The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1922-12-29

| ne coldness with which Morton
| asset turned his back upon him did
| OF matter In the least. 1t was his
liability in Bassett's hands, man
| tested at the convention where he
| sad appeared as the boss's spokes-
| nan. that had earned him Sylvia's
| irst rebuke.
He was thinking of this and Of
sylvia when Bassett left his chair
| md crossed the deck. Dan barely
| turned his head, thinking he was
merely changing his seat for a better
view; but as Bassett stopped in front
Of him. Dan rose and pushed forward
| a chair.
mo, thank you; 1 suppose you
came up on the evening train. just
wondered whether you saw Fitch to-
day"
NO. sir: I didn't see him: I didn't
know he wanted to see me-"
He was here yesterday and prob
ably hadn't had time to see you be-
fore you left town. He had a pro
position to make in that Canneries
| case"
Il didn't know that, of course, or
should have waited. I've never had
any talk with him about the Can
neries business"
so he said"
Bassett clapped his hand savagely
upon his hat suddenly to save it from
! the breeze that had been reused by
the increasing speed of the boat. He
clearly disliked having to hold his hat
on his head. Dan marked his old
chiefs irritation. There were deep
lines in Bassett's face that had only
| lately been written there. \
I'm see him Monday. I only ran
up for a day or two. It's frightfully
hot at home"
Neither the heat, nor Harwocd's en-
terprise in escaping fro nit, interested
Bassett, who lifted his voice above
the humping Of the machinery to
say:
IT told Fitch to talk to you about
that suit Of yours and fix it UP il we
can come to terms. I told him what
I'd stand for. I'm not afraid OF the
suit, and neither is Fitch, and I want
YOU to understand that. Ny reasons
for getting rid of it are quite apart
from the legal questions"
1T will save time. Mr. Bassett, if
you tell Fitch that the suit won't be
dropped until all the claims I repre-
sent are paid in full. Several OF your
associates in the reorganization have
already sounded me on that, and I've
said no to all of them"
"Oh. you have. have you?" There
was a hard glitter in Bassetts eyes
and his jaws frightened "Al, right
then; go ahead he added. and walked
T grimly back TO his chair.
When the steamer stopped at his
I landing, Bassett jumped off and be
/ gan the ascent to his house without
I looking at HARDWOOD again Dan felt
that it had been worth the journey
to hear direct from Bassett the fnti-
nations Of a wish tc compromise the
Canneries case. And vet, while the
boat was backing off, it was without
exultation that he watched Bassett's
sturdy figure slowly climbing the
steps The signs of wear. the loss Of
the politicians old elasticity. touched
a chord of pity in HarwoOd's breast.
In the early days of their acquaint-
ance it had seemed to him that Bas-
sett could never be beaten: and vet
Dan had tonight read defeat in his
face and manner. The old Morton
/ Bassett would never have yielded an
inch, never have made overtures OF
/ compromise. He would have emerged
triumphant from any disaster. Har-
wood experienced something Of the
/ sensations OF a sculptor, who, having
/ begun a heroic figure in the grand
manner Of a Michael Angelo. finds
his model shrinking to a piuful
pysmy. AS Bassett passed from sight
/ he turned with a sigh toward the red,
white and blue lanterns that adver-
tised Mrs. Owens dock to the mariner
well, we'll. II 1t isn't Daniel" ex-
! claimed Mrs. owen, as Harwood
greeted her and Sylvia on her veranda,
"One of the farm hands quit today
and you can go to work in the morn
ing, Daniel"
Not If I'm strong enough to run,
Aunt Sally. I'm going to have forty
eight hours vacation if I starve to
death the rest of my life"
Rose Farrell had told him that
Mrs. owen was entertaining the Eliza
beth House girls in installments, and
he was not surprised to find the We
randa filed with young women. Some
of them he knew and Sylvia intro
duced him to the others.
"When's Rose coming up?" asked
/ Sylvia, balancing herself on the YER
anda rail. You know she's expected"
DO 1 know she's expected? Didn't
have a note from you, Aunt Sally, or
dering me to send her up? She's
coming just as soon as I get back, but
I think of staying forever"
"A man has come and he's come to
stay forever" murmured one of the
young women.
"Oh, you're an eventr laughed
| Sylvia. But don't expect us to spoil
you. The sport for tomorrow is to-
mato pickles, and the man who
skipped today left because Aunt Sally
wanted him to help scald and peel the
tomatoes. Your job is cut out for you. 8"
IAN right" he replied humbly. "In
do anything you say but pillow or cut
wood. My enchanted youth on the
farm was filled with those delights,
and before I go back to that a swift
/ Marathon runner must trip me-"
He was aware presently that one
| by one the girls were slipping away;
/ he saw them through the windows
settling themselves at the round table
!