Mr. Crewe's Career -- Volume 2

loppiest and windiest of months in a northern climate, and Mr. Crewe had intended, as usual, to make a little trip southward to a club of which he was a member. A sense of duty, instea

that these are what are known as check-lists

rewe to multiply his acquaintances by bringing numerous strangers to see him. Mr. Tooting, as we know, had abandoned the law office of the Honourable Hilary Vane and was now engaged in travelling over the State, apparently in search of health. These were signs, surely, which the wise might have read with profit: in the

bill, had been ridiculed for his pains, and had gone away again comforted by communion with a strong man. The Honourable Jacob had felt little shocks in his fief: Mr. Tooting had visited it, sitting with his feet on the tables of hotel waiting-roo

could affect him; and although he had not been mentioned since, he read it assiduously every afternoon upon its arrival at Leith, feeling confident that Mr. Peter Pardriff (who had always in private conversation proclaimed himself emphatically for reform) would not eventually refuse-to a prophet-p

LIC SERVANT

e error of his way? Mr. Crewe leisurely folded back the she

guess Pardriff's recovere

as been said of men in battle that they have been shot and have run forward some hundred feet without knowing what has happened to t

man who has never sought office, but has held it by the will of the people, and who himself is a proof that the conduct of State institutions in the past has been just and equitable. One who has served with distinction upon such boards as the Railroad Commission, the Board of Equalization, etc., etc." (!!!) "A stanch Republican, one who puts part

e Adam B. Hun

. Crewe fixed upon his secretary as steady an eye a

y, "the 'State Encyclop

arty and Co., Newc

e tuft of beard on his chin; with his ample statesman's coat in natural creases, and his white shirt-front and little black tie. Mr. Crewe gazed at this work

er. Mr. Ridout's place was second in this invaluable volume, he being preceded only by a harmless patriarch. These facts were laid before Mr. Tooting, who was directed by telephone to come to Leith as

ernor's bench, but I hadn't any notion he'd been moved up to the top of the batting list. I told you right. Ridout was going to be their next governor if you hadn't singed him with the Pingsquit

e looked

best of people until I

r. Pardriff capabl

ant by this remar

around with him when he travels, and he's grateful to the Honourable Adam B. Hu

is fingers on the

mpaign is more apparent

g a dreamy expression on his friend's face, acciden

and money to make it," Mr. Tooting ag

ate should be willing to contribute largely. I have had a list of m

out his feet, and appeared t

to be the public-spirited man to put it up at the start. I've got a little memorandum here," he added, fumbli

nd Mr. Crewe, without looking, reached out his hand

these expenses are out of all proportion to the simplicity of the task involved. It strikes me-ahem

e got mad, and told 'em so to their faces. But you've said yoursel

rewe interrupted.

n't got a bushel basket of passes. Look here," and he pushed another paper at Mr. Crewe, "here's t

hat he was about-although no one else did except Mr. Tooting, who merely looked mysterious when questioned on the streets of Ripton or Newcastle or Kingston. It was generally supposed, however, that the gentleman from Leith was going to run for the State Senate, and was attempting to get a follow

n of the Honourable Adam B. Hunt took root and flourished-apparently from the seed planted by the State Tribune. The ground, as usual, had been carefully prepared, and tr

an instrument which failed to register the

g to measure it by. What other event in the history of the State produced the vexation of spirit, the anger, the tears, the profanity; the derision, the laughter of fools, the contempt; the hope, the glee, the prayers, the awe, the dumb amazement at the superb courage of this act? No, for a just comparison we shall have to rea

books and papers, but his eyes were on the distant mountain, and every scent-laden breeze wafted in at his open window seemed the bearer of a tremulous, wistful, yet imperious message-"Come!" Throughout the changing seasons Sawanec called to him in words of love: sometimes her face was hidden by cloud and fog and yet he heard her voice! Some

olating it persistently for many years and were liable for unknown sums in damages. The discovery of it had dazed him, and the consequences resulting from a successful suit under the section would be so great that he had searched diligently, though in vain, for some modification of it since its enactment. Why had not some one discovered it before? This query appeared to be unanswera

l remained the senior counsel, but was now confined in his house at Newcastle by an illness which made the probability of his return to active life extremely doubtful; and Tom had repeatedly declared that in the event of his non-recovery Austen should have Mr. Hammer's place. As c

g dreaded-although he had not foreseen its specific cause-weighed heavily upon Austen. It

up?" he cried, flinging

"Have you see

he matter

om; "read that. Your

rey Crewe, is ou

Crewe for

gan to associate with Tooting, and from the way he spoke to me in March. But who'd have t

looke

it's such tomm

's door just now, Brush Bascom and some of the old liners were there, reciting parts of th

gh, filling a leading column, and in a little

H RAILRO

t of twenty prominent citizens, consents to become a

cal power of the Northeastern Railroads, and declares that the

of the State against the present disgraceful political conditions, speaks for itself. The st

rn Railroads elected, for their own selfish ends, governors and legislatures and controlled railroad commissions The spirit of 1776 was abroad in the land. It was eminently fitting that the Honourable Humphrey Crewe of Leith, who had dared to fling down the

