WGEXK DAILY GUARD, FRIDAY. JU,V
:t, 1IHIN
I - o;V- -p
do the cor
a. A into the
.ll nlMlMl TO "
.... ft 19
f V-w, t hear any
" T,; the bat.
rr.. or. L an', that
j ,h. .Merman's bluff
P1 " , .hall he
IZmH Be also told
U, ibgrt before be an
Knit can one think
r. jiiu himself at tbe
f BUI"""
Ut friends!"
Lfcrrr. "that's a terrible
Uilti tie original man
ra ifnM. I won""
nntr lie clothes of such
rl!HiniH.
pot't Joke about It!"
"Ji "CU t JOU see UK mill-
tajmi We shall be
:il dependent on"-
M not, sister miner de-
5j o his best meloarauiiiui:
fiopers. sayest tnout mr
Litle Brother Perry will
L from toe cold, shivery
!, tinirj Kind. Maybe we
M or start a fight ciuu
ibeorsei Jarred by his flip-
on don't understand. I"
ill story of his honor's sell-
itat and matin' a pile of
L on teto." put In Phelnn
Tarried. "Horrlgan's looked
.(enoieb facts to make blm
tin prate It He's goln' to
im tell the whole story to
bn tonight It's a lie, of
Itll hurt his honor a lot,
oat o( it Is Bennett refuses
flint thanks to Alwyn.
an torus!" gasped Dallas
Bat why didn't vou tell
W you let me misjudge
P Promise not to let you
us wu it, ana
"JWer." broke In Plioin
Mcltement, "you come
ns with me into the older
I'll have you get up
what you know. It'll
William,' and Ilorri-
it'll forget to hit groun'
' on. son! Thon.'.
fjwh's lathe meeUn' in
- muoi tome along,..
"HitTEK XVI
R fcft alone la Horrl
PJ,llrltateroom. ...
klngaoe
K" W brother .nJ nv.
fcm parching for H0r.
the , , S1"' tIlcn
" comm tt ... . .
rumb.U'- A"d
r er. it WM
'fcw f.m 10 lnllu-
;1i.i;'lllae to move ,
'-"'roue cr
loe corridor
bitter
reverk'.
bet ..."'""nit that
,"rriSati-a
" ' ' th ..II...
". Tk : '"'J"in-
mewtig,a
U - US
&' h,,, left ajar the door two pWik t0 you for ttio last tiiy --
,1.1. nlwl nnt U'lHhlllf?
rooms. KeunziuK "" - suopeu mo uosperute mnn
to be seen, Dallas shrank back toward his drawn face turning positively yei
the wall, fearful of detection. Then low. "You were-you-you heard?"
Ihe voice of one of tbe speakers aud- , "Mr. Bennett just now called you
denly arrested her notice. 'the foulest eur In all the world,' " said
Well." Bennett was saying In no es- Dallas, her voice scarcely louder tbau
peclallv civil toues, "you suld you wish- a whisper, yet every syllulile stlngikg
ed to siwak to me In private. What as a whiplash. "He put It too mildly."
have you to say? Be brief, for I am i "But. sweethcart"
busy:" I " 'MlBS WnlnwrlKht.' please. 1 heard
Finding herself the unwilling witness you offer to sell uie to him In exchange
to what promised to be a confidential for his conscience. If my own brother
talk, Dallas stole toward tbe door lead- had told me such a thing I would not
tag 'to tbe corridor, but Horrlgan. as have believed blm, but I myself heard
was his custom, nau iockcti u i k""k
out. She dared not euter alone the
crowded anteroom in her present state,
so hesitatingly she paused, forced to
remain where she was," The sound' of
another voice chained her to the spot,
and, unconscious of eavesdropping, she
stood spellbound, hearing every word
distinctly through the half open door-
way. Inerni you nan my eyes ueen opened
"I I hardly know how to begin," j fn time. I"
Olbbs was replying to Bennett's curt "Dallas," groaned GIbbs. "for heav
demand. "It Is a delicate subject en's sake don't look at me like that!
and" 1 1 can't bear it! I love you! And I"
"Then the sooner it is treated to open
air the better. Is"
"You've won the Borough bill fight,"
began Glbbs. .
"Is that all you have to say to me?"
