The Ordway new era., 1921-07-29
CHAPTER xlv-continued.

plain" she countered. 81 have rea-
soning mind. Graham; haven't you
discovered it before this?
The boss nodded soberiy. Il have
discovered good many things about
you during the past six months: one
Of them is that there was never an
other woman Ike you since the world
began"
Knowing. as l did. that she had
husband alive and kicking around
somewhere. it seemed as If l just
couldn'6 stay there and listen TO what
a break of that kind on the boss part
was rAely to lead up TO. But Maisie
Ann eripped my wrist until she hurt
You must listen,'' she whispered
iercely. You're taking care of him.
and you've got to KNOW
As on many other earlier occasions,
Mrs. Sheila slid away from the senti-
mental side OF things just as easy as
turning your hand over.
"You are too big a man to let an
added difficulty defeat you now" she
remarked calmly, going back TO the
business field. You are really max
Ing miraculous success. ! have Just
spent two weeks in the capital. as
ys>a know. and everybody is talking
ae,0ut YOU They say you are in
fuir vay TO solve the big problem-the
pro+,fem Of bringing the railroads and
the people together In a peaceable and
profitable purtnershlp-which IS as 1t
should be"
at can be done and 1 could do it
right here on the Pioneer Short Line
If l didn't have TO fight so many diff
ferent kinds Of devils at the same
time" said the boss, scOwling down at
the fire in the crate. And then with
a quick Jerk of his head TO face her:
-'You sent the major a wire from the
capital lsst night, telling him to per-
suade me not TO 90 to StrathcOna.
Why did you do it? And how did you
know was thinking Of going?"
For the first time in the whole six
months l saw Mrs. SheIla get little
fiustered. though she didn't show it
much. only little more color in her
cheeks.
Some day. perhaps. may tell you,
but l can't now" she said sort of hur-
riedly. And then: You mustn't ask
me-"
But you did send the wire:"
yes"
"And you aIsc sent another to Upton
Van Britt?"
II did"
The boss smiled. THAT second mes
sage was an sfter-thought You were
afraid I'd ha
way. That was some more OF your
marvellous INNER reasoning. Tell me.
Sheila. did you know that there was
going to be broken rail-joint set to
kill me on that trtp?"
That got her In spite Of her heaven
iy calm and / could see her press her
pretty lips together hard.
WAS that what they did?' she
asked, bit trernbly
He nodded. Van Britt was on the
pilot engine ahead of my car, and he
found 1t. There was no harm done.
Ii was bad enough, God knows, to
set a 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
cant make a 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 expluin."
IT'S simple enough" said the boss
shortly. ''If Mr.. Dunton had sent only
hired emlssarles out her. to bribe the
members of the legislnture-but lie
didn't; he included member Of his
own family
/ vas looking straight at Mrs Sheila
as he spoke. and / saw "A sudden
frightened shock jump into the slate
gray eyes. Just for a second Be
fore you could count one. it was gone
and she WIS saying quietly:
"A member of his own family? That
Is very singular, isn't It? 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-
tenfiary offense to bribe either the
electorate or the lawmakers"
There was silence for little time,
and she was no longer looking at him:
she was stirring into the heart of the
glowing Goals I'm the crate basket. By
and by sbp Snid "YO,f haven't told 49,,
this mans name-the one who did the
briblng: may / know it?"
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. If there was another shocl,