Show F he ca b e uncle im wiot lang lancy uy by ETHEL HUESTON we senile 0 bobbs bobbi co CHAPTER XIII continued H the truck pulled into the camp grounds where a space had been reserved and roped oft off for it the girls still stared through the little darkened windows girls helen whispered sudden ly looka its the wrong theres brother wilkie on the platform theres len lan hardesty stand ing on the steps why dens ben a brought us to t the h a wrong said adele yo U d think ho he would know it by th this Is tamel lie ile must be drunk said helen ill teu tell him they ran to the front of the truck and banged furiously on the small locked doors that separated the drivers sent scat from the body they called softly at first then as loudly as they could scream beni ben I 1 ben baldal oh benl Bent Still no reply uncle lancell Lan cyll fire ben baldy for this said adele aunt Olymp laU strangle him said limpy they climbed back to their narrow perches and peered interestedly through tho the small high windows to witness the republican rally adeles eyes clung to len hardes tys lean face where he stood alertly on the steps that led to the platform len hardesty had been on intent lookout for the sound truck there it camel there it wast wasl A faint semblance of a smile softened his set features A stroke of genius it win the governor many votes perhaps but it would certainly make talk and better still it would create laughter it would embarrass sloppy it would show olympio he to be sneezed at heres the truck he wrote on a card and passed hitup it up to the governor be ready with the lights he said to the engineer who stood beside him the governor finished his para graph then he paused ly my friends he bellowed suddenly we havo have charged that your representative in the senate of the united states delaporte ls Is a careless indifferent inefficient danl too careless too inefficient to be trusted to safeguard the rights ol of this sovereign we have been challenged to produce proof of that charbel tonight we bring that do you believe ve Is on any child innocent enough enouf to belleve ahat a man who cannot protect his own property cannot preserve his own rights cannot safeguard his own interests can be trusted to safeguard the proper property the rights the interests of our sovereign state I 1 ladles ladies and gentlemen on Us this night of all nights in this thia campaign at this crucial moment senator Slop shire has shown himself so careless so inefficient that he has allowed his own campaign sound truck to be driven off under his very nose ladles and gentlemen this is our we give you the slop shire sound truck 1 it stands before youl immediately floodlights flood lights from all ov over erthe the park were flashed on that silent tomb the senators sound truck the girls crouched down out of sight below the small windows spike oconnor stern unsmiling i accepted his honors with a still bow A roar went up from the crowd hand plopping clapping cheers and boos tor for Slop shire when the applause had somewhat subsided the governor went on here my friends you have actual physical incontrovertible proof of our charge of inefficiency in the face of this testimony what can be said of tho the senators Sen sagacity his senatorial watch caro of our states rights his guardianship oi of the in sa cred privilege of our common citizenship zen ship tonight at this hour boursen sen ator Slop shire is supposed to be ma making kingan an intensive drive for votes in this state addressing gathered crowds through the microphone of at this sound truck this Is the truck that carries his valuable papers his books his flies files his notes noted as well wel I 1 as hla his loud speaking equipment carl can you trust a 9 man who cant take care of his own property to take care of yours ah ladies and gentlemen inthe in the italy holy book of out our fathers tn in divine scripture what Is declared to be the fate of those wicked and slothful servants who not being faithful in small things cannot be trusted with greater greate r things Is it to alim mm these words were spoken well done thou good and faithful servant thou hast been faithful over a few things I 1 will make thee ruler over many things ah nol that wicked and slothful servant careless imeln dent clent faithless tn in small things is to oe cast into the outer darkness and there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth but this good book of guidance offers counsel and advice tor for all yea even to the wicked and slothful servant faithless tn in small come back with me to proverbs ind nd read this admonition go to he an all thou sluggard consider her and be wise go to the tnt nt senator consider her and be wise limpy could stand no more gar alv mo me that filkel she said pas A siona slona tely ill tell them a thing or 01 two and as the roar of applause died down suddenly the tomb of clency found voice and spoke lim py standing tense and rigid between the cabinets bowled bawled bravely into tho the microphone ladles ladies and listen to me a its the most outrageous ue ile I 1 ever hearal startled silence gripped the crowd was this a plant at any rate it was dramatic all ali eyes were riveted to the truck im limpy rutherford and senator Slop shires my uncle and there never lived a better uncle than my uncle laney lancy