ere upstickit chiel

ly, that a stranger would have expected a general precip

hing down his fair hair-a gesture that was a part of his individuality; and his smile, while

e drawled a bit when he spoke, covering thus the Scotch hitch-and-go-

Senator Corson, and I br

rule!" mutte

ewart," explained the Senator,

and added, while he tugged the garments on, "So I'll say, informally, I'm precious glad to see

ll last evening. I have some friends with me, Stewart, who have come alo

e hand of the Senator in his big, cordial grip. "And now, being out in th

the father towa

compliments to Miss Corson, even walking right past you, Governor North,

observer. "She's ashamed," was her mental conviction. "Her eyes give her away. She don't look up at him like a girl can look at any man when there's not

g embarrassment with the jaunty

u by word of mouth that your invitation to the reception at our home this evening isn't merely an invitati

e to behave just as politely as he used to behave at other parties of Lana Co

er. "Allow me to make yo

, Ste

ung stranger with frank

ut with no hint of any r

oing to be excellent fr

so muc

ark young man swapped apologies in

interested in water-power," Miss Corson hastened

the sniveling o

d with mere men, the old woman asserted her prerogative. "Out of me way. Con Rellihan, ye omadhaun, that I have chased manny the time out o

off his "duty speech," and with rueful smile

Slattery!" h

ght to give 'em! Niver a wor-rd from me mouth,

ory smile was bestowed by the ma

e day they're going to build the place over and have room for the mayor to transact business without holding callers on his knee. In the mean time, what mayoralty business I

I realize just how Jim has been up against it-again!" He slid something into her hand "Rellihan will speak to the judge!" He passed hastily from person to person, the officer at

I attended to that business

" averred the Senator, out of his own experi

nstead of politics," ret

about politics. Mac Tav

me well. But when

as always, that the Morrison should be set in the right lig

ons to attend to the business of the city as it comes to hand. And busi

in our state on business-business in your line," affirmed the Senator. He put his hand on the arm of the elderly man w

manded Morrison, pursuing a matter of i

yor. We are taking the question up in

me on my tenderes

-power in this state. And this state, in my opinion, has more wo

meanor corroborated his statement as to his te

it up and put it to

of the debt I owe the people of this state by bringing two

must immediately eliminate itself from this atmosphere; otherwise, it may fall into the bearings

countenance. "I hoped it wasn't mere business that brought you-all!"

ects. But"-he glanced around the big room-"now that we're here, and the time will be so crowded after the legislature assembles, why not let Daunt express s

was a pregnant hint as to the Morrison methods.

's newspapers. Several other citizens of Marion, sheep of such prominence that they could not b

the Senator. The frank query in Stewart's eyes had been a bit disconcerting. "But to have matters of business bandied ahead of time by th

libel on my administrat

's damnabl

occasion to bark, was not

k terror. "And now politics goes whirling, too! My, how the ground shakes! Mist

proprietorship in her manner with

n tribulation, failed to remark that he was not receiving undivided attention. "I'm depending o

faced proposition; it seemed more like an arena than a conference-room. Dow and the waiting gentlemen of Mar

with Coventry in the car. We'll be only a moment. At my house this evening it will be a fine opportunity for y

young woman and her escort his close attention and spoke as if h

fer with the mayor-if you really find that there is n

ity where our state Capitol is located, that I expect your full co-operation i

a wider horizon-I can estimate the situation with a better sense of proportion than you can, North,

as not reassur

-you could depend on it in the old days; it's worse in these times when everybody is ready to

his mystified gaze on the Senator and the Governor as if he desired to s

en re-elected to succeed myself, and that ought to be proof that the people are behind me. But I want

iveful for him by banging on mother's dishpan

ency. "On their heads, if they show them! But do I h

the first time in the memory of Miss Bunker, at least, Mac Tavish flushed; the paymaster had been hoping that the laird

ad looked over the Governor's head at the closed door and the lat

hat's impending this n

trouble," insi

books off corpses! There's been that element behind every piece of political hellishness and every strike we've had in this country in the last two years since the Russian bear stood up

ely-not since the November election," said

e-open and compelling, and His Excellency's gaze shifted to Mac Tavish and

They're the only ones w

na

't play the game according to the rules, Morrison! They sit in and draw cards and then beef about the deal