"No. You've won, but you've lost far
more. You'Te lost Dallas Walnwrignt"
"I hardly need to be reminded of
that," retorted Bennett, "and It la a
subject I don't care to discuss."
"But listen." pleaded GIbbs as the
mayor made n move as though to leave
the room. "One minute! I say you've
won the Borough fight. I've won Dal
las. Can't we"
"Well, what?" asked Bennett, with
ominous quiet as he paused in his de
parture. "Can't we strike some sort of bar
gain?" said GIbbs tentatively. i
"Explain, please." ordered Bennett, I
with tbat same deceptive calm.
"Why," went on GIbbs, emboldened
at tbe other's seeming complacence,
"suppose you give up this Borough
fight and I give up Dallas? I won her
by a trick. She doesnt really love me.
ehr remarked Perry. I ner pnae, not ncr neart, tnat maae
Jo some talking about It. her throw you over and accept me. It
fncture i promise I made I " you she loves, and I've known it all
I pess It's worth while." "long, and you are In love with her."
m meur queried Dallas "What then?"
"Just this," returned Glbbs, wonder-
Bennett lent me the money ln8 at Bennett's quiet reception of the
: stock short to make un "range offer. "She will marry me be-
L's and I would lose If the eause 8ne lsn't the sort of girl to go
aiM. tnd he gave me a back on her promise, especially since
in broker. We carried It 8ne l03 ou me as ' 80rt or high mind-
si now you and I stand pat ed martyr to your oppression, so If I
.;oerer way the rat Jumps. nola ner lo ner word she will not DacK
uown. row, ir you, even now, witn
draw your opposition the Borough bill
will go through.
Let It go
through and I
will break uiy
engagement to
Dallas Wain
w r 1 g h t and
leave her free
to marry you."
"You promise
that?"
"Yes!" cried
Glbbs.elatcd. "I
promise ou my
word of honor!
Is It a bar
gain?" "Glbbs," r e
plied Alwyn
slowly, "I didn't
think there was
so foul a cur us
"Olbbs, didn't think
there mta to find n
cur at you In all the
viorld."
you In all the
world. I thought I understood how ut
terly rotten you were, but I didn't be
lieve there was a man living who could
debase himself as you've JUBt done."
"But"- began Gfbbs, In bewilder
ment "Now you'll listen to me for a mo
ment," cut in Bennett, silencing the in
terruption. "You say I'm In love with
Was Walnwrlght It Is true. I love
ner In a way a dog like you could never
understand if he tried for a lifetime.
I a give my lire for one word of love
from her. but I'd sooner go forever
without that word than win it by a
prove me
fe lL7, ?o .serve It.
e as a
bus ho. . , """w. ana I won't trv tn hue n-hn
"' WI Ilfr Shan. i " "'
,ee"8s he won't
.wtntLjo, ..hll ... um' , ner as you yourself nre "
kta" I S !v2!I,ake the ronff view of It-
I ee this much: I'll have to speak
nlnlnnn '
;Mii' L. uernd ami Bet my v,cw ot 'be case Into
W-.r..ll"lll befor. k. t0 me or come where I am. for
confe.wH . t ' .k . '-"wind time won. than
H 'B Mil Th,t' ''"
l tofolr" ' . "IT1' tninin wrath arltk
b!B. UJ forgive. , mighty effort ,.! t ,..i
'ro-le off into the corridor, lenvlns
, "', s'arlng after him In dumb, Im
potent liesimir.
When the broker had recovered hliu-
sntliclently U start from thern.nn
, w'"lnwrlght stood before Mm.,
1'iirrlnir tho i.
ii, ' hit nice was nwi
.r rtnrk ,,5'e, Ebii7;-
. nnmiunndcd. "I must
"T., I 1.... l 1 .,. . ,
h. mm unm m spieninu answer.
"But, you know. I was Joking:
That
It was Just a trick to"-
"Just such a trick that made me
promise ta.be your wife? Yes, but
this time you hnd to do with a man
n man In a million not with a poor,
credulous little Idiot like me. And he
nnswered you as I should have an-
And I in my criminal folly prom-
The fniietitlropper.
lsed to marry jou!" she stormed. "I
let you kiss me. My lips arc degraded
forever by that touch ot yours. I let
you speak words of love to me. I broke
j a brave mnu's heart for your worthless
I sake. Oh, the shame the' horrible
shame of it all! But t shall thank God
on my bended knees that 1 have found
out the truth before It was too late."
