Show the honorable le uncle lancy by ETHEL HUESTON 6 0 dobbs morrill co dmace CHAPTER IX continued 11 id like to wring len hardes Harde tys neck said aunt olympia this Is what I 1 call a blow below the belt len hardesty adele looked suddenly sick aunt olympia do you think len did ahls to my sister oh naturally said aunt olympia philosophically his business but he never seemed to notice helen he never paid any attention to her or what she was doing I 1 suppose he even knew about it those lousy newspaper benl men they know everything cant keep their minds on one girl even a beauty got to be nosing into everything ery thing adele stood up she looked dazed 1 I told him she said faintly 1 I told him sunday I 1 thought it was funny you told him sunday adele oh it thefil lie he cocked up that speech and kicked the AP on onto 0 us but aunt olympia would he do that adele stammered and her face was waa so white arid and anguished gui shed her wide eyes had turned to such midnight darkness that aunt olympias olympiad heart went out to her its his job my dear and a jobs a job hilda appeared in the door its mr hardesty looking like the wrath of god and if he sleep in those clothes then im no laun dress adele started swiftly for the side door dont go my dear said the senator gently itts its always good politics to hear both sides adele turned obediently and went to the window and stood with her back to the room to the door len hardesty would enter staring out into the garden with eyes that saw nothing helen and limpy stood up rigid white of face as len hardesty came in aunt olympia poured herself a cup of coffee the senator patted his lips with a napkin despite the fact he had eaten nothing hello len he said bring some hot coffee hilda sit down len the wrath of god well described him he was pale he had not shaved his eyes were black and dark circled he glanced just once at adeles slim back silhouetted against the windows well theres the devil to pay now he said dejectedly well pay dimill said olympia crisply youve got your fingers on his purse strings you oh im paying and dont think im not he said doggedly senator I 1 I 1 give you my word I 1 never anticipated this was it a nightmare asked aunt olympia oh ob I 1 know I 1 should have realized I 1 was stirring up a hornets homets nest but weve been in such a damned hole over the whole mess I 1 just thought it would be one more jack in the box from the bag of tricks you wrote that speech len hardesty and dont you dare to deny iv it 1 I dont deny it and all I 1 did do I 1 thought maybe it would stir up a little local fuss and maybe entice a few rabidly partisans and god knows we need nee them I 1 thought it would shut the senator up on subversive activities which the governor know a tinkers dam about if all you did how about these papers demanded A aunt nt olympia Olymp la the dirty ki dAl ballotti dAUo lotti I 1 mean it suddenly dawned on him that if he could drag you into it senator get him out to clear your own skirts use your pull with the administration he called the newsmen after I 1 left A pal down there tipped me off and I 1 flew back down ive worked like a devil on it but I 1 stop it better have a drink len said the senator lindly kindly you look au an in ring alue scotch and soda tor for me he said briefly brieby better have ham and eggs bring him some food hilda after all we cant starve snakes on our very doorstep it would give us a bad press its not irreparable even yet senator said len hardesty now if you had bad a good publicity manlike me tor for instance hes on his way out here now said the senator cece too we phoned him heu hell work out the details and if hes good enough he can even make capital of it of course hen hell get you a nationwide nation wide hookup hook up to answer the charges he will not let you make any statements until you have spoken straight to the nation he will have you start off by saying that from the beginning of time it has been the practice of cowards and curs to bide behind the skirts of A woman preferably a young and pretty woman now in the second place after holding him up to public scorn tor for trying bryin to ease out behind a petticoat you win will adroitly mention that tha t his bis purpose is to get you to use your influence ence to get him out of the jam get him film id get him into the electric chair if I 1 could I 1 work that in in your own suave and diplomatic language you will bring out that he was received at all the best houses in washington and it if you meet a man at the home of the president or a cabinet member you cannot very well ask if he Is a spy use your record which is okay for or ive been comb ing it myself of course you can prove prove that helen show him any papers because you never took any home with you and they were locked up this really should make a sort of martyr out of you and win you any number of votes you know voters but how about me asked helen faintly what dois does it do to me len len looked at her helen looked more anguished aunt olympia thought than she had bad at the funeral so long ago its a tough break helen he said youve just got to keep your head up and take it on the chin hes using you as a cover up and everybody will know it you tell him anything and stick to it you merely met him she tell him anything confidential