Adventure, November 1915 — page 145: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A Canceled Sale. always, obeying his orders, and comforting himself with the reflection that politics was different from business anyway. “Every man has his price, Landers,’’ said the boss sententiously. ‘Sometimes it’s money, sometimes it’s power, and some- times it’s woman. We've tried the first with Minot; we’ve tried the second—that Finance Commission job was enough for any man that’d lived in the city only a couple of months. Now we must try the third.” “But Minot’s a gentleman,” said Landers. “IT said woman—not women,” said the boss. ‘‘Minot’s clean; I’ve had watchers on him since the first week he was here. But— did you know he was in love?”’ “In love? With whom?” gasped the Mayor. : “That’s a mighty pretty daughter you have, Landers,” said the boss. ; The Mayor glared; he rose from his.chair. “Morris, how dare——”’ ) “Sit down,” rasped the boss. ‘‘You said yourself that Minot was a gentleman, and we know he’s clean and honest. What are you kicking about?”’ “But my daughter t “Yes, your daughter. I happen to know that he’s got a photograph of her in his room,’’ snapped the boss. “Cut it out of a newspaper. Has it framed and on his bu- reau. What more do you want? Get her to invite him to call.” _ “T’ll see you——”’ “Cut it,” said the boss. “Look here, Landers, you want to be reélected. TI tell you, with Minot against us, there’s not a chance. With him with us—or with him just cutting out his yap about construction steals and graft — well, Landers, do you want to quit office or be Mayor again?” Chosen by the boss to be Mayor be- ™ cause of his family’s standing, and because personally he was popular, Landers knew that without Morris he would never have held office. And holding -office was the breath of existence to Landers. He could not meet the eyes of the boss when he left his house with the tacit under- standing between them that the Mayor’s daughter should be used to win over young Minot. Even the weak and selfish may not THE weak are very often selfish. be lost to a sense of shame. And it is pos- . sible that if his daughter had not made an 143 opening for him next morning Landers might have ignored his tacit arrangement with the boss, for he loved his daughter and was proud of her, and the decency within him rebelled at making her an unconscious tool of Stewart Morris. But she did make an opening, and he knew that a man reélected to the mayoralty would have a fine chance, two years later, of winning his party’s nomination for the governorship; and the governorship was but a step toward the Senate, and— What qualms a wakeful night had brought him were stifled at her first words after her good- morning kiss. “Father,” she asked, as she poured his coffee, “chow does one get something printed in the newspapers?’ | “‘Advertisement or announcement of a meeting of the Woman’s Club?” he asked smilingly. “Tt’s an advertisement and a meeting of the Woman’s Club—both,” she reéplied. “The club is trying to raise ten thousand dollars to build a recreation ground for chil- dren, and we’re going to hold an entertain- ment and——” “That’s news,” said the Mayor. papers will print that.” “And how do I go about it? That part has been turned over to me.” “Why,” and his Honor hid the exultation in his eyes by veiling them behind a morn- ing paper, “I should say that it would be a good idea for you to call upon the editors of the papers. ‘There’s Moran of the Bugle, De Witt of the Times, and Minot of the Sun. Go direct to them; I don’t think you'll have much difficulty in getting space from them.” She frowned. | “The first two are all right, but Mr. Minot **The -—I’d ask no favors of him. Why, he’s abused you and your administration shame- fully.” Landers smiled. “That won’t affect his wanting to print news, my dear. And as regards his attack- ing me—that’s not personal; it’s politics. I don’t hold it against him. In fact, I’ve thought of inviting him to dine with us. A fine young fellow. ““You’re the hostess of this family, Janet. Mr. Minot, while young and overenthusi- astic and too cocksure, has in him the ma- kings of a most valuable citizen. If you don’t mind, you might convey to him my desire to have him dine with us, when you COMIC OOO;KS (E@)