"Too late?" he echoed In horror, his
voice rising almost to a scream. "Dal
las, you're not
going to throw
inu over? You
aren't"
"Scott Glbbs,"
she answered
quietly, a world
of wondering
scorn In her
level tones, "you
do not even
know how vile
a thing you are.
Now leave me,
please. Your
presence sick
ens uie."
He tried to
sieak.but some
thing of the In
effable con-
"yow leave mc, please, tempt In her
I'our irccnas (- HtPu.ly eyes si
en me." lenced blm.
Without a word he slunk out of the
room and out of her life.
I'helau, agog with eagerness for the
coming struggle In the aldennnnic
chamber, bustled past through the cor
ridor. The alderman had many duties
today, and as the performance of each
brouglit blm nearer to his longed for
revenge on Horrlgau he was positively
beaming with righteous bliss. Dallus
caught sight of him.
"Alderman!" she called fulntly.
I'helan halted, still in baste to fulfill
his mission.
"Could-could I see Mr. Bennett?"
sbe asked, a new timidity transforming
her rich voice. "Do you know where I
can find him?"
"Is It important? He's pretty busy."
"Very Important she pleaded. "I
must see him at once."
"I'll. l'k blm up." agreed Phclsa,
"trat I warn you he'a tun busy to sea
you Just yet. 8'pnse yon let me takt
you luck to the meetio'7 ur bill
coniln' up in a few minutes now, an'
vou don't w ant to tn Ins It. Th"n I'll
"scare up his honor for you as soon as
he's got a spare minute an' bring you
bark here to him. Sorry to keep you
waltln'," he went
as they started
P.
tnunril the round chamber,
"but be-
fore this session's over all sorts of
thiiiss Is ,!e to explode, an' we ain't
111 oesuniin' of 1
nieiit jet. We're golu' to
excite-
make
, : ' "-'emiiuon va a giant
, powder fart'ry look like a d, at mute
,u"'ral by the time we're done"
I
! 'UAITKIt XVII.
r iiiiri n ,,r int,- ....t .i ..
"TT K'S lii there!" observe.) ho-
I I lull 111 high ejcil.-iilellt. Jerk-
I I l:ig his thumb toward a door
leading off the euinmittee
room, ,.vu St.nt fop vaiTii;tit
an Horrlgau to meet your honor here.
An' I've lixed it so the Borough bill
won't come up lor ten minutes. Now
nil that's left Is to touch the punk to
the fuse an' set off the whole giddy
bunch of fireworks under 'em. Dee,
but it's good to 'a' stuck to this old
world Just for the sake of U'lu' here
today an' seeln' what I'm due to see'."
The alderman chuckled, but his Joy
ous anticipation found no reflection in
Bennett's white set face. The two were
In the committee room, whither I'he
lan had repaired after depositing Dal
las In a chair beside her brother at the
meeting and attending to one or two
details of greater Import.
"Yes," went on I'helan. aguln nod
ding mysteriously toward the farther
door, "he's In there, trained to the
minute for the blowout. There's some
one else wants to see you, too some
one who'll make more of a bit with
you If I'm not overplayln' my hand,.
But good news can wait. There's so
little of It In this measly life that It
gen'rally has to. I"
From the corridor Horrlgan stamped
Into the committee room, Walnwrlght
at his heels.
"Well!" cried the boss deflantly, glar
ing at Bennett and Ignoring Phelan.
"You seut for us. What do you want?"
"One moment!" Intervcued Waln
wrlght. "We are beaten. We admit
that without argument. So we need
waste no time going over details."
"Have you sent for us to say what
you'll sell out for?" queried Horrlgau
coarsely, "because If you have you've
only to name your price. You've got
us where you want us. We've got to
pay." ,
"I should have thought," replied Ben
nett, with no shade of offense, "you
would know by this time that I have
no 'price.' "
"Then what do. you want?"
"Nothing from you."
"Why did you send word you wanted
to see us?" growled Horrlgan impa
tiently as he and Walnwrlght, unin
vited, seated themselves at the table.
"To tell you," answered Alwyn,
glancing from one to tbe other, "that
every step you two have taken In this
whole Infamous transaction from tbe
very first has been carefully followed,
and, to use your own phrase, we've got
you with the goods!"
