Glacier County chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1931-1940, 1940-06-07
CHAPTER N-Continued


Ill
It'd like to wiring Len Hardesty's
neck" said Aunt Olympia. "This
il what I call 4 blow below the
belt"
Len Hardesty." Adele looked
suddenly sick. "Aunt Olympia-do
ysu think Len-did this-to my sis
teri"
''Oh, naturally" said Aunt Olym-
pia philosophically. THAT'S his bust
ness. But he never seemed to no
tice Helen-he never paid any atten-
ton to her or what she was doing
! didn't suppose he even knew about
It. Those lousy newspaper menl
They know everything. Can't keep
their minds on one girl-even a
beauty-got to be nosing into ev-
erythingl"
Adele stood up. She looked dazed.
II told him." she said family. 81
told him Sunday. I thought it was
funny"
''You told him Sunday, Adele?
:. Oh, that's it, thenl He cooked
up that speech and sicked the A.P.
onto u.s."
"But Aunt Olympia-would he
do that?" Adele stammered. And
her face was so white and an
guished, her wide eyes had turned
to such midnight darkness, that
Aunt Olympia's heart went out to
her.
tits his job. my dear. and jobs
job"
Hilda appeared in the door. "It's
Mr.. Hardesty, looking like the wrath
of God and If he didn't sleep in
those clothes then I'm no laun-
dress"
Adele started swiftly for the side
door.
Don't go, my DEAR" said the
Senator gently. ''It's always good
politics to hear both Sides"
Adele turned obediently and went
to the window and stood with her
back to the room, to the door Len
Hardesty would enter, staring out
into the garden with eyes that saw
nothing. Helen and Limpy stood up.
rigid, white of face, as Len Har-
desty came in. Aunt Olympia
poured herself a cup of coffee. The
Senator patted his lips with a nap
kin, despite the fact he had eaten
nothing.
"Hello, Len" he said. Bring
some hot coffee, Hilda. Sit down,
Len"
'The wrath of God" well de-
scribed him. He was pale. He had
not shaved. His eyes were black
and dark-circled. He glanced just
once at Adele's slim back silhouet-
ted against the windows.
well, there's the devil to pay
now" he said dejectedly.
well, pay him!" said Olympia
crisply. you've got your fingers
on his purse-strings, haven't your"
"Oh. I'm paying and don't think
I'm not" he said doggedly. ''Sen-
ator, II give you my word, nev-
er anticipated this"
WAS it nightmare" asked
Aunt Olympia.
"Oh, know l should have real
i1ed was stirring up a hornets
nest, but we've been in such
damned hole over the whole mess
just thought it would be one more
jack-in-the-box from the bag of
tricks"
You wrote that speech, Len Har-
desty, and don't you dare to deny
it,"
Il don't deny it. And that's all
did do. thought maybe it would
stir up little local fuss and maybe
entice few rabidly Americanistic
partisans, and God knows we need
them. / thought it would shut the
Senator up on subversive activities,
which the Governor doesn't know
tinker's dam about"
IF that's all you did, how about
these papers?" demanded Aun t
Olympia.
THE dirty skunk! d'Allotti, I
mean. 1t suddenly dawned on him
that il he could drag you into it,
senator, you'd get him out to clear
Jour own skirts. Use your pull with
the administration. He called the
uewsmen after / left. A pal down
there tipped me off and / few back
down. I've worked like a devil on
it but couldn't stop it,
you'd better have a drink, Len"
raid the Senator kindly. "You look
all in. Ring, Ollie"
Scotch and soda for me-" he said
briefly.
you'd better have ham and eggs.
Bring him some food, Hilda. After
all, we can't starve snakes on our
very doorstep. 1t would give us bad
press"
''It's not irreparable, even yet,
Senator" said Len Hardesty. "Now
Il you had a good publicity man
like me, for instance"
Hes on his way out here, now,"
said the Senator. "Cece, too. We
'phoned him."
Hell work out the details. And