112
THE MORNING ASTOMAN, ASTORIA, OREGON.
SUNDAY, JUNE 7, 1908
111
rarJ
. SYNOPSIS OF PRECEDING
! CHAPTERS.
Chapter I At the suburban home
f Charles Wainwright, "high finan
cier," he and his broker, Scott Gibbs,
hatch up a scheme to corner Borough
street railway stock. They rely upon
the support of Dick Horrigan, boss of
the neighboring city, who is coming
to discuss matters. Alderman Phe
lan, the thorn in Horrigan's side,
whom Wainwright is anxious to con
ciliate, is also coming. Among the
members of Wainwright's household
re his niece and nephew, Dallas and
Perry Wainwright, and his secretary,
Thompson, a secretive young man in
whom the financier has implicit confi
dence. Judge Newman, a neighbor of
(Wainwright, whose continuance in
office depends upon Horrigan's favor,
requests Wainwright's intervention
with the boss. Another visitor to the
iWinwrights' is Alwyn Bennett, in
loe with Dallas, who is calling to ask
her about her rumored engagement to
Gibbs. Perry is in love with Synthia
Garrison, also a neighbor. II Cyn
thia is the daughter of a bank presi
dent who nine years before the open
ing of the story was ruined by the
'dealings of an unnamed dishonest
financier and shot himself. His son
thereupon disappeared. Mrs. Bennett
congratulates herself upon the imma
culate record of her son's defeased
lather. Dallas refuses to marry
Alwyn unless he does something
worthy of his family and education.
Phelan and Horrigan face each other.
III. Phelan defies Horrigan. Judge
Newman is turned down by the boss,
hut at Wainwright's request Horn
fan becomes suspicious of Thompson,
hut Wainwright scoffs at the idea.
Horrigan and Wainwright makes a
corrupt deal whereby the former, for
a big consideation, is to procure from
the board of aldermen a perpetual
franchise for the Borough street
railway. The boss is worried by the
reform movement threatening his
power at the coming election and is
casting about for a candidate for
mayor with a clean record. He hits
pon Bennett,' who Has had some
light political experience. The lat
ter accepts, but warns Horigan that,
if elected, he will be absolutely honest
and independent
IV. -Bennett is elected and ap
points Cynthia his private secretary.
Phelan tells him that the financier
who caused the ruin of the Garrisons
was Wainwright, who is also the pow
er behind the crooked Borough fran
chise bills, with Horrigan and Gibbs.
Dallas and Mrs. Bennett visit the city
lall.
V Gibbs tries to induce Bennett to
sign the bill. The mayor's talk with
Dallas is interrupted by Horrigan.
VI Bennett refuses to be bulldoz
ed by Horrigan into signing the bill.
,The boss lacks one vote in the board
f aldermen of the fourteen needed to
pass the bill without the mayor's as
sent. Despite the fact that defeating
the bill means impoverishing Dallas
and Perry, whose fortune Wainwright
lias invested in Borough stock, Ben
nett vetoes the measure. VII Ben
nett's plan to save Dallas and Perry
is to have Perry sell Borough stock
short. The mayor's opposition cau
es Horrigan and Wainwright to
amend the bill, retaining however,
some of the most objectionable fea-1
lures. VIII Alwyn's lovemaking to
Dallas at the Mayor's ball is
interrupted by Harrigan. IX Gibbs
secretly plays false to Wainwright
and Horrigan by buying Borough
stock on his own account. Horrigan
"fixes" Alderman Roberts, a waver
ing member of his "solid thirteen." X
Bennett warns Roberts against vot
ing for the bill. In the presence of
Cynthia, who is engaged to Perry,
Phelan exposes Thompson as her
brother, the long missing Harry Gar
rison, whereupon sister and brother
embrace. Perry entering suddenly,
is astonished at the sight. XI Cyn
thia explains to Perry. Dallas is con
vinced by Wainwright that Bennett
By vetoing the bill is trying to wreck
her fortune. Thereupon Dallas prom
oses to marry Gibbs.
MAM Jk
i3m Bated cn (Lfl.BrGzdhvrsrs SuccessM Play
SUV !vT
MIMi
"Dutv!" anwrvd Waiuwrlgbt. "lour
'duty' was done wlieu you vetoed the
bill. That act made your position
clear ami showed the public how you
regarded the measure, so why go on
fighting tt nfter"-
"I won't discuss this with you, Mr.
Wainwright," interrupted Bennett
"We already uuderstand one another,
you and I."
"My uncle says," pursued Dallas,
"that you made jour broker secretly
cell Borough stock short, knowing the
deal would enrich you. Won't you
even deny this?"
