Lifted Masks

They would walk up and down the corridors, hoping for a glimpse of some of the leading officials, when all the while Freckles Mc

ents to whom the official register was sent out. In the newspapers-and he appeared with frequency in the newspapers-he was always "Freckles," and

mbued was it with the idea of reforming that there was grave danger of its forcing reformation upon everything in sight. It happened that the Gover

k up about the building, and what he read in the newspapers, Freckles put together a few ideas as to what the Kelley Bill really was. It was a great reform measure, and it was going to show the railroads that they did not own the Sta

heard in the Legislature were more thrilling when for reform than when against it; it was

's property-or at least so Freckles inferred from conversation overheard at his p

he was disgraceful, he did not consider that any reason for not speaking to him. And so when Mr. Ludlow got in all

r his brows and gave no sign of having heard. After that, Henry L

he session, a member of the Senate and a member

hey got in. "We're as strong now as we're going to be. It's a ma

ator for very slow running. Stacy had been writte

low will see him before he casts his vote this afternoon, and then-oh, I don'

cy voted for it, it would pass. If he voted against it, it would fail. He would vote for it if he didn't see Mr. Ludlow;

he was very busy taking down the members of the Legislature. Strangely enough, Senator Stacy and the Governor we

was a look about Senator Stacy's mouth which suggested that there was no use in being too sure of him. Freckles considered the advisability of bursting forth and

e next minute Mr. Ludlow turned the corner. He was immaculately dressed, as usual, and his iron-grey moustache seemed to stand out just a little more pompously than e

y other passenger. When half way between the basement and the first floor, he stopped the elevator. He must have time to think. If he took that man up to

ke?" asked an

Ludlow's face, and he saw that t

It's acting queer. Somet

sement and let me out,"

responded Freckle

over, but his knowledge did not ex

to come and take us o

had come into his small grey eyes, and red

e'll run no

ran then. It rushed past the first and second floors like a thing let loose, with

oy!" he cri

his voice thick with terror

?" whispered

so!" blubbe

ough practically unused. Past floors used for store-rooms, past floors used for nothing at all, they went-the man's face white, the boy wailing out incoherent supplications. And then, wit

!" panted Frec

solid floor than Freckles reached up and slammed the door of the cage. Why he did that he was not sure at the

d have been more than human had there not burst from him furious and threatening words. But what was the use? The car was

ard one of the janitors asking for the keys to take a party up just a few days before. Perhaps he could get out on top of the building and make s

all the while he could not make himself heard. And then at last, alone in the Stat

nd he whistled. He took people up and down with as much nonchalance as if he did not know that up at the top of that shaft angry

speeches made in behalf of the measure were brief. The great thing now was not to make speeches; it was to reach "S" on roll-call before a man with iro

t in the corridor, and a great crowd of men were standing around slapping him on the back. The Gover

at it was he, Freckles McGrath, who had won this great victory for reform. It was he, Freckles McGrath, who had assured the

tic any too pleasant a place in which to spend the afternoon, go he decided to go up and ge

ded, and otherwise made away with. It seemed he would never come to the top, and when at last he did it was to find two of the

rol. Words such as he had never used before, such as he would not have supposed himself capable of using, burst from him. But Freckles stood calmly gazing up at the infuriated lobbyist, and just as Mr. Ludlow was saying, "I'll beat your head open, you little brat!" he calml

r, and then peered through the grating, his face tied in a knot of interrogation. The eminent l

t much of an understanding Freckles sent the car

hich the Senate Chamber was situated came in view. Then Freckles turn

office of the Governor," said

Governor in his office now. He's been in the Senate mos

tly. He squared his shoulders,

Freckles was sent for fr

Mr. Ludlow was saying as

eturned with a good deal of acidity. "Though of course," he a

be equal to bluffing it through? Would the boy have the finesse, the nice subtlety, the real master hand, the si

boy who stood before him and lo

t, and then remembered that officially he was William-"th

w in a hurt way, and waited

rately took him to the top of the building and wilfully

he very best I could to save his life! I

liar!" bro

s hand. "You had your c

d a going over. When it took that awful shoot, I lost control of it. Maybe I'm to be discharged for losing control of it, but not"-Freckles sniffled pathetically--"but not

for money," sne

ng any proof of that, I'll be ready to hear it. Until

pened this very afternoon,"

especially interested in something this afternoon? I thoug

to be said. Mr. Lu

eart that this would be Freckles' undoing, "why did yo

osin' doors has become a kind of second nature with me. I've been told about it so many ti

his hand to his m

uld get out of anything, "why was it you didn't make some immediate effort to

stairs," cried Freckles. "I never dreamed he'd want

ked," snarled the

I took a run up just to test the car-and there you were! I never was so surprised in my life. I s

vernor put his h

ting, William. And if anything like this should happen again, you

at the door the Gov

ld afford to be generous-"that you should apologise to the gentleman for the r

dlow, and there was an ominous silence. Then light broke over

Governor's hand was

d for a ring of such kind and proportions. He was at some pains in explaining t