A Man of Two Countries Part 25

"Of course, if there's any money going, I want to get my share. I'd do as much for Burroughs' money as anybody."

After a guarantee of good faith had pa.s.sed from a safe to his pocket he left. "What do I care whether Bob Burroughs goes to Congress or goes to h.e.l.l?" he muttered delightedly, as he felt the roll of bills in his pocket. "I've got a p.r.i.c.ker coming that will sting his rhinoceros hide!

This money ain't half what's coming to me from that mining deal; take it all in all, I'll even up with him before the session closes. Just you wait, Joe," he apostrophized, as he entered the elevator; "just you wait until the time comes!"

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Chapter VIII

Danvers' Discouragement

"Good evening, Senator!" Danvers was waiting at the elevator door as Hall stepped through it on the ground floor.

"Good evening, Senator," returned Joe, thinking how little Danvers had changed in appearance since he first came to Fort Benton.

The Senator from Chouteau County took the lift to the third floor. He went to the doctor's room, for he knew that his old friend from Fort Benton, who had but just come to the capital, would be waiting for the evening call and friendly smoke on the first day of his arrival.

To-night the younger man was unusually silent, and after the first greetings nearly an hour pa.s.sed before a word was spoken. But the doctor felt the silence--pregnant with the heart-ache of his friend, and at last he spoke.

"How goes it, Phil?"

"Pretty heavy luggage."

"He'll get it?" No need to be more specific.

"I'm afraid so," soberly. "I never dreamed it could be possible to mow down an a.s.sembly as Burroughs is doing."

"He would sell his soul for the senatorship," affirmed the doctor, "and yet he pretends that he doesn't want the office. He would have people think that he is in mortal fear of being politically ravished, and all the while he, and every man that he can control, are actively engaged in promoting a campaign of ravishment."

"And Bill Moore is his chief procurer," added Danvers.

"But the whole Legislature can't be bought."

"Every one!"

"You include yourself there, Phil," smiled the doctor. "But I know what you mean. It's d.a.m.nable!" The believer in mankind felt the foundations of the State totter.

"I did not mean to be quite so bitter, but I am sick of the lack of principle that I find in the men sent to Helena. Burroughs has a long string of men who are now scattering their votes, on the pretext that our Republican caucuses do not pledge them clearly to any one candidate. This split in the party is bad for Burroughs, of course, and he is not only trying to get my men away from the Governor, but is angling for members of the Democratic party." After a moment he smiled.

"Of course we are sure of O'Dwyer!" He then named several others who could be depended upon not to enter Burroughs' camp, either by reason of their own integrity or the pledges they had given to other candidates.

"So many in the field scatters the vote," he continued, "and that gives us a chance to work."

"How about Hall?" asked the doctor.

"Senator Hall seems safe. He is one enemy whom Bob cannot buy. I never saw a man hold the idea of revenge as Hall does."

"If Joe Hall doesn't vote for Burroughs it is the first time that he ever resisted easy money," quoth the doctor. "However, hate will make even money seem of small account. But Hall will do some dirty trick, one of these days, to get even on that mining deal. Those two are a good pair to draw to."

"As politics now are it would not be hard to find three of a kind,"

added Danvers.

The old man took up the evening paper, containing the list of the legislators and their city addresses. He checked off the names as he read, and presently looked up.

"As far as we can tell Burroughs is shy several votes for a majority."

"Looks that way."

"We don't know who Moore's holding back--worse luck! But we do know who are solid against Burroughs. By the way, what's Charlie Blair up to?"

"Politically or personally?"

"I think one means the other these days, according to all I hear."

"Possibly." After a moment Danvers added: "Blair has promised me on his honor not to vote for Burroughs. I do not think that he will deliberately go back on his word. As for--I can't speak of it, doctor!

Poor Arthur!"

"Eva's not a bad woman--she's only an ambitious fool," a.s.serted the doctor, touching one of the sore spots in Danvers' aching heart. "I can overlook a woman's folly if it is the result of an overwhelming pa.s.sion--some women are as intense as men. But to play with fire--while she is as cold as ice--as calculating as a machine----" The speaker made a gesture of disgust. "Be sure that she is promised something she thinks worth her while, by Bob or by Moore, for her sudden interest in politics and--Charlie Blair. She is a good catspaw. I thought she was making eyes at Charlie at the opera, but I couldn't believe my own. She and Moore are working the members of this Legislature by concerted action, or I am very much mistaken."

"You haven't heard any open talk of Mrs. Latimer--Arthur would--I should fear for his reason--for his life--if scandal----"

"Well, I can't say there hasn't been any," compromised the doctor. "But there'll be more if she doesn't turn Blair down pretty quick. He's drinking, too; something he hasn't done since his sister came back from school to live with him. He could always stand liquor in abnormal quant.i.ties; but he can't stand"--abruptly he blurted it out--"first Eva knows there will be h.e.l.l to pay--and I doubt if her credit is good."

"She doesn't care for him, then?"

"Nah!" The negative was drawn out contemptuously. "All she wants of Charlie is his vote for Burroughs. She never loved but one man in her life." A glance went to the senator, but he did not apply the words.

"Poor Winifred!" sighed the young man. The doctor caught the baptismal name.

"Winifred's a plucky woman. I'll wager she knows practically every move being made in all this rotten business--all," the old man added significantly. "Yet you would never mistrust it to see her. It is well to put on the cheerful face and tone, yet when in trouble is it best? It is deceiving to one's best friends, robbing them of the opportunity to extend sympathy. Winifred Blair is worrying over Charlie, yet she keeps her troubles to herself and cheats her friends of a just privilege."

"I wish," began Danvers, then closed his lips. No one should see his heart.

"I wish she would give you the right to protect her," said the doctor, heartily. "What has come between you two? I had thought----"

"I do not know," acknowledged the disconsolate lover. "She was friendly.

We've seen each other quite a good deal. I thought she was one to understand. I cannot talk as most men do--I am aware of my failing."

His eyes were more eloquent than words, as he paused. "And now she hardly speaks to me--makes some trivial excuse to leave me with Charlie when I call; or if he is not there she pleads an engagement. You have noticed how Moore has been paying her marked attention? It is for her to choose----"

When Danvers began again it was of another phase of his trouble. "Miss Blair has doubtless heard of my financial loss, caused by that early snowstorm and later rain, which crusted the snow until my cattle were almost wiped out. My foreman wired me the night of the opera, you remember. Those that were not frozen were starved to death. My political life here in Helena is costing me a fortune."

Danvers rose and paced the floor. "It gives me the jigs, even to think of those cattle," he burst out. "Not the financial loss, you understand, but the suffering of dumb animals!"

"You did all you could, Phil."

"Yes. But what with a three years' drouth and no hay in the country, and the railroads blocked so that no feed could be shipped in, even if we could have gotten to the cattle on the range--oh, well----" The cattleman dropped to his chair with a sigh of helplessness.

The doctor took a new turn.