Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 January 1915 — The Goveror's Lady A Novelizion of Alice Brad's Play [ARTICLE]

The Goveror's Lady A Novelizion of Alice Brad's Play

By GERTRUDE STEVENDN

Illustrations from Photographs of the Sji Production

SYNOPSIS. Daniel Slade suddenly advances from a penniless miner to a millionaire and becomes a power In the political and business world. He has his eye on the governor's chair. His simple, home-loving wife falls to rise to the new conditions/ Slade meets Katherine, daughter of Senator Strickland, and sees inner all that Mary . to not. CHAPTER It—Continued. “Oh, I like Washington,” she said, bringing herself back to .the conversation with difficulty. ‘Her father, noticing her abstrac- • tlon, remarked Indulgently t “She likes Slade. She likes the Bast, hut she doesn’t tell it to everybody on account of father’s votes. Now, Slade and I love our western city, eh, Slade?”

"Well,” with some reluctance, “It’s a good starting point,” Slade admitted. “Ah!” Katherine exclaimed, now thoroughly herself again. “There’s a man fpr you! He’s not going to let a town stand In his way. Mr. Slade, ‘this is father’s Waterloo. He’s been a great disappointment to me. That’s the worst of parents. We children never know how they're going to turn out If father had only listened to me it. would have been Washington for him—Washington for me. But be wouldn’t cross the Delaware. He wouldn’t leave the Weet. If there’d only been a drop of Napoleon in father,” she concluded with a sudden burst of vehemence. “Napoleon!” repeated the senator. “Yes, Napoleon. He got what he wanted, and nothing ever stood in his path. I just love the way he rode over poor old Josephine’s heart don’t yon?"—end she turned to Slade. “But he was right!” she continued, earnestly, as if she were making a plea for something that lay very close to her own heart "Why should we let anyone hold us hack? I wouldn’t But mother didn't want to leave the West so father stuck to his town and his friends and his state. Now he stands in the background and boosts other men politically. “He wants to boost you,” she added, suddenly. “Letting out secrets,” her father accused. playfully. But Katherine was never more serious. "You’re his dark horse," ahe persisted. "You’re a lucky man, senator," Blade broke in, aa he watched Katherine admiringly. "You’re.’* lucky man to have a charming young woman behind you in the race.” “That’s all we women are for,” answered Katherine, bitterly, “standing behind some man and watching him do things.” "Why, child alive, you do things yourself," the senator remonstrated. “She makes busts, Blade—heads. Done some big guns in Europe.” Katherine sighed and leaned back wearily in her chair. "Oh, In my feminine way, I model,” she admitted. "But If there'd been one drop of Napoleon in father I shouldn’t have had to toll back on molding clay. I should have been molding,” she hesitated, and then finished daringly, “opinions and people.”

CHAPTER 111. . - v .:' ' . * * ,»V'“ Just how much more freely Kath- : erine might have revealed her alma and inspirations, Slade could not know, for at that moment the butler appeared and engaged his attention. As the man withdrew, Slade-spread ,» wide his arms and announced grandiloquently: “The gentleman of ihe water-front crowd, if you please. Mr. Wesley Merritt, the gentleman who wasn’t going to darken my door, Is here!” * He broke off with a loud, mirthless laugh. As well as any man who ever lived, he liked to feel the grip of his Own power. He had come to the point where It was genuine satisfaction to humble men and conquer things. “Wesley Merritt!" the senator was almost too surprised for speech. “After his abuse of you in the paper today—. And Hunt! How did you do ltf" “This is the sort of thing I like," broke in Katherine, eagerly. "Oh, it’s no exciting," she declared, her eyes glowing with eagerness and animation. “Oh, Mr.. Slade, how did yon make them kow-tow V T i Slade’e reply was prevented by the brusque, excited entrance of Merritt and Hunt The. pair, angry and belligerent, strode into the room without a word. Merritt, small, wiry) energetic, was In the lead, followed closely by his shadow and echo. Hunt. “Is ft true?" he demanded angrily, before lie realised that Slade was not alone. “How do you do, senator — Miss Strickland!“ he exclaimfed. in. surprise. “Lovely home you have, Mr. Blade," ha added, frying to adjust himself to the scene he had not expected. '• "An astonishing rumor has reached us, Mr. Slade," he finally declared, getting down to the business of his invasion. 'lt concerns you, senator, i It concerns every public-spirited man In the city-' Is It true, Slade, that you have bought up our entire water front on which residences—our old itmiM—the mansions of the city face, . .. -,, '' — ; --'s '.

