine or as blameless as that His
whole attitude toward the girl was
one Of cOld-blooded acquisition. He |
had determined to have her just as he |
had determined only last week to out |
bid every other man at the rug auc
ton. He wanted her to take a place |
in his life because he knew what her |
value would be to him. He wanted her |
beauty, her brain, her savoir faire, as
so many stepping stones by which to |
mount higher and higher in the affairs |
of the state and the nation.
In spite of the fact that he criticized |
his wifes lack of social graces, he |
was wise enough to know that he was
far from q finished product himself. /
In spite of himself, traces of the par
venu occasionally showed through the
veneer of blum and arrogance. With