Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 November 1908 — She New Mayor Based on G.H. Broadhurst's Successful Play THE MAN OF THE HOUR [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

She New Mayor Based on G.H. Broadhurst's Successful Play THE MAN OF THE HOUR

BY ALBERT PAYSON TERHUNE

CHAPTER XVI, DALLAS, left alone lu Horrlgan’s private room, sat at the big table, making no effort to follow her brother and Phelan. A messenger, searching for Horrlgan, bustled in, looked inquiringly at the motionless, white faced girl, then passed on to the committee room beyond and on again in his search until the sound of his footsteps died. And still Dallas sat. Inert, dumb. Little b.v little she was piecing together the facts of the long, miserable oompllcutlou iu the light of what Perry bad just told her. It was absurdly easy now that she held the key of the situation. She could understand everything—how Wulnwrlght had put her fortune into Borough stock to Influence Bennett; how, failing to move the latter, he had used Alwyn’s knowledge of the fact ns 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 honorably and as be thought I would hare wanted him to and for my happiness. And I, like the wretched little fool I was, couldn't understand and fubllcly humiliated him. Ob, if only l| weren’t too late to”— “ A vision of Gibbs flashed before her mind, and she shuddered, realizing all that her rash steps had entailed. “It Is too late,” she confessed to heraelf, fighting back the hot tears that •eared her eyes. "But at least I can tell him 1 know and beg his forgiveiys and thank him.” ' The sound of voices In the corridor roused her from her bitter reverie. She sprang up hastily, unwilling that any should see her tear stained face, but the speakers, though they drew ■ear, did not enter Horrlgan’s oflice. Instead, they stepped into the adjoining committee room. The messenger had left ajar the door between the two rooms. Realizing this and not wishing to be seeu, Dallas shrank back toward the wall, fearful of detection. Then the voice of one of the speakers suddenly arrested her notice. “Well.” Bennett was saying in no especially civil tones, “you said you wished to speak to me in private. What have yon to say? Be brief, for I am bpsy.” Fludiug herself the unwilling witness to what promised to be a confidential talk, Dallas stole toward the door leading to the corridor, but Horrlgan, as was his custom, had locked it on goiug out She dared not enter alone the crowded anteroom In her present state, so hesitatingly site paused, forced to remain where she was. The sound of another voice chained her to the spot, and, unconscious of eavesdropping, she stood spellbound, heariug every word distinctly through the half open doorway. “I—l hardly know how to begin,” Gibbs was replying to Bennett’s curt demand. “It is a delicate subject and”— “Then the sooner it is treated to open air the better. Is”— “You’ve won the Borough bill fight.” began Gibbs. “Is that all you have to say to me?” “No. You've won, but you've lost far more. You’ve lost Dallas Wainwright." “I hardly need to be reminded of that,” retorled Bennett, "and it is a •object I don’t care to discuss.” “But listen." pleaded Gibbs as the mayor made a move as though to leave the room. “One minute! 1 say you’ve won the Borough fight. I’ve won Dallas. Cau l we”— “Weil, what?" asked Bennett, with ominous quiet ns he paused in his departure. “Can’t we—strike some sort of bar pain?" said Gibbs tentatively. “Explain, please.” ordered Bennett with that same deceptive calm. “Why,” went on Gibbs, emboldened at the other’s seeming complacence, “suppose you give up this Borough tight and I give up Dallas? I won her by a trick. She doesnt really love me. It to her pride, not her heart, that made tier throw you over and accept me. It !• you she loves, and I’ve known it all along, and yon are in love with her.” “What then?” “Just this,” returned Gibbs, wondertag at Bennett’s quiet reception of the strange offer. "She will marry ms because she isn’t the sort of girl to go back on her promise, especially since ■toe looks ob mo as a sort of high mindgti martyr to yoor oppression, so if I

hold her'to hes wordUhe will not back down. Now, if you. even now. withdraw your opposition the Borough bill

will go through. Let It go through and I will break my engagement to Dallas Walnwrlght and leuve her free to marry you.” “You promise that?” "Yes!” cried Glbbs.eiated. “I promise on my word of honor! Is it a bargain?” “Gibbs.” replied Alw y n slowly. “I didn’t ttiink Shore was so foul a cur as you in all the

