| Show the honorable LA uncle N lancy Liff inic 0 bobbt bobbs manill co by fay ETHEL HUESTON I 1 CHAPTER IX continued 12 and you gave him the map helen ask the senator 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 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 no I 1 just want a good sharp stiletto with a poisoned point helen is so good sow the wind and nd reap the whirlwind said len moodily what I 1 did well experience is a good thing said the senator sympathetically 1 I know ive learned a lot that way here is the map said helen see uncle lancy gabriel drew the blue lines to show where we are vulnerable I 1 know anything about it myself arid you told me about defending the shipyards and the cities and the harbors the senator examined the map with two pairs of glasses dear me helen you did a very bad job of it he said reprovingly you must have those forts miles off and those submarine bases ten 1 I try to be accurate said helen 1 I know enough in the first place we being technical about it but when he was wis criticizing aur 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 said the senator with unwonted profanity theres not only nothing secret theres nothing right im afraid I 1 make myself very clear helen yes you did uncle lancy but you trying to be explicit and I 1 think it made any diff difference eren ce whether I 1 put the red marks north or south or even it if I 1 missed the town entirely we were laughing it was just a joke theal she added pathetically you can give photo static c copies op of this map to the press suggested len hardesty not till after your speech the highlight and rest assured the nation ll be on the air from white house down to white wings iti its more easily reparable tor 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 tc snatching at straws I 1 thought this was a straw and snatched at it I 1 realize it was tied to dynamite the sena senator held out his bi shand hand goodby good by len it was a bd bad break you look thin brother wilkie see 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 for me remember how I 1 used to love campa campaigns igns not any morel 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 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 limpy I 1 brought you a present aunt olympias backbone stiffened A present tor for me cece how said lemov lampys Lim pys too young to be receiving presents interrupted aunt olympia ashes not of age yet ashes 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 Slop shire pin I 1 had it made to order let me see that pin said olympia angrily what does it say on there that look like vote for to mel me oh there room for all that explained cecil dodd 1 I had to cut it down to Slop shire or it go on and I 1 think enamel would look good on platinum so I 1 just had it engraved look at this del said 0 olympia lym if those are diamonds around the edge of it limpy cant have it till I 1 pry them out aw uncle lancil wailed limpy the senator put on his glasses they dont look like diamonds to me he said firmly brilliante brilliants brilli ants tg said cecil hastily certainly said the senator 11 1 could see that and it if they are diamonds only chip diamonds cece says bril giants well a diamond but a brilliant demanded aunt olympia rhinestones are billela brilliantz brilliants brilli its ants said adele helpfully sure I 1 brilliant rhinestones 1 corroborated ro cecil dodd del bel Slop shire uncle lancil from limpy 1 I feel very much honored to io have little limpy flashing through the campaign in a Slop lopshire shire pin said the senator determinedly sure let me pin it it on your shoulder limpel before the rapt eyes of the th erest rest of the family the outraged ones of aunt olympia with limpy smiling pleased approval cecil dodd deftly attached the tiny pin to the shoulder of bf her frock and smiled down into her face lord its been lonesome he said devoutly 1 I thought wed never r get back Lone lonesome boomed aunt olympia irritably lonesome in the thick ot a political campaign lonesome while the senator is being accused of high treason and likely to be knifed at the polls it if not strung from a gibbet of all times and places to be lonesome that beats 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 a lot of trouble no we haven have a good t time ine a at t all cece put him to work said olympia waving the senator to take him away and it if hes got money to go around buying platinum pins and brilliants brilliantz brilli ants we can cut down on our expenses by reducing his salary the senator had no trouble taking bare care of the spy challenge there was no one either democrat or republican public arr who could could seriously push the charge for gabriel ballotti dAl lotti had been received everywhere the senator did not stop with citing his record virtually from the cradle to the trailer of 38 with documentary evidence to support his 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 for her she had become terrified of the whole business 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 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 it 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 lancy has either won or been defeated aunt olympia remonstrated with her reminding her that this was lens job and he had to do the best he could reminded her too that his contract with the governor would be up this year and the senator adeles not varnished either she said feebly 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 auni aunt olympia was none too happy either she turn her usual robust en enthusiasm thusia sm into the campaign because she had to watch limpy rather she he had 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 for the opposition it would be like len hardesty so to bribe him to do this just to get her mind oft the campaign do you like that creature limpy she asked hopefully oh sure I 1 like him hes all right yes I 1 like him 1 I mean do you like him better than anybody else persisted aunt olympia oh no of course not I 1 like hel en and adele and you and uncle 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 1 cant understand why you should be surprised she said loftily 1 I had admirers at home I 1 who got carl walker to sing in the choir best tenor we ever had think I 1 was some beldame bellame hobbling around on a tin trumpet when aunt olympia stand IT it another