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

{kk&e{9ell, you've got to listen, and
1TrIAZ e got to tell me what to do. Da
4s#<a% already investigated Bassett'
in New York, when he was =.
!.kkx1Eg Iaan studying in the law schOO
4 = <s4h there. But they could ge,
- III so far-and no farther. It's d
f.zsH.A time ago and all the people Bas
= - II knew at that time had scattered
49, the far corners of the earth. But
5&4@@3t book sruck dad all of a heap. II
5e@%$fed into what he had heard about
$3.50 sett as delettante book collector:
*E<R8n then Bass~tt was interested in
E<f4h things. And you know in that
i E<44 cunt of him you wrote in the
rier that I told you I had read on
= H2e other side that first time we met?
s 7elI, when dad and I went to the
71irondacks it was only partly on my
- count; he met a man up there who
d been working up Bassett's past,
~ ld dad went over all the ground
n n. s. mself. 1t was most amazing that it
lould all come out that way, but he
SE%&H bund the place, and the same man
IS still living at the house where the
~ strange woman stayed that Ware told
about. I know it's just as rotten as il
II can be, but dads sure Bassett was the
man who took that woman there and
deserted her. 1t fits into a period
when Bassett wasn't in New York and
he wasn't at Fraserville. They've
3 found an old file of the Fraserville
paper at the State Library that men
- ions the fact that Bassett's father was
ill-had a strickland they had
- hard work locating Bassett, who was
the only child. There's only one miss
~ ing link in the chain Of evidence, and
that's the woman herself, and her
child that was born up there. Ware
told us that night how he failed to
get track Of them later, and dad lost
the trail right there too. But that's
all need tell you about it. That's
what I've got hanging over me. And
dad won't promise not to use it on
Bassett If he has to-"
Harwood's face had gone white. but
ne smiled and knit his fingers together
behind his head with an air of non
chalance that he did not feel. He knew
that Thatcher meant to drive Bassett
out Of politics, but he had little faith
in TEACHERS ability to do so. He dis
4 credited wholly the story Allen had so
glibly recited. By Aliens OWL admis-
sion the tale was deficient in what
we're essentials. The idea that Bas-
sett could ever have been so stupid
as TO leave traces of any imaginable
iniquities plain enough for Thatcher
to find them after many years was
prepOsterous. The spectacle Of the
pot calling the kettle black, never edi-
flying, aroused Dams ire against
Thatcher. And Bassett was not that
Ii old g.
to life again. Even the Rose Farrell
incident did not support this wretched
tissue Of fabrication. He had hated
Bassett for that; but it was not for
the peccable Thatcher to point a
mocking finger at AchilIes's heel.
= Well" said Allen impatiently.
Well" Dan blurted contemporary.
4 think your fathers stopped pretty
low, that's all You can tell him
for me that if he's digging in the
muckpile for that sort of thing. I'm
done with him; I'm not only done with
him, but if he attempts to use any
such stuff as that, I'll fight him: I will
raise a war on him that won't be for
gotten in this State through all eter-
nifty. You tell him that; tell him you
told me your story and that's what
I said about it"
But, Dan, old man" began Allen
pIeadingly.
Harwood shook his head until his
cowlick bobbed and danced.
You'd better get out of here. Allen.
If you think you can marry Morton
Bassetts daughter with that kind of
a scandal in your pocket I tell YOU
you're mad-yOu've plumb gone in
sane! Great God. boy you don't
know the meaning Of the words you
use. You handle that think like a
child with a loaded pistol Don't you
see what that would mean-to Marian,
to Blackford. to Mrs. Bassett-to
Aunt Sally Now, you want my ad-
vice, or you said you did, and I'm 60
ing to give you some. You go right
down to that bank over there on the
corner and buy a steamer ticket and a
\ long letter of credit. Then take the
4 first train for New York and 20 back
8 to your mother and stay there till I
send for you TO come home. I mean
- that-every word OF it. If you don't
EAskip I'm damned If don't go TO Bas-
Psett and tell him this whole rotten
~ story"
Allen. the tears glistening in his
frightened eyes, turned toward the
door.
"Good-by, Dan, old man; I'm sorry
it had to end this way. I'm disap-
pointed, that's all"
He paused after opening the door
hoping to be called back, but Har-
wood had walked to the window and
stood with his hands in his pockets
staring into the street.
Chapter XVIII
This was on Friday, and HarwOod
tnnz the afternoon train for Na,1nn-