Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1914-02-04
Nc con,raa,cted Blake nis glance

+ NO." contraaicted Blake, his glance
shifting as If by accident to Tom.
"Her-the-the price Is too high
Too high?" snorted Neligan on
whom the undercurrent of Blake's 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
Neligan, 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 stiffiy, 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
L
has made the error OF casting me for
the role of Daniel"
Neligan's lips flew apart with the
force of a retort that leaped to them.
But the words were never formulated.
For Blake, beaming on the newcomer
like father upon his dearest loved
son, exclaimed affectionately:
low
are you? Take chair. Neligan, get
him a."
Thanks" declined Standish. Il can
talk better on my feet
/ "Oh!" deprecated Blake. in pathetic
disappointment you've come to talk?
l 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,
OF VIII you not!
Il will not" returned Standish.
"Or at least resign your leader
ship?"
NO 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. "Hel's full
of consequences. So you won't even
protect the Wonan?"
You haven't found her yet
Mop smiled Blake. Son, I told
you there was a trap. Well, it caught
her And we'll have her name in half
an hour at most. Probably sooner If
you think that's bluff, you're well
come to. But you've only half-hour
to keep On thinking It,"
Lock 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 1 do. |
am secure But, for the sake of others,
l ask you not to make political capital
out Of something in my private life"
Gregg's loose mouth parted in a
grin Neligan laughed aloud. But
Mark Robertson could see no hume in
the situation.
You're wrong, Standish,' he de-
clared. This scandal will beat you. ;"
Let us suppose, for arguments
sake, that it would" agreed Stanjish.
| Cant l appeal to your honor? Won't
you fight fairly?"
Wen publish the truth" retcrted
Mark IF that's unfair"
at is unfair. If not to me, thea to
the Woman"
ct 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. II don't deny
| the story You wouldn't dare use 1t
| if you couldn't prove 1t. But, gentle
men, there comes a time-eyen in Eoli-
tics-when we've got to be men FIRST
and politicians afterward."
Then suggested Blake, "be man.
Give up the fight"
mo" replied standish, Il won't be
| blackmailed. The affair was over and
done with before l asked the people to
accept me as their leader Long be-
fore. It 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"