ghisla this is the most despicable outrage I 1 ever heard kofl len hardesty collapsed on the bottom step oh my god he swiped the kid with itt he groaned my uncle laney lancy Is the most honorable most gentlemanly most moat conscientious person that ever lived ive lived with him a year and I 1 ought to know and hes efficient too iles hes terribly I 1 know his car run out of gas since weve been here and efel dent clent and hes a good senator too everybody in the senate Senat ejust just lovs uncle laney lancy even republicans love him all the important ones that amount to anything mcnary just dotes on him he sold said so himself and thinks everything in the world of uncle lancy he told me if uncle laney lancy was a republican hed be presidential timber and uncle landys laneys a good christian too I 1 dont care if he be is a senatore sena torl 1 I know all about the Scrip scripture I 1 I 1 was brought up on the bible the real bible would my uncle laney lancy stoop to stealing brother Wll kies sound truck and commit thievery just to win a few votes certain ly noti noli he think ot at do you think for one minute my uncle laney lancy would steal brother Wil klea brats oh limpy dont say brat bratzl sIll moaned helen 1 I mean children limpy corrected herself hastily he do jt it anyhow he soil his fingers with hes too much ot of a gentleman and too much of a christian and too good a senator and even though im a myself if I 1 had bad a vote do you know who id vote lor for id vote for undo uncle laney Lancy what id vote tor harn a thousand times if I 1 1614 cou and go to jail for it and it bowd be worth it too id be glad to go to jail for uncle lancy lanca he hes a swell guy tears began welling to lampys eyes A lump rose in her throat she struggled on my Unc uncle loLan lancy Is just swell limpy collapsed in a passion of tears on the floor of the truck helen grabbed limpy adele grabbed the microphone suddenly her low even voice swept over the crowd still gripped in awed electrical silence my sister is perfectly right every word she said Is the gospel truth im adele oh my god he got them aall gasped len hardesty and started for or the truck 1 I have never been so shocked in my life continued adele our preachers in iowa do in not the kind of preachers we have and if brother wilkie wilkle is so fond of the scripture held hed better read up on that handwriting on the wall business if he see handwriting tonight he will next tuesday ll I 1 play you roared brother wilkie and the band swept too late into the cheerful strains of dont you weep for me but already the crowd had moved away from the platform and was massing around the sound truck once more standing silent grim and tomblike rep reporters arters nosed closer closer cameras turned on it from every direction light bulbs ex plodded len hardesty pushed his way through he bent on the door of the truck adelel open this dohrl come out of that tha t 1 adele opened the door light a hashed about her cameras clicked the crowd roared adele wide eyed damp curls clustering about her pate pale tace face slim film bare legs shivering beneath the short damp cape stood clearly revealed helen with the weeping limpy in her er arms was wag behind her len took one look adelel adele I 1 he roared got get back in that truck and put on your clothes we any clothes said adele pathetically they stole our clothes too her teeth chattered nervously were haUt haU frozen rozen and she slammed the door len hardesty flung dung himself against it IL facing the cheering laughing crowd he was haggard and win wild eyed the crowd too was beginning to mutter almost menacingly this definitely was carrying things too tar far even in a mudslinging mud slinging cam laign and then from the distance came the roar of approaching motors the shriek of sirens the scream of police whistles nearer oh my god its the policed poll pol cel icel groaned len hardesty Har desly well get into this truck over my dead bodyl body I 1 and he planted himself more firm ly against tho the door of the truck both arms outstretched a figure of grim defiance I 1 CHAPTER XIV it was the police a thoroughly outraged and vengeful police escort reinforced by a dozen or more additional dit ional officers from uncle laney jancys a big rally the escort was waa offended to the depths of its being it Is true it had not been in the immediate vicinity of the commission ot of this crime against law and order still it had been detailed to the senator for the ca campaign and to have three girls and a sound truck from under its nose as it were was certainly going to make talk it might even instigate an investigation vesti gation the roaring of motors was the noisy approach of the senator and aunt olympia Olymp la in pursuit of their children aunt olympia never forgave her subconscious tor for not affording her some premonition of what was to happen that fateful night A beaming madonna with a clear conscience and red face she had accompanied compa nied the senator on his bis last trek received with him the me plaud its of the crowds accepted bouquets and at Mills milleville millsville ville dimpled ro rosily over the handsome evening bag I 1 present J N t aunt olympia ed with a good deal of ceremony she listened attentively to the senators speeches applauding good points the incarnation