"Same old bluff!" commented Horrl
gan contemptuously, with' a reassuring
wink at the somewhat less confident
Walnwrtght.
"By tomorrow noon," resumed Ben
nett' "you will both be Indicted on a
charge of bribery. Even now there are
detectives on the watch for you. Es
cape Is Impossible."
"Rot!" sneered Horrlgan. "You've
no evidence that will Indict, and you
know It. Even If you bad. don't I con
trol most of tbe Judges and tbe district
attorney's office besides? Swell chance
you'll have of getting a conviction past
that bunch! Bah! You talk like a man
made ot mud. I s'pose it's the affair
of those Roberts notes you're counting
on. That don't feaie me any. My
lawyer can twist that around so It'll
look like a charity gift. No, uo,
youngster. You'll have to think of
something better If"
"And, anyhow," put In Walnwrlght
nervously, "you can't provo any con
nection on my part There's nothing
against me or"
"I think there Is," retorted Bennett,
wheeling about on the llm.icier. "And
even if I can't nail the Roberts brib
ery to you I've plenty more counts to
hold you on."
"All these generalities and vague ac
cusations prove nothing. Bennett," an
swered Walnwrlght. drawing courage
from Horrlgan's colossal calm and
speaking with more assurance. "Mr.
.orrlgan and I are not schoolboys to
lie Bcnred by baseless thrents. This Is
all guesswork on your part Come,
now, name one specific charge you can
prove."
"One will be enough to convince
you?" asked Alwyn. "Well, then, how
aliout this as a first guess? Mr. Hor
rlgan's bribe of I'J.tMKl.OOO In money
and 2.1.000 shares of Borough stock for
agreeing to put through the Borough
franchise? Kor 'guesswork' that doesn't
seem to me very bad."
Walnwrlght's hard mask of a face
twitched convulsively, but the steady
brain thnt had carried him unshaken
through a thousand risky financial
deals enme at once to his rescue.
"An excellent guess." bo agreed lu
splendidly feigned amusement, "but
unfortunately the courts demand proof
before convicting a mun, aud there is
no proof whatever of"
"Are you sure?" queried Bennett.
Turning to I'helan, he added:
"Please ask Mr. Thompson to come
In."
The alderman, with an expansive
,-rln. flung open the door of the farther
-oom.
At sound of his secretary's name
Walnwrlht had sprung to his feet and,
Jouif-ynded, was leaning heavily on
tbe tabl. atarlng amiss the threshold
A fha suddenly opened door.
Th.re. framed In the dark doorway,
ois face deathly pale. Ids eyes glowing
with a strange light ns murder,
tol fvnthla's brother.
His presenc e In the city hall was no
nere rhnnc.-. but the climax of a series
f conferences Ictw.-rii Bennett. I hs
ian and himself, dailng from the night
f the administration ball. when, do
...lie his own resolve, the secretary a
hand had ben forced by the luqulsl-
live alderman and h: ideiiii.v
veale.l.
lteui'.ett had been let into the
TOt
next day. and the trio had In I a throe
hoar talk from whh li l'hel::n bad
emerged with the g'eetnl air !' oar
who had unexpectedly f.;m. I a si. i
bill. Thompson, too. had left iImi i,,.i
ference with a look of calm, intense
ailsfaciion that transfigured him
uiher conversations had loll.iwod
one of them in the presence of n.i:a.v.
stenographer and lawyers. The trap
at last was ready to be sprung
The financier for the tilst time In his
nine year close association with tin
secretary met the younger man's ga.e
without seeing the hitter droop In def
erentlul submission. .Now he received
back look for look from his former iilv
Ject slave, and It was his own glance
that wavered before that concentrated
glare of hate.
"Thompson.'' he cried, and his voice
bore a world of Incredulous reproach.
Before blm stood the one man on
earth In whom Walnwrlght hail ever
placed Implicit trust; to whom he had
eonflded bis gravest business secrets;
the man whom he had so shrewdly
tested In countless ways and who had
proved Btanchly Incorruptible and loy
al, and now Thompson apparently coil-
fronted him In the role of traitor of
exultant spy.
"Thompson!" he exclaimed once
mora, almost with a groan, as the sec
retary advanced into the room until
only the width of the table separated
employer and employee.
