Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 January 1913 — The Women’s Candidate [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The Women’s Candidate

Br BYRON WILLIAMS

Copyright 1912, Weatern Newspaper Union SYNOPSIS. >• ' In * spirit of fun Mayor Bedlght, a summer visitor. Is chased through the woods by ten laughing girls, one of whom he catches and kisses. The girls form themselves into a court and sentence him to do the bidding of one of their number each day for tendays.—A.~- legislative measure opposing woman which dropped from the mayor's pocket, is used to compel him to obey the mandates of the girls. His first day of service is with May Andrews, who takes him fishing. They are threatened by the- sheriff with arrest. CHAPTER V. Eleven o'clock on a moonlight night In July is a bewitching time to sit alone on a balcony and dream, and If the dream be staged at Squirrel Inn, where the scent of perennial stock and the rich, salubrious tang of the hemlocks waft up to meet the nostrils, if It be in the midst of towering trees with a lake lullaby chanting and crooning on the beach and if the spirit of wanderlust is abroad to charm and inspire, ah, then the time and place and the girl are in harmony sublime! Judge Jackie Vining, clothed In a loose, clinging house gown, sat alone and gave her fancy free rein, enjoying ■the serenity of the night and the alluring promises of her air castles. And ever and anon as she mused there crept into her thoughts with suffusion of blood to her cheeks, the scene of the dogwood swamp, the face of the man who had held her close against her will and sipped the "nectar of her lips. “A perfect gentleman!” Somehow she felt a thrill of gratification at the verdict as rendered by Mae Andrews, for Mae was one of the most charming of the ten girls who Idled at Squirrel Inn and her approval of the prisoner promised well for the remaining nine. And, too, it relieved her mind, somewhat, for the recponsibility rested heavily on her fair head. As the accepted leader of the vacationists she felt her accountableness —and besides, if one Is kissed by a man one likes to know that after al! he is a gentleman, though bold. Confession Is good for the soul, and Jackie rejoiced that If she must be her own father confessor, she at least need not blush for the character of the man who made the confession necessary. Her rejoicing was broken In upon by the redolent odor of tobacco blending pungently with the perfume of the stock. She drew back Into the shadows. As she did so, a whiteclothed form sped lightly across the lawn toward the house. Miss Vining’s heart thumped strangely. The scudding figure was that of a woman and In the moonlight her hair was fair. The apparition in white flitted up the hotel stairs and disappeared. The "judge” waited furtively, watching the summer house —from which there soon emerged the figure of a man—and in the night the red coal of his cigar glowed in the darkness! Jackie’s Indignation sprang into monstrous being. Who of the ten young ladies was holding a clandestine meeting with His Honor, The Mayor? Could it be Mae Andrews? Hastily slipping down the hotel corridor. Judge Vining gently tried the door of Miss Andrews’ room. It was locked. With a heavy heart Jackie returned to her apartment; but as she lay tossing in dainty negligee upon her bed, a new worry was harassing her. Any married woman will bear me out when I say that If there is anything a man dislikes It is to go shopping. When Mabel Arney, the Tuesday girl, apprised Bedight that she desired bis protection on an expedition to Lakeville, he was ungracious enough to deplore the fate that bound him to do as directed —and, beside?, there was double reason why he should not go to Lakeville. The game warden and his company of quick arresters undoubtedly loafed at the village livery stable and would bag him Idstanter. He suggested Hornby as a trading post, dwelling enticingly upon the advantages offered by the enterprising merchants of that four-cor-nered eomftiunlty. But Miss Arney sniffed coldly and commanded him to bring forth the two saddle horses owned by Mine Host. The mayor went away with misgivings—but as the pair cantered off down the wood road, his spirits rose with the sun. Who could be distrait and glootpy with such a bewitching little lady as Miss Mabel Arney smiling upon him from the saddle opposite —...x— -4

