The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1916-02-12

| EFFORT OF MS own, anu because or an
old kindness done for Joe Hollins be-
fore he went to the penitentiary, Frank
McGrath had been given the oppor-
tunlty that he had craved.
He turned into Madison Street with
certain sense of citation that fell a
little as he went down the thorough
fare. The city had come to Cypress
Frank McGrath. His deep knowledge
of the darker side of it's life had way
OF clouding even the brightness of
Christmas week. To others Chicago
might be city of power, of promise,
of great opportunities. To him it had
become city of gloom, of gray build
lngs, OF gray weather, of gray lives.
The melancholy of his Celtic tempeFa-
ment responded too readily to the at
mosphere through which he went. To
him the sidewalk procession typified
the way of life, long, rather dreary
pavement, with here and there a
brighter touch. Even the hint of
Chrlstmastide on the pavements did
| not elate him. Even the satisfaction
| OF knowledge of the hour that would
be his when he faced Cornelius Kenly
darkened under the spell of the mood
that was always his in his contact with
the fiotsam of the city's time. Even the
hope of winning Belden's position, a
hope that would have elated him at
another time, both for it's honour and
for the advantage of proving his SUI
periority over the arrogant city editor,
failed to arouse him from his gloomy
meditations.
| christmas was day of homes, he
reflected, as he passed a toyseller who
thrust jumping frog at him with
JoVlal intent. Christmas was a time, of
memories, bearable if you were happy,
unbearable if you we're not. Having
neither home nor happiness. McGrath
drltted out on sea of gloom through
i winch he sailed past a shore of mirtl1.
/ Half angrily, he recapituIated his mis-.
cries, piling them together in his
score against Kenly. But, against his
will, as he went through the crowds
i the spirit of the time caught him. He
was smiling at the corner salesman
OF his paper before he realized how he
had steered out of the fog of intro
spection.
i AS he entered Kenly's Office, not "the
little Office on La Sale Street" that
the Bantam had designated as the
scene OF the theft, but the big one on
Washington Street, McGrath pulled
himself together sharply. The big
man at the desk in the outer office
challenged his entrance. You tell
Kenly," the reporter told him, chat
Frank McGrath of the Banner wants
to see him.
He won't see anybody today" the
messenger growled.
You tell him." McGrath said in
cisively, ''that if he doesn't see me
within five minutes there will be
twenty of my tribe on his doorstep
when the afternoon papers come out. .
j He says you're to go in" was the
order that carried McGrath past the
threshold.
| Kenly was at a big table in the
middle of the room. He looked. at Nc
i Grath from under flirtive' brows. A
big man whose alertness almost con-
cealed his coarseness, he doomed above
1.-The fiat top Of the table with massive
solidity. His keen eyes. stared boldly
at the intruders "Well?" he asked
]. McGrath took off his shabby over
i coat, ainging it over the back of one
i of the mahogany chairs. Kenly's
glance, following the other mans move
ments, expressed antagonism rather
than surprise. "Going to stay awhile?"
he asked. His voice, not as big as one
might expect from man of his size,
held curiously unpleasant intona-
ton. Quite WHILE" said McGrath
evenly. Help yourself" said Kenly.
"You don't know me, do you ?''
Something in McGrath's tone caused
Kenly to regard him with keener at
1 tention. Cant say / do" he said.
II meet so many of you newspaper
men," he explained. You're here one
day and gone the next. Can't keep
track Of you ALL Have a cigar
McGrath waved away the offer. "I'm
/ here to talk business he said
you all are" said Kenly pleasantly.
What is it,"
Il Il wonder" the reporter unused, 'if
you remember old Pat McGrath of the
i Tenth Ward?"
Over Kenly's eyes came film of dis.
trust. Sure he said. Anything to
Il your"
i my father"
i "Oh!" Caution rounded the one
word. Kenly seemed to be bracing
himself for defence from attack.
"Well?" he snarled. Come to tell me
! that?''
For one thing. Remember what
happened to him."
i He was killed, wasn't he?"
i Yes, he was killed in primary row
that you framed. One of your men,
working under your orders, killed
him."
/ Il didn't give any orders" Kenly
fung aside one cigar and lighted an
other. There. was a row, and the
| fight came, and Pat McGrath got into
| it, but, wasn't within five miles of
the place."
4, NO. said McGrath. "You didn't
need to be. You're good long dis
lance worker
Il can't see,'' Kenly said steadily,
"how your fathers death some dozen
years ago has anything to do with our