"No."
"You realize what all this foolish
stubbornness must mean to me to all
it us," continued Dallas, "and you stiU
persist in your opposition?"
"I must," said Bennett "I can't turn
back. Oh, Dallas," be added, dropping
bis voice till noue but she could hear,
"can't you trust me only till Friday?
I'll come to you on Saturday morning
and tell you the whole miserable story.
I only ask you to wait until then.
Please"
the toiviimut of their aort it ml nuovo nn
' shadow of itusplclon.
j Little by Utile I Ins mimlmeNH lifted
! from his lirnlu, and lu It place crept a
j horrible conviction of tint truth. Ills
father- the irnllnnt young soldier who
j had won a imtlou'u nppluiiMO In the
; civil warthe man who, poor and tin
! aided, had built up a fortune ngaliiKt
' keenest competition nml had earned a
! repute for Bleillug probity which hud
' ever been the delight and model of bis
; son this was the man whom n low
I blackguard like llorrlgati now had the
right to tvvlle-n man apparently no
j better than the Ikss hlmsolf-thau any
dishonest heeler In the organlatlout
chuckled uorrigau. And, as If It were not enough that
to n showdown lie-! the Idol of n lifetime were hurled,
tweeu us two 1 put n staff of men to crushed and dollied, from Its bright
looking up your record."
"Hut
"When
1 have."
It came
"You found nothing you could uw.
Is that"-
"No; It Isn't even the beglnulng.
Then I remenitored about your fa
ther." "About my father?"
It grated on lUmnett that his dead
father's honored name should bo spo
ken by this low politician, but before
he could protest more forcibly Horri
gan went ou:
"What d'yo'i think If I said your fa
ther was a crofter-one of the worst
of his time?"
"I'd say yon lied," answered Bennett i
imi mull,, tllllllV Mllini IHTAl
be dragged through the mire of polit
ical tilth and 111 repute and .the dead
man's memory forever Hasted". ICItlier
that or his son must withdraw from
the gallant right he was waging against
civic corruption, for that Uorrlgao
would curry out his threat and blazon
forth to the world the story nud proofs
of the elder ltennett's shame Alwyn
had no doubt. With nil his faults the
boss was n man of his word.
"Stop your right against us," Horri
gan had suM, "and the report Is
burned."
Yea, the boa was a man of his word
calmly, "ami I'd drive the foul He j Kven Bennett admitted that. He would
down your throat with my fist. You'll j fultlll bis promise lu either eveut.
have to think of some better scheme j Listlessly Alwyn began to review
than that." j the cn8(., j tne e ,H.ruaj
"Do you tliluk I d be Idiot euough to ' Quixotic fight for an abstract principle
I. ...... ...ill. l , . i . 11
n.iuo m-ii- im me Murj u i uiuu i a tight whose reward was political
have full proof of It?" osked Horrigan ; death, loss of the woman be adored.
m contempt. family shame that might crush uN
,no. uespue nimseir, Alwyn saw the i fragile old mother to the verv crave
"I see no need of waiting for an ex- "luu was 'l,"''K ' wievea to;)n the other wealth, honor, love, the
planatlon," retorted Dallas aloud. "l tbe tr,l,n- He l'aWHl 1,1 his Intptil-; governorship, a future happy and glorl-
understand everything."
"But you don't understand!" Insisted
Alwyn. "I"-
"I understand only too well," repeat
ed Dallas. Checking his reply and Ig
noring the anguished appeal In bis
eyes, she turned to Gibbs.
"I have kept you waiting long for
your answer, Mr. Gibbs," she said,
speaking in a level, firm, emotionless
voice. "I am prepared to give It to
you now publicly. You have often
asked me If I would be your wife. My
reply Is, 'Yes. "
"Dallas!" gasped Bennett In horrified
surprise.
II LWYN BEXX
ZA study at hi
I nett house
A V almost th
CHAPTER XII.
BEXXETT sat In his own
home In the big Ben-
house that remained as
almost the last landmark of
that solid middle nineteenth century
wealth and fashion which bad once
dominated a neighborhood now given
over to office buildings and apartment
houses.
The hour was late. An hour and
more had passed since the young may
or and his mother had returned from
the administration ball. The house
was silent, and even the usually busy
streets outside were wrapped In the
hush that never falls until after mid
night and Is dispersed by the gray of
dawn. Late as It was Alwyn had made
no move to discard his evening clothes.
Alone he sat, his bead resting between
Ms crossed arms on tbe desk before
him.
Motionless, Inert, hopeless, he had re
mained there ever since his arrival
from the ball. But if his body was
moveless, his brain was awhiii. Try
as he would he could see no light In
the tangle of events into which bis
own sense of right had plunged him.
