The Elk Mountain pilot., 1921-06-02

going to be broken rail-joint set to
kill me on that trip?"
That got her in spite of her heaven
ly calm and could see her press her
pretty lips together hard.
was that what they did?" she
asked, bit trembly.
He nodded. ivan Britt was on the
pilot engine ahead OF my car. and he
found 1t. There was no harm done.
1t was bad enough. God knows, to
set trap that would have killed ev-
erybody on my train; but this other
thing that has been pulled off tonight
is even worse. Mr.. Dunton and his
unprincipled followers have set thing
on foot here which Is due to grind
us all to powder. Past that, they have
contrived to handcuff me so that l
can't make move without pulling
down consequences of personal ma
ture upon President Dunton, himself"
Now my marvellous inner reason
Ing has gone quite blind" she said,
with queer little smile. you'll have
to explain"
"It's simple enough" said the boss
shortly. "If Mr.. Dunton had sent only
hired emissaries out here to bribe the
members of the legislature-but he
didn't; he included member of his
own family"
was looking straight at Mrs. Sheila
as he spoke, and 1 saw sudden
frightened shock jump into the slate
gray eyes. Just for second. Be-
fore you could count one, it was gone
and she was saying quietly:
"a member of his own family? That
is very singular, isn't 1t? Was there
was this thing that was done actually
criminal?" she asked, just breathing
1t at him.
ut was, indeed. The election laws
OF this state have teeth. 1t is peni-
tentiary offense to bribe either the
electorate or the lawmakers"
There was silence for a little time,
and she was no longer looking at him;
she was staring into the heart of the
and by she said: You haven't told me
this mans name-the one who did the
bribing; may I know it7'
knew just what the boss was 60
ing to do. and he did It; took the slip
Of paper that Dedmon had written on
from his pocket and passed 1t across
to her. II there was another shock
for her none of us could see 1t. She
had her face turned away when she
looked at the name on the paper.
Pretty soon she said. sort of drearily:
"Once you told me that the true
test of any human being came when
a vrao IN n1i In ofn ha
sonal factor; to efface himself COM
pletely in order that his cause might
prosper. Do you still believe that2"
"Of course. It's all in the days
work. Any cause worth while Is vast
ly bigger than any man who Is trying
to advance It,"
Than any man. yes; but for a
woman. Graham; wouldn't you allow
something for the woman?"
II thought we had agreed long ago
that there Is no double standard, either
in morals or ethics-one thing for the
man and another for the woman. That
is your own attitude, isn't itT
She didn't say whether 1t was or
not. She was holding the bit Of paper
he had given her SO that the light
from the fire fell upon 1t when she
said: II suppose your duty is quite
clear. In the slang Of the street, you
must beat Mr.. Hatch to It, You must
be the first to denounce this bribery,
clearing yourself and letting the az
fall where 1t will"
The boss was shaking his head
bit doubtfully.
'Tt isn't quite so simple as that"
he objected. 81 don't know that I'd
have any compunctions about sending
Collingwood to the dump. If the half
of what they say of him is true. he
is a spineless degenerate and hardly
worth saving But to do as you sug-
gest would be open rebellion. you
know; while Dunton remains presi-
dent. I am his subordinate, and If I
should expose him and his nephew,
the situation here would become sim
ply impossible"
"Well?v she prompted.
"Such move would rightly and
properly bring a wire demand for my
resignation, of a nature that couldn't
be ignored-only 1t wouldn't, because
should anticipate 1t by resigning
first That Is a small matter, intro
ducing the personal element. But the
results to others; to the men of my
staff and the rank and file. and to the
public. which. as you say, is just be-
ginning to realize some of the bene-
fits of real partnership with its
principal railroad; these things can't
be so easily ignored"
'You have thought of some other
expedient?"
No; I haven't got that far yet. But
/ am determined that Hatch shall not