said the senator stoutly for I 1 never told her anything most of it was so technical I 1 really understand it myself I 1 just believe we ought to have strong defense and anything they said was for better defense I 1 was in favor ov of helen said len diffidently do you mind telling us about the map you gave him hapl I 1 never gave him a capi she I 1 got a map myself 4 he says you gave him a map of our national defenses she never had a hapl he possibly mean that relief map of the united states could he hea dont you remember uncle laney lancy I 1 asked you about it he brought the map to show how bow vulnerable we are and I 1 asked you was it your map helen no he be brought it he marked all our vulnerable erable points with a red pencil and I 1 asked you uncle laney lancy and you said the mexican border was defended and the atlantic seaboard had strings of defenses all across the country and that all the shipbuilding places were fortified and boston and manhattan and washington dont you remember I 1 marked them with a blue pencil and you gave him the map no after we had it marked he rolled it up to take along and I 1 said I 1 wanted it to send as a sort of souvenir I 1 kept it have you got it yes we its up in my desk will you get it yes of course aunt olympia turned to limpy do you feel better darling do you want an aspirin a no I 1 just want a good sharp stiletto with a poisoned point helen Is so good sow the wind and reap the whirlwind said len moodily what I 1 did well experience is a good thing S said aid the senator lacally icalla 1 I ive a lot that way here Is the map said helen see uncle laney lancy gabriel drew the blue lines to show where we are vulnerable I 1 know anything any about it myself and you told me about defending the shipyards and am th the e cities and the harbors the senator examined the map with two pairs of glasses glasse 3 dear me helen you did a very bad lob job of it he said reprovingly you must have those forts miles off and those submarine bases ten achl 1 I try to be accurate sale said helen 1 I know enough in the first place we being technical about it but when he was criticizing our I 1 just boastfully drew red lines around every city I 1 could think of Is anything of secret nature indicated on this map asked len lord no t said the senator with unwonted profanity theres The rei not only nothing secret theres nothing right im afraid I 1 make myself very clear helen yes you did uncle laney lancy but you trying to be explicit and I 1 think it made any difference whether I 1 put the red marks north or south or even if I 1 missed the town entirely we were laughing it was just a 2 joke then she added pathetically you can give photo photostat static lc copies of this map to the press suggested len hardesty not tin till after your speech the highlight and rest assured the nation ll be on the air from white house down to white wings its more easily reparable for you than for me he said with another glance at adeles silhouette before the window well ill be getting along senator im sorry were reduced to snatching at st straws raws I 1 thought this was a straw maw and snatched at it I 1 realize it was tied to dyn dynamite imite the senator belc out his hand goodby good by len it wai was a bad ad break you look thin brother wilkle wilkie see se that you get your three squares a day you look terrible said aunt olympia cheerfully youre a couple of swell sports he said moodily youve ruined the whole campaign tor for me remember how I 1 used to love campaigns not any morel more CHAPTER X it seemed to aunt olympia that she had been called upon that day to endure more than could reasonably be expected even of a presidents wife but the day was no not over she had no more than seen them all comfortably relaxed and settled down when dave cooper arrived with cecil dodd dave looked disconcerted almost disheveled before he could say a word cecil dodd crossed debona irely to lim pys chair smiling and said hello limpel I 1 brought you a presente presen pre sentIll tl aunt olympias Olymp las backbone stiffened A present tor for me cece how nicel said limpy Lim lampys pys too young to be receiving presents interrupted aunt olympia ashes not of age yet shea not too young to be receiving this said cecil dodd this Is a political present any tor for senator fan can receive political presents look limpy its a little pin I 1 had it made to order let me see that pin said clym pla angrily what does it say on there that look ook like vote tor for to mel me ia oh there room for all thail explained cecil dodd 1 I had to cut it down to Slop shire or it 0 was it your map helen go on and I 1 think enamel would look good on platinum so I 1 just had it engraved look at this del said clym pla it if those are diamonds around the edge of it it limpy cant have it tin till I 1 pry them out aw uncle lancil wailed lim py the senator put on Us his glasses they dont look like diamonds to me he said firmly brilliantz brilliants brilli ants said cecil hastily certainly said the senator 1 I could see that and if they are diamonds only c hip chip diamonds cece says bril hants well a diamond but a brilliant demanded aunt olympia rhinestones are brilhante brilliants brilli bril hants ants said adele helpfully surel brilliant esl corroborated ro borated sited cecil