Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1915-10-15
CHAPTER XVI.
A. the Rar

smut himself IN the SeCluSion of
he eupola room. where be held com
nunion with his thoughts while await.
ing the appointed hour for the render
:ng of his enemy's decision. As 10
what that decision would be the ms
Ter Mind had small doubt. nor did he
EEL any concern over the result should
the improbable occur. and Wainwright
refuse thus 10 give up his political
career.
In such ease the effect would be Sc
cured none tie lesS.
There was uo means by which Vain
wright would be able. 50 far rs An
drew could SurmiSe. 70 prevent pub
icity. And publicity would De eaough.
The Master Mind would he al pains to
secure the widest n0toriety for the re
ports most liSely "a IN his enemy
harm His work would be eagerly aid
ed by Wainwright's political foes. who
were many and powerful The victim
would become laughing stock or al
object of contempt He could no long
er command a following Of loyalty de
voted followers.
II mattered not NJ all whether the re.
ports concerning i'm should be the
ruth or garbled distortions. Either
would be fatal to hi, high ambitions.
The public could never again respect
as their chief man who had been So
hoodwinked as to eonsort intimately
with notorious criminals, to receive
them into his household. to accept
them as his closest relations. to make
one of them his wife. whom, but foi
timely exposure. he would have made
mistress of the executive mansion OF
the greatest state of the Union.
Andrews eomplacency walked as he
considered the fact that his enemy
could not escape out of the tolls.
There could be no ingenuity sufficient
10 extricate the captive of his plotting.
Wainwright had only the option OF ab.
dicating from his position of leader
ship quietly and without scandal. abdi-
eating absolutely for his lifetime az Of
being forced out ANONYMOUSLY by pub
lie scandal. OF course he would resist
to the utmost. but the ultimate effect
Of all resistance could avail naught.
Even at this moment, doubtless. he
WIS employing every resource of his
excellent brain power in coRtriyns
some method of self defense, Andrew
smiled at the thought. Let the poor
prisoner of his wiles work his subtlest.
1t would only make the game more di-
verting. the end no less certain. The
struggles of this hapless fly within the
meshes of the web gave greater zest
to the glee of the remorseless, gloatins
spider. which watched and waited CON
tentedly for an end that was certain.
The Master Mind confirmed his sat
isfaction in the triumph of his schem-
ing by reviewing the events that had
led through sure stages to this eul-
mination. His heart was again stirred
with the familiar, stabbing pain of his
loss as he thought of the brother whom
he had SO loved, unjustly done to
shameful death. Yet somehow, now
i'm the hour of his victory. there was
something less poignant in his emo
zion than ever hitherto. Andrew mar
yelled al this with n curious feeling OF
alarm over his own lack of sensibility
lie could rot understand how the great
passion of his life should he thus less
ened. True. there had been years in
teryening since first death broke In on
love and turned its vital forces into
hate against another. Yet the mere
passage of time could not explain this
change. fer his hate had not moderat-
ed in the same period On the CON
trary. it had increased even, never los
ing aught of its virulence, rather add
ing always TO it, Still. Andrew pHz
zled over this startling problem. L.
was incOneevable that in the moment
of conquest the very motive Itself OF
all his struggles to this end should
show a weakening. 1t was incon-
ceivable, ndeed-nevertheless it was
true. The Master Mind felt a sickness
of heart as he searched himself anew
for some clew To an understanding of
the thing that had come to pass, for he
knew that somehow his own soul had
betrayed him.
The thoughts of the Master Mind
turned presently TO Lucene. The sub
jeet was strangely distasteful to him
now, vet he held TO it. as if its fasei-
nation were superior to a will hitherto
indomitable He recalled his first pur-
poses concerning this girl. the project
of making her available as a weapon
against his enemy He had never fal-
tered in that purpose. His first plan
had been accomplished in its entirety
save the eonsammation. and that was
now at hand and sure beyond perad-
venture of doubt But, while the
primal intention had hean thus achiev-
ed. there had been so much more-oh.
vastly morel He had become the ere
ator of a radiant personality where
had been only a very pretty, illiterate
waif. He had caused the delicate fash
Joining of a woman refined and beauti-
full far beyond the ordinary. He had
found delight in his responsibility to
ward her. He had had pride in a re
suit that had not been save for his di-
rection. The gratitude of the girl
warmed his heart The warped ego
tism of the man did not permit him
accurately to gauge the depths Of his
injustice toward her III making her life
a pawn in his game of hate. On the
contrary. he was able by some singu-
lar quirk Of Intelligence 70 take full
satisfaction for himself In all his IA
yors to her and to disregard almost
completely the ultimate ruin Of ter life
that must be his handiwork. He fail
"a nfter.Iv 70 annreainfe his own nlilf