Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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] Z?he fltbv Mayor i luri on G.I. Braidbwit'i hmwhl The Man of J , The Hour ; I , | By ALBERT PAYSON TERHUNE. Copyright, 1907, by George H. Bro&dhurst. CHAPTER XV. |, WILLIAMS entered with Rob-j 1 erts in tow. The latter wore | a haggard, troubled look, and i ( his natural nervousness had I ^_/*Y''vk?ibly deepened, so much so that he [; f bad not even noted l'helan's appear- I L ance in the corridor as he passed into * Horrigan's private room, fc "Good evening, alderman." said HorA rigan civilly. H "Good evening, sir." answered ItobRlb;:s palpably ill at ease. |Bf "I understand there's a full meeting today. Even Ll.N came hack from the south t? he lic e. You're the only man "I couldn't get here sooner. I"? 0 "I see. That's all. Williams. You i 0 needn't wait. Rol?er:s and 1 want a m little talk ! ? !'. re lie goes in. Now, 1 then." went on the l?oss. with a com plete change of manner as Williams I left the room, "what's the matter with J you?" "I?I can't"? "Can't what? Speak out. man! i , Don't stand there and mumble at me!" "I can't vote for the Borough franchise bill." 1 "Can't, hey?" roared Ilorrigan. "Wliy not?" "Because?because"? faltered Roberts; then, with a rush of hysterical : , emotion that blotted out his fear, he * cried: "Have you heard what that man Bennett has done? He organized a voters' committee in my ward and seut them to ask me at my own house what I was , going to do about that bill. They had been stirred up by Bennett till they looked on me as a crook and on the bill a personal robbery. They told me If I voted for it they'd know I was a dirty thief and grafter and that they'd kick me out of the ward." "Well, well!" rumbled Horrigan soothingly, as though trying to calm a fractious drunkard. "What do you care? When they've forgotten all nh/ui+ hill voii'll still have the dough, won't you? Folks won't ask 'How'd he get it?* All they'll care to know Is 'Has he got it?'" "That isn't all!" Roberts bluudered on, scarcely heeding the interruption. "Bennett's next step was to organize a committee of voters' wives, and they came to see my wife this morning when I was out and told her they'd 1 heard I was going to sell myself and I vote for a dishonest bill. My wife? I my wife thinks I'm the squarest, I j, noblest man on earth. Oh, you needn't < Mr sneer! Her trust mean* everything to 1 Im* me- ?^e told the women I wouldn't < Wm~ stoop to any deed that wasn't honest, i jj' and they answered: *Our husbands believe Mr. Roberts Is a crook. If he is 1 really honest he'll vote against that i bill, as he did before.' Then on my i way home this noon I mat my little boy. He was crying. I asked him i what the matter was. He said that i some boys had told him I was a grafter. I tell yon," his voice rising almost i to a scream, "Bennett's made my life 1 a hell. I'm no crook. I'm honest < and"? "Sore you're honest!" Horrigan ex- 1 5 claimed, as though to a cross child. "Honest as the day! That's why i vou're voting for our bill. Because the I -poked clauses have been cut out of v, and in its present form It's a benefit < the city." l That isn't why I promised to vote for it," contradicted Roberts, with a < despairing dash of courage. "It was i because I?because"? "Never mind why, then, but just go j ahead and do it" < "I won't! I dare not"? \ "You'll do it, I say!" stormed Horrigan. "You can't welch on me at this l stage of the game. Those Sturtevant Trust company notes of yours were i sent to you and"? 