The Spider's Web

Luke's ring at the door of the Forbes house and his inquiry

n?" ask

k she's gone over to Mr. Nich

asius was the only occupation that brought Forbes and Betty even slightly into touch with the world of the Ruysdaels. With Betty, Luke often went to the Sunday morning services. Indeed, he had recently become a consistent member of the congregati

Luke inquired. Until this moment he had

guess. Would you like to l

sn't going out this

well

Judge had consumed some time; there was a block in the subway and another block on the surface-line at the subway's end: Luke had missed Betty. There was nothing to be done bu

ked for no serious oppilation by these secret enemies before the end of the month that he had given them in which to come to terms. He underestimated, in short, both the power and the unencumbered license of his foes. He would not realize the han

that time divisional headquarters were opened in every ward in New York, and the remnants of an older reform organization, left from a defeat ten years old, were gathered and cemented for present use. Nelson, Venable, and Yeates were working day and night

is associates wanted to see him about: Leighton had issued a statement saying that he had

on as Luke entered the offices of the League. The old man

Yeates. "I always thought Leighton

sted Nelson. "He

long legs. He did not like the neces

ll know that. But we have called the committee for the day after

be blind to his hearers' astonishment. "It was a race to see whet

off!" sa

roked his

to the public. We stand for absolute honesty in politics, and

nd I believed he was willing to use the Money Power in politics, if he cou

"Men don't break up a partners

on and

d, but people w

le cu

the basic facts has to go to the papers at once. The charge wouldn't be so serious if it was specific and vulgar, because then you would have no trouble in disproving it; but Mr. Leighton

got down fro

ts that would make trouble for a group of unscrupulous and influential men, and he wasn't going to use those documents in court

e refl

suit if you publis

he documents?

nd me in a stenographer, and I'll di

ts from the roof to the hall opening on Broadway. Entering the offices, one came first to a reception-room; beyond that, one passed along the cleared side of a railing in the large apartment, behind which sat

such a way that its facts would not sound incredible to the uninitiated reader, would not seem so vague as to excite suspicion, and would yet convey to both Leighton a

The reporters are waiting outside; I sent fo

that?" a

issuing this statement from the League's headquarters. Don'

tter wait ti

good points of your letter of acceptance, but merely that you should state what you will stand for. You could say that yo

shoulders. He turned to the waitin

partisan movement in which the one object shall be the purification of municipal government and the fearless administration of the law, all of its supporters working

rive the money-changers out of the Temple of Justice, the grafters out of the police-force, vice and crime from the streets; and, if elected, I should attempt to do these things, as the will of the people who placed me in power, with favor to no pe

rned to

hat?" he

eed that it

stodgy enoug

winced, but pass

off your coat and so on. Our first appeal has to be made to the cultivate

ary smile. No doub

"change it to: 'I shall put on my armor and t

asked that evening when he again

"she's in the parlor. Mr. Forb

Forbes-for a while," Luke interrupted

," the careful servant warne

e him." But his tone was not so enthusiastic as it had

him, and through it she now hurried into t

n the paper, The papers are full of you, and you don't know how proud we are

ttle curl that escaped from the mass of golden hair, so like a

ands in his and thought not half so much of her words as of the wo

ssive, and he thinks you would have done better to come into his

o to my head." He remembered that Nicholson believe

e into the Eighteen-Sixty parlor. He was a handsome man an

"New York needs men with high con

plied Luke heartily-"and

sat

men in the practical world. If all of our millionaires were like some few of them, our work would

efit of the lesser of God's creatures. He mentioned no specific instance, but he saw in many of the country's rich men souls that were proving worthy of their trust and others that were using their money selfishly and even cruelly. For the former he

him, but sincerely hoped that he would go. Fearing

gara people don't seem

, because there you have to do with a corporation, and

Luke; "but what I'm driving at is that the individual

y delegated that no one man had much left to him or could incur much guilt for his individual errors. In connection

to tell whether ordered repairs were made, and didn't hire competent men. The company can't get out of this mess by saying its experts were forced on it by the uni

a good deal of length. It was some time before his

or close upon the departing clergyman. The

id. "I'm glad

e of light from an old-fashioned, crystal-hun

ips smiled. "I like him. He's very good, and he's

ictions and the courage of them. Most of us always admire in others what we don't have ourse

repeate

and stood looking down at her,

aid, "I wanted

ooked as if you wanted t

talk to you a

g. She gave him he

" she

won't give me anything that would make me deserve you. I've not been a bit better than I should be." His voice grew tense. "When I come down to brass tacks, when I-I beg your pardon; but what I mean is that when I get to the point of telling

ke minutes before she had stood up and begu

in the fight to win

the sweet, fresh cheeks hot, the lips parted, breathing quickly-and then he felt the blood rush to his

flung him along a new road; they raced him down a way of which he had known but little. As he felt the warmth of her gracious young body next his, he was hurled with such violence down a course so unfamiliar to him that only the thoug

. He looked away from he

e was only exalted by this n

she whi

has a right to know." He caught her hand, pressed it only as ti

ad when he agreed with its generalities and muttering maledictions upon it when it specifically ridiculed the Progressive Party. As Luke came

relaxing his scowl; "I didn't know y

guessed how long he

y," he v

had not risen. He indicate

Luke; but he di

oticed his visit

ing Star-"doesn't want anything but to be against everything. It upsets me every evening. But you've done a big thing. I think you should ha

His eyes twinkled a little. "I

a paper written by such able men can be so narrow-minded on broad subjects. However, I

ther reticent about the

thing that weighs ag

had a chance

looked

do you

ed," he said. He spoke with an unusual rapidity. "Engaged to be married,

ed up. He wrun

said, "you are to

said Luke, "for you know t

Forbes's voice rose. "You don'

. "It is luck, isn

n Luke's right shoulder. "Bless my soul! My little g

l the proper surprise; and both men understood that he ha

sidering Betty a child-a mere baby-but, now you're here with the announcement, I'm quite certain th

mumbled h

of genuine feeling-"then there's your interest in the Business. Huber, I've always regretted that I didn't have a son to leave the Business to, as my father left it to me and his father to him. If you'd married somebody else, an

Luke; she was sta

d; but she said it with an alle

," her fat

oulder. The girl ran to him an

ddy," she whispered

draw a handkerchie

so much to-night the way your mother-By George, I

red-headed man dressed in cheap clothes of fashionable cut, was leaning across a table at which he was drinking raw whisky

NECESSARY TO

lay lighthouse. All you gotta do's put on them glad clothes an' get him into Pearl's Six' Av'nue place. H

like Joan of Arc no

has got to be rea