Then the newcomer spoke for the
first time, in an oddly muffled voice, as
though lighting desperately for self re
straint.
No!" he contradicted. " Thompson'
Ao longer. Henceforth I am Garrison."
Walnwrlght's face grow gray. Breath
less, unbelieving, he peered across at
the pallid features of his new foe. trac
ing In them the likeness to the old
friend whose ruin and death he had
caused. The haunting resemblance that
had Often vaguely occurred to him
when wtjtchlng Thompson at work now
returned In double force. But now, as
In a flash, It was explained, and he
knew that his secretary spoke tbo
truth.
"Yes," went on Thmpnon In that
same choked, struggling Intonation, "I
am Harry Garrison. You wrecked my
father's life. You drove him to suicide.
You blasted his meuiwry. You beg
gared bis children. I am bis son Har
ry Garrison. Now do you begin to
understand?" ' .
"You see, Mr. Walnwrlght," Inter
vened Bennett us the secretary's pent
up rage strangled tbe words in his
throat, "my ..guesswork has a fairly re
liable backing."
But Walnwrlght did not hear. He
still stared, as one hypnotized, into the
blazing eyes of the man he bad trusted.
"You've you've played me false!" ho
managed to gasp at length. "You
have"
"Sure he has!" cut In Horrlgan.
"What'd I tell you last summer. Waln
wrlght? I said then you were foolish
to trust hlni'so. ' T said he'd stand
watching. Tbe. minute I set eyes on
that lantern Jawed, glum face of his"
"Played me false!" muttered Waln
wrlght ngalu. dazed and doubting the
evidence of Ills own senses.
"Played you false?" Jeered Thomp
son. "Played you false? Why else
did I become your servant? What else
have I been wal ing all these horrible
years for? I've snt at your desk and
listened to your orders, never venturing
to say my soul wus my own. Now
you'll listen to me."
"Why do you bother with the llttlo
traitor, Walnwrlght?" scoffed Horrlgan.
Hut the riiinnelcr was standing mo
tionless, leaning on the table, his fin
gers spasmodically gripping Its edge till
the knuckles grew white. Ridiculously
like a cowed prisoner belre the bar of
Justice, he faced his liery eyed young
Judge.
"They sent for me," went on Thomp
son brokenly. Jerkily, scarce Intelligi
ble as the suppressed hatred of a dec
ade battled for expression. "They sent
for me. My father bad killed himself.
My mother lay dead, strtick down by
grief. Our honored old name was de
filed. My sister was a pauper. Who
had done all this? You! Oh. they
hushed It up,
but I found It
out! I found It
out! And by my
murdered fa
ther's body I
knelt and swore
I'd pny you for
It. I'd pay you
If It cost me my
life. I would
ruin you Inns me
aud fortune, as
you ruined my
father, and then
"And then I'd km I'd kill you, as ,
you, ns Ion killed you killed him! I
my father." I'd" I
With an effort that left blm haggard j
and trembling. Thompson forced him
self to calmer speech and continued;
"1 answered your advertisement for
a secretary. I had no experience, yet
out of ninety applicants you chose me.
That was fate. I knew then that one
day 1 should have you at my feet, as
now I hate. Kate fought for me. I
made myself necessary for you. I
olieyed your hardest orders. I found
outlays to lease you. I fetched and
carried for you. I ran to anticipate ,
your lightest wish, as though I as
your adoring son. It was 'I hoie !
you're satisfied, sir,' and 'Let me do I
that for you. sir.' and 'I am glad to
work overtlnP for you, sir, any time
you wish.' while every minute I had to ,
fight hard to keep from striking you
dead !" I
"I must go!" groaned Walnwrlght. j
shuddering. "I can't stand this. I" j
"filirsl made you think me a para-
gonrrejii
-rekunifd the youth. "Vou took
Harry tfnrriaon.