1 "And I won't take them!" declared ^ Roberts, slamming two slips of paper { down upon the table. "There! Take them beck!" "What do I want of them?" argued , Horrigan craftily. "They belong to j you." i "They don't. I won't keep them." "You'll have to. 1 keep you to your j promise." j "What promise?" asked a voice be- ( hind them. . Bennett, hastily summoned by The- ( , lan, had entered the room unobserved { bT either of the excited men. ha nclr^H "A TT ua (. ^IVUUiCV UW UkTBVV* promise to"? J "What are ytfu doing here?" bellowed Horrlgan In fury. "You called me ^ i down once for coming into your pri- ^ ^ vate office without knocking. What i & , ; (Tyou mean by coming Into mine?" t "Yours?" queried Alwyn. "I had an Idea It was the city's. The time is { past when the words 'Horrigau' and , fclty* meant the same thing. Well, j Roberts, how are you going to vote? * , ' ; want to believe you honest, and? ] Ljjj^' * "jf, what's all this?" his eyes falling Hfll ,*the forgotten notes on the table. ^Nothing of yours!" shouted HorrlHBgan, making a futile, furious grab for ^ NH^be documents which Alwyn was pick- ^ Ing up. "Drop them! Drop them, I I my. or you'll? ( | "Why should I?" a6ked Bennett calin1 ly, his quick eye taking in the nature I of the slips of paper even as his alert B. .. brain grasped in full the meaning of 8 the transaction in which they figured. K "Do they_belong to you ?^_ "TheyIflon't "belong to you anyway, retorted Horrlgan, "and if you dar read them"? "I've already read them. Roberts, be added in a kinder voice, turning t the shaking alderman, "these were t have been your bribe, weren't they, fo voting for the Rorongh hill?" His quietly compelling tone an glance forced from Roberts a frighten? "Yes" before ilorrigau could Interfere. "I thought so. R?? quiet. Ilorrigaii, he commanded as the infuriated bos sought to speak through his chokin wrath. "This is between Roberts an me. Now. then"? "1 returned the notes to him!'* pleat ed Roberts in panic. "Honestly, I di<! Just before yon cauie in. I could hav kept them, and he couldn't have prt vented me even if I voted against th bill. Rut I'm square and"? "You are square!" affirmed Reunet gripping tlie alderman's cold, mob hand in friendly reassurance. "I knei all along you were honest at hear ilorrigan wanted to brilie you. and yo wouldn't be brilnxl. Now, I want yo to go into the council room and vote a your mauhood tells you to." Roberts, comforted, yet still tren bling, obeyed. nut venturing a seoon look at Horrigau. "Now. my friend." said Benne' pleasantly when lie and the boss wet alone together, "what ate you going t do about it? It seems to me your gam is up." "I want those notes!" panted llorv gan, finding coherent speech with a effort through his reu mist of rage. "Why? They're not yours. The aren't made over to you. and there i no cancellation stamp on them. The ure the property of the Sturtevar Trust company, and I'll send thei back there tomorrow?after I've ha them photographed." "You'll give them to me," shoute Horrigan. his mighty body vibratin with fury, "or you'll never leave tbi room alive!" "You're a fool, Horrigan," rcmarke Bennett. With condescending calm, "fc know the rigt i ^ * b e maddene V / ' I he boss, and s v" f?r a momei tricinn and r?r< vVjUjl^Sr letariat?In th I / 1' /Ti world old strut / //T i 1 8'e of tlie tW I / \ l\ | i for supremacy 17/ \\ \\ L I Horrigan' 1m \MV\M faoe was soai tj let' distortec W m u rderous Bennett's pah y cold, deadly i Then waged the battle its repose. of xrilUs, both men And the standing motlonU ss. waged the bai tie of wills, both men standing tu( tionless, tense, vibrant with dynami force. Slowly, little by little, Uorrigan' pyes dropped. He moved awkwardl to one side from his position in frou af the door aud Bennett, without s much as a backward look, passed out The boss, like a man in a daze, sail heavily into a chair and gazed straigh ahead of him, his usually red fac fray aud pasty. But he was not to enjoy even th scant boon of solitude. From theant< room Gibbs strolled In. "They're going over some unimpoi tant preliminary business," remarke the broker, "so I came ?ut for a breat [>f fresh air. How are things going?' "We're beat/' grunted Horrigan, nc looking up. "Beat?" screamed Gibbs, ashen