Show I SERIAL STORY r R INFINITE VARIETY By Brand Whitlock llustratlons by Ray Walters Copyright ItW by BubUMerrUl Co SYNOPSIS Senator Morley Vernons visit with his fiancee was Interrupted by a call from his political boss at the state capital Both regretted it the girl more than he because she had arranged to attend a dinner tllat evening with him She said she yearned for a national office for him On Vernons desk In the senate he found a red rose accompanied by a plea for suffrage for women He met the au thoress pretty Miss Marla Greene of Chicago who proposed to convert him Into voting for house resolution No 19 f CHAPTER IIIContinued Vernon scarcely know what to reply re-ply such objections as he might have found at other tlmestho old masculine mascu-line objections to womens voting and meddling in politics had all dlsap peered at sight of this remarkable young woman who wished to vote herself her-self ho could not think of one of them try as lie would His eyes were on the rose Perhdps your objections are merely mere-ly prejudices she ventured boldly in her eyes a latent twinkle that dls turbed him I confess Miss Greene ho began I trying to get buck something of his I senatorial dignity such as state senatorial sena-torial dignity Is that I have not devoted de-voted much thought to the subject I am Indeed rather ashamed to acknowledge acknowl-edge that I did not oven know tho amendment was coming up today until un-til I waschso delightfully reminded re-minded by your rose r He raised the rose to Inhale its fragrance fra-grance She made no reply but she kept her eyes ion him and her gaze compelled him to go on It was hard I for him to go on for It was now but a struggle against tho formality of a surrender that had been Inevitable from the beginning But his mans pride forced him to delay It as long as possible What assurances have you from other senators be asked Though perhaps I need not ask they have i unanimously mounted your colors He looked at his colleagues sporting their roses Miss Greene gave a little exclamation of annoyance Do you think I dont know she saidthat I dont understand all that I might have known that they would not talus it seriously And I thought 11 lp I thought to put the matter so easy J eas-y to them that I should be spared tho necessity of buttonholing them It was a novel way of buttonholing 7 L them he laughed Oh she exclaimed catching her breath they wear the roses and laugh at me Her eyes flashed through the mists of vexation that suggested tears You are nil alono then Vernon said this in a low solicitous tone as If lie were dealing with some deep grief y All alone And you represent no onethat Is no society no club I am not a paid lobbyist she said tFxult I believe It is not beyond the frpertles of our profession If do what I do only from a love of prlnci pL I represent only my sex She f nal It Impressively and then with a oiilJr little laugh that recognized tho theatrical l that had been In her attl tune oho added And that I suspect without authorization The ladles generally do not seem to bo Interested Vernon acquiesced No she shook her head sadly noon no-on the contrary I suppose most oft of-t them oppose the measure I have generally found them of that feeling Vernon observed The slaves before the war often petitioned congress not to set them free you will remember Mies Greene spoke with a bitterness bitter-ness Then quickly she collected herself her-self But your objections Senator Vernon Ver-non she said Really we must get down to business She raised the little chatelaine lij watch that hung at her bosom and i wf looked down at It And then suddenly sudden-ly without waiting for his objections as If she had quite forgotten them Indeed In-deed she Impulsively stretched forth a hand and said Youwill I help mo wont you Vernon looked into hor oyes His gaze after an Instant fell Ho tried to run tho stem of the rose through s II I his buttonhole The thorns caught In r the cloth j Youll have to do it he said helplessly help-lessly From some mysterious fold of her habit she took a pin and then leanIng lean-Ing over she pinned tho rose to his coat pinned it with its long stem hanging as a woman would pin a flower I flow-er to a 1 mans lapel Thank you He was looking into her eyes again Rather lot mo thank you1 she said Its so good of you to vote for my measure His eyes widened suddenly Ho had y quite forgotten the resolution She must have perceived this for she J blushed and he hastened to malts amends Ill not only vote for it ho rushed ahead Impulsively but Ill make a speech for It He straightened and leaned away from her to give a proper perspective In which she could admire him Ho sat there smiling How splendid of you she cried I feel encouraged now Then Vernons face lengthened He stammered But youll havo to give mo some data I I dont know a thing about tho subject Oh she laughed I brought some literature It shall all be at yojr disposal dis-posal And now I must be about my work Can you mako any suggestions Cnn you tell mo whom 1 should see whom I should Interest who has tho ahlllIlI I believe you call It Ill bring them to you Vernon said You sit here and hold court He rose and his oyes swept the chamber They lighted on Burns and un Idea suddenly came to him Ho would revenge himself on Burns for all tho slights of the session Of course youll have to see Sam Porter but Ill begin by bringing Senator Sen-ator Burns familiarly known na Bull Burns 