of devoted wifeliness and temporary motherhood eventually they arrived at the up Trent fare there she received her fourth bouquet the others being left out of sight on the floor of the automobile she mind at all because the girls were late god knows they need a rest from all the speechmaking speech making she thought leniently get here in time for the windup wind up in those costumes looking like angels be a sensation cinch every floater for miles around she smiled sniffled she shook hands she acknowledged introductions and took bows and then fluttered down in her chair with modest decorum but she help keeping watch for the girls her fond eyes yearned tor for the blessed sight of them in those works of art just as the senator was getting well launched in what was to be the climactic closing speech of the campaign suddenly the haggard face of ben baldy appeared at the side door of the platform he waved grimy hands toward Aunt Olympia he shook his head he scowled Sor neone seated near the door whispered to him A message trickled along the front row until it reached aunt olympia Olymp la he wants to speak to you even then aunt olympia was not startled it was the girls of course probably wanting to know whether they should come right on or wait until the senator had finished she rose carrying the huge bouquet and tiptoed over the feet of the front row honor guests on the pl platform atford whispering apologies until she reached the door with a big soiled finger ben motioned her to come a little farther mis Slop shire 1 ho he whispered tersely they swiped our girls olympia drew herself together into i her familiar posture of hauteur baldy have you been drinking 1 I wish to god I 1 had been he answered in a voice both evasive and devout brother wilkle wilkie done it they swiped the sound truck and the girls along with it while I 1 was snatching a bite A cop brought me in a side car brother wilkie Wilkle swiped she said her knees going weak ftak republicans anyhow and rushed em cm oft off seventy miles an hour to fo the other rally where are the girls ben where x are my girls she demanded her voice going swiftly crescendo cros cendo swiped 6 but where are they now ow happened to them still swiped aunt olympia was game to the depths of her being even to tilts cataW catastrophe ophe she arose with rampant resourcefulness we busthead mus thead off the senator she said hell kill brother wilkie for this walt wait here baldy ill go down front and catch his eye the senator J working up to one of his best points was a good deal surprised i to sea see a pale and grim upped olympia Olymp la appear before him below the speakers stand her rightful place was in a good position on the platform but even a palo pale olympia gave him courage not a bad idea getting down there where he ha could catch her glare olympia Olymp la who had a stimulating effect on perfect strangers was almost intoxicating to the senator he went on with greater eloquence in the burst of applause that followed the paragraph he be glanced complacently down tor for a beam of approval imagine his amazement to see olympia silently weeping swabbing at her the senator tried desperately t to recall if he had said anything of a pathetic nature to arouse her emotions but there had been no pathos in Us this speech Us this was a i speech and olympia never cried over fights he gazed at her distractedly falteringly he took up the next paragraph bit he get gathis ge this his mind sobbing silently almost beneath his feet clap boys he whispered to those behind him on the packed plat form accepting the cue they broke into hearty applause and the audience joined w willingly Illin gly enough taking advantage ot of this interval the senator leaned over the rostrum the matter the republicans stole the children them got the children she nodded her head tears streaming down a face in which the last vestige of rose had faded even to her lips stole them got them AU all of thern them the senator rose to dramatic heights of which even olympia had never dreamed he was capable he towered jo to a height which was really impressive for his somewhat slight stature he raised his hand tor for silence he leaned forward again what did you say my dear he asked clearly brother wilkie stole our truck and our children th they ey took them to the other rally the senator raised both arms mild though he was supposed to be the he united opposition would have quailed before his doolit at that moment my friends lends he said and there was the venom of murder in his voice As for the sweating throng this being a decided innovation in a campaign which had not been dull an almost unearthly silence gripped it my friends icamen I 1 came here tonight prepared to answer briefly decisively every issue that has been raised in this campaign but my campaign is ended at this moment I 1 shall not continue my speech 4 I 1 am obliged to leave you I 1 have just learned that the opposition reduced in their extremity to dastardly deeds of violence have stolen those three children who are dearer to my wife and me than hurvery our very lives they have taken our children ladles ladies and gentlemen I 1 relinquish the campaign I 1 leave it enyou in your r hands for myself I 1 go to rescue our girls from this act of wanton depravity let your votes fall fail |