Show r l By FREDERICK JOHN BURT ji UP11AM ADAMS Author 01 The Kidnapped Millionaires Colonel Monroe Doctrine Etc COPTIUGnT 1903 BT All rights I COPTKKIHT last HT FitDe5mCK UPUAM AIUIIS I reserved A J UllBIKL U1311Lm1 4 dt CHAPTER XXVI Continued Youve got him all right roared Hawkins grasping John Hurts hand lrn proud of you my boy I I caino in to help you out and now I find that you have turned the trick without with-out me Is there nn > thing more you wantYes YlsH returned John Well joull get her Ill back your grandads judgment that she Is waiting wait-Ing for you Speaking of Peter Burl how old did you say he Is1 Nearly ninety And you wish mo to see him Think Ill wait until hes a hundred declared John Hawkins Joking aside Ill go with you any day you say and Ill be damned glad to meet the old man Only Ill promise not to swear again In his presence They talked for hours and Haw iLS listened with Interest to tho disclosures dis-closures made by Sam Hounds concerning con-cerning tho Cosmopolitan Improvement Improve-ment Company A messenger arrived with a sealed letter from the alderman Informing John Burt that the bribery money had lieen paid over or deposited With tho Seven aldermen supposed to bo purchased pur-chased Morris estimated a majority of four In favor of his new franchises Ho was so sure of speculative success suc-cess that ho had fixed tho dinner party to General Carden Jessie Edith and Blake for Tuesday evening tho date of tho council session when his ordinances would como up for final action Tho news of his triumph should como to him while ho was reveling rev-eling In the charm of Jessie Gardens presence The contemplation of this pleasure Inspired Morris with a now IdeaThe The dinner should celebrate his formal for-mal engagement to Jessie Carden The more he pondered over this brilliant bril-liant coup the more entrancing did It seem His carriage drew up at the Bishop residence an hour before the time barrnsslng dont you neo I wont say anything more about about marriage lut please go with us Something may happen which you would like to hear about You will go wont you Miss Garden 1 Jessie yielded to this miserable entreaty en-treaty and a moment Inter General Garden entered the room and relieved an awkward situation Jessie took small part In the conversation as tho carriage rolled down tho avenue but Morris chatted gaily with Edith Hancock Han-cock Ho secretly nursed his anger but Jessie noticed that ho studiously Ignored General Garden CHAPTER XXVII Sam Rounds Repents Cosmopolitan Improvement stock was strong and active during time session ses-sion preceding tho evening set for tho epeclal consideration of its franchises Brokers who acted for Arthur Morris btood on the floor of the exchange and bid up tho stock and took nil offerings of-ferings Tho price mounted steadily but ranldly There was 1 heavy selling limn some unknown source and at the close enormous blocks came out The rumor spread that James Blake was selling tho stock When his representatives stood In tho excited mob and boldly proffered Cosmopolitan Cosmopoli-tan In thouRandshnro lots the price ragged but Morriss agents came to the rescue and It closed just below the top figure A published poll of tho council showed > a majority In favor of tho ordinances and wise speculators predicted pre-dicted that In tho expected boom of the morrow Blake would bo severely punched Blake denied himself to all callers The transactions were recorded re-corded In tho name of John Hawkins mid that gentleman spent all of his time with Mr Burton Early In the day John sent for Blake Mr Hawkins and I have arranged Z4r7 I m = d ALY3i pJAAAJ4 I tr avpro TO 7703 OOOWS r i if II SAID f GUlIDT I 7Yez J s r = I rho i le r j IN I I T I I VV IU set for the dinner He waited with Impatience Im-patience for Jessie and was effusive In his greeting when she entered the drawingroom Mr You are more than prompt Morris sho said releasing her hand I have something to say to you to ask you Jessie Are we likely to bo disturbed here I think not What weighty secret to disclose Mr Morris have you Pray be seated Tho great house was silent and the yellow light ot the setting sun flooded the room Jessie was superb as sho declaration her In calmly awaited the tuition told her was forthcoming She could not find in her heart tho slightest slight-est feeling of pity or sympathy for Arthur Morris I have waited years for this moment mo-ment ho said dramatically His slightly but ho was not face paled abashed From the hour I saw you in Hlngham 1 have admired you and tow I ask you to bo my wife As you know I think a great deal of you more than 1 know how to tell you governordear old governors The endorses my choice Say you will have me Jessie 1 the peroration He had not forgotten of his carefully prepared and oftre proposal and concluded by hearsed dropping clumsily to his knees There wa more of demand than of plead lag In his manner I Gardens eyes flashed as she Jessie looked down upon him Arise Mr Morris and make an sho said as sho this scene end to instinctively drew away from him I you You must respect cannot marry this answer as final Her voice was low but firm and held no gleam of hope the dark eyes Morris struggled to his feet for You told mo to wait two years waited ho exclaimed and I have you This Is a strano claimed harshly patience and for my reward for my Indncss to your father not marry withIn would I told you I word I have kept my In maTe years promise I shall not other I made no relations with business your discuss y You certainly have Gtneral not considered Carden me a part of them dinner engagement prom Since our to either of us I will Ises no i Pleasure It Pray excuse me Ou from you wk release General Carden will he with you pres ontly pleaded of ont go I beg you the Jessie turned to leave Morris as Your absence from the din net nom ouldwoll It would be very em to attend tonights session of the council said John Will you join us Jim Id like to but I havo another engagement en-gagement replied Blake Ill try to drop In before the session Is overLong over-Long before the chairman called the city fathers to order tho hall was cloudy with tobacco smole There was little that was Impresslvo In tho personnel of the municipal Solous nor was their gathering marked by dignity It Is a sad reflection that tho nvorago city council Is fairly representative repre-sentative of Its constituents It Is tho mirror of urban Ignorance deceit and cupidity of tho varying grades of venality relieved by a sprinkling of upright but too often Impractical men Righteousness enactments aro wrung from such bodies only by fear of public Indignation and corrupt measures go down to defeat only when detection and punishment faces tho lurchasablo majority John Burt and John Hawkins looked down on this motley crowd of civic statesmanship Various minor matters had been de lated and decided when tho chairman announced that time hour set for tho consideration of the franchises of tho Cosmopolitan Improvement company had arrived A clerk read tho ordinances ordi-nances and each alderman was provided pro-vided with a copy of them Alderman Hendrlcks arose and was recognized Ho was life accredited champion of the Cosmopolitan franchises fran-chises lIe made an able presentation of the arguments in favor of the pending pend-ing ordinances He was empowered by his constituents to voto In their favor he said They promised a much needed relief from tho exactions of a grinding monopoly Theirs sponsors were wealthy reputable citizens whose words were as good as their bonds There could bo no Intelligent unselfish unself-ish opposition to these measures ando and-o on to an eloquent peroration It all that was n good speech and worth was paid for it Others followed In a similar strain though not so logically or grammatically grammati-cally A welldrilled claque In he Gallery applauded at proper Intervals Other speeches wero made for and against tho ordinances and then Alderman Al-derman Hendricks moved the previous question It was carried and tho roll call ordered Tho clerk pencil In hand began his monotonous task First ward Aldoraan Patrick Aaye sor yelled a shrill voice The cinque applauded vigorously |