The Spider's Web

ept time with the beat of his pulses, and he walked fast

hose forces affected it; they invaded his individuality and, therefore, curtailed his freedom and curtailed completeness. Happiness, if it was to be found at all, was to be found only in t

ther part of him, the part that loved Betty and that Betty loved, could enjoy Betty as the reward of the whole man. It was as if he were one of two runners. Betty he saw not as the goal, but as the

subconscious self was still tingling with the emotions that had flamed up in him when he took Betty in his arms and felt her

s nearly empty, but until she was close beside him he did not notice her. How she came to be at his el

me the time, pl

at such a request was the commonest form of watch-stealing, but h

nly," h

rsued the woman, "but

of all that it connoted: because of the mystery, the adventure which, after all knowledge of her sordidness and all underst

sulted h

ter to eleve

im was the face that, in spite of its tokens of much evil done and more evil suffered, retained the fragile beauty which men associate with innocence. The calm, broad brow, the gray eyes wide

, isn't it?

tten about his watch; he was h

"if it's too late for you to

y; a smile that was a trade

d his watch to his pocket. He felt a sligh

usquely; and sta

man fo

ged. Her tone coarsen

said

e whined. She put

He was too angry with him

is," he

's hand returned persistently; it

y were at the doo

d, "but I can't sto

o the apart

r have given way to her, because he was so firm in his resolve to live worthily for Betty that he could not enough want to give way to offset the efficacy of his resolve; only the portion of him subject to his will without being a part of his

he passed the clerk's desk in the ha

pered. "I sent them into the waiting-room so's you could

he would have presented to the representatives of

see them,

, because the evening papers had printed Luke's letter about his resignation from

them. Most of them he had met while in Leighton's office

want," he agreed. "Bu

a keen man with

tter," he suggested: "the part about the bi

objected Luke. "Better wait a

nated, all right. C

t little fellow, whose paper opposed all reformers. "You

ed copy-paper, he fell into stride with his subject. He declared that the League meant to put an end to the influence of B

ey urged him to be specific in his charges against the present administration of the District-Attorney'

e mean, once and for all, to put Wall Street out of politics and graft out of the administration of justi

's papers were full of it. Leighton, on his way downtown, read them with anger against

ng that his party was in no position to risk putting up a weak candidate, he telephoned to George J. Hallett an

master and Rivington, sprawled in a deeply upholstered chair. He smoked steadily at a ci

about 'em?" he f

ghton-"unless Hube

t 'em, h

he last tim

you hav

ourse, I

is mouth; he looked at the ci

use you are to u

nly satisfactory way to deal w

ept to tell you where the leak

want us to

support at el

other side has just a

en

Democratic orga

e not to interfer

see, you haven't

fingers through

e began again, "we don't kn

right," sa

our influence for the election, ma

ose letters?"

people in the matter

es

named R

n overcharge for postage-stamps in the course of his sec

Leighton in order to defeat the candidate of the Municipal Reform League. In advance of their occurrence, however, all these things were gossiped about by the leaders of every faction and so confidently expected that plans were shaped

uke's room, where Venable and Luke were busy. "Th

had some other engag

sn't L. Bergen Rivington," Nelson sneered. "There's too

g for his formal letter accepting the nominat

ple?" he asked. "I knew he knew

o it, but politically he is all right. He ha

at do you think of th

from h

ger any room left for doubt. The purpose of this invading power is clear: its purpose is conquest. Unless the free voters act, and act quickly, the true government of the United States in general, and of New York in particular, will not re

lapped h

legislation, for instance. You can't imagine what my firm's been up against. They're getting an appetite for the wholesale drug-tr

while they ate. All the time callers were sending in their names with requests for interviews, workers were reporting, men at the telephone were ringi

ave adopted had he lived, the latter full of pride in his approaching success, but ending with the postscript: "Jesse [Jesse Kinzer was Jane's husband, the new Congressman] says that condi

, it was Forbes himsel

ly. "Can you come into the library? I want t

that preceded them would alone have been sufficient to warn

e," Luke

Luke saw in the face that confronted him an expression which conformed with t

hen. But, you see, I had no idea it could be so important-ever be so important." He broke off with a remembrance of his accustomed courte

by the ce

thought that Forbes looked as if death were in the hou

er supposed your going in for the Municipal Reform L

, was unable to follow For

It hasn't any business

mean the end of R. H. Forbes & Son. Think of it: it may mean the end of the Busine

knew better than Luke, but how the Municipal Reform

sed to getting coherent stories in preliminary interviews with

ey were all well secured, and you know how solid the concern's always been. With the money you put in and the earnings, I was able to take up some of them, but there were the improvemen

encouragingly.