Austen looked

is written in the same inimitable style as a p

pped hi

d I!" he cried. "Tooting w

nent citizens-do you

s my hair when I go to Kingston. He certainly is a prominent citizen in the fourth ward. Jim Kendall runs the weekly newspaper in Grantley-

idn't

he lay mind) obscure recapitulation of the iniquities the Northeastern was committing, which proved beyond peradventure that Mr. Crewe knew what he was talking about; such phrases as "rolling stock," "milking the road"-an imposing array of facts and figures. Mr. Crewe made it plain that he was a man who "did things." And if it were t

and thrust his hands in his pockets, and with a little

at?" Tom demanded. "Now,

en, "that he'll scar

fore he gets th

n willing to accept Austen's judgment on men and affair

one thing. And they are beginning to hav

y he has a chance

how much the voters find out ab

own rathe

hand. You've got more ability than any man in the State, and you sit here gazi

and, his hands still in his pockets, looked down thou

of yours, which seems to be the only flaw in an otherwi

d in spite

I never did. You think Crewe and Tooting may carry

is back to his friend, staring across at Sawanec. Tom had learned by long experience t

can't, I'll go to your office if you will let me know when you'll

ed out h

rcer," he replied, "but I will co

as he emerged from the entry almost bumped into the figure of a young man that was hurrying by. He

. "Great snakes!" (A cough.) "What're you tryin' to do? Oh," (apologeticall

p and regarded Mr.

ou, Ham," he said; "b

haven't time. Pardriff's

am," said Austen; "I

t want to choke me. Say, I don't be

ore a collar any mor

ned in appreciat

tie parties on," he gasped. "I'll come. But if you lo

uld go up first-which he did. When they reached the office Austen shut the d

bad luck to governments that neglect me:" the air of a man who has made a brilliant coup d'etat. All day he had worn that air-since five o'clock in the morning, when he had sprung from his pallet. The world might now behold the stuff tha

reason difficult to maintain that aggressive st

id you do i

a winner? Hasn't he got the money, and the brains, and the get-up-and-git? Why, it's a sure thing. I've been around the S

es and addresses of those twenty prominent citizen

iting back the smile again. "Say, you never get down to bus

an overwhelming demand," said Austen. "He couldn't

Mr. Tooting, who was no

rise to Mr. Crewe. He says he was astonished. Did the

s time spread all over his fa

rominent-citizen business, if I do say it myself. But you don't know that feller Crewe-he's a

rly exciting to

very well known around the State, and he was bound to run-a

eciate your d

a sheepish look, which changed almo

ain some day and kid wi

raight. This i

time if you left by th

oting's expressive counte

tricks on me, are you? I heard you nearly flun

nto what is known as the bullet dance. As it is, I have a gre

Tooting bec

to you, Aust. Say-you did

uiry. And, his imagination being great, he reproduced for himself such a vivid sensation of a bullet-hole in his spine that he missed his footing near the bot

r of the passage into the other part of the building, and paused at the open doorway of the Honourable Hilary's outer office. By the street wi

urable Hilary? Flint got up from New York this morning, and

lings. "Say, Austen, knowin' your sentiments, I wond

"you've got us terrified since your friend from Leith turned the light of pub

els fast

made a breathless entrance during the conversation, and felt it to be th

He wished he had done it himself. "Is that

erver of human nature, he had little respect for Senator Billings. "N

, and he addressed Mr. Billings in a voice which,

started, there'll be trouble. Old man Flint's got some such idea as that, too. I overheard him givin' it to old Hilary once, up at

irs," said Mr. Billings, sava

better try it, Nat

beyond, where it swung in a wide circle and hurried between wondrous hills like those in the backgrounds of the old Italians: hills of close-cropped pastures, dotted with shapely sentinel oaks and maples which cast sharp, rounded shadows on the slopes at noonday; with thin fantastic elms on t

d it. He stared at the monogram on the paper, which seemed so emblematic of her; for he had often reflected that her things-even such minute insignia as this-belonged to her. She impressed them not only with he

e later. I cannot refrain from sending you a line before I go to tell you that I did you an injustice. You will no doubt think it strange that I should write to you, but

ely you

ORIA

ad left at once. Austen had asked himself these questions many times, and was no nearer the solution. He had heard nothing of her since, and he told hims

est in him in other terms than those in which it was written? She had a warm heart-that he knew; and he felt for her sake that he had no right