dodd del uncle lancil from limpy 1 I feel very much honored to have little limpy flashing through the campaign in a Slop shire pin said a d the senator determinedly surel let me pin it on your shoulder limpel before the rapt eyes of the re rest S t 0 of f the family the ones one ol of A aunt olympia Olymp la with limpy smiling pleased approval cecil dodd deftly attached the tiny pin to the shoulder of her rock frock and smiled down into her face lord its been lonesome he said devoutly 1 I thought wed never ket get back Lone ILone boomed aunt olympia irritably lonesome in the thick of a political campaign lone some while the senator is being accused of high treason and likely to be knifed at the polls if not strung from a gibbet ot of all times and places to be lonesome that b beats eats anything I 1 ever heard 1 I hope you have a good time while I 1 was gone said cecil limpy was slightly disconcerted A good time oh I 1 cant remember exactly what we did I 1 know we had bad a lot of trouble no we have a good time at an all cece put him to work said olympia Olymp la waving the senator to take him away and it hes got money to go around buying platinum pins and brilliants brilliantz brilli ants we can cut down on our eapen du cing his salary the senator had no trouble taking care ot of the spy challenge there was no one either democrat or republican who could seriously push the charge for or gabriel dAllo had been received everywhere the senator did not stop with citing his record virtually from the cradle to the trailer ot of 38 with documentary evidence to support his bis claims he went further he demanded a complete inquisitorial investigation of the entire case and wrote the department part ment of justice offering himself to be a witness along with every other member of his household from hilda up the opposition was obliged to drop the issue but their fingers were already slightly burned As for helen there was no more pleasure in the campaign tor for her she had become terrified of the whole bus business inesso she wrote frantically to brick imploring him to withdraw from the rotten mess before it was too late and she was not greatly reassured by his loyal declaration that she had nothing to fear they play politics that way in iowa the campaign was spoiled tor for adele too she wrote len hardesty a brief note 1 I cant see you or speak to you again len until it is all over I 1 try not to think of you but that is too hard when it is over if you feel the same we will try to talk it through and see where we stand but I 1 simply cant see you I 1 draw a free breath in your presence until uncle laney lancy has either won or been defeated aunt olympia remonstrated with her reminding her that this was lens leni job and he had to do the best he could reminded her too that nil his contract with the governor would be up this year and the senator could use him in 44 adele was gently obdurate len wrote to her and she read the letters again and again and kept them but she made no answer when he saw any member of the household or when he called over the telephone to get news of them he had one invariable message for adele tell her its nearly over and I 1 feel the same when the message was passed on to adele tears came to her eyes and she got up and left the room but she did not weaken aunt olympia was none too happy either she turn her usual robust enthusiasm into the campaign because she had bad to watch limpy rather she had bad to watch cecil dodd it seemed to her as a simple act of loyalty he might have postponed his admiration until after the election she even suspected bitterly that he was working tor for the opposition it would be like len hardesty to bribe him to do this just to get her mind off the campaign do you like that creature limpy she asked hopefully oh sure I 1 like him hes all right yes I 1 uke like him 1 I mean do you like him better than anybody else persisted aunt olympia Olymp la oh no of course not I 1 like helen and adele and you and uncle laney lancy best and I 1 like our grocery man back home and ill like len hardesty again as soon as adele gets over being mad at him I 1 like dave and martin and hilda and I 1 dont really mind brother wilkie though I 1 dont care much for or the brats the girls teased limpy who after the first flush of confusion rather enjoyed it 1 I cant understand why you should be surprised she said johll ly 1 I had admirers at hom hoiris 6 I 1 who got carl walker to sing in the choir best tenor we ever had think I 1 was some beldam bellame hobbling around on a tin trumpet when aunt olympia stand it another minute she asked the girls confidentially to drop the subject for limpas own good she assured them 1 3 I dont want her to get her mind set on him ashes used to being teased the girls told her we all are teasing mean a thing to us but if we keep dangling him before her eyes she may get to thinking of him pleaded aunt olympia besides it upsets me it if we dont get rid of that button im apt to go straight to the polls and vote for brother wi wilkle iki 01 the girls considerately dropped the subject but there was no dropping cecil dodd As the campaign grew was he be should be with them almost constantly st and even when aunt olympia did connive to send him off on quite distant missions he returned so toon |