world. 1 thought I understood how utter v !•(»; -mi y«m were, but I didn’t Itelievr lin-n- was a man living who could dei -e bint-elf as you've just done.” "But” liegan dibits. In bewilderment “Now you’ll listen to me for a moment." cut iu Bennett, silencing the interruption "You say I’m Iu love with Miss Wainwrlght It to true. 1 love her iu u way a dog like you could never understand if be tried for a lifetime. I'd give my life for one word of love from her. but I’d sooner go forever without that word than win it by a dishonest deed that would prove me unworthy of her. I asked her love as u free gift and tried to deserve It. She refused, and I won’t try to buy what she won’t give me. especially since the price would make me as unworthy of her as you yourself are." “But you take the wfong view of it. You see. if”— “I see this much: I’ll have to speak plainer to get my view of the case iuto your vile mind. If ever again you meet me, Btand out of my way. Don’t •peak to me or come where I am, for

If you cross my path again I’ll treat you ten thousand times worse than when I thrashed you in that football game. That’s all.” Bennett, restraining his wrath with a mighty effort, turned on his heel and strode off iuto the corridor, leaving Gibbs staring after him In dumb, impotent despair. When the broker had recovered himself sufficiently to start from the room Dallas Walnwrlght stood before him. barring tbe exit. Her luce was dead white, her big dark eyes ablaze. "Walt!” she commanded. "I must speak to you—for the last time.” “Dallas!" gasped the desperate man. his drawn face turning positively yellow. “You were—you—you heard?” “Mr. Bennett just now called you ‘the foulest cur in all tbe world,’ ” said Dallas, her voice scarcely louder than a whisper, yet every syllable stinging as a whiplash. "He put it too mildly." “But, sweetheart”— “ ‘Miss Wainwright.’ please. 1 heard you offer to sell me to him in exchange for his conscience. If my own brother had told me such a thing I would not have believed him, but I myself heard it And I heard his splendid answer.” “But you know, I was joking! That it was just a trick to”— “Just such a trick that made me promise to be your wife? Yes, but this time you had to do with a mana mau in a million—not with a poor, credulous little idiot like me. And he answered you as 1 Should have answered you had my eyes been opened In time; I”“Dallas,” groaned Gibbs, "for heat«n’s sake don’t look at me like that! I can’t bear ui I lots yout An A I”

-Ana i tn my criminal roiiy pm m . tsed to marry you!” she stormed. “1 let you kiss me. My Ups are degraded forever by that touch of yours. 1 let {you speak words of love,to me. I broke a brave man’s heart for your wort Less sake. Ob. the shame—the horrible shame of It all! But I shall thank tiod Jn my bended knees that 1 have found sut the truth before It was too late.” , “Too late?” he echoed In horror, bto {voice rising almost to a scream. "Dal-

las. you’re not going to throw me over? You aren’t”“Scott Gibbs,” she answered quietly, a world of wondering scorn iu her level tones, “you do uot even know how vile a thing you are Now leave me. please. Your presence sickens me.” He tried to speak, but something of the Ines fable contempt tn her steady eyes site nc e d him.

Without a word be slunk out of the room and out of her life. Phelan, agog with eagerness for the coming struggle In the aldermanic chamber, bustled past through the corridor. The alderman had many duties Itoday, and as the performance of each brought him nearer to his longed for revenge on Horrigan he was positively beaming with righteous bliss. Dallas caught sight of him. “Alderman!” she called faintly. Phelan halted,'still In baste to fulfill his mission. “Could—could I see Mr. Bennett?” she asked, a new timidity transforming her rich voice. “Do you know where 1 can find him?” "Is it important? He’s pretty busy.” “Very important!” she pleaded. “I bust see him at once.” “PH look him up,” agreed Phelan, “but I warn you he’s too busy to see you Just yet. S’pose you let me take you back to the meetln’? Our bill’s cornin’ up in a few minutes now, an’ you don’t want to miss it. Then I’ll scare up his honor for you as soon as he’s got a spare minute an’ bring you back here to him. Sorry to keep you waitin’,” be went on as they started toward the council chamber, “but before this session’s over all sorts of things Is due to explode, an’ we ain't hardly at the beglnnin’ of the excitement yet. We’re goin’ to make a Fourth of July celebration in a giant powder fact’ry look like a deaf mute fun’ral by the time we’re done."

(To be Continued.)

"Gibbs. I didn't think there was so Jaul a cur as you in all the world."

"Now leave me , please. Your presence sickens me."

The eavesdropper.