to testing uiy iiouosty aud loyalty In
clever ways that you thought I'd never
discover. I stood the tests. Then you
trusted me. You fool! As If the fact
that I wasn't a crook proved I wasn't
yo.ur,enniy!i; ,You could see no farther
than dollars and cents. When I didn't
steal those or sell the market tips you
gave me you thought I was Incorrupti
ble and devoted to your Interests. Aud
all tbe time I"
"You were listening at the keyhole
that day last summer," broke In Hor
rlgan, "the time 1 pulled the office door
open, and"
"Then and always," answered Thomp
son, "and," he added, his cyea return
ing to Walnwrlght's, "I copied every
confidential telegram or letter you sent
I took down In shorthand every private
interview of yours. I tracked the
checks that completed your deals, and
when they came back from the vaults
ns vouchers I stole them. I've got
proofs, I tell you proofs of evory
crooked transaction you have dabbled
In for nine years. I've secured proofs
of every step In this borough franchise
bribery, and I've turned them nil over
to the mayor here. That evidence will
send you to state prlaoul To state
prison, I tell you! To a cell, with
cropped hair and striped suit! I'll send
you to prison, where you'll break your
heart and? be branded forever aa a
convict! And when your term Is up
I'll be waiting for you, and I'll kill
you! Do you hear me, you foul crim
inal?" ho shouted, screaming hyster
ically and foaming at the mouth lu his
abandonment of Insane fury. "I'm go
ing to kill you! To kill you!"
CHAPTER XVIII
NDER the maniac fury that
blazed from Thompson' eyea
Walnwrlght shrank back In
panic dread, .
"lie's he's mad!" cried tbe financier.
Don't let him at me!"
For Thompson seemed about to burl
himself on bis foe.
"Go easy, son," adjured Pbelan, lay
ing a restraining band on the secre
tary's shoulder.
Tbo latter, recalled to himself by tbo
pressure, relaxed hla tense, menacing
attitude and, with hysterical revulsion
of feeling, sank Into a chair, burying
his face in hla arms on the table befor
him. ,.n
"Nine horrible years!" ho sobbed bro
kenly. "Nino awful years of slavery,
of debasement! Watching, hating,
longing to crush lilm. and, oh, the time
has come, thank God! Thank God!"
"Yon'ro all In, lad!" muttered Phe
lan, passing an arm aliout the shaking
youth aud lifting him to his feet.
"Come wllh me. I'll send out and get
you a bracer."
Thompson, exhausted by his emo
tions, obeyed mechanically, but at the
farther door paused for n moment and
again fixed his wild, bloodshot eyes oil
Walnwrlght's haggard face.
"Remember," he threatDned, his
voice dead and expressionless. "When
you get out of Jail I'll be waiting for
you. And aa sure as God's Justice lives
I'll kill you as I'd kill a dog! Nine
years waiting and I'll murder you ns
you murdered my"
Phelan had forced him over the
threshold, and the slamming of the
door behind tho two seemed to break
the strangu spell that had fallen on all.
Walnwrlght straightened himself,
glanced fearfully alKiut, tried to re
gain his shaken composure and opened
his mouth to spirak. But the hurried
entrance of Williams prevented blm.
"Mr. Ilorgan," gasped the excited
uewcomer. I've lieen looking every
where for you!"
"What's wrong now?" snapped the
boss. "Has"
"The Borough bill's come up at last
and" i
"Tho gallery crowd's rough housing
the place? Then"
"No. they're quiet as death; too quiet
And they have long ropes, and they're
stringing them over the"
"Call In the police, then!" ordered
Horrlgun. "Sow's tho tlmo for them."
"I don't dare," protested Williams.
"Those men In the gallery are desper
ate. They're dangerous. If"
"The police?" interrupted Bennett
sharply. "What are you talking
about?"
"My orders!" roturrd Horrlgan. "I
sent for them. Tell them to"
"Don't do It!" commanded Bennett In
anger.
"Do as I say, Wllllnnis
counter
inanded Ilorrlgnn. "Have them tn
and"
"I'helan." Interposed Bennett as the
alderman, having left Thump' lit oth
er hands, .nine Into the room, "go to
the sergeant In charge of the police
Mr. Horrlgau sent for. Tell lilm I say
he tjiust keep his men where they are
and take no orders except from me.
Understand?"
"1 sure do!" grinned Phelan. with a
delighted grin at the wrathful llorri
gan. "An' I'll see they"
"You need not trouble!" croaked
Vaiu right, his throat dry and di
stricted with fear. "The bill Is with
draw n!"
"That goes!'
"Do you he;
L'orroborated Horrlgan.
that. Williams? Mr.
Wainw right
withdraws the lioroug'n
bill. Attend to It ill a rush.
man. Never
mind about the police."