an inert at the news. "You don't men it! You can't mean it! Great heaven! The sight of the other's cowardl ?motion seemed to rouse Horriga from his apathy. "If I can stand it, you can!" hesnar pd. "You only lose your poicentag 5n the deal, while I"? "A percentage?" echoed Gibbs, to >anic stricken to heed his own indis ration. "Every cent I had in thi world! I"? He checked himself au instant to ate. "So?" drawled Horrigan, his keei ittle eyes searing the other wltl soundless contempt. "So it was yoi who were secretly buying up the stocl ind tailing in on to our game, hey?" "I'm ruined! Broke! And"? "And you've got it coming to you rou whining traitor! The man whi ?oes back on his partners deserves al he kicking he gets." "I?I didn't mean any harm!" mum Jled the crushed Glbbs. "It couldn' lurt you people to have me buy Bor rugh stock for myself, and I'd hav ilea red up a million and more. Ob lon't glower like that, Horrigan, bu :ry to think out some way of'? "Of what, you cur?" "Isn't there any way even now t make Bennett let up on his fight?" "ir mere was you couiun i ue ui u? jo us, so why should I talk about 1 :o you?" "But I'd do auythiug in the worldinything"? "You would?" cut in Horrigai jharply. "Yes, yes! Only give me a chance i'd"Horrlgan considered, then said re Sectively: "No chance is too slight to take at n-? liba 4hie anil nntwvlv'a too rotte] UUIC 11AC iUlO, %A u\a to be of use. I've found there ar three things, one of which will alway buy any man?a woman, ambition o :ash. We've tried Bennett on ambl don; he doesn't need money, so orrl, the flret of the three remains." "A woman? I don't understand." "Miss Wainwright" "But"? "Listen here. Bennett's In lore wit / J i \ " ' Walnwright's niece. Yon've cut him e j out Go and tell him if he'll let our ; bill alone you'll smash the engagement : and leave her free to marry him. 0 ; See?" 0 , "I can't! I?hold on. though! After,r ward 1 could deny the whole thing. couldn't 1? It'd be his word against ^ mine, and she'd never believe 1 could ^ do such a thing. L?1 might try." | "Yes," growled Horrigan. "you might. ' i A cur that's lost all his nerve can try s things that even an ordinary crook K would balk at." ' i Hut Gibbs did not hear. He had returned to the corridor in search of '"t Bennett. The man scarcely deserved ' the opprobrium heaped on liitu l?y II ore rigan. A brilliant, daring operator, he | was, unknown to himself, a rank cowe J ard at heart. For the tirsf time in his nr.? tlw. ....w-ir.li.i. timi cmtttiod out. and, to do fiibbs justice, it had driven >l hint temporarily insane. In his norA tnal senses he would never have stoopi ed to the plan he was now so eager to u carry out. It was a putrid bit of jetu j sain at which a financially drowning s man did not scruple to clutch. Horrigan followed him from the room, his own splendid nerve quite recovered from the crushing blow his hopes had received. He had staked 11 heavily on the deal. Moreover, its falle I tire, as be knew, meant the wreck of ? that mighty political prestige he had so long and wearisomely built up. It : might even, if Ahvyn fulfilled his l" | threat a!>out the notes, lead to graver n i?ersonal consequences. Yet the bulldog pluck tuat had carried this man *v of Iron from the gutter to the summit ls ! of political power <lid not desert him. ? i nor did he show the loss of one iota of his customary monumental calm. n Scarcely had Horrigan quitted the (' room when Perry and Dallas entered it. ^ "You could cut the atmosphere in " there with a cDpese knife." Perry was is 1 saying. "Williams doesn't think the j Borough bill will come up for half an ^ hour or so. We'd better spend the ,r time till then in here thau to stay there " 1 and turn our lungs into a microbe zoo." Dallas did not answer. Mie sai uowd by the table ami rested her head de** Jectedly on one little gloved band. The 0 i sight of Bennett, his grave, hopeless ^ j appeal to her; the calm, utter despair of his brave face?all these had affect0 ed her deeply. Perry noticed with brotherly concern her look and attitude. l" "Feeling faint?" he asked. y "No, I'm all right, thanks." e "You look pretty near as blue as Al'* wyu. He"? 0 "Don't let's talk of him. please." she ' ! begged. "Why not? lies the whitest chap j this side of Whitevllle." . "That's what I used to think, but 1 ^ know t?etter now." ^ , "Then, miss." broke in a voice from the doorway, "you're entitled to auoth' er 'know.' " Phelan, who. passing down the cory ridor, had heard her last words as he 0 " reached the threshold, turned into the room. s j "Excuse me for buttin' in on a fainv ily chat." he remarked, coming forward, "but I'm nrettv well posted on his It I ? 0 honor's character, an' when I hear any one knock in' him it's ine to the bat. t What have you got against Mr. Benj nettV '.None of your measly business,' e says you. 'Quite so,' says I. an', that l bein' the case, let's hea^ all about It." e j Something that underlay the seeming j. ' impertinence of the alderman's bluff speech touched Dallas. On Impulse she f.'] spoke: d "Mr. Bennett," said she, "is opposing h the Borough bill, kuowing we shall be paupers If he defeats It. He also sold >t Borough stock short before he announced bis veto. What can one think a of a man who enriches himself at the u j expense of his friends?" " j "Geo." cried Perry, "that's a terrible y thing! Bennett's the original man n higher up. I'm afraid. I wonder he isn't afraid to wear tbi clothes of such 1. a wicked geezer as himself r e "Oh, Perry! Don't Joke about it!" i begged Dallas. "Can't you see the serlo ous side of anything? We shall be i- penniless and dei>endent on"? e "Fear thou not, sister mine!" declared Perry in his best melodramatic 0 j manner. "Paupers, sayest thou? par , be it so! Little Brother Perry will n guard thee from the cold, shivery tj swats of a wintry wind. Maybe we j can sell violets or start a tight club 1 or"? "Don't!" she urged, jarred by his flippancy. "You don't understand. I"? I, "As for that story of his honor's sella In' stock short and makin' a pile of j cash on his own veto," put in Phelan | genuinely worried, "Horrigan's looked r it up an' got enough facts to make him t think he can prove it. He's goin' to .. make Williams tell the whole story to e the aldermen tonight. It's a lie. of ! course, but it'll hurt his honor a lot, t an' the worst of it is Bennett refuses to deny it." "He does, eh?" remarked Perry, o "Then I'll do some talking about it. I'll have to fracture a promise I made e Alwyn. but I guess it's worth while." t "What do you mean?" queried Dallas in wonder. "I mean Bennett lent me the money to sell enough stock short to make up Q for what you and 1 would los^ if the bill was quashed, and he gave roe a letter to his own broker. We carried it through, and now you and I stand pat to win whichever way the cat jumps. We're on velvet, thanks to Alwyn. "He did this for us?" srasned Dallas q in amaze. "But why didn't yon tell e me? Why did you let me misjudge 8 him?" r "He made me promise not to let you [. know a thing about it, and"? y "Say, youngster," broke in Phelan, tingling with excitement, "you come chasin' along with me into the aldermen's meetin'. I'll have you get up there an* tell what you know. It'll b knock that lie of Williams' and Horri~ ganj so high it'Jl forget to hit_?roun' I again. Come on, son! There's sure . ' liable to be hot doin's In the meetin' In 1 | about eleven seconds. Come along!" CHAPTER XVI. DALLAS, left alone in Horri- j pan's private mom. sat at the hip table, making no effort to follow her brother and I'lie- | j Ijui. A messenger, searching for I lor- , j rig m. bustled in, looked inquiringly at 1 the motionless, white faced girl, then J passed on to the committee room lie- i .voiul and on again in Iiis search until the sound of ljfootsteps died. And t still Dallas sat. inert. itiiuD. Little 1 ?y little she was piecing together the facts of the long, miserable complication in the light of what Terry had just told her. It was absurdly ! easy now that she held the key of the | situation. She could understand every| thing?how Wainwrlght had put her i fortune Into Borough stock to inllueuce Bennett; how. failing to move the latter, he had used Alwyn's knowledge of the fact as a weapon against the young man; how Bennett had sought ; to save her fortune and why he had ! forbidden Perry to bias her feelings by telling of the generous act. '"From first to last." she murmured ' in unhappy contrition, "he has acted 1 honorably and as he thought I would | have wanted him to and for my happiness. And I, like the wretched little fool I was, couldn't understand and publicly humiliated him. Oh, if only j it weren't too late to"? -- - ? o --L.3 ! A vision or uiuos nasneu ueiure ut-i | u. I mind, and the shuddered, realizing all i _ that her rash steps had entailed. "It is too late," she confessed to her-' \ self, fighting back the hot tears that 1 5 seared her eyes. "But at least I can w tell him I know and beg his forgive-1 (i ness and thank him." I J T1 e sound of voices in the corridor 7 roused her from her bitter reverie. She sprang up hastily, unwilling that, any should see her tear stained face, i fj but the speakers, though they drew bj near, did not enter Horrigan's office, j Instead, they stepped into the adjoin- j U ing commi'Ve room. The messenger j J had left ajar the door between the two , J rooms. Realteinff*hls and not wishing J U to be seen, Dallas shrank back toward the wall, fearful of detection. Then 7l the voice of one of the speakers sud- j offoetn/1 hor nnHno 9 UCI1IJ 111 uv? mvv*vv. J "Well," Bennett was saying In no es- U peciallv civil tones, "you said you wish- fl ed to speak to me in private. What 7 have you to say? Be brief, for I am U busy." m Finding herself the unwilling witness fj to what promised to be a confidential J talk, Dallas stole toward the door lead- j ing to the corridor, but Horrlgan, as U was his custom, had locked it od going J out She dared not enter alone the 7 crowded anteroom in her present state, ^ so hesitatingly she paused, forced to m remain where she was. The souud of f, another voice chained her to the spot. J and. unconscious of eavesdropping, she , J stood spellbound, hearing every word (j distinctly through the half open door- 1 way. 17 (CONTINUED NEXT WEEK.) jM Hexametbylfnetetramine. (, } The above is the name of a Oer- j 0 man chemical, which is one of the [, many valuable ingredients of Foley's m Kidney Itemed?. Hexamethylenetet- 7 ramine is recognized by medical text tj books and authorities as a uric acid g solvent and antiseptic for the urine. Take Foley's Kidney Remedy as soon as you notice any irregularities, and avoid a serious malady. W L Wallace. We hereby give notice that after January 1, 1909, all accounts of a dollar or more for subscription will be placed in the hands of a collecting agency. We hate to do this but can't afford to lose the hundreds -t J-ii 4. ui uuuart uui uuiicsi iuu cuimc^ i US to. tf Hereatter we positively refuse to publish any communication received at this office later than Tuesday, noon, except local and personal items, which will not be available later than * Wednesday, noon, for the current week. By trying- to be accommodating we are thrown late every week and we are tired of it. This notice applies to EVERY BODY. 4-25-tf. ; The Implement Co., < RICHMOND, VA. ( It is very important both for V effective and economical work to f procure * The best of 7 FARM IMPLEMENTS \ Our New Descriptive Catalog fl V just issued tells all about the best V 7 6 time and labor-saving machinery. 6 ^ A It is one of the best and most in- A I teresting Implement Catalogs is- 7 sued. 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