The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1914-04-02
CHAPTER xK-(continued.)

~ AinA. went On more SLOWLY: Its
Just that things have come too easy for
you, boy. Never had a rough and
1umble fight in your life-clean, strong,
sheltered That's why IL loved you,
son! And why II envy you. I
wasted SO many years, oh. SO many
years!"
And while they sat in the dusk the
eyes OF both went to the street. to four
men who were crossing from the court
yard. One was Rube Van Hart. Rube
and autumn were here once more. An
other was Arne Vance. Another was
Z. P. Purcell, he dapper young law
yer-manager of Mr.. Curran's campaign.
And the fourth was a little, cheap
errayed, fast-talking man at sight Of
whom Curran started with a smothered
cry.
RUDE greeted them all with his la
comic shyness. Finished with the Cot
ton Belt league, Wiley. They canned
me when the pennant rush came. And
here's a guy that used to know you.
he says. Shagged up the line with me
from Memphis. I happened to mention
you, and he sure was delighted to find
his old friend, Wiley! Ladeau, that's
his NAME"
Curran vas staring. Maurice" he
muttered at last.
The newcomers small coffee-colored
face wrinkled amiably. He held out his
Nan Al ~ ollQ - Il l. /
cell appeared noting, with merciless in
t%entness, Curran's greeting. Curran,
the most democratic Of men, to whom
ever the lame dogs came for sympathy,
appeared not honored by Ladeau's ac-
Quaintance.
"Curran." muttered Mr.. Purcell,
"Arne and I came on this man in front
of the billiard hall. He was saying
something-telling some crazy yarn.
But we've heard q bit, and we took
him away!"
Curran glanced at his friends face.
Arne was grim. The newcomer went
on waasS reminiscent pleasure: "Yaas, 1
whsA dis RUDE tell me he is here: Our
OF Wiley? Name O. God-dat same
Wiley Of dem OF scalawag days! How
we laugh-him an me, n Gamblin'
Gawge. when we all get run out Of
Ascension TO dem games we run;'"
The candidate was staring, listening.
Ladeau beamed on: And at Plaque
we all come down to ak Oh man Bouvier
70 feesh heads to make a c~ou'bouillon
under de bridge"
Wiley raised a deprecating hand. He
smiled wanly. Maurice, I-I-never
touched a card since" He smiled still
on his political hackers. Never,
since"
Since dat leetle Adrienne made you
promise when you tax her to NAwlyns.
Ehue, dem OF Creole daysl" He sighed
dat leetle Adrenns OF Butte La
Rose!"
The dapper Mr.. Purcell coughed.
Arne stirred. Wiley, were you ever
married."
The chuckle of the stranger broke
h pause. Married? Dem Cajun
girls, when dey love--Nom de Dieu!-
dey don't stop TO marriage!"
The Honorable r. P. Purcell coughed
again. He glanced hurriedly out the
didate. Il think, gentlemen, this is
enough. All very interesting to Mr..
Curran, but it's nothing to do with his
campaign. I'm glad"-he wiped his
managerial brow perplexedly-"we
overheard this! I was coming to
paign this fall, and we just stumbled
on this-ah-gossip, fortunately! We
brought him to you, Wiley" He looked
at his watch and smiled: This talk
If it is true-Well, 1 must go! And
Wiley"-he turned to the candidate
remember the committee wants you
to go through Dallas county like a
house afire. Start at Pleasantville on
the 10th. But Harper will speak with
you, and We'll arrange the rest of the
program later" He came to take
Wiley's hand-"And, old man. I'd cut
out all these m~alingerings Of youth with
our loquacious friend, here"
TOM muttered Wiley, sit was al
most 20 years agoi"
Then it's all outlawed. But this
constituency Of yours-and you know
how sensitive they are to gossip of the
sort. Decent. wholesome, God-fearing
people-you know Americans in gen
eral will never stand for any sort Of
of-well, this sort Of thing, Wiley!
Puritans-that's it-that's what we
are! Except about money! But this
sort Of thing'-he looked about at the
Others again and smiled. Just between
friends, eh?"
Arne nodded. II Wiley Curran had
confessed to philandering with the
were, there would have been those to
love him. When Purcell had gone,
Arne arose and touched Wiley's arm,
Look here. why didn't you ever tell
some one of this"
why? 1t was long ago-bsfore
drifted west-when I'd landed IN New
Orleans broke from Cuba. We had a
hlibustering gang n 1t busted. Oh,
we'll" he sighed. "Arne, what's the
use Of calling up things? Pm not
ashamed of anything-much. Young
and foot free-and, anyhow, I always
body"
II know 1t. But this-girl, Wiley!
Did you marry herr"
There was a stiffness for a long time.
Outside a late bird was singing in the
sugar trees and the wind was south,
1t seemed to bring a dream to Wiley's
eyes; nights of youth, misspent but
unutterably dear in memory.
Did you marry her, Wiley7"
Wiley turned slowly toward him with
q touch of defiance. Yes"
Arne stood back That's all I want
to know, old boy. And Janet, too! YOU'D
better tell her. You'd better have every
thing above board to begin with. It's
she only way. Purcell's right-the peo-
pie, the great, clean. wholesome heart
Of the people. They sort Of love you,
Wiley, but they wouldn't stand any
thing In a leade that seemed-a-a
double life"
1T never was that. l con-
cealed a thing. Only here, when ]
drifted back to the old town, what was
the use? All dead and buried, Arne.'
This girl9" Arne turned abruptly tc
Ladeau. You know what became OF
her"
"Dat Wiley n-a him."
II was told" retorted Wiley, that
she died. 1t was after I went west
two years after. Ii sent her money
Arne. You see we never lived together
We couldn't make it go. And we
Darted-and she died"
SCI ~ - - --A " A- 1--1A --.-