and that you fld btildlng factories there?” “Why, yes,#*!* Admitted, with maddening cws“What?” Striked almost shouted, completely astiftted. “But —but itwt be done,” Merritt was so excitedthat he stuttered his word* . is “It can’t echoed Hunt. He was well paid nbelus echo. “Our best {Me live there,” protested MerritCs i “I live therelunt added, with accumulated emfftis“All of us,” Kitt continued, “take pride In the wf alopg the water front. It’s dapble. Why, out of common dsceigE min— What do you' want of fa#es, way ?” he demanded, comply angered and out of patience, i Slade’s volcw&s almost a drawl, it was so low-«bed and so provokingly calm. didn’t you and'your associates pro»your holdings?” he inquired. I i;

“Kow’d we tv a man with millions would a 1 along and buy up the whole bes Merritt’s wrath was* getting b( ed the control that Katherine's senpe demanded. “Blade, If you >ersist in this,” he thundered, “I’n ,>lng to take off my hit b c My paper has an eaorinous outsfcclrculation, and I’ll baste you oncerary day. If you propose running fjteoveraor, you won’t get one vote Uhjur own town. And in one month, ness, yorj’ll find San Francisco has ai-cgeous climate.’’ Slade was urfeoirbed by Merritt’s threats or Metmi balldosing. “All Might, Merrittfn advised, good-na-turedly, “go ju with your paper, I’ll take my cAttes.” “You will, yMerritt’s tone was ominous. "Wm soijt of factories are you going to “Well,” coolly, *1 was thinking of puttqrupglue factories!" “Glue!” Thdsie word jumped from everyone’s me 1 at ones. “Glue!” they all repea , and looked at each other in const j&tion. “The h—l y< jay,” then remembering himself. * |eg your pardon, Miss Strickland.” 1 “It can’t be be,” Merritt went on. “You cah’t bu glue factories here,” and he emphi «<f every word with an angry sbak jt his finger. • “By God, yq >” He broke o] h he saw Bob Hayes stride into the pm. Hayes, as Slade’s lawyer and al ut a member of the family, bad th iptree to the house at all times. W "Here’s my «yer,” remarked Slade, dryry, “ask him, “Of course St-ao be done,” Hayes Informed them! cnvlneingly. "It’s perfectly leglti magi’

Then, as if i h dismiss a perfectly obvious subjecLke turned to the girl, who had been flying every point that Slade had Katherine’s with warm welcome. It bfarae first time she had seen Haya since she had returned. He wasjhe man she had once wanted, to many, once before her father had gtirth her the choice of Hayes or a finjshing school in Paris and a tour ofßifope. Now she greeted him with cordial friendship, but with none of the swept tenderness he might have her. Once she had looked up ipj» his eyes and thought him -a god. Nd|, her eyes blinded by the glare of auction, she saw only a good looking dip, a struggling lawyer, a man made any particular mark it the world. She returned .. Hayes’ iburning, penetrating gaze with cool, iiruffled frankness. In another moment she, had turned from him and was earnestly watching Slade, listening to his every word with eager intentttees. “You see, I’ula very simple sort of fellow,” Slade uks saying, "don’t drink —don’t smoke-»Mlon't keep yachts or horßee, don’t ksfp wo—" he stopped in his oft-repeatedforraula as he temembered Katherine's presence, “don’t keep horses, so 1 must do something, as I was saying to Mrs. Slade today. I don’t want to bother my neighbors, so I'll build high chimneys, so the smoke won’t trouble you much. I’m going into the glue business. That is.

