The Landloper: The Romance of a Man on FootDay, Holman
General
The Landloper: The Romance of a Man on Foot
Day, Holman
Political corruption -- Fiction; Water-supply -- Fiction
“I hear that speech commended very highly. Among opportunists you
deserve high rank, Mr. Farr. You have tipped a state upside down very
effectively, and I am upside down along with the rest.”
“I will stand here very patiently, sir, and take my punishment. As
between ourselves, I had no right to do what I did to-day without
consulting you. As regards conditions in the state, I had a right to
seize that opportunity and give to the people a man who can be depended
on. I did so. Go ahead, now, Mr. Converse!”
To the young man's surprise, the nominee arose and came to him with
hand outstretched. A smile broke through the grimness of the lawyer's
countenance. “I have accepted a public trust with pride, I am obeying my
plain duty with satisfaction, and I shall work to be elected with all my
might. Otherwise I wouldn't be the son of my father. My boy, I have had
a talk with Citizen Drew to-day. He told me about your idea of kicking
honest men into politics. I want you to understand that I thank you
heartily because you have kicked me in. I'm going to swim!”
“'Then God's in His Heaven and the world's all right,'” declared Farr.
The lawyer's quizzical and searching gaze was rather disquieting; the
young man had found Converse eyeing him with peculiar interest during
their meetings in the recent past. Now Converse bestowed particularly
intent scrutiny on his caller.
“I feel that I have done my work, sir,” Farr hastened to say, anxious
to terminate this interview. “I am going away--out of the state. I shall
not return.”
Mr. Converse did not break out into protest. He eyed Farr more closely.
Then he reached a button and turned on the full light of the chandelier.
“You have a good reason for deserting just when you are most needed, I
presume, sir?”
“I have. It is a reason which especially concerns the success of the
legislation which we have discussed. If I stay I shall hamper you.”
“I will ask you to stand where you are for a few minutes, sir,” said the
lawyer, commanding rather than requesting. He went to a cabinet and drew
forth a package. He brought that packet to the table and began to sort
photographs.
He selected one, regarded it with careful gaze, and shifted his eyes to
the young man's face.
“Um!” he commented, with judicial tone. “Now--suppose you tell me--just
how your continued presence in this state will hamper me”--he paused; he
drawled the next words, emphasizing them--“Mr. Bristol!”
Farr had begun nervous retreat when the lawyer had begun comparison of
the living features with the photograph. It was plain that he feared
rather than understood.
“Hold on, there!” shouted the investigator. “You may as well stay and
settle this matter, Bristol. You look at this picture! You recognize it,
do you? If you are in any doubt I'll inform you that it's a picture of
your father when he and I were in law-school together.”
“I deny any relationship to that man.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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