White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1927-09-30
CHAPTER IX-Continued

-l6-
Because exhibit 81 will cause you
considerable distress, and I have
known men Of your type to see red
in such moments" Raxon balanced
square envelope in his thin hands.
IF it's blackmail you are thinking
Of in connection with me-" said Nc
Kimber scornfully, you are wasting
time. It's you who are using old
fashioned stupid stuff, not me- I tell
you, my life is an open book"
with one uncut page" Raxon re-
marked. 1--WE cut that page. 1t cost
time and money, but 1t was the best
investment ever made. Think back
bit over this life of yours that Is
an open book. Is there anything in
1t that might hurt you If it got out?"
mot thing" cried McKimber de-
family. But there was lacking that
ring of confidence he had previously
shown. Fear was mastering him.
There was no madness about this
steadyeyed man opposite.
Every WE'LL" said Raxon briskly.
"You force me to speak. You talk Of
yourself as self-made man who rose
from being a machinist to the owner
ship of a vast organization. That's
true. In Who's Who it's written for
all the world to see. But there are
certain omissions. l can supply them.
That's why you are here, McKimber,
to listen to the writing between the
limos Whom nfIrt loft
Utica for st. Louis and got job In
the Davis foundry. There you studied
drafting, and three years later, having
made good, entered the employ Of
William Graham, Mrs. McKimber's
uncle, who owned the Rochester Steel
and Iron mills. Later you married his
NIECE
WELL" said McKimber, his throat
constructing, what about it?"
your employer singled her out Of
all his relatives and left his fortune
to her on condition she married you.
He had confidence in you. He had
read the open book and liked the con-
tents. If he had had access to that
uncut page, he would have known that
your first wife was still living"
Il divorced her." McKimber cried.
II can prove it."
The decree was not made absolute
until three months after you married
your employers niece. It's nice
legal point, and I've no doubt his other
nephews and nieces would be quite
ready to fight it. If the condition Of
getting the fortune was your marriage
to Graham's niece, you did not fulfil
1t, because you did not marry her. A
bigamous union is not marriage in
the eyes of the law. You must have
known that, or you wouldn't have gone
through a second ceremony. The first
marriage was by justice Of the
peace. The second was at New
York church. You obtained Graham's
fortune under false pretenses, and you
were a bigamist. It's no good deny
ing It,"
1T was all done innocently," Nc
Kimber protested. "As God Is my wit
ness, l thought I was free to marry
In the divorce suit there was nothing
that reflected on me personally"
"What has that to do with it?'
Raxon asked cynically. ut may be
that you thought you were free tc
marry. But that makes no difference
The world won't think that. Westfield
won't think that. Nor will the big
papers that are supporting him. You're
through, McKimber, that's all. You'll
never hold public Office again If this
gets out That's not all. You are go
ing to help me into the senate, and
your friends are going to help. II
your friends try and knife me, you are
the one who will bleed"
McKlmber sat motionless. Raxon
cared nothing about his innocence
Guilty or innocent, McKimber was the
loser. He turned dull eyes toward
the envelope Raxon held up.
"In this is the entry Of your first
marriage. Someone cut page out OF
the register and offered 1t to me for
sale. bought 1t. There are also
some letters you wrote to your first
wife when you found she was secret
drinker. Her son by second mar.
rage sold them to my agent. Pathetic
letters In their way. but you know
how the modern yellow newspaper
laughs at pathetic things, especially
when they affect political opponents
/ hope the need for publication may
never come. Some day they may be
yours"
what do you want for that en-
velope, if it contains what you say?''
you'll never have half enough
money to buy it. Why do you persist
Ia Understanding me? Realize here
and now that you are beaten. You
will never go to the senate. If don't
70, then Westtield wins, and you will
be the traitor to your party. No fur
Their discussion is necessary. What is
It to be? Absolute obedience, or do
these things 60 to Westfield?"
McKimbers head dropped. There
was consciousness of physical feeble
ness about him. LIBERALIZATION which
he had never before experienced. 1t
was curious, he reflected, that the
sense of anger had left him. 1t was
the measure of his defeat.
IT can't talk now. Tomorrow my
brain will be clearer" Unsteady he
rose to his feet and walked to the
door.
Paul Raxon watched him 90 out, a
broken man. Oriental in his absence
of pity he enjoyed humiliating one of
McKimber's domineering sort. To