The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-02-07
The Wreckers
Francis Lynde
tCoutlnu~i From Saturday,

1T can be done. and i could DO
II right here on the Pioneer Short
Line II didn't have 20 fight 80
many different kinds OF devils at
the same time" said tho boss.
seowling down NJ the fire In the
gfate And then with quick
jerk OF his head 10 face her. you
sent the major a wire from the
capital last night. telling him 10
persuade me not 20 30 20 Strath.
coma Why did you do ~ And
how did you know ! was thinking
of goingT-
For the first time In tho whole
six months I saw Mrs. sheila Ect
a little frustrated. tho she didn't
show IL much. only In little more
color In her checks.
'-some day. perhaps. I may ten
you. but can't now" she said
sort of hurricdly. And then: you
mustn't ask me"
.But you did send the wiror-
yes
And you also srnt another TO
Upton Van Brittr-
Il DID
The boss smiled. That SECOND
message was an aftcrthought- You
were afraid I'D be stubborn and 20.
anyway. That was some more OF
your marvellous reasoning. Tell me,
sheila. did you know that there was
going TO be broken ran joint set
To kin me on that trip"
That got her in spite Of her hcav-
emily calm and I could 500 her press
her pretty lips together hard
WAS that what they didy- she
asked. bit trcmbly.
He nodded ivan Britt was on the
pilot engine ahead OF my chr. and he
found IL There was no harm done.
II was bad enough. God knows. 20 ret
a trap that would have killed every.
body on my train; but this other
thing that has been pulled of tonight
Is even worse. Mr.. Dunton and his
unprincipled followers have set a
thing on foot here which il due 10
grind us all TO powder. Past that.
they have eontrivcd to handcuff me
so that I can't make a move without
pulling down consequences OF per.
sonai nature upon President Dunton
himself
Now my marvellous inner reason
ing has gone quite blind she said.
with a queer little smile You'll
have to explain"
'It's simple enough said the boss
shortly. III Mr.. Dunton had sent
only hired emiHsAries out here to
bride the members Of the legislature
but he didn't: he included mem
Der OF his own family"
was looking straight At Mrs
Sheiia as he spoke. and saw a sud.
den frightened shock Jump Into tho
slate gray eyes Just for q second.
Before you could count one. IL was
gone and she was saying quietly:
"A member Of his own family,
That Is very singular. isn't itT-
1T IL. and II isn't The man who
was sent with the brfb, money has
every Qualification for the job. I
should say. save one--dlsrrction.
And I'm not sure thar he may not
be discreet enough. when ho isn't
drunk
Again I sav the curious hook IN
her eyes. and this time II was almost
ike the shrinking from blow.
Was therc--was this thing that
was done actually crlminaig- she
asked. Just breathing at htn.
at was. indeed. The election laws
Of this state have teeth. IL II n pen
stentlary offense TO bribe either the
electorate or the Law makers
There was silence for a little time.
ard she was no longer looking at
him: she was staring into the heart
of the glowing Goals In tho CRATE
basket by and by she said: You
haven't told me this mans name
the one who did the briblng. may ]
know it,
knew }ust what the boss was
going to DO. and he did ~: took
the slip OF paper that Dcdmon had
written on from hts pocket and
passed u across 10 her. II there
was another shock for her none OF
us could see IL She had her face
turned away when she looked at
the name on the paper. Pretty soon
she said. sort OF dreariiy:
s'Ouce you told me that the true
test of any human being came
when ne was asked to eliminate the
personal factor: to cfface himself
completely in order that his cause
might prosper. do you still believe
that?"
of course. IT'S an IN the days
work. Any cause worth while r.
vastly bigger than any man who Is
trying TO advance it,
Than any man. yes. but for a
woman. Graham. wouldn't you allow
for the woman"
Il thought we had agreed long
ago that there In no double stand.
ard, either In morals or ethics--one
hing for the man and another for
the woman. That Is your own at.
isn't it,"
She didn't say whether n was or
not. She was holding the bit OF
paper he had given her NO that the
light from the fire fell upon II when
she said: II suppose your duty is
quite clear. In the slang OF the
street. you must beat Mr.. Hatch TO
t. You must be the first to de.
nounce this bribery. clearing your
self and letting the ar fall where
i will. You owe that much 20
20 the men who have
fought shoulder TO shoulder with
you. and to that wider circle OF
The public which ls beginning TO be
ieve that you are honest and sin.
sere, don't your"
The boss was shaking his head
BIT doubtfuIly.
'It isn't quit 80 simple as that"