Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1914-01-14
CHAPTER TX.
A Ion in a Rabbit Trap

1 \ -r-' u
Mark hurried into the nearest tele-
phone booth. Wanda stared after him.
in scared fascination. Her face had
turned oddly white. .:5 IS,
"One--o-o-one." she repeated to
herself, dazedly, as she mechanically
jotted down the number on her pad
Now them" Jim Blake was de-
manding at her elbow, you and will
settle this thing, my girl. want that
number" a. u. 3s.s
But she pleaded.
You've got bit OF knowledge that
we need-and need ID bad. A
bit of knowledge we've got to have
and mean to have Understand that?
And what we've got to get. We get.
Now, is It: fight or not? Will you take
the money I've offered you or will you
Erun your silly young head into the
hottest bunch Of trouble q girl ever
met with? Which'll it be? Speak
out!n
I'll don't know. It'll disgrace the
Woman, won't 1t. II l tell
It'll smash you II you don't! What
Is 1t to you If she's disgraced or not?"
That's 50" purred Wanda. suddenly
recovering her shattered nerves.
What is it to me-or to you-H she's
destroyed. so long as the machine
wins? And it'd be perfectly terrible
II the machine shouldn't win. Now
wouldn't it?''
'Itll be terrible for any one who
tries to block It," retorted Blake, grim
and Wrathful.
WELL" sighed Wanda distractedly.
en- just have to think 1t over very
carefully. OF course, like you. Mr..
Blake. I've always admired you a lot.
You've got such a. lovely personality
and. ,
Drop that" he roared. Il
"And,"" pursued Wanda. I've always
admired the machine lot, too. 1t does
things in such businesslike way. But
but. Of course, couldn't really take
money from you. II ! tell that num-
Der it'll just be because want you to
win. That's all. Just because want
to see you win. /;
That's better!" grunted Blake, his
face clearing. you won't be sorry"
you bet WON'T" she retorted, ! and
1 her young voice was as keen as knife
blade. and as hard. Il won't be one
bit sorry. And my conscience will be
clear. TIL be q load of my shoulders.
But" she ended, falling back on In
/ decision, "I-I must think It over Q
while. .ls S. 81
"a while? ~ echoed Blake. There's
no time to lose You understand the
situation. I've made It all clear to
you. II I don't get that Woman's name
before the Mullins bill comes up for q
vote it will be Of no use to me. And
we'll lose. must know the name
tonight. -"
I'll make up my mind tonight" an
swered Wanda graphically; and she
returned to her novel.
Blake glared ut her in angry doubt.
Before he could speak again, Robert
son came out of the booth. 5. Il 4
Il must be of, . said Mark. MY but
Ter says Grace took the train that's
due to reach Washington at eight this
evening. I've no time to waste II I'm
to be at the station when it comes In. =
He hurried OF. After q second
glance toward the utterly oblivious
Wanda. Blake followed him from the
corridor. Wanda did not look up. Her
Eeyes were still bent eagerly on her
book. But the type was = twisting
blur to her senses. To herself she
was murmuring disjointedly:
His own daughter-Mark Robert
sons wife-Tom's sister! And Jim
Blake moving heaven and earth and q
quarter-section Of hell, too. to get her
name for a campaign scandal, II I
give 1t to him. I guess a big part OF
fathers debt to the machine will be
paid OF. H. e. '=#5 b & "a
'Hello!" called Tom. crossing the
corridor from the dining-room. What
are you reading? By the way you
stare at that book 1t must have all the
best sellers looking like the Congres-
sional Record. What's it about!"
She raised . blank drawn face to
him.
.About?" she repeated absently.
"Oh, lists about q man who set q
trap for rabbit-and caught lion
in it." sS