The Arvada enterprise., 1914-01-15

| sullllllS II py aN'taNhe W Vim
"Her-the-the price is too high"
Too high?" snorted Neligan on
whom the undercurrent Of Blakes re
fusal was entirely lost. ITS the first
time we've ever economical"
Before Blake could reply the buzzer
sounded.
There's Standish, now" said Jim.
Let him in. Neligan. Take the lead
from me, all OF you And don't dis
grace me by acting like wild asses of
the desert"
Neligau, in obedience to his chief,
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 stiilly, uncomfort-
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"
Neligans lips flew apart with the
force of n retort that leaped to them.
But the words were never formulated.
For Blake, beaming on the newcomer
| like a father upon his dearest loved
son, exclaimed affectionately:
why how are you, my boy? How
are you? Take chair. Neligan, get
him "a"
Thanks" declined Standish. 81 can
| talk better on my feet"
Obi" deprecated Blake, in pathetic
disappointment. You've come to talk?
| 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 the man who is knocked
down, is apt to take the count"
The question is this, Mr.. Standish,"
broke in Mark, impatiently at his IA
ther-in-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?"
NO. l thought We had settled all
that"
Then" asked Van Dyke, you are
prepared to take the consequences,
Mr.. Standish?"
IF there are consequences-yes
"Oh, there'll be consequences, all
right" Blake assured him. "Hell's full
of consequences So you won't even
protect the Woman"
You haven't found her yet"
"No?" 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. If
you think that's bluff, 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
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 me-" he went on.
And you know it as well 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
grin. Neligan laughed aloud. But
Mark Robertson could see no humor in
the situation.
You're wrong Standsh," he de-
clared. This scandal will beat you"
Let us suppose, for arguments
sake, that it would" agreed Standish.
Cant / appeal to your honor? Won't
you fight fairly"
Wen publish the truth" retorted
Mark. IF that's unfair"
1T is unfair. If not to me. then to
the Woman"
1T is too late to go into that matter
now, Mr.. Standish. Your presence
here tonight is, by itself, strong proof
against you; If further proof we're
needed"
Standish made a gesture OF weary
impatience
PROOF" he echoed Il don't deny
the story. You wouldn't dare use it
IL you couldn't prove it. But, gentle
men, there comes a 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. 81 won't be
blackmailed. The affair was over and
done with before asked the people to
accept me as their leader. Long be.
fore. II has no bearing on my pres
| Cnt fitness"
"That'a 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: