THE ClfiZEN, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY ai, 1913; PAGE SIX HIS RISE TO POWER By Henry Russell Miller, Author of "The Alan Higher Up" Copyright, 1911, by tbe Bobbs-Merrlll Company SYNOPSIS Senator Murchcll, leader of the state Buichtne, and Shcchan, local boss of New Chelsea, offer the nomination for district ttorney to John Dunmeade. Dunmeade la Independent In his political Ideas. Dunmeade -will accept the nomination. HU father, a partisan Judge, congratu lates him. His Aunt Roberta urges John to call on Katherlno Hampden, daughter of a capitalist. Katherlno Hampden is a worshiper of jruccess. She and John aro friends. Jere mjr Applegate, a political dependent, cam tl" for John and the stato ticket. In Nedr Ch"elsea lives "Wirren Blake, a model young bank cashier, connected with Hampden In "high finance." They try without success for John's aid. The rottenness of politics In his state and party as revealed In his campaign dls fi Je. w nails upon Katherlno. Katherlne's peril In a runaway re veals to her and John their unspoken olve. John publicly "turns down" the machine of his party. John will not compromise with his conscience oven for the sake of win ning Kathorlne, and the two part. Tho course of his son is disapproved by Judco Dunmeade. John Is elected and puts Sheehan on trial for political corrup- I Hon. Bheehan Is convicted and flees. John meets Ilalg, a novelist, who Is introduced to him by Warren Blake. Halg and John visit tho Hampdens. Blake proposes to Katherlno and Is re jected. Ho praises John to her. Murchell has a visitor. Tho visitor Is Sackott, head of tho Atlantic railroad, trying to keep tho Michigan out of the Steel City. He wants Murchell to retire. The lat ter cannot Induce John to stop his attacks on the machine. John and Katherlno meet. She still thinks John a follower of Im possible ideals. Ho loses in his fight for cleanliness In stato politics and falls 111. Murchcll offers financial aid to tho Dun meades. John recovers and continues his fight, aided by Ilalg. In the Steel City ho meets Kathorlne, who Is courted by Gregg, a financially successful man. Murchell loses control of tho machine to Sherrod and retires nominally from poli tics. Sherrod gets drunk, and a messen ger Is sent to Murchell for aid. Sherrod has embezzled $900,000 of state money. Murchell resumes control after aiding his foe to conceal the crime and make restitution. CHAPTER XVIII. Tho Honey Pot. OIIN DUNMEADE had thought that anticipation a would rob defeat of its sting. Not until the event, until Benton county, his own neigh bors, had repudiated him could ho , measure tho hurt There was one thing which he would do deep down within him was the unworded resolve that it should be his valedictory. "There's something," he told Halg, a week after the primaries, "that has been haunting me." And he told tho other what Sheehan had said concerning the bank, "Well, whnt business is It of yours? You aren't tho guardian of tho publle morals. Even If you want to be, the people have just clearly declared that they don't. Keep out of what Isn't j-our affairs." "But I'm still district attorney." "All right. If anything happens or any one makes official information be fore the end of your term, prosecute," "But I understand my duty to Include uncovering crime ns well as prosecut ing what others expose. I'll ask Blake to let mo go over tho books." "He won't let you, of course. iThere'd bo a crash." "I think he will," said John thought fully, "if nothing Is wrong. Especially when ho understands that, if ho doesn't, I'll subpoena him with the books before the grand Jury. If there's nothing wrong, there will bo no crash. But I have friends who have money nnd stock lu the bank. And If our political bank history is repeating Itself they and tho public have tho right to know It." "John," nalg nrgued earnestly, "don't you do It. Haven't you had enough? What's tho uso of making more trou ble nnd enemies for yourself?" "I know," John said patiently. "I've gone over nil that. This Is my Inst crusade. But It goes through. Be- cause, If there's nuythlng amiss, now is tho timo for it to como out, while it can help Jerry Brent." "Great Scott! navo you still faith In tho people? Don't you know what they'll do, If you uncover anything? Just sniff daintily around and then walk off to voto for Sherrod or Jen- kins or whoever tho gangs noml - nate. I think It very possible that things nrcn't straight at tho bank, But I llko you and I llko Warren Blake he's a good friend of yours, im too and I don't want to seo him in ,Murchcll did not look nt Blake or trouble. Besides," ho grinned, "none1'nnnipden. From under wrinkled brows of my money la deposited In tho bank, "Is that all you have to offer for tho defense? If It ls-r-nro you comlntr along to help mo or not?" "I suppose," Hnlg grumbled, "I'll have to. You need a guardian angel." So It happened that at a critical time in tho fortunes of the bank nnd Its) offi cers John nnd Ilalg set out on their mission, They chose an hour early In tho evening, nfter supper. They tried tho bnnlt first. It would be closed, but wltHln, as nil New Chelsea know, War ren Blake was apt to be found faith fully nt the work that never seemed to end. Tho dark grceu window shndes had been closely pulled down, but n glim mering around the edges showed that a light was burning within. Blake might have been expecting them, so promptly was the door thrown open when they rapped. Surprise, however, wns de picted on his face when he behold the visitors. "Good evening, gentlemen. Can I do something for you?" "We'd like to have a little talk with you, Warren," said John. "It concerns tho bank." "The bank?" Suddenly Wnrren by some strange in. tuition knew, as lie hnd known that tho market would nag, whnt this untimely visit portended. He felt the blood leave his face and rush to his heart. His hands and feet became Icy cold, no stared stupidly at the visitors, as though his faculties were benumbed. "I I'm pretty busy tonight," he said. "Can't you put it off until Monday?" "I think we'd better talk it over now, Warren," John nnswered. Tho sense of shock seemed to pass away. The cnshler threw the door wider open to admit them. "Come in," ho said quietly. They entered, and ho closed and locked the door behind them. Then he straightened up, all composure, to face them. "I'll have to ask you to bo brief. I'm preparing some papers for Senator Mur chcll and Mr. nninpdcn, nnd they'll be here soon." "I'll come right to the point," John answered. "Warren, I want to see the books of tho bank. I've heard that you aro carrying a good deal of worth- less political paper and that the bauk is in danger. I want to verify or dis prove that." "That's absurd. The bank Is per fectly safe. And, of course, we can't let you see tho books. You nreu't even a stockholder and have no in terest In them." "Warren," said nalg hastily, putting his hand on the cashier's shoulder, "I bog you to do ns he asks. We're hero in a wholly friendly way. And, of course, the bank is sound. You can rely on Dunmeade and me to do abso lutely nothing, in that case, to harm It." Warren shook his head. "You ought to know that It is out of tho question." "Then," said John regretfully, "I'll have to subpoena you to appear with the books before the grand jury on Monday." IIo drew forth two docu ments, ono of which ho gave to Blake. I "I suggest that you wait and explain I your errand to Murchell and Ilamp I den. They will be here soon. Just take chairs in tho cage. While we're waiting I'll finish my work," said BInke. He ushered them Into the cage, found chairs, offered cigars and, po litely excusing himself, retired into the cnshler's office and settled himself nt tho desk. For a few minutes he worked, with a speed that was not nervous haste, transcribing figures from the book before hlin and adding up columns. Then ho wrote a few lines and carefully blotted them. This done, he seemed to have come to the end of his work. But he did not return to John and nalg. Ho seemed to have lost consciousness of their proximity. Tho pen fell from his fingers. Ills folded hands rested passively on the desk, no sat motion less, stating straight ahead into noth ingness. Under the gaslight his face showed very white. A heavy, uncanny silence desceuded upon the three men. There carao a rap at tho door. As though he had boon waiting for Just that, Warren rose, went to tho Joor and admitted tho new visitors. They wore nampden and Murchell. nnrapden wns tho first to notice the presence of John and Halg. "What nro they doing here?" he de manded suspiciously. "Come back Into tho office and we'll explain," Wnrren nnswered. "You pome, too," ho nodded to tho men with in the cngo. Tho five men gathered in the little Mllco. No one sat down or offered to shake hand-. Warren broke tho silence calmly. "Dunmeade wants to examine tht books." "Well, he can't do it." Hampden said quickly. "So I told him," Wnrren continued "And he followed the request up by serving me with n subpoena to appear with the books before tho grand jury." "Why nro you doing this?" Muiehcll demanded of John "Because I have information that the Lank is carrylng'worthless political pa per nnd is rotten, I hovo it from one who has helped manipulate such paper i from ono, in fact, whose notes, sup posed to bo uncollectable, tho bank Is now trying to collect." "And on general suspicion you would toko an action that might ruin the , soundest bank in the country?" "Not on general suspicion," John re- turned. "But on nbsoluto knowledge, There!" IIo pointed to Blake's face, 1 "Ami there!" nalg's dry, shrill voice was like tho crack of a whip as ho aimed a long, lean forefinger nt nainp don. Tho latter recoiled as from a blow. . his eyes were boring deep into Jobu's, seeking to test tho strength of the lat- ter's determination, IIo saw only ono way nutt boldly li inrii it "You can sec the books. Now 'J" "Wo may as well begin now. It will tnko some time, I suppose." Hampden, vainly trying to regain an appearance of composure, tremblingly eat down. For n mlnuto Warren said nothing. When ho did speak It was in a low, lifeless voice. "I can savo you tho trouble. The statement I have been prcpnrlng for Senator Murchcll contains what yon wnnt, I think. This Is It." Ho pointed to tho papers lying on bis desk. Slowly, mechanically, ns ono walking in sleep, he gathered up the boolra on tho desk and carried them from the office to the vault. John saw Wnrren put tho books in their places, then fum ble around in a corner of the shelf. Warren seemed to feel his presence, for, hand still resting on the shelf, ho turned to face John. Then the hand, grasping n black, shining thing, leaped from tho shelf to his head. .Tohn'3 cry and the shot rang out together. For an instant tho body swayed, then crumpled In a heap on the floor. Four stunned men, held in a korriblo fascination, knelt by tho ghastly thing, dumbly watching tho struggle of that which is called life to free itself from its prison of flesh. Of these men, three of them, each In anguish, wns calling himself murderer. For nearly an hour an eternity shaken to the very center of their be ings, they kept the death watch. There was a shiver that passed over the whole body then stillness. Halg was the first to recover himself. He caught John by tho arm and drew him away. "Come back here." no IK ftmrn urn mm For an Instant the Body Swayed. drew John into tho office and forced him to sit down. "And you two. come." Murchell seemed to como out of Ma daze. He touched Hampden, who fol lowed him docilely nnd fell Into a chair. T seem to be tho only one with a trace of sanity left. And I," said Halg grimly, mopping his brow with a shak ing hand; "I am pretty far gone. God, didn't know it could be so awful! But we've got to decide whether we'll let this how and why It happened come out. By some miracle nobody seems to have heard. If the luck holds we may bo nble to keep it quiet." He looked at Murchell. But a great change seemed to have come over the politician during the racking hour, nis face was ashen; he looked old ns ho never had before. All the firm self reliance, the habit of domination, justified through so many crises, seemed to have broken down in the presence of sudden, violent death. fle shook his head In a hopeless nega tive. "There's no use trying," he said wea rily, "If you go ahead with this Investi gation." lie turned to John. "It's for you to decide. If this is kept quiet and you don't go on I can save the bank maybe. But if you do go on there'll be a great scandal nnd I can do nothing. And you've got to understand tho sit uation you'll havo to prosecute namp den here." John did not nnswer. IIo was star lag at the face of Warren Blake. Ilalg mopped his forehead again "Let's get out of here," he muttered nervously. "If I stay much longer with -that I'll be a gibbering idiot." He took tho dead cashier's keys from the desk, turned out tho light and wont to the door. The others followed. They forgot to close tho vault. But it was well guarded. New Chelsea had been long asleep, the streets emptied, when Ilalg and Murchell, nccompanled by tho doctor and undertaker stockholders In tho bank nnd frightened Into secrecy drove a roundabout courso by side streets nnd alleys to tho rear door of tho bank. Llko thieves, they entered and carried what lay thoro out to tho carriage. Then thoy drove away, pray ing that no untimely passerby had chanced to observo them. But tho luck held. Latpr still, ,wth another picture n little, faded old woman become in an instant a foolishly smiling child burnt Into their memories, Halg and Mur chell emerged from tho homo of Wnr ren Blake. Halg stopped, looking up. "I wonder what John Dunmeade Is going through Just now? I can see the end. Tho good have no luck. There's a curso on tho man responsible for this night Old man, do you but 1 amPB founnal will havo to discuss the matter of payment." no caught the other by the shoul ders, peered closely Into his face nnd. laughing harshly, turned away. Through a night that seemed endless n mnn fought a bnttlo old ns sin itself, no had sought the solitude of the fields In a blind, vain wish to escape the Issue and tho thing that filled his eyes, no had come so nenr to greatness. And now, nt an hour when ho seemed most to need stimulus and support, he was brought face to face with the temptation to desert. It wns1 ono thing in a moment of dlsheartenment to cry, ns ho had cried to himself. "I havo come to the cud." It was far different wiien opportunity had come to revive a sinking cause to stay his hand, ne know he had but to reach out to dis close, not nn Excallbur rising out of the waters to lend Invincibility to him who would wield It, but a new prod for a calloused people, one fact the more to add to the knowledge, whose cumulative power in tho end would must carry tho people for ivard, upward. It was Hampden, Katherlno and John Dunmeade against tho people. And what did ho owe the people, tho calloused fools whoso knowledge, if not complete, was yet full enough to show them whither they were going and whither they must turn, but who trudged contentedly on, indifferent to all but tho present profit, thinking 'only of self, repudiating nnd sneering nt those who offered honest service and counsel? The balance was all against them and In his favor. Let some one else now take up the task to which John Dunmeade had been unequal! IIo saw Stephen Hampden cowering, a suddenly broken, fear palsle,d man, before tho death agony, looking with a kind of wistfulness on the dying man's face, ns though In Wnrren Blake's example ho saw a way out of the tangle. A troop of miserable, piti able figures marched before him Slay ton, Brown, Parsons, Sheehan, Blake men whom he had punished, whose lives he had shattered or taken In his crusade to what end? Their places had been taken by other men of like kind, tho world no better, no wiser, so far as he could see. Behind the troop marched a regiment of men and women, his neighbors, whose little savings would be lost, did the bank fall through his disclosures, but might be preserved If Murchell's promise to intervene was kept. Was there not more virtue In mercy than in punish ment? For long, In tho fear of the man who knows himself weakening, he refused to face the crucial fact. But ho had to come to It to her nt last. He saw her as he had last seen her, the rose lu bloom, a strong woman re fined and softened by some heart pro cess of which he knew nothing. If he went forward ho must cloud tho splen dor nnd beauty of her womanhood with dlsgrnco and suffering. lie re volted against the thought why must she, innocent, and nt his hand, be made to suffer tbe penalty that others had earned? Could he strike the blow? It made no difference that she had flouted him for unworthy things. As once before nothing that she could say had added to tho temptation that lay In her very existence, so now noth ing that she had done could take from tho foct of his love. For It lived, no could find through tho years In uncens ing work an anodyne to deaden the ache, but on this Mount Olivet It lived ngain. n throbbing passion that sub merged nil tilings else. He had not tho strength of God. ho told himself. He could not be so merciless to her, to him ppI. He fled homeward In the waning light and prayed feverishly for daylight. By his window, ns once he hnd watched a dawn of promise, he saw It come, but without promise. At last, the battle ended, too tired to seek his bed. ho fIl asleep In the chair. CHAPTER XIX. Tho Vulnerable Heel, onx was nwakened by the ringing of n church bell. It wns a clear morning, the sun shining brilliantly. The peace of the Sabbath lay over all. Along Molu street moved, with sedate stride, the weekly procession of church goers. Not even the news which they would receive In church, thnt Warren Blake had dropped dead of heart fail ure-grim jest! would disturb their j gravity. For the news would be ao-1 companled by assurances from Sunator I Murchell and Stephen Hampden that the bauk would bo In nowise affected. John rose from his seat by the win dow nnd, obedient to tho command of habit, made his morning toilet. When ho wns dressed he returned to tho win dow He wns very tired. Ills will, as though worn out by the scene and struggle of tho night, could not shake off tho heavy mental nnd physical lassi tude that oppressed him. Once he tried to recall tho horror ho hod seen, but his inert mind balked. With sluggish curiosity ho watched the figure of a woman walking down tho street. Not until sho turned in nt tho gate did ho recognize her. There wns no glad start. On tho contrary, a muttered, querulous protest escaped him. IIo did not wish to seo her Just then. Reluctantly ho rose nnd went' down to tho library. Sho was standing at a southern window through which tbe sun poured n golden flood, Sho heard him enter nnd turned. IIo halted Just within the door. For a moment, silent, they looked at each other across tho sunlit room. It wns sho who, with tho brave dl rectness that had always been hers, first broke tbe silence. "I havo heard what what happened last nlgllt Atid" fDXYcfcomo to' ask you to do nothing thnt will harm my father." Uuconsclously his face darkened. It wns not becauso of her request, but because of tho picture sho recalled. "I suppose it was for that. You have" IIo would havo said, "no need to ask." But she misunderstood and interrupted quickly. "I hnve no right to ask this or any thing of you? I know that, more clearly than you can tell me. I put you In tho way of unhnpplncss and then chose against you for things for thlugs of no value. It may give you some satisfaction to know that they are gone though you can hardly be lieve that tho tasto for them went first. "I my father and Senator Murchell, the men who will profit by your silence, deserve nothing at your hands, at anybody's. I can't pretend that they would show mercy to you. But my father, at least, Is a broken man. Last night took away his courage, no believes Uiat ho is responsible for War ren Blake's" "No!" Sho saw him shudder and draw back. "No! I, with my rash ness, am to blamo for that." "Ah! yon mustn't say that." Sho took a step forward, eager in his de fense. "I know what you've been through and how it must have given you tho horrors. But you mustn't say that. Nobody could think It. You only did your duty. But I'm afraid for him. no Is half crazed from fear and shock, I think I couldn't endure many more nights llko last night. I'm afraid. If It all comes out, he'll take Warren Blake's way out" "Don'il he cried roughly, as if In pain. "I've gone over It nil." "I'm not trying to frighten you. And I didn't want to to come to you." Tho steadiness was leaving her. She thought she saw In his lack of re sponse a hostile determination. "I havo no right to nsk a man such as you are to sacrifice himself, his con science for such a man. 'I can offer no no ndequnto return. But he Is my father and It is not It can not bo so very wrong to err on the side of mercy. And once you said yon enred" "It was true. It has always been true! What I will do will not bo becauso you ask it. but because It Is for you. And not for a price. And you haven't thought it out very clearly, havo you? what you mean Is Impossible in nny case. If I wont on with the investigar tlon you couldn't love tho man who was prosecuting your father. And, Just becauso you understand what Is right in the case and aro what you are, you couldn't respect and so couldn't love the man who weakly did what was wrong for him even for you. And just now you nro .very anxious to savo your father." The flood of crimson ebbed. Sho looked at him strangely. "Do you believe-that?" "I know It. But you needn't bo afraid any longer. Your father Is safe so far as I am concerned. That was settled before you came." She turned from him in nn immeas urable relief to look out of the window. The voice of tho congregation rose again In the closing hymn, "Onward, Christian Soldiers." Tho hymn ended. Sho raised her head and faced him, unshed tears in her eyes. (Continued in Nexc Friday's Issue.) MRS. DEEMS. Her Claim That She Is Un biased Wife Is Controverted. The "unklsscd wife" lias lost lier fame. Her husband says 'taln't so. He says ha kissed her night and day as ardent as a beau. He says ho kissed his ma-ln-taw as well as his own wife and thnt he could have kissed her pa, but feared there would be strife. He wants tho pub llo all to know there's nothing to the yarn that when he tried to kiss his wife she hid down In the barn. Ho says that when ho left his home to go to dally work he never thought that In a kiss a microbe dire might lurk. George Deems took chances like a man and never miss ed a kiss, but Bays In answer to wife's suit he never kissed a miss. Tainted Meat. Taint can bo removed from meat by toverlnc It for n few hours with char- 1 coal or by putting charcoal into tbe water In which it Is boiled. .A Change. Of the twenty-six barons who signed the Magna Charta, says an English Journal, three wroto their names nnd twenty-three made their mark. This Is all changed now. Every baron can write, but only a few succeed hi mak ing their mark. PItOFJEBSIONATi CARDS. AttorncVB-ot-Law. jlf E. SIMONS, HI.. ATTORNEY A COUNBELOR-AT-LAW Office in tho Court Houee, Honesdale Pa. SEARLE & SALMON, ATTORNEYS A COUNBELORS-AT-LAW. Offices latelv occupied by Judge Searle CHESTER A. GAHRATT, ATTORNEY A COtlNBELOK-AT-I.AW. Omce-D'mmlck Iiuildlnc Honesdale, Pa. H. WILSON, ATTORNEY & COUNBEI.OR-AT-LAW. Office In Dlmmlck Bide. Dth St.Honesdalo WM. H. LEE, " T A' ATTORNEY COUNSELOR-AT-LAW. Office. Foster Ilutldlnir. All leeral business promptly attended to. llonesdalo. Pa. MUMFORD & MUMFORD, ATTORNEYS A COUNBELOES-AT-LAW Office Liberty Hall buildlne. llonesdalo. KOMER GREENE. ATTORNEY A COUNSELOR-AT-LAW. Office: Reif Building, Honesdale. Charles a. Mccarty, ATTORNEY A COUNSELOR- IT-LAW. Special and prompt attention clven to the collection of claims. Office: Relf Building, Honesdale. Physicians. PB. PETERSON, M. D. . 1126 MAIN STREET, HONESDALE, PA. Eye and Kar a specialty. The fitting ot class es clven carelul attention. I VERY F. G. RICKARD Prop MRST-CLASS WAGONS, RELIABLE HOUSES. Especial Attention Transit Business. Given to I STONE BARN CHURCH.STREET. LEGAL XlLANKo ror sale at Ths Citizen offlco: Land Contracts, Leases, Judgment Notes, Warranted Deeds, Bonds, Transcripts, Sum mons, Attachments, Subpoenas, La bor Claim Deeds, Commitments, Ex ecutions, Collector's and Constables' blanks. W. C. SPRY lUfiACHLAJCE. AUCTIONEER HOLDS SALES ANYWHERE n? STATE. Plans & Estimates Furnished Residence, 1302 EastSt. Tho Citizen wants a good, live ly correspondent In every village In Wayne county. Will you he one? Write this offlco for particulars. OVER 05 YEARS' IENCE Trade Marks Designs Copyrights &c. Anyone sending n sltetrh and description may quickly uscortntH our opinion froe wuotlicr an Invention Is prolmbly paicntnhln. Communion. tloiinntrlcllrronlldcntlul. HANDBOOK onl'alci soul rree. mnesi nirenry iurpucuriiJKJ,"-(."in. I'm ruts taken through Munn & Co. receive tpictal notice, without. ennrgo, la luo Scientific Jf imricam A handsomely illustrated weekly. T.nreest elr dilution ot nny sHentlua journal, Terms, f 3 a yonr: four months, tl. Bold by all newsdealers. IV1UNN & Co.36IBroadar'New York llranca UOIce. 3 V St. Washington, I). C. J. E. HALEY AUCTIONEER" Havo mo nnd savo money. Wi attend sales anywhere in State. Address WAYIYIART,PA.(R.D. 3 JOSEPH N. WELCH Fire The OLDEST Fire Insurancl Agency in Wayne County. Offlco: Second floor Masonic Build ing, over O. C. Jadwln's drug storJ Honesdale. (T We wIsTi to secure a gooj correspondent in every towj tn Wayne county. Don t bl afraid to write this office fc paper .and stamped envelop! H. F. Weaver Aritect and Mir KtfgjSfA jeSKMKEr exper
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