minute she asked the girls confidentially to drop the subject for lampys own good she assured them 1 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 tor for brother wilkie the girls considerately dropped the subject but there was no dropping cecil dodd As the campaign grew hotter it was inevitable that he 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 soon with favorable reports of his activities that aunt olympia swore he had just hidden behind a tree for five or ten minutes during september there was a succession of deluging rains but the campaign had to go on she bought raincoats with matching umbrellas and galoshes galos hes for the girls and made them drink hot lemonade every night even in raincoats they photographed to well she bought aspirin for the senator who believed in it by the dozen boxes when at last it appeared that the sun was to shine again they took the tram back to shires to get their clothes and bedding thoroughly dried out and laundered theres no place like home to dry out she remarked contentedly did you say dry out or dry up asked limpy aunt olympia laughed good edly no hope of drying up till the election she said were lucky even to get dried out think del was some sort of a heathen said aunt olympia the day after they arrived at shires and im not sure but in some ways he is is she added thoughtfully seems to me evena heathen would have the nerve to speak to that about his conduct my dear remonstrated the senator that is one thing that cant be done in any sort of political circles what cant be done speaking to your opponent about his conduct chos talking about your opponent im talking about cece dodd I 1 want you to tell him to keep away from here ive got trouble enough my dear he was supposed to stay with us what you hired him for it well I 1 hire him to go calf eyed over limpy you tell him to quit looking at limpy every time I 1 glance up I 1 see him looking at limpy its getting on my nerves you tell him to stop it my dear he said in a pained vo voice ice 1 I cant do that he a boy you know hes doing a good job you cant tell a man what hes to look at even if hes working for you have me up before wages and hours in no time do cousee you see any sense paying a man wages to spend his hours looking at at an infant Is that what the N L R B stands tor for my dear dar youre making too much of this limpy is only a child and a nice child I 1 like to look at her myself ashes a mere child you silly dunce dont you know children arent what they used to be thus frustrated on every hand olympia conceived the notion of dropping a few delicate hints herself she come right out in the open about it because she realized that even if limpy herself felt no personal interest in cecil she did enjoy being admired and open opposition would arouse her and her sisters with her to her own defense so olympia decided to be diplomatic well cece she began pleasantly when she finally cornered him alone what do you think of our girls 1 I think lovely he said with a warm smile maudlin olympia called it just lovely in tact fact when I 1 think of poor len stuck with those brats I 1 think I 1 struck it pretty lucky olympia ground her teeth but silently adele beautiful she asked leading him on they all are he said generously every one of them I 1 adeles the most beautiful beautia ul L I 1 you cant deny it she persisted doggedly 1 I dont agree with you he lighted a cigarette looking worldly and sophisticated beauty you know Is entirely a matter of taste it is not she said rudely its a matter of complexion and features and hair and it may interest you to know that all real authorities on beauty artists and sculptors and real authorities say adele is tar far and away the most beautiful oh perhaps from their point of view he conceded personally I 1 dont agree with them well wrong with her looks you silly dunce she demanded irritably nothing nothings wrong with them her looks are lovely but in my opinion her kind of be P IS is well its not natural its f spontaneous it looks artificial af al most theatrical aunt olympia could hardly believe her ears she was speechless now you take beauty well like i limpy for instance he said warming to his subject now lim pys beauty is honest and clean cut and straightforward theres nothing stagy about it its just plain unvarnished straight to the heart beauty adeles not varnished either she said feebly ive seen her come straight from her bath ive watched her make up I 1 know what im talking about oh probably not he said indifferently but the effect is the same it looks made up lampys diff different erent do you realize began olympia half choking that limpy Is ls is a perfect infant A mere child to a man of my age and general experience he said gently there is nothing in the world so beautiful as a brave glowing little bud just blossoming bloss oming out aunt olympia got up and walked straight out of the room she had to she was afraid it if she remained she would choke him with her bare hands and that would end the campaign in a hurry probably end up by my doing it anyhow she told the senator savagely but im making every effort to wait till after the election you cant really blame him my dear for liking the childs looks he argued mildly everybody likes her looks you know ollie to tell the truth he continued hesitantly 1 I like her looks better than es 1 s myself jf olympia groaned that was was the gall and wormwood of it she did too her distress was so great that the senator decided to speak to cecil himself without telling her anything about it for the senator was devoted to olympia and would humiliate himself to almost any depth to spare her distress H he e had ad cecil sent up to his library and closed the door ab R see here cecil he began mat ter of factly 1 I want you to stop flirting with limpy cecil rose right up out of his chair to answer that flirting with limpy sir im not flirting with limpy youre not youre not flir flirting with limpy well what do you call it H 1 I dont call it anything fla but I 1 know it flirting imara zy about limpy well stop it her aunt and I 1 will positively not permit anybody to be crazy about limpy until after the election 1 I dream of flirting with limpy said cecil any time the election has nothing to do with lt it well youve got her aunt all upset 4 about it and we cant worry about limpy and win an election at the same time 10 HE BE CONTINUED |
