The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1921-06-10

1
'You sent the major wire from the
capital last night, telling him to per-
suade me not to go TO Strathcona.
Wby did you do It? And how did you
know / was thinking OF Golng:'
FOR the first time in the whole six
months / saw Mrs. Sheiia get little
austered, thouIh she don't show It
much. only little more cc.of u her
cheeks.
"Some day, perhaps, may tel you,
but | can't now" she said sort OF hur-
redly. And then: "You mustn't ask
me-"
"But you did send the wire?"
Eyes"
"And you also sent another TO Upton
Ven Briit?'
~ did"
The boss smiled. "That second mes
sage was an after-thought. You we're
afraid I'd be stubborn and go, any-i
way. That was some more OF your
marvellous innIer reasoning. Tell me,
sheila, did you know that there wAat,
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 I could see her press her,
pretty lips together hard
"Was that what they didY' she
asked, bit trembly.
He nodded. Evan Britt was on the
pilot engine ahead OF my car, and he
found it. There was no harm done.
II was bad enough, God knows, to
set trap that would have killed ev-
elybody On my train; but this other
thing that has been pulled OF tonight
is even worse. Mr.. DuntCn and his
unprincipled followers have set thing
On foot here which is due to grind
us all to powder Past that, they have
contriyed to handcuff me so that
can't make a move without pulling
down consequences of Il personal ma
ture upon President DUnton, himself.
"Now nv marvellous inner reason
ing has gone quite blind" she said,
with queer little smile. you'll have
to explain"
TITS simple enough said the boss
shortly. "If Mr. Dunton had sent only
hired emissaries out here TO bride the
members of the Iegisature-but he
didn't; he included a member Of his
own family"
was looking straight at Mrs. Sheila
as he spoke, ard l saw a sudden
frightened shock jump into the slate
gray eyes. Just for second. Be
fore you could count enc, it was gone
and she was saying quietly:
"a member C his own family? That
is very singul&', isn't it? Was there
was this thing hat vas done actually
criminal?' she asked, just breathing
it at him.
''It was, indeed. The election laws
of this state have teeth It is a peni-
tertiary offense to bride either the
electorate or the lawmakers"
There was silence for a little time,
and she was no longer locking at him;
she was staring into the heart of the
glowing Goals in the CRATE Basket. By
and by she said: "You haYensttola me
this mans naIue-the one who did the
bribing; may 1 know it?"
/ knew just what the boss was GO
ing to do. and he did il; took the slip
Of paper that Dadmon Lad written on
from his pocket and passed it across
to her. IF there was another shock
for her none of Us could see it. 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
he was asked to eliminate the per
sonal factor; to efface himself com
pletely in order that his cause might
prosper Do you still believe that?"
"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,"
Ethan any man, yes; but for a
woman, Graham; wouldn't you allow
something for the woman n
Il thought we had agreed long ago
that there is no double standard, either
In morals or.cthics-oae thing for the
} man and another for the woman. That
Is your own attitude, isn't it?"
She didn't say whether it was or
not. She was holding the bit of paper
he had given her so that the light
from tie fire fell upon it when she
said: 81 suppose yoar duty is quite
clear. In tie 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 ak
fall where it will.'
The boss was shaking his head
BIT doubtfuly.
at isn't quite 50 simple as that
he objected. Il don't X ow that I'd
have any compuncti0Rs about sending
Collingwood to the dump. If tie half
of what they say OF him is true. he
is a spineiess degenerate and hardly
worth saving But to do as you sug-
geSt would be open rebellion. YOU
know while Dunton remains Dresi-
dent, ] am his subordinate and if 1
should expose him and his nephew.
the situation here would become sim
ply impossible"