Show lffiI51lI5tM2AJ Q2 VWW W I = HER = i i INFINITE I VARIETY i i By Brand Whitlock i I Illustrations by Ray Walters I QID Copyright 1W7 by UobbaMerrUl Co SYNOPSIS Senator Morley Vernons visit with his fiancee was Interrupted by a call from his political boss at tho state capital Doth regretted It the girl more than he because she had arranged to attend a 1 dinner that evening with him She said she yearned for a national olllco for him On Vernons desk In tho senate ho found a red rose accompanied by a plea for suffragii for women Ho met the authoress au-thoress pretty Amiss Maria Greene of Chicago who proposed to convert him Into voting for house resolution No 39 Miss Greene secured Vernons promise to vote for tho suffrage resolution He nlso uldod her by convincing others Ho took a liking to the fair suffragette Miss Greene consulted with tho licutennut governor gov-ernor Vernon admitted to himself that tho suffragette had stirred a strange feeling feel-ing within him He forgot to read his llancees letter Vernon made n great speech In favor of suffrage aided by glances from Miss Greene The resolution was made a special order Vernon was enthusiastic on the prospects for the resolution res-olution Ho was much In Miss Greens company Vernon neglected thoughts of Amelia lIe took Miss Green driving and laid out plans for the success of the resolution reso-lution Vernons speech caused a great newspiipcr sensation Ho wan being neglected neg-lected by Amelia who had not answered his letter Vernon Is tipped off that his suffrage resolution may not pass As Miss Greene was duo the following morning morn-ing he had no fears Miss Greeno arrived ar-rived end breakfasted with Vernon Across he dining room entrenched behind 1 be-hind women opponents of the suffrage resolution he spied Amelia lIe started toward her She treated him coldly and the women opponents of suffrage re roved him for hIs part Mrs Hodce Lathrop told Senator Vernon that Ills conduct wth Miss Greeno had been hard upon Ameln He was told to comfort her Vernon had a tearful Interview with Amelia and < ho tried to undo the Ills which his suffrage move had caused He partially mado up with Amelia who had turned lobbyist against tho resolution reso-lution Through the work of the anti itilTrage women tho resolution fell Hat Mrs lathropi trick In sending Vernon to Amelia keeping him away whllo the killing went on Miss Green was Introduced Intro-duced to tho members of the Lathrop party CHAPTER XIVConllnued You are enjoying your visit in Springfield I trust You havo seen the Lincoln monument anti tho homestead home-stead How very interesting they must be And the legislature offers novelty dont you find it so She gathered her skirts as if to withdraw But A rs Overman HodgeLathrop achieved a smile Wo have not enjoyed the pleasures of sightseeing On the contrary we came to appear before tho senate she said Miss Greene surveyed her critically with that look In which ono woman inspects another womans attire She then extended her critical scrutiny to the dress of the others To be sure1 she said I should have known The ladles again exchanged glances Mrs Baibourton plainly could not bear that their position should bo equivocal She doubtless had her lit tlo vainglorious wish to have their success known Mrs Overman HodgeLnthrop camo down to appear In opposition to tho womans rights resolution She emphasized the word woman as If she would not for worlds have been a woman herself Indeed exclaimed Miss Greene I am sure her appearance must have been a very convincing argument She gave her opponent another searching search-ing glance Mrs Overman Hodge Lathrop was having difficulty In getting get-ting her breath We have been having a taste of lobbying Miss Greene she began and andHow How unpleasant said she You know possibly said Mrs Overman IIodgeLathrop regaining something of her position Indeed Ida Miss Green assented sweetly but where it is in tho line of ones profession duty obscures tho unpleasantness One cannot you know always choose ones occupation Good morning And catching her skirts with a smile and a bow sho left Tho successful lobbyists stood in silence si-lence a moment looked ono to another with wide and staring eyes Then at last Mrs Overman HodgeLathrop spoke Morley she said I do wish you could learn to discriminate In your Introductions CHAPTER XV Just before dinner Amelia and Vernon Ver-non sat in the little waiting room of tho hotel Mrs Overman HodgeLa throp and her ladles had gone up to the suite they had taken and wero engaged in repairing the toilets their political labors of tho morning had somewhat damaged Amelia had completed com-pleted her toilet moro quickly than they and had Joined Vernon waiting for her below They sat In the dim little room whore Amelia could look across the corridor to tho elevator expecting every moment tho coming of Mrs Overman HodgeLathrop Now that they found themselves alone and face to face with tho necessity of recon ciliation n constraint had fallen on them Amelia constantly kept her eye i on the elevator Men wero passing and rcpasslng tho open door going to or coming from tho barroom and their loud talk and laughter beat in waves Into tho dim little retreat of the lovers As Vornon sat there he Imagined that all that talk was of him moro than all that all that laughter was at him though there was no moro of cither than there was every day when tho legislators came over to tho hotel for their big noon dinners At last Amelia turned to him Youve got tho blues havent you