The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1914-04-30
a xxn--(contlnuedl.

looked about the group OF county poll
ucians. The red-necked Boydston was
browning evasfvely. The other were
still. 1t was Curran's moment OF
triumph. He went leisurely down the
street with his mail. Mrs, Van Hart
was driving into the square. She did
not notice Curran, Of the News, but
Curran smiled airily. He could afford
TO be ~complacent to High street now.
He was Curran, the insurgent leader
OF the south counties; he had broken
the ranks of the reserve. He was q
friend Of the governor. Best of all, the
country folk knew him. He was their
man" He wished he could see Janet.
He would nave liked to tell her this.
At 11:30-purposedly he had kept
Rice waiting Is minutes-he strolled
over to the bank corner. The door
8 ANAL n at the side used by the Of
ficers-opened before he touched 1t. He
had had an impression that Rice had
been watching him from the shade Of
the window In front and had scurried
back to let him In. That was another
sense OF his winning. Even now Rice
bowed and trotted ahead down the
gloomy bank corridor.
This way, Mr.. Curran. All, late?
Not at all--not at all! He opened the
door to his private office and the
guest went in. It was rather dark, but
al hAIO" NLln " u III ANA
were there. He paused, surprised to
see Ransdell, the editor Of the Earlville
Mercury-Journal. But then, Thad con-
trolled the Journal. Boydston, the su-
pervisor. whom Curran had fought for
six years, was there. Judge Van Hart
was there, sitting obviously i'll at ease
by the door; and Old Thad, the. wizened
county boss. in his swivel chair before
the bank directors table. Curran
looked them owe with a belying calm.
They were a representative gathering
OF his ancient enemies-men of the old
regime in politics, In wealth and social
place in the county. He vas received
in a silence that somehow was slowly
Btrangling the fine glow Of confidence
self intuitively brace as n does to
whom a physical peril is imminent. The
air was hostile. It breathed evil; the
room had the menace Of a trap.
Thad was cutting a cigar leisurely.
He did not rise nor extend a hand.
When he spoke 1t was with a precision
a. stating a prearranged program,
q conclusion to which the other had
given assent.
Good evening. MI. Curran. We were
expecting you" n-....
$50 / imagine" .
Tanner sat forward. his brows con-
tracted over his narrow eyes. Then, in
his rapish voice. with the direct dis
regard OF courtesy which always made
his authority. with q weaker man, take
the aspect OF bullying, he Q On:
to withdraw your candidacy before
the people OF the Eighteenth district"
4 Curran appeared unmoved. So swift
had been his revulstcn, so sure was
he of a trap, that he had steeled him
self. He had an instant struggle to
speak with the cool satire which was
all they saw. IS "g.. n'"
Gentlemen, you ask a good DEAL.
The other stirred. They had expect
ed Amusement, at least.
Tanner eyed the victim shrewdly.
TITS u duty to ask a good deal. The
party's welfare, the good name OF our
people, may say the purity of u
homes-demand It. I presume you
know what I mean"
Curran looked steadily at him. II
presume, in turn, that you mean q
story Of my early MARRIAGE story
brought to this town and to your at
tention by Maurice Ladeau?" . a..
lThad was irritated at this cool per-
tinacity and frankness. He had boasted
O moment before to Judge Van Hart
that he would make the News man
yes. An incredible story, Curran.
an intolerable storyi A girl you de-
serted-and without marriage"
There was a marriage"
I'VE have the facts. They came to
Hight strangely enough. You left this
girl - Adrienne lie Gania-in New
Orleans in 1891. She died the fol-
yellow fever" Thad was looking at
a slip Of memoranda, and with each
point he tapped the table with his
pencil, his face, under the light, pal
lid, craven mercilessly as that Of q
prosecutor Of an 1nquisition. He looked
up briefly: Am I right in these facts"
You are" e. IT -
quiet confidence. Again Tanner lev
eled an eye, for the moment nom
plussed, upon him. You left her and
went to Mexico. She lived on at an
old woman's house-Madame Artois-
and died there the following year,
leaving a child"
The man standing before them did
not move. His eye was as steady as
Tanners own But he twttched In
wardly with the shock
you recall that2"
mo. / W. knew Of that-and 1t IL
q lie"
He had broken from his spell at
last. He started forward with q hot
menace.
Thad raised his hand. deprecatingly,
but his grin of triumph came. He had
made his boast good to the others that
he would crush the editor.
There was" he went on laconical-
ly, "a child born on the third day Of
June, In a hospital o. Rampant street.
We have the name. The Child was
baptized on the first Of August. We
have the name-the name of the
priest; 1t was taken charge Of by an
institution-we have the name Of that
institution. We have the after history
Of that child-we know Its identity to-
day. Do you follow me, MI. Curran?
Do you believe met"
mo"
You admit this-marrtagef" q.
II admit nothing except that my
wife died during the yellow fever
when people were rushing out Of the
city. I wrote to ask Of her-to this
same Madame Artois, you mention
yes. But / did not desert her-and
there was no child of this union"
He spoke steadily again. Judge Van
Hart was studying him. They all
were watching. He had impressed
them. Even old Thad nodded appre-
ciably. Then he went on: Well, we
need not quarrel on the Issue. The
point is that we, as representatives OF
the party, OF the honorable men and
good women of the community-for
the good name OF that community
ask you to withdraw from the con-
gressional contest. It Is not O pretty