Part 102

“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.”

“Your tone and your manner convict you, my boy. I jumped you with that name purposely. I am no fool when it comes to examining a witness. When I first laid eyes on you I thought I had seen you, yourself, somewhere, and I have been puzzling my brains. Then it occurred to me that I had known in my youth a fellow who looked like you. You're the son of your father, all right. Don't stultify yourself by lying to me. You are Morgan Bristol's boy! Hah?”

“I am,” confessed the young man, with resignation.

“What is your first name?”

“Thornton.”

“Sit down, Thornton!”

The visitor obeyed.

“What have you done that you're ashamed of, my boy?”

“I cannot tell you,” said Bristol, firmly.

“Oh, but you're going to,” insisted the lawyer, with just as much firmness. “You are now retaining me as your attorney and counsel--whether you know it or not. And when a man talks to his lawyer and tells the truth it's no betrayal of confidence. Out with it!”

“There's nothing to be done, Mr. Converse.”

“There's always something which can be done when a man is in trouble. You are Morgan Bristol's son. I was in school with your father. He went West and settled. Is he alive?”

“I think so.”

“How is it that you don't know?”

Mr. Converse settled himself into the tone and pose of the cross-examiner.

“I have been a vagrant, hiding myself in the highways and byways of this country, for a long time.”