He saw the future stretching out be
fore him dreary and barren as a rainy
sea.
Through ail of his months of buttling
he had ever struggled forward through,
increasing difficulties toward one bright
goal Dallas' love. And now that love'
was snatched from his grasp, through
no fault of bis own, and bestowed on a
man unworthy to kiss the hem of her
garment.
At each step In the long climb Alwyn
had asked himself, "Would she ap
prove?" And now through trying to
be worthy that approval he had for
ever lost it. for Dallas, he knew, had,
not only rejected him and engaged her
self to Gibiis. but had done so with t'e
belief that Lt-nuett was a heartless, un
scrupulous i;;ti iguer, undeserving of la
good woman's regard.
A rap at the door aroused Benmtti
slve forwanl move, reseated himself
and nsked coldly:
"What so called 'proofs' have you
lieen fooled by your heelers into thinking"
ous.
Was he not n fool to hesitate? Had
he not salved his conscience sufficient
ly by vetoing the Borough frauchlse
bill? Had lif flu. rk'lif to hrtnif tlila
. r i . t.u . . -... . ...
ium wnnB me. my: eii. you ew shame nnon his mother's miv
head? Where lay his highest duty?
The soft rusillng of silk and n bund
will fast enough before I'm done. Un
less you're afraid of what I've got to
say."
"I'm not afraid of anything you can
say. The highest tribute to my fa
ther's memory Is the fact that a cur
like you cannot detile tt. Co on. I'll
listen to yon."
"Very good." suid Horrigan, quite
unmoved. "I'll muke It as short as I
can. I remembered your father got
rich pretty quick, lie was a member
of the organization, and his firm got
the Jobs of building the aqueduct and
the new library. That gave me my
clew. I looked up the specifications for
both Jobs, and I turned them over to
;he old engineering tlrui of Morris &
Cherrlngton. You know the firm, per
haps. If you don't, you can look them
up. They don't belong to the organiza
tion; they're the best experts In their
line, and they can't be Juggled with."
"I know them. !o ou." 1
"I paid them n fancy sum to go over
those specifications and then examine
the library and the aqueduct and see
if they were up to the mark or If the
city 'd been cheated by the Bennett
Contracting company. I had a strong
Idea I was right, but I wouldn't speak
till I had the proof. When I got home
after the ball tonight I found tbe Mor
ris & Cherrlngton report waiting for
me. I brought a copy of It along with
me."
"Well," asked Bennett Indifferently,
"what then?"
"Here's the copy of the report. Look
ft over for yourself. The crookedest
Jab ever pulled off in this city! Third
rate material, when the material called
for In the specifications was used at
all. Granite f-hell filled with mortar
Instead of solid granite: foundations
barelv Imlf the ili-nth onUnA fw in. !
ferior tiles in place of fireproof ones;
cheap, (.nimbly Iron and steel instead
of first quality-oli. there's fifty such
substitutions and frauds! It's the raw
est, bummest job I ever heard of. If
any of the organization tried it now
adays the men who d'd It would be
fearing stripes in a week. Graft, hey J
iVby, your father was the boss grafter
it the century, the star graft gutter of
the bunch! lie"
"Hush! For God's sake, hush!" pout
ed Alwyn. "My mother sleeps only a
few rooms beyond. I"
"What do I care?" roared norrlgsu
in triumph. "Let everybody hear!
The whole world is going to hear It im-
from his Litter thoughts. He lifted 1 Is less that Borough franchise bill goes
head wearily and gave word to enti. through. Beat that bill and every pa
A drowsy servant came In with a ca Pr m the country will have that report
X
CHAPTER XI CONTINUED.
Her voice was almost tremulous In
Its eager, confident appeal, but Bennett
forced himself to answer:
"Yes; it Is true, and i Knew tv
The eager glow died from her eyes,
leaving a look of dawning horror.
"And, knowing this knowing Perry
and I shall be made paupers by your
action you still insist on"
"On opposing the bill? Yes. I am
Mtr. but it is mv dutv."
He says it's important business, si
said the footman. "And he wishes
see you at once. If possible." I
"Show blin up," answered Bennetty'
dropping bis voice so as not to disturb
his mother, who slept on tbe samf
floor. "I will see him here."
A minute later Horrigan's bulky fona'
blocked tbe threshold.
"Queer time of night for a call," ha'
observed casually, as he entered unin
vited, closed the door behind him and
took a chair, "but my business
wouldn't wait."
"Then state It as briefly as you can,''
directed Bennett, making no move to
rise or welcome his unbidden guesfc
"It is very late, and I am tired."