ctly!" the Gov

w that you're in politics for yourself, S

rred the mayor, smiling ingenuously. "At a

the rules!" Senator Corson spoke

orth, nettled by Morrison's hesitancy in jumping in

t as bluntly-but as a business man! I believe that running the affairs of the people on the square is business-it ought to be made good business. Governor North, you're a

and by your own party when it's running the state. You need a

, sir. But I do understand facts and figures. Let's get at facts! Is this trouble you speak of as imminen

that matter with

ed back and forth like a game-and I don't understand games. There has been no more talk of trouble since you and your executive council

ely and decisively

e common talk-and the common talk comes to me like it does to all

keep sore-heads smooth? Is

at I could do business openly in this office. It has served me even though it has no private room. I say nothing agai

canvass returns in exec

I did know I'd probably have, good reason to praise you state managers as good and faithful servants of our people. But the people don't know. You have left 'em to guess. It's their business. It

he mob to riot, to

impractical, Stewart

n a study of a marshal of France. His intrusion, if such it was, was not resented; with his old-school manners and his gentle voice he was the embodiment of apology that demanded acceptance. "Jodrey, you never said a truer w

ator's acrid response. "And the stuff they're putting out i

the mortgage the politicians hold on it; and those radicals who think they're going to own the country right soon, now, believe they can turn the trick overnight by kil

afing his heavy neck against the beaver collar, perceiving that his own projects were only marking

complimenting Daunt with a cheery smil

What say, Governor North?" The metropolitan Mr. Daunt was not disposed to allo

eration that will fetch harmony," adm

arried away by enthusiasm in meeting one of his own kind in business affairs, Daunt grabbed Morrison's hand and pulled the mayor away with him toward the door, assuring him that he was gl

owing along the valleys, roaring down the cliffs, ready to turn the wheels of commerce. On the waters we must put our dependence. They

who hogged the other heritages, grabbed the iron, hooked onto the coal, and have posted themselves at the tap o' the nation's oil-can, will have the White Coal, to

e purpose: he had created a diversion that staved off further political disagreement for the moment. "You must pardon my haste in being off, Mister Mayor. Senator C

Senator tells me that your mill pri

nor hampered the others who have come after us. We use what we need-only that-and let the water flow free-and we're glad to see i

broadest lines! Do you promise m

declared

rt more binding than a written pledge with a notarial seal."

laborated with alacrity; he hustled the Governor toward the door. "We must show Daunt a

"But I reckon I can depend on you to do as much for your party and for law and ord

oo close to politics on Capitol Hill, and he has let it make him nervous. But we'll put festivity ahead of everythi

h in the best. "Hail to you as a peacemaker! We have

the citizens. He went to the front window and gazed at the Corson limousine until it rolled away; La

erfectly free to stand at Stewart's elbow to inspect any object that the

s eyes fixed on the departing car. His demeanor hinted that his thoughts were wholly absorbed by the persons in tha

litics

n, tartly. "What other kind of gossi

r of a man who wanted to wake himself from the abstraction of bothersome visions. "Well, Mister Public Works, how about the last lap of paving

noon today, Your Honor! Grabbed off with

d off f

-blocks from being thrown throug

those men fro

neral. They're H

ntion of a League of Nations army?" inquired the ma

tsir, there, can tell you-Captain Daniel Sweetsir." The public works man

took a l

s trotting toward a closet in one corner. He had the privileges of the office because he was "

or, and was revealed in full uniform of O. D. except for cap and sword. He secured those tw

le and proprietary pride that was struggl

ords that revealed the hopes he had been hiding. His natural cautiousness in his dealings with the master went by the board. "Noo it's yer t

th you, Danny? Hold yourself for a moment on that side of the rail where you're still a man of the mill! I'm afraid of a soldier,

s been ordered to the armory, sir. The adjutant

's am

k questions of a superior officer, sir, or to answer ques

rough th

yed and stood b

of Marion, and the mayor officially asks you wh

Mayor, I refer you to my superior offi

e hand. "That's the talk, Captain Sweetsir! Attend ho

orrison. You have alwa

rything else that had been sane and sensible and regular at St. Ronan's. And the

tewart forwarded Sweetsir with a commendato

son murmured in the old man's ear. "We all seem to have our jobs cut out for us-a

as had the soldier and trudge

old tin soldier up at the State House lay his pa

e board! Have you forgotten, after all that has been happening in this world, that in time of war we

intentions, but I can't

en

sing war material that will be urgently

at, Miste

to be planning an extension of