4vo read of him so often in the newspapers she said It would bean be-an experience Vornon wont over to Burns seat and touched him on the shoulder Come on ho said In a tone of command speaking for once from the altitude of his social superiority And for once he was successful Tho burly fellow from the First district stood up and looked Inquiringly Como with me Vernon said theres a Chicago lawyer back hero who wants to see you Burns followed and nn Instant later Vernon halted before Miss Greene Tho other men who had quickly returned re-turned to her side made way and Vernon said Miss Greene may I present Senator Sena-tor Burns of tho First district Miss Greene smiled on tho big saloonkeeper sa-loonkeeper who Instantly flamed with embarrassment Sho gave him her hand and he took It In his fat palm carefully lest ho crush It I am delighted to meet Senator Burns Ive heard of you so often she said looldng up at him And do you know I count it a privilege to meet ono of your acknowledged Influence Influ-ence In our states affairs Vernon stood back delighted beyond measure with the confusion into which Burns for once had been betrayed The senator from tho First district Ii r U e I J a 1IiII Den Im Wit You was struggling for some word to say and at last ho broke out with Aw now lady dont be trowin de con Into me Tho men In the little group on that side of the senate chamber burst out In a laugh but Burns becoming suddenly sud-denly grave and dangerous and terrible terri-ble in his gravity they broke off In the very midst of their mirth The group became silent Really Senator Burns said Miss Greene this is nonhconfidence game I assure you She roso with a graceful sweep of her skirts Then she went on It you will permit me I should like to explain my mission to you I am down here to ask tho senate sen-ate to adopt a resolution that will submit an amendment to the constitution constitu-tion permitting tho women of Illinois to vote at all elections as they vote at school elections now It you can give it I should like your support I should at least like to tell you my reasons Slowly sho seated herself again saying Will you sit down But Burns only stood and looked at her There was a trace of fear in her faceDo Do you want die resolution put Trough ho asked bluntly I Indeed I do she said Is dere anytlng in it for you ho went on Why Miss Greene said somewhat at a loss only that I am Interested usa us-a matter of principle in seeing it sresrso adopted It would bo a great day foi me If I could go back to Chicago feeling feel-ing that I had bad Just a little bit to do with such a result Den Im wit you said Burns and wheeling he went back to his desk Miss Greene watched him a moment mo-ment and then turned to tho men their numbers augmented now by others who had come up to see Burns In the presence of such a woman Tho glance she gave them was a question Oh ho means It said Monroo of Whiteside Holl vote for the resolution reso-lution Yes hes given his word said Brownwoll of Cook Vernon devoted half an hour to bringing senators to meet Maria Greene It was not difficult work though it had Its disadvantages It did not allow Vcruan to remain with her long at a time But at last it was done and ho found a moment ulono with her Sho had given him some pamphlets on equal suffrage Ah If you could only address tho senate he exclaimed in open admiration admi-ration And then us If an Inspiration had como to him he added Perhaps I could arrange it it has been done I She gasped and stretched out her hand to stay him Oh not for all tho world I she protested But youll come and meet tho lieu tenantgovernor Up there she said incredulously pointing to the dais under the flags Why yes Vernon answered why not Its where all tho eminent lawyers law-yers who come down here to lobby sit She looked up at the desk behind which tho lieutenantgovernor sat swinging gently in his swivel chair while the secretary read senate bills on third reading There was n re Juctanco in her eyes but when sho caught Vernons smile sho gathered her skirts and said I Well if I must CHAPTER IV WhTle Miss Greene sat chatting with tho lloutenantgovurnor who gladly neglected the duties of his high office Vernon went out ipto the rotunda lighted a cigarette glanced over the pamphlets and tried to arrange the heads of his speech in his mind At the thought of tho speech Vernon Ver-non grew cold and limp with nevous ness His hands were clammy his knees trembled his mouth became dry and parched and tho cigarettelie had lighted Imparted all at once an evil taste Yet ho smoked on and as he wandered around tho rotunda men from both houses passing to and frn greeted him but they seemed to Wm to he strange now creatures flitting by pin I in a dream If ho was conscious o1 I them at all it was only as of envied beings all on a common happy plane fortunate ones who did not haste to make a speech within the hour Ho went over to tho state library thinking think-ing that its quiet would soothe but when lie stood among the tall stacks of books ho suddenly remembered that ho must not smoke in those precincts and so he turned out into tho rotunda again fur lie must smoke Ho walked round and round the rotunda pausing at times to Jean over tho brass railing I and look far down to the main floor where the red light glowed at the cigar stand ho sauntered back into the dim and undisturbed corridors his mind racing over all the things he might say sayTO TO BE CONTINUED |