"I've come to see you about our Bor
ough bill."
"So I supposed."
"You won't call off your fight against
us?"
"That question Is hardly worth an
swering. No."
"I thought not. Well, Mr. Alwyn
Bennett, I've got you! I've got you!
Do you understand me'"
"Perfectly. Is that nil?" '
"No, it ain't all," mlnlcked the boss.
"And I'm In earnest. I've got you
where I want you."
"That doesn't interest me. If you've
notnlng else i? a"
to publish. Stop your fight against ui
and the report Is burled. That goes.'
See? Now, do
as you please
about the bill.
You're a fine
man to preach
about graft, you
are! The very
roof over your
head, the clothes
on your back,
were bought
with graft
money!"
Bennett scarce
ly heeded the
coarse Insult,
nor did he note
II o r rlga n's
grunt of good
fa y and the
clump of his de
parting feet on I
the stairs, The young man sat. lost.
hopeless, horror gripped, his eyes run
ning mechanically over the closely
typewritten pages of the engineer's re
liort. Outsider as he was in matters of
practical business, Alwyn could see
that Horrigan had in no way exag
"erafed the document's contents. He
knew, too, that the firm of engineers
who had drawn ud tbe report wer
i'
"TTie clothes on your
buck were bought
with graft money!"
laid In light caress upon bis head
aroused the miserable man from bis
reflections.
Bennett looked up to see bis mothc
standing lieslde him. She bud throw-
on a wrapper nud in slippered feet had
stolen uolselessly Info the study
"I was awakened by voices," she ex
plained. "I thought I heard some one
talking excitedly lu here. Is anything
the matter?"
"Nothing, nothing dear," he answer
ed gently, drawing the little old lady
affectionately down to a seat ou hi
knee and smiling manfully Into be
sleep flushed face; "nothing Is the mat
ter. Only a business call."
"A business call nt 2 o'clock In the
morning!" she exclaimed. "Dear boy
you are working too hard. Your father
never brought his business worries and
work home. He always left them at
the office. Can't you do tbe same?
You'll wear yourself out."
"My father"- liegnn Bennett, but
tbe name choked him.
"You are growing to be so much like
him," went on Mrs. Bennett fondly
"And it makes me so happy that you
are. Your splendid light against that
Infamous Borough bill, for Instance.
How proud lie would have been of
that! It Is Just the sort of thing he
himself would have done In your place.
lie was surrounded with wicked and
dishonest men Just as you are. But
through It nil he remained true, hon
oranle, Incorruptible. What a grand
heritage for my son! He Alwyn!"
Ihe broke off, alarmed, "why do you
look at mo that way? 1 never saw
such a look In your eyes before. Are
you III? Has something happened that
you are keeping fioin me?"
"No, no," evaded Bennett. "I only
"You had n caller here before I
came In," pursued the mother, refusing
to abandon tbe clew to which her wo
manly intuition had led her. "He
brought you bad news? Tell me, dear!
I'm your mother, and I love you."
"You are making my course more
difficult for me by asking such ques
tions, mother," he answered wretched
ly, "and I"-
I
1 only want to help you, Alwyn,
n t bear to see you miserable. A
woman's wit and a mother's love are
often a combination that can solve
problems beyond even the wisest
man's powers of logic. Let me help
you."
"I was trying to make up my mind,"
vaguely replied Bennett, sorely dts
tressed by her pleading, "whether a
man ought to follow his conscience,
even it It leads to heartbreak for those
be loves, or whether he ought to let
conscience go by tbe board for once
and protect the happiness of bis loved
ones."
"Alwyn! now can you hesitate a
second over such a question. One must
do right, no matter what tbe conse
quence." "I don't know about that," he said
moodily.
"You know It perfectly well. It Is
what your fathei would have advised
and But, Alwyn, you surely are not
making yourself unhappy over n mere
supposititious case?"
"Well," lie continued, "let us take a
'mere supposititious ease' If you like
Suppose, for Instance, that n man'hold-
Ing a posllloii of trust had had a fa
ther whoso memory he honored and
revered as I do my own father's"
"Yes?" prompted Mrs. Bennett as li
paused.
"Suppose some one tempts him to be
tray his position of trust, even as I
have lately been tempted, and threat
ens In case of his refusal to inula
public certain facts which would prove
his dead father to have been a scoun
drel. Now, what should the man do?
Should be let his father's sacred mem
ory ite trampuM in the mud. let his
duty go by default mid save"
"It would be an awful rcspoiiHlblllly
to decide such a question." said Mrs.