Miss Arney was petite, with hair of that violet black color, big, laughing eyes and the daintiest red-lipped mputh imaginable. Vivacity and Miss Mabel were pals and mischief lurked in her horizon like the rosy petals in the sunset’s glow. •fl love horses," she babbled, patting the sleek neck of her mettlesome black mount. "I "have an Arabian at home —and he’s simply perfect.” "I go in for bulldogs myself,” crossfired the ma/or, taciturnly. “Nothing beats a bulldog on the front seat of an automobile.” “With the mail under it on his back,” rippled the jtfrl, curbing her horse as a pig woof-woofed from the hffehwag,, into the weedy roadside. The mayor laughed. i “And with a woman in the back seat pouting at Chawles and telling him every five minutes in a shrill voice that that isn’t what’s the matter with the machine at all!” he scoffed, -a The girl shrugged her shoulders. “Your wife?” "No, my bulldog.” -* Striking her horse with the whip, the girl dashed off ahead. "I’ll race you to Lakeville!" she cried ovpr her shoulder. Bedlght’s face clouded a» he followed. The horse Miss Arney rode ,was a nervous, long-limbed beast with a wicked eye. She had chosen him of the pair against the mayor’s suggestion that she ride the mare he bestrode. Around a turn tn the road she flew on the black, his ears back, the bit in his teeth. Bedight spurred after her, but the mare was no match for her mate. The twisting road kept the girl from view, but ahead he could hear the rapid hoof-beats of the flying animal. _ Then, above the noise of the race, there came piercingly a sharp whistle followed by a woman’s scream! The mayor urged the mare forward. At the turn he saw ahead a traction engine on the turnpike. In the wood beside the road two grimy workmen stood over a woman lying upon the leaf mold. The mayor rode up and dismounted. As he approached the girl sat up, bewildered. An ugly scratch on her bridle hand was bleeding freely. “He —he shied at the engine,” she explained, gamely, "and scraped me off under this tree.” Bedlght’s relief was plainly depicted In his face. “You are not seriously hurt?” he inquired, soberly. “No,” she laughed. “In the words of Richard 111., ‘Give me another horse and bind up my wounds.’ ” He tore a linen handkerchief into strips, knelt before her and carefully bound up her hand. “Thank you,” she said, gayly, "and now if you will catch my horse we will proceed.” One of the workmen came forward leading the runaway. “You were lucky,” congratulated the mayor as they set out on the road. "But be careful of that animal. He’s a fretter “A nervous horse and a nervous woman always fret themselves into trouble,” she said, laughing, “but really he wouldn’t have thrown me if I had had a clear field.” “I’m not so sure,” admonished the man. “I’ll prove it;’’ cried the-girt, spiritedly, giving the black full rein and dashing off ag-\in, like a madcap. The mayor, raging, set out as the tail to the kite. They were near the village now. Down the hill the black went like a race horse in a swirl of dust Across the bridge and through the main street they tore like two leaders on the county-fair course. ’7 And then a baby-cab, propelled by a small boy, rolled directly in the path of the mare. Bedight tried to guide free, Jmt the mare was heavy on her feet. There was a crash, a ery from the boy, a wail from the babe — and the devil to pay. The girl came back trying to hold, her fidgeting horse. Some one grasped the rein of the animal. “Get off, lady!” ordered the stolid Individual, who looked like the village blacksmith. "You’re arrested!” The mayor in the clutches of the village marshal, a burly native, redfaced, thick-necked, stern, looked at the girl blankly. Here was a pretty mess! And thus they went up the main

street to the jail —the mayor and the town policeman in the lead, the stolid Individual and Miss Arney second, while behind trailed the baker, the grocerynian, the photographer, the town'loafer, the village drunkard and thirty-seven small boys! "Git in here,” commanded the marshal, “until I kin communicate with Jpdge Harrison. I reckon th’ lady

won’t mind associate’ with th’ gent until I kin arrange with th’ sheriff's wife to take keer of her," with a grin on his florid face. "Not at all!” sniffed the girl, her chin elevated to a degree of high dignity. ' When the key had turned in the lock, Bedight thrust bis hands deep Into his coat pockets and said“Damn!" "If you don’t mind,” commented the girl, her face serious in spite of herself, “you may repeat that again—for me!” The mayor refrained —but he liked the girl for her genuineness. “Was the baby hurt?” she asked anxiously. “Crowed like a young rooster when they picked him up,” replied Bedight, “but the peace and the dignity of Lakeview is shattered to splintereens.. We’re in for it, I’m afraid.” The girl looked up bravely. “Are you still my prisoner—-under parole ?” “Under lock and key,” he replied, looking at his watch. “Then try pointing to a grated aperturethrough which He went oveTand peered through the grimy glass.— . “This bandbox is on the rlvef bank,” he said, “and—yes, there’s a boat down there. If we could get these bars loose —” ' 1 "Try the leg of this chair,” suggested the girl. “These village lockups are easy to get into—and not very hard—” working—“to get out of," as the rotting casing let go its hold upon the bar. “Hurry,” urged Miss Arney. “They’ll be back before we can get out.”

“No fear,” replied the mayor. “They don’t go very fast In towns like Lakeville—and besides, the justice of the peace, knowing he is to try a pretty young lady,” bowing, “will have to change, shave and put on his army button. We’ll make it.” Ten minutes later the body of the mayor slipped through the hiatus in the village jail. "How —can I get out?” queried an anxious voice from within. "I —I can’t come feet first —I —” "Let me lift you through. There, like that,” placing the woman’s hands upon his shoulders. As she came out, he took her in his arms, her breath upon his cheek, and set her gently down upon the ground. “Now, we’ll run for it,” he cautioned. “There are no oars, but we can drift!” They scampered across the intervening sward. He broke the lock that held the chain of the boat. They climbed in. The current carried them gently down stream In the midday sunlight. As the girl sat facing him the ma» could not resist breathing: "If you will permit the liberty, may I say that you are a very pretty jail- ———— “Prisoners shoqld never be facetious with their keepers,” she replied, making a face at him in the sunlight. “Here, gol darn ye, where ye goln’T I’m lookin’ fer you!” It was the voice of the game warden, bawling excitedly from the bank. For answer, Bedlght shaped his hands like a horn and, in mock earnestness, called back: "I’m on my honeymoon! ‘Everybody’s doin’ It now.’ ” It was dark when a farmer’s wagon stopped a block from Squirrel Inn The mayor and Miss Arney strolled leisurely to the veranda of the hotel. “He’s perfectly lovely!” confided Mabel to Jackie, blushing rosily. “Hm!” responded Judge Vining, with a queer little feeling under her corsage. "I’m glad to hear It. The sheriff is waiting for him In the office!” (TO BE CONTINUED.)

Mabel Arney.

“Hurry,” Urged Miss Arney.