The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1921-06-30
CHAPTER xiv-continued.
p


"You made the Inference perfectly
plnin." she countered. 81 have rea-
soning mind, Graham; haven't you
discovered II before thisT
The boss nodded soberly. II have
discovered good many things about
you during the past six months' one
of them is that there was never an
other woman like you since the world
began"
knowing. ms l did. that she had
husband alive and kicking around
somewhere. II seemed as II Just
couldn't stay there and listen TO what
n break OF that kind on the boss part
was likely 10 lead up TO. But Mnisie
Ann grpped my wrist until she hurt.
"You must llsten" she whispered
fercely. you're taking care of him.
and you've got TO know J!
As on many other earlier occasions
Mrs. Shella slid away from the senti-
mental side OF things just as easy as
turning your hand over.
"You are too big man TO let an
added difficulty defcnt you now," she
remarked calmly, going back TO The
busir rs field "You are really maxi
n a miraculous success. ] have Just
spent two weeks In the capital. ns
you know. aud everybody Is talking
about you. They say you are In
fair way TO solve the big problem--the
problem OF bringing the railroads and
the people together In n peaceuble and
profitable partnership-whlch Is as II
should he"
ut cun be done; and ] could do 1t
right here on the Pioneer Short Line
n | didn't have TO fight so many diff
ferent kinds of devils at the same
time said the boss. scowllng down mt
the fire In the grnte. And then with
a quick jerk OF his head TO face her:
"You sent the major wire from the
capital last night. telling him to per-
Why did you do II? And how did you
know ! was thinking Of goingf"
For the first time In the whole six
months saw Mrs. Shela get little
flustered, though she didn't show II
much. only little more color In her
cheeks.
"Some day, perhaps. I may tell you,
but ! can't now" she said sort of hur-
riedly. And then: "You mustn't ask
me-"
"but you did send the wiref"
"les."
"And you also sent another to Upton
Van Brittf'
IL did"
The boss smiled. "That second mes
sage was an after-thought. You were
afraid I'd be stubborn and go, any
way. That was some more of your
marvellous innner reasoning, Tell me,
Sheila, did you know that there was
going TO be a broken rail-joint set TO
kill me on that trip?"
That got her In spite of her heaven
ly calm and l could see her press her
pretty lips together hard.
"Was that what they dId?" she
nsked, q bit trembly.
He nodded. "Van Britt was on the
pilot engine ahead of my car, and he
found II. There was no harm done
Ii was bad enough, God knows, Ia
set trap that would have killed ev.
erybody on my train; but this other
thing that has been pulled of 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 10 handcuff me so that
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 a queer little smile. you'll hay,
TO explain"
"It's simple enough" said the hos,
shortly. "If Mr.. Dunton had sent only
hired emlssarles out here to bribe IN,
members of the legislature-but h,
didn't; he included "a member of hi.
own family"
was looking straight at Mrs. SheIli
as he spoke. and ! saw suddeI
frightened shock jump into tie slate
gray eyes. Just for second. BE
fore you could count one, 1t was gon,
and she was saying quietly:
"A member of his own family? Thn
is very singular, isn't it? Was there
was this thing that was done actual,
crlmlnnlT she asked. just breathing
II at him.
at was, indeed. The election law
OF this state have teeth. II Is PEN
tentiary offense to brbe either IN
electorate or the lawmakers"
There was silence for little Sim,
and she was no longer looking at him
she was staring into the heart of In
glowing Goals in the crate basket. B
and by she said: "You haven't told m
this mans name-the one who did IN
bribing; may ] know ltT"
/ knew just what the boss was g
ing TO do, and he did II: took the sill
Of paper that Dedmon had written o
from his pocket and passed It acros
10 her. II there was another shoe