sho said It would seem that somehow I how he did her an injustice by having tho blues No ho answered Then whats the matter sho demanded de-manded Vernon glanced at her and his glnnco carried Its own reproach Oh sho said as if suddenly recalling re-calling a trivial Incident Still worrying wor-rying about that Well Vernon answered it has some seriousness for mo Amelia sitting properly erect her hands folded in her lap twisted about and faced him You dont moan Morley that you aro sorry it didnt pass do you It puts mo In rather an awkward position ho said I suppose you know that I dont see how Amelia replied Well Vernon explained to stand for a measure of that Importance and then at tho final critical moment to fall on Oh I see said Amelia moving away from him on the couch Of course if you regret the time if youd rather havo been over in tho senate than to have been with mewhy of course She gave a little deprecating deprecat-ing laugh Vernon leaned Impulsively toward her But dear he said you dont understand un-derstand And after your beggIng mo to como down to Springfield to sec you Amelia said Her eyes wero fixed on the elevator and Just at that moment tho car came rushing down tho shaft I and swished itself to a atop just when I I II iI i I II l II il t III I IIIiI f I I tJ1 9 n1 r eIim 1i l To Be Sure She Said I Should Have Known I It seemed It should have shattered Itself to pieces at the bottom The elevator ele-vator hay clanged tho Iron door back and r aria Greeno stopped out There she Is now said Amelia raising her head to see Miss Greene paused a moment to reply to the greeting of some one of the politicians who stopped to speak to her Amelias nose was elevated And so thats the wonderful hair you all admlro so much is it she said Well replied Vernon almost defiantly de-fiantly dont you think it is rather exceptional hair Amelia turned on him with a look of superior and pitying penetration Does that shade d celve you she asked She smiled disconcertingly as she looked away again at Maria Greene That woman lawyer was just leaving the politicians And to think of wearing that hat with that hair Amelia went on Though of course she added with deep meaning It may originally have been the right shade the poor hat cant be expected to change its color Vernon had no answer for her I wonder what explanation shell have for her defeat said Amelia in atone a-tone that could not conceal Its spirit of triumph Im not worried about that said Vernon Im moro concerned about the explanation Ill havo Dearest exclaimed Amelia swiftly I swift-ly laying her hand on his Her tono had changed and as she leaned toward him with the new tenderness that her new manner exhaled Vernon felt a change within himself and his heart swelled Dearest she said in a voice that hesitated before the idea of some necessary nec-essary reparation are you really BO badly disappointed Ho looked at her then suddenly he drew her Into his arms and she let her head rest for an instant on his shoulder but only for an Instant Then she exclaimed and was erect and all propriety You forgot where we are dear she said I dont care about that be replied re-plied and then glancing swiftly about in all directions he kissed her Morloy she cried and her cheeks wero red a now and happy red They sat there looking at each otherYou You didnt consider you didnt really consider her pretty did you f Amelia asked Why Amelia what question But you didnt Dont evade Morley Oh well now altos not bad looking look-ing 1 exactly but as for beauty well Bljts rather what Id call handsome Handsomol Amelia exclaimed drawing back Why yes Dont you sue dear Vernon was trying to laugh Cant you see tho distinction Wo call men handsome dont we Not pretty or anything like that But women Ah women Them we call now and then beautiful And you darling you nru beautiful They wero faco to face again both smiling radiantly Then Amelia drew away saying Morley dont bo ridiculous But Im dead In earnest dear ho went on And 1 think you ought to make some sort of amends for till tho misery youve caused mo You poor boy sho said with tho pity that Is part of a womans triumph tri-umph I did it he said Just because I lovo you and have learned In you what women arc capable of what they might do in politics In politics Morleyl Can you imagine me In politics I thought you had u moro exalted opinion of women 1 thought you kept them on a higher piano But you Vernon laughed and shook his head at tho mystery of It but did not go on Why Morley would you want to see your mother or your sister or mo or even Mrs HodgoLuthrop in politics poli-tics Well ho said with a sudden and serious emphasis not Mrs Hodge Lathrop exactly Shod bo chairman of tho state central committee from the start and welltho machine would bo a corker thats all The elevator was rushing down again In Its perilous descent and when its door How open they saw Mrs Over man HodgcLatlirop come out of the car Vernon rose hastily There she Is he said Wo mustnt keep her waiting Amelia rose but she caught his hand and gave it n sudden pressure But you havent answered my question ques-tion she said with a continuity of thought that was her final surprise for him Aro you so very badly disappointed disap-pointed after all Well no ho said I dont think it would do It would well It would complicate Mrs IlodgcLothrop was standing in tho door peering impatiently Into the dim llttlo room They stared toward her Anyway dear heart Amelia whispered whis-pered as they went remember this that you did it nil for me THE END |