It was a good deal, I know, but

reasons now. Wha

an," said Forbes

ent conquered

two hundred and

mpetition. It was grow

ou ever ar

it to ask questions. Now, I wish I had. I believe the bank was influenced by some

ne of the agents that I had look into

" Forbes looked his appeal.

d have asked you more questions. What pu

more widely known than was absolutely necessary, and I agreed because of the credit of

r either his own stupid blindness or Forbe

're going to

bowed h

can't

ould do it only by wr

lse. The East County isn't

I thought. It'

aid it to Osserman-that's the pre

persis

yes met Huber's-"

just what happened. I can't advise you till I know that, even if I'm not the business-fool I s

of c

t wa

ter-just a pe

id you

even this

went over t

es

o see this m

es

at did

; he was careful not to use definite word

his mean

e understood you were int

s. What's my interest in your firm got to do w

t. At first he said he und

as mistaken and offer

ot upward. "I told him that the For

entioned me. How did I h

Huber, that he rather opened my eyes to a phase of y

t ph

course of action-you had pledged yourself to go in for one that would upset credit altogether. And that's true, Huber." Forbes gained a certain confidence. "When you co

re. His face relaxed; he lo

t this banker asked you to te

ut of c

testimony to the League's

rse, I told him I

id he s

aw all the city funds on deposit at the East County if t

k all this l

ught to know me

did yo

a loan from a concern that interfered with the political con

you

rned to Forb

my career. When I thought of the firm of R. H. Forbes & Son begging

urned y

ely and said they would c

"you're crossing a brid

t over a messenger with a note that w

ave up

ed Clement & Co." Forbes

ey?" ur

onsider it for a

at Forbes's suffering, b

?" he

ung out h

egging-yes, begging-from bank to bank, what would happen to our credit? I didn't d

a paper and made a transpare

give y

e'd give m

uraged. "That's six good working days. Yo

told you what it would do to our credit to try. But I've come to the

ean? Not if we

politan Life Building for securi

down th

ent on: "But there's only one group of men i

bes simply, "is

walked across the room. Presently, ov

es you th

s was

ell you. A hundred littl

d something about

h, I couldn't doubt it. It was behind every word Osserman said. It was

e up to Forbes. He

you want me t

ay of saying: "You have read my

I can't

It hurt him to hav

was the way you'd t

could I

at it means

o what you ask. You want me to give up what I think is

r firm, t

got a right

do anything wrong; I'm

what I can't

e twitched with a spasm of w

d down to me. Haven't I stood by you? Didn't I trust you? I've kept out of all these big combinations, but I know how they work-nobody can help knowing these days-and when I took you in, how was I to be sure you weren't a dummy representing somebody else, and so on, higher and higher up, till the

he muscles about his mouth tigh

you have sp

f course I have

t does s

d to take L

n't hurt the League, and it will only make you all the stronger for the next time; and by the next time we'll be ready

ted Luke, "do

ion. She looked from her lover to her father, and then

t he could not face much more. He wondered what Forbes had said to

d her head. Luke thought that the

with her f

ou wouldn't

o behave, and he loved her no less for that, but he was angry at her father's weakness in putting her in such a p

understand them,"

k's right. You wouldn't have me go against everything I believe,

f raised

be wrong not

d his word

from the comp

d if you sold to anybody else it would be sure to be letting in our enemies. Even the me

Forbes w

a place that makes its holder an officer of the court, an officer of justice, yet the plain truth is your fathe

his daughter's meed of comfort. "You

think I will

d Betty, "could do just a

onal question, a question of personal mor

two men. She stood at her father's side. Her ch

as old, and he must know more. He must be right. He wouldn

shook h

ive up," she went on; "but you ought to

e you?" a

met

" she

Luke," nodde

was his laziest-"what about

ed. She had tak

e choose between you and fa

uestion. It's like saving my soul. I've got to do it; I've just got to; just because it's the one right thing, I've got to do it. Why"-his manner grew tense-"you don't know; even your f

Forbes. "That was on the M. & N. W

f his promise of temporary silence concerning the letter

he M. & N., and you know it, too. What's more, this wreck was their direct fault. I can prove that and I mean

trouble with you, Huber: you're going about

"but the fact is, I have letters written by one of

show these peopl

ered the poor rails t

mate business: a few men going on the way you are. I don't think these people at the top are any better than

reply, Betty again

she appealed. "You'll giv

ropped her father's hand and c

y. Wait. Go away just for to-night and think it over, and come back to-morrow." Her hand crept into his. "I know it's awfully hard for you to gi

ace w

by," h

e back to

eed h

said. "G

would not withdraw from the fight for the district-attorneyship. To keep his word, he would go ba

was the conclusion of all his c

ertainty that nothing which life might hencefo

the test of her love for him, but he felt that it was an unfair question. Until a girl married, her first duty was toward her parents. His own duty and Betty's duty

ctivities of his professional and political work, but something of the space would remain: it belonged. He was still black with the despai

aitin' for y

softer; they spoke only of what she had suffered and not of what sh

ld you last nig

if determined that he should hear her out before he could escape. "Don't mind the way I talk. I just kin

n trouble, and s

His hand went

en." She seized his wrist. "Will you listen a minute, please? Here, if you don't want no one to see y

He was not afraid of an attempt at robbery, and he could thi

go with you

im into the d

' she's straight, Jenny is. Well, I was talkin' to her to-night when my fellow came up, an' he sent me on an errand-we was all standin' r

you kn

he girls told me I was on, an' then Pearl came down

eet her face looked like th

call a policem

w them. Pear

ve got your si

wouldn't give up to him the o

There was a shop on one side

id the girl. "Pearl's j

Luke, "to go in and b

she's straight; she's always been straight. You won't have no trouble. They're always scar

amy bur

wly. "No, I'm not afr

wrung h

ful good. Mamie'll owe

ll?" as

my sister's n

," sai

od in the darkened hallway before th

ute," said

n-mouthed, but before words came to them, he stepped back into the street, clo

he street with no purpose but that of getting as quickl

hat it was that he was escaping from.

As Luke reached the corner, a gong clanged

ding on the corner, began to trot

e matter?"

ed to him a

s somethin' doin' when I seen that patro