left the company of Mayor Morrison on the arrival of the twain at the Corson mansion; and Mr. Blanchard

ed fool been stirring

Blanchard safely to

ard somethin

n the 'phone a

calle

of our fund to have Morrison shadowed. I suppose the reason you went along was to

enly why he did accompan

bbyist and lawyer. "I want to have Senator Corson fully informed on the point and it will co

ly say that he was inflaming

must smash Morrison's credit in every direction. I didn't realize till to-day that he is out to blow

He's c

! But they can't do anything sensible with it, any more

awyers go to work in a different way than we do in business. But as I have read the propag

s to Morrison this very day-and looked him right in that canny Sco

ing what you do?" inquired the business man, with a

l ramrod means what

ord-and if you're obliged to step up and honor the draft

der in this water-power proposition. I've been telling all you power-owners so! We'll have to admit it, Blanchard! The time is played out when you can drive the people i

speaux. I'm apt to be pretty dull

tractable in politics, consistently on the side of vested interests and right on the job to see to it that the state keeps its contracts with capital. I propose to be something of a shepherd and lead the people to the public utilities crib! And I'm going to show folks that they'll be eating poison-ivy out of the Morrison crib-even if I have to put the poison-ivy in there myself. This is no time to be squeamish, Blanchard! You've got to do your pa

such conclusions, I suppose

ercy! Just look at it this way! Talk it this way! He's turning on his own, if he does what he threatens! He played the sneak, he, a mill-owner, getting on to that commission! And he proposes to shove in a report that will smother development by outside capital. Play up the reason for

a contingent fee of fifty thousand dollars at stake; as it was, I got only a little old regular lobby fee and my expense money. And the power hasn't been developed by the infernal, dear, protected people, has it?" he s

king a mere power station of our own state, and

e got yours! Give the outsiders a show! It's all snarled up together, Blanchard, and you've got to kill him and his crowd and their whole mushy, socialistic scheme and eliminate him from the proposition. Then

chard was displaying

is attention was suddenly diverted from his companion; then Despea

Corson when she appeared with her house guest. The a

o easily that it may make us smile. I've been keeping my eyes open, Blanchard-ears, too! Did you see Morrison rush to the Senator's daughter? A fellow can work himself into a terrible state of worry over the dear, unprotecte

g a poet or relishing poetry or the way

per in a certain mess of Scotch broth that has been heated up all over again, if I'm any guesser. That girl has been living in Washington, Blanchard. It's a great school! I've been watching her shake hands. You saw her just now when she shook with our friend, th

is beneath Senator Cor

y square with the crowd I take money from, so long's I'm with 'em. The fee makes me yours to command, heart and soul! There's something-some one thing-that can control every man, according to his tastes. Stewart Morrison can be controlled right now by that black-eyed Corson girl more effectually than he can by any other person or consideration on God's earth. I've known him ever since he was a boy-I have watched the th

aux again gave close attention to the tableau on the

us say, and marched down again Despeaux grunted his satisfac

ndation from the lawyer. "He's being pulled into camp smoothly and scientifically, Blanchard!

I ever saw him make up a face when

son's mouth, and Corson is hep to the right play. I don't think the Senator needs any advice from us, but a little of the proper kind of information about Morrison's latest demfoolish

harboring a pretty large-sized grudge of his own in the case of Morri

"You're making Stewart out to be

agged me down to his cursed meeting over my protest and he

realize that he was going so far wrong in his theories. That's the danger in permitting even one unsound doctrine to get into a level-headed chap's apple-basket, gentlemen! First thing you know, it has affected all the fruit. I'm g

peaux that I never saw

son," affirme

the style of him. But in his case sentiment can be guided by sentiment. And all for his best good! He mustn't run wild in this folly! I believe there's no one who can approach him with more tact than my daughter Lana." Despeaux found an opportunity to dig his thumb suggestively into Blanchard's side. "They have been extremely good friends, I believe, in boy-and-girl fashion;

llroom, pausing to chat with thi

g his high pressure by a vigorous exhal

ator! Morrison is making a big mistake an

dship

ve in spoiling my teeth by biting every

not! But let's not argue about that. Let's take a look at the probabilities in regard to the water-power matter-that's of more importance just now. I doubt that even friendship"-he dwelt satirically on the word-"can shut Morrison up on the storage report that he will shove into the legislature. But we're going to have safe committees this ye

ok a peep a

unt has had half an hour for laying down the law to Morriso

nal scrapping spirit by laying down

s Daunt talk profits as a promoter you would reckon just as I'm reckoning, Blanchard-to see our Scotch friend come out of that conference walking like the man who broke the bank at Monte Carlo, inste

or of Marion strode ac

, would have suggested to a particularly observant person that the mayor had broken something. He pushed past those who addressed him and went on toward the ballroom, staring straight ahead; the music was pulsing in the ballroom;

and gazed at the preci

orrison's trail, arri

y Daunt's looks. The banker displayed none of the symptoms of a victor. There was more of choler th

sn't interested in politics and now he seems to have put promoting in the same class. Our hope is tha

d the ballroom Morrison

ion-hall. He was radiantly and boyishly happy. He was clasping the girl tenderly. He directed her steps in a sma

take to think that the price must always be counted down in cash. Daunt didn't act as if he had captured our friend. He'