The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1917-02-15

accumulated in his visit to the
Occur d'Alene mining strikes; a
rich Persian rug presented to him
by an importer in New York; a
revolver used by a murderess
curiously embroidered 'hangings,
a gift from an appreciative friend
at the Chinese legation; books
and magazines everywhere; a
photograph Of st. Gaudens' "Nir-
vana;' paper knives, pipes, ciga-
ret cases, quaint japanese Jars of
tobacco-all in apparent disarray,
"Ihe people I've had to know
and cultivate" he added, as if he
regretted the fact, "reach round
the world. They're so many that
| got tired long ago. There are so
few that | like"
He lit a cigar and sank into the
chair near Smith.
"But you're different he. ex-
cepted. and it's because your
real. You're a disturbance dis
turbance that really disturbs. You
know, Washington is walked up
every morning by the cry that a
real reformer is in it's midst. And
it goes to bed every night with the
knowledge that it has been fooled
again. You are the exception to
the rule"
He smiled broadly.
I'm a son of a gun if 1 don't
believe you re going to last he
said, affection in his voice.
Smith S impotence broke forth.
"But tell me-" he said, striking
the arm of his chair lightly,
what difference can be made in
this fight by what / divulge or do
not divulge concerning myself9'.
Waller pulled his cigar twice
before he answered:
know you pretty well. It's
my business to size up men as far
as | can. And / know there never
has been anything particularly
bad about your past-but not ev-
erybody is as charitable as / am.
Remember that. Furthermore,
the whisky lobby goes on the
theory that, when it hurts you, it
hurts what you stand for"
If they can produce anything
to my discredit, Waller, they're
welcome to it.
There was in the emphatic de-
livery of this sentence utter final
lily.
Waller returned to the attack.
Honestly" he said, a puzzled
look on his face, awhy don't YOU
end all this Internal gossip about
your mysterious past? You We
gotten by in society thus far sim
ply because anybody with brains
can get by that way in Washing
ton. A man who can entertain a
dinner crowd need never pay for
a meal in this town-eyen il he 8
an escaped convict. But there s
too much speculation and whis.
perlng about you even there. And.
as for the political end Of it. it
just won't do-that's ALL
Smith leaned back in his chair.
the late sunlight full on his face.
It was the only time Waller had
ever seen him look tired.
Let them gossip If they wish, &
he answered the other $ protest.
Waller got up and put his hand
ION Smith shoulder.
0Old man., he said with quiet
lforcefulness, you can't ignore
them. The moment they convince
the public that there really is
something il your past life of
which you Z afraid and ashamed
that Il hhecia
slip. And the public is a fool. It
will belisSe anything il you print
+ In the newspapers often
enough.
Smith made no reply. The
memory Of the woman swaying III
the doorway, for the moment CON
trolled his thoughts. sszl
gu re all wrong on this, &
waller persisted. Take nv word
for it. This ism because want i
story Strange TO say IA inter-
ested in this movement of yours
the first time I've been interested
ia anythingsofthe kind for I don't
know when. want to see Won Get
away with 1t But Won can id
itin this way know il efelIows
whowrite the stuff The people
read, andthey can ret their
4heartsinto stuff about i manswho
has hung = mysteryabon bis meek
-particularly when his enemies