"Well, Friend Horrlgan," blandly ob
served l'hel.in as Williams hastened
out, "I told you I'd cross two sticks of
dynamite under you some day. Like
wise I done it."
"What had you to"
"To do with siuushln' yon? Only that
I put his honor on to the bill lu tho
first place an' then sicked him on to
Roberts an' discovered Thompson an'
turned him over to Mr. Bennett. That's
about all. But 1 guess it's enough to
make your p'lltlcnl career feel like it
hud a long line of carriages drlvlu' slow
behind It. Chesty Dick, my old chum!"
Horrlgan had turned his back on bra
victorious tormentor and was facing
the mayor.
"Bennett." said he, "you forget I'va
still got that report about your father,
and"
"Tomorrow's paper will publish It
supplemented Alwyn.
' "No, they won't" contradicted Hor
rlgan. "That would be bad politics.
The report will hold over till"
You're mistaken," Interrupted Ben
nett calmly. "I'vo sent a copy of that
report today to every paper in tbe city
and have accompanied It with a state
ment that I shall make good to tha
city treasury every penny overcharged
In the library and aqueduct contracts.
So"
Horrlgan was staring at him opera
mouthed.
"Bennett," he muttered In genuine)
wonderment, "I don't know whother
you're the craziest fool or tbe cleverest
politician In the stute."
"Your honor." humbly pleaded Waln
wrlght, who for several minutes had
been trying in vain to draw Bennett
aside for a prlvato word, "I am an old
man. Is there no way of of showing
mo mercy In my"
"Yes," retorted Alwyn. "You shall
receive exactly the snmo mercy you
hnvc always shown to your own finan
cial enemies no more, no less."
"Oh, cut out the whine, Waln
wrlght!" sneered Horrlgan In high con
tempt as he linked his arm tn tbo
broken financier's and hauled hi in
roughly from the room. "What's hap
pened to your nerve? Y'ou're almost
as bad as Glbbs. Y'ou're still rich, and
as long as you've got plenty of cash no
law In America need ever bother yoa.
There's lots of talk about Indictments,
and arrests, and investigations, and
prosecutions, and all that sort of rot
But I dou't see any millionaires going
to Jail. Come on across to my law
yer's." The boss and financier departed with
out a backward look, leaving Phelan
and Bennett alone on the late scene oC,
battle.
"Say. your honor." observed the al
derman slyly, "thcro'a one very Impor
tant engagement you've clean forgot
Sit right where you are a minute, an ..
I'll send the party In here and see that
nobody butts In on you till you want
'em to. Ob. but we didn't do ai thing
to Horrlgan! He'll have to watcta
which way his toes point tc see wheth
er bo's gulu' or cotuln'!' .. max .
The alilerinau sped ou his mission,
leaving AJwyn seuted alone, dejected,
miserable, In tho deserted cummlttco
rooip.
Now that tVe crisis was past bis
heart was strangely heavy. He had
won. But at what cost? At tho loss of
all he held dear.
Alwyn Bennett knew, too, that tho
real fight was but Just begun u fight
that had waged since tho world began
and must last to Judgment day the
hopeless, uphill battle of decency
against evil, of honesty against graft
Horrlgan's sneering words, "I don't
sec uuy millionaires going to Jail,"
stuck disagreeably In the young may
or's memory. Their brutal, bald truth
Jarred on hla be
lief In the Inevi
table triumph of
good. After all.
was the dreary,
self sncrlMcing:
battle against an.
unconquerable'
foe worth whiles
Could the great
god graft ever
lie checked lis
his mastery of
tho earth? If
A r u a 1 1 e of
s k 1 r t a startled
Alwyn from his
dark thoughts.
"Dallas!" he
cried, unbeliev
ing, aa he sprang:
to his feet half
arlflVTiixl of tint
"Hove you raU.wtmatoM Wlt
that transformed her face.
Slowly she came toward blm, her
glorious dark eyes on hla, her white
hands outstretched tn Irresistible ap
peal. At last itkM spoke.
"I love you!" saw said.
I IHD.
'
.Next Week Begins
"J.IVK r.l!l,K."
;. Itll A' MrCtllrlieon's
emu sMbil Nlorv.
Wnt.li for Hie First Chapter
ill The GiiiiiA Net Week
O A. H T O SX i -ex. .
3
o