Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-07-21

MRIa aataaaY y dMkJ
The Traps Sprung on Young
Mason.
other side-but decided to risk Il
anyway. 50 pushed omen the door
and walked right into the most mag
nifcent dining room I was ever in
In my life" From here on young
Mason's narration to the district et-
torney is familiar to those who read
the opening OF this story
The district attorney had listened
With Interest all the while, his face
pale-his mouth tightened to q thin
hard line. From time to time he
threw sideiong giances at his assist
ant, noting with evident uneasiness
his eager. earnest face, as he un-
folded his story. When Mason was
through, his chief turned slowly
around in his chair, his face drawn
and tense-his finger tapping posi-
lively the coat lapel of the young
man before him.
Mr.. Mason, want you to under
stand me thoroughly-there are no
gambling dives in this city, under
stand? - NO GAMBLING DIVES
RUNNING HERE. Forget It,"
you saw NOTHING. I tell you.
Forget it."
Mason rose. his face burning, his
whole figure showing resentment at
the all too obvious meaning of his
chiefs words. He bowed coldly-
and opened the door leading to his
own office, just as a messenger boy
entered with telegram for Bell.
III.
Ellis Mason sat at his desk, his
fine, earnest face puckered in q look
Of amazed discomfort. So this was
politics! This was the field he had
entered two years before as an outlet
for the splendid political passion
the passion for constructive legiela-
ton that had so obseseed him ever
since his entrance to college. There
he had studied law. political econ.
omy, government, ethics, all tha
branches of the science that had to
do with government There no had
made name TO- nimsel. as q young
man of big ideas and corresponding
ability. On ais graduation from cei-
lege he had entered the governme ent
service as a cl >rk in the customs. He
had written two books on political
economy, had given hume: Jus lee
lures on "City Government" and had
made himself so talked about in the
newspapers that he had, a few weeks
ago, by popular demand, received the
appointment of assistant district at
torney under Curtis Bell. He had
felt himself to be getting along
splendidly-had started to dream the
dreams of aspiring, ambitious youth
dreams which in his case were
something more than dreams -
dreams that were possibilities. and
now! Now, two weeks after hla
ed close to the rail by a chief who
was shielding the very sort of thing
he was elected and had sworn to
wipe outi He was cut short in his
reflections by an Office boy with a
message from his chief
THE district attorney wishes to
see you Immediately in his office
Mr.. Mason"
He arose and went to Bells Office.
Bell was standing by his desk an
open telegram in his hand. his face
| though pleased with something that
had recently transpired. He showed
no trace of the resentment of half
hour ago, when he had so arbitrarily
impressed his assistant with the
assurance that there are no gam
bling dives running in this city"
"Mr. Mason. I have been called to
the capitol by the Governor"-Indi-
eating the telegram in his hand-"to
discuss a political question of urgent
Importance. shall return tomor-
row." His voice changed from a
tone of information to one of in
junction-to one of what scented to
the young man before him to be
embarrassing. mandatory injunction.
your action will be of the mega
tive Sort you understand You will
act on nothing unless absolutely nec-
essary. and then only II you are
FORCED to act You understand.
FULLY"
eyes, SIR" coldly.
Every WE'LL
The district attorney turned to his
papers, indicating with expressive 81
| lence that the interview was ended.
Mason hesitated a moment as
though unable to restrain the scath-
ing sarcasm striving for utterance or
his lips then, with an effort that
would have done credit to g much
older and more experienced man than
he was, controlled the rebellious
| spirit of him utterly, turned and
went back to his office.
| When Ellis Mason started for his Of
| dee next morning. 1t was without the
| usual eagerness of spirit that usually
manifested itself in his quick, buoyan
step.
The keen pleasure he would havt
felt few days before at the prospec
of playing District Attorney, then onl!
for few short hours, was, now tina
the opportunity had come, entirel!
lacking. Yesterdays warning that HI
was not to recognize the existence O.
| a gambling hall in that city-and that
| after he had made a special detaileS
report of one--so depressed his I'm,
conscientious spirit that he could no
bring himself to view any part of h!
work with the enthusiasm so charao
| teristic of him.