of course,” and he paused and surveyed the group about him with a complacent elevation of bis eyebrows, “that Is, unless you gentlemen can keep me busy in some other way. I’m a very active man." Katherine leaned forward with tense expression to see how the man’s opponents ' would. take his game. The senator was smiling, Merritt tapping his foot restlessly. "Well, -boys, it looks ss though he had us—strong?" Strickland broke the silence. “Gluet~Whew!" "Are we going .to be had T" demanded Merritt, testily, “are we going to stand for this holdup?” and ha turned disgustedly toward the door. "Don’t yob thluk we’d] better keep Mr. Slade busy id pome other way/' Strickland repeated. , - “I don't/* Merritt flung back over his shohlder as he left the room, fol-. lower s* usual, by Hunt 1 - Merritt’s hasty departure w»s the signal for Katherine to adjust her wraps sad remark: "We must be late

there’s no foreigner on the scene, to there. Katherine r "Boh,” Katherine’* voloe wwi sweet but firm. “I don’t think I shall aver marry now—” “Oh, nonsense,” he protested. “No,” even more positively. "The more I see of men—but what’s the use? There never was but one man 1 could have got on with, and I didn’t happen to . live in his time.” “Who was the boy?" Hayes asked, lightly. “Strange,” Katherine replied, pensively, “I’ve just been talking about him—Napoleon Bonaparte.” "Oh, Lord —that fellow.’’' Hayes was much relieved. “Can I have tomorrow evening?" “Yes —If you—yes—tomorrow evening, Bob.” ~ Her voice lingered a bit on the Bob, and with quick Impulsiveness Hayes caught her hand and kissed It. In another minute she had turned to Slade. “Oh, Mr. Slade, won’t you let me make a head of you?” "A head of me?” Slade repeated In surprise. "Think It over,” Katherine suggested, as she and her father went out, leaving Hayes and Slade watching her proud, graceful figure until At disappeared from view. Slade looked critically at Hayes for a moment or two after the girl had gone. “Oh, now I remember,” he suddenly exclaimed. "You’re the chap ehe gave up for Paris a long time ago?” “When she was twenty-one and I was twenty-four and six feet one inch of a western lawyer, just out of the woods. How does Mrs. Slade take to this governorship business?” he finished, abruptly. “She doesn’t take to it" Slade’s voice was hard. "I was afraid she wouldn’t” “Well, nobody’s going to stand in my way." A malignant light showed in his eyes. "My boy, I’m out to win.” In spite of the fact that he was In full evening attire, he thrust his hands into his pockets and almost strutted about the room. “I outgeneraled that crowd here tonight. By God, I did! Do you know— 7* He paused In hla walk and looked down oh Hayes’ six feet sprawled over one of the brocaded chairs —“there’s just a little drop of that fellow—Napoleon Bonaparte—ln me!” * “Napoleon Bonaparte got on by leaving a woman behind,” Hayes returned, seriously, refusing to enter Into Slade’s spirit of self-satisfied good humor. “You mind your own d—n business, Bob,” Slade turned on him, suddenly. “All right—l'm off to the opera. I only meant that Napoleon was a bad boy for you to follow, because he treated his first wife like a dirty dishrag. That’s why I’m glad that second little Austrian hussy paid him back. That’s all. I love Mrs. Slade. When I was sick with fever in your mining camp she was a mother to me.” “Don’t forget that I made you," Slade reminded him. “I,” and he tapped hiß chest, “I gave you your chance.” "1 don’t. All the same I’d hate to see you elected, because of Mrs. Slade. It- seems to be the regular thing, becoming universal, for a very successful man to leave home the minute he’s on his feet. Good night." , "One minute, Bob. You’ve given ms a lot of good advice. I’ll give you some. Are you.in love with that girl?” “Yes," Hayes grunted; “good night Is that all?” “No;” Slade paused, watching Hayes through nafrowed eyelids. "That girl needs a large pie with every one of her fingers in it. Bob, I’m sorry for you. Your pie isn’t big enough.” “Well l —it’s my pie. Good night,* and be was gone. After Hayes had gone, Slade sat, hla arms resting oh the table, staring into space. Every now and then the corners of his mouth came, down and his eyes narrowed. He was thinking of Katherine Strickland and Hayes. That woman for Hayes! Hayes must be a presumptuous pup to ever- think of winning that queen. Such women were meant for the kings of the earth —not for their hirelings. (TO BE CONTINUED.)