Bennett, with n little shudder, "but
there could bo only one reply."
"And that Is?"
"He nniHt do bis duty, be the results
what thny may."
, "You really think so?"
"There cau bo no doubt. Bight Is
right and"
"It shall bo us you say,1
Alwyn,
"What?" queried Mrs. Bennett, star
tled ut the despair In his voice, "Do
you mean It Is nn actual case? Some
friend of yours, perlntps?"
Bennett nodded,
"Oh, the poor, poor fellow!" sho sym
pathised. "What n terrible position
for him! It was he, perhaps, that 1
heard talking to you In her Just now,
No wonder ho seemed excited! The
sins of the fathers shall be visited upon
the children even unto the"
"It Is something less hard ou the
children thnu on the wives," mused
Bennett, half to himself.
"The wives? Your friend has n
mother living? That makes It doubly
hard. Oh, my son, every day I thank
God In nil humility that my husband
lived so blameless a life nud left so
honored n name! How grateful you
and I Itoth ought to be for"-
"lt Is easy enough to decide for some
one you have never seen," retorted
Bennett almost rudely, "but suppose
the dishonest man lu my story had
Uhu father and"
"I refuse to suppose anything of the
sort!" Interrupted his mother Indig
nantly, rising to her feet. "I wonder
that you can speak so! How can you
suggest so horrible a thing?"
"Just a thoughtless, tactless speech
of mine. That's all." lied Alwyu. "It's
very lute. Y'oii'll have a headache, I'm
afrnld. Won't you go to bed?"
"Yes. It Is late, nud I'm keeping you
up. Good night, dear. I wish your
frlend"-
Sho checked herself suddenly, with n
little gssp. Bennett, glancing up to
groaneu . W1,,ng,
. ..I......... .i i.. 1 1 i i i w
,H mieuie umnuui m n niii-iinu
fell over the room, Alwyu dnrod not
look nt his mother, At Inst she pok;
"I must know more. I refuse to be
lieve one word. You spoke of proof.
What me they?"
Without a word, llennutt hftiided her
the report lert by Horrlgnii. Vot i
time silence brooded over the study,
broken only by the occasional turning
of u pane of the report. Then, nfter
what seemed to Alwyn nn eternity of
the document slid to the
floor, Bennett
glnneed nt his
mother. She
w n standing
rigid, her face
cold nud hard
ns grinlte.
"Horrigan hat
ferreted t b I i
out," ht said,
not daring to
draw near or
or proffer tfotn
fort to the wo
man whom the
boss' disclosure
had turned to
stone. "lie bai
e c u r d the
proofs ii ud says he will publish them
broadcast unless I withdraw my oppo
sition In (lie Borough franchise mat
ter. If 1 let that bill pass, Friday be
will burn the report, nud"
"There Is only one thing to do," la
torposed the mother, speaking with
slow decision, her voice as cold and
colorless ns her face. "Itlght must pro
Tall no matter whst"-
"Mother!" cried Alwyn, trembling.
"You advise me to You ndvlso me"
"I do not advise, I command. Do
right!"
t'l'u be continued).
" do not dilefw,
eommdmi. Ihrlght!"
If you will make inquiry it will be
a revelation to you how many suc
cumb to kidney or bladder troublei
in one form or another. If the patient
U not beyond medical aid, Foley's
Ktdney Cure will cure It never disappoints.
Cynthia Garrison.
her, saw that ber eyes were riveted on
a bit of pasteboard lying on the corner
of his desk directly beneath tbe read
ing lamp.
It was Horrigan's card.
Slowly the mother's gaze shifted
from the card to ber son. From her
face the color had been crushed by
some swift emotion that left It very
old, pale and sunken.
"Mr. Horrigan!" she murmured. "It
was he who was your visitor tonight?
Surely he Isn't the sort of a man to
uro about his miner's reputation for
honesty. Ho"
"You're tired, mother," Interrupted
Bennett in haste. "Won't you"
"Wult!" she panted. "His visit here-
Alwyn!" her voice rising to a wall of
panic stricken appeal. "Did-dld that
man dare to hint anything against
vour father? Tell me the truth! I
have a right to know. Did he?"
Alwyn bowed his head In sllenco.
"Tell me what be said!"
"He aid," muttered Bennett, almost
Incoherently, "he said my father made
bis fortune by graft!"
"And you thrashed him and threw
him out of the house?" she cried, her
old eyes ablaze.
"No."
"Alwyn!"
"He be proved what be said!"
"It Is a Ue! A wicked, abominable
He!"
"It is the truth, mother. Would I
oave told you such a thing-would
Horrigan have left this room alive If
It were not true?'"
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