- "**Tj
A Gentleman
From Mississippi
By THOMAS A. WISE
Jio*)*Uz*d From the 'Play by FrtdtricK "R. Toombj
COPYRIGHT. 1909. BY THOMAS A. WUI
i
CHATTER XIII.
AN OI.D FASHIONED FATHER.
CONGRESSMAN NORTON was
startled visibly at the sight of
Carolina and Haines appar
ently so wrapped up iu each
other. Perhaps she was getting Inter
ested In the handsome, interfering sec
retary. That a woman sometimes
breaks her promise to wed he well
knew. Plainly Carolina was carrying j
things too far for a girl who was the
promised wife of another.
Carolina and llaiues showed surprise
at Norton's entrance.
The congressman advanced and spoke
sneeringly, his demeanor marking him
to be In a dangerous mood.
"Do I Intrude?" he drawled delib
erately.
Carolina drew away her hands from
Haines and faced the newcomer.
"Intrude!" she exclaimed contemptu
ously, a tone that Norton construed as
In his favor and Haines in bis own.
"Intrude!" Haines laughed sarcas
tically, feeling that now he was leader
In the race for love against this Mis
sissippi representative, who was, he
knew, a subservient tool and a taker
of bribes. "You surely do Intrude,
Norton. Wouldn't any man who had
Interrupted a tete-a-tete another man
was having with Miss Langdon be in
truding?"
"I suppose I can't deny that," he re
plied.
The secretary smiled again.
"I'll match you to see who stays,"
he said.
But Norton's turn to defeat his rival
had come. He held out a paper to
Raines.
"Senator Langdon gave me this for
you. I reckon I don't have to match."
The secretary opened the note to
read:
"Where in thunder does that hy
drate come from?South America or
Russia? IIow mucji off on the tariff
on the creature do we want? Come
over to the committee room, where I
am, right away. Say it's an urgent
message and get In with a tip."
The secretary looked up, with a
laugh.
"You win, Norton. I'm off. Good
by." And he started on a run to the
senator's aid.
Norton turned angrily on the girl as
the door closed.
"See here, Carolina," ho cried, "what
do you mean by letting that fellow
make love to you?"
Carolina I.angdon would not permit
rebuke, even from the man she cared
for. She tossed back her head and
Bald coolly:
"Why shouldn't I let him make love
to me if I choose?"
"You know why," exclaimed Norton,
bis dark face flushing sullenly. "Be
cause I love you and you love irie!"
And he seized her and pressed her to
him. "That Is why!" he cried, and he
kissed her again and again.
"Yes, I love you, Charlie; you know
that," Carolina said simply. She was
conquered by the southerner's master
fulness.
"Then why do you stand for that
whlppersnapper's talk?" asked Norton
perplexedly.
Carolina laughed.
"Don't you see, Charlie, I have to
stand for it? I have to stand for it
for your sake, for Randolph's sake,
for my own sake, for all our sakes.
You know the Influence he has over
father.
"lie can make father do anything he
wants, and suppose I don't lead him
on? Where's our project? Let him
suspect a thing and let him go to
father, and you know what will hap
pen. Father would turn against that
Altaeoola scheme in a moment. He'd
beggar himself, if it were necessary,
rather than let a single one of us make
a dollar out of a thing he had to de
cide."
"You're right^ I reckon, Carolina,"
said Norton dejectedly. "Your father
Is a real type of the southern gentle
man. lie hasn't seen any real mouey
In so long he can't even bear to think
of It Somebody's got to make money
out of this, and we should be the
ones."
"We'd lose frightfully, Charlie. If
they changed to Gulf City, wouldn't
we?" said the girl apprehensively.
"I'm horribly afraid sometimes, Char
lie. That's why 1 came here today. 1
wanted to Influence Haines, to keep
him straight. Is there any danger that
they'll change? You don't think there
Is, do you?"
"Of course not, child. Stevens has
*ot his money In, and Peabody. There
are only five on the committee. It's
bound to go through."
"Then why is father so Important to
them?" asked Carolina.
"It's past my understanding, Caro
lina. I don't see how he's done It. but
the whole country has come to believe
whatever your father does is right,
?nd they've got to have him."
"And father is completely under the
domination of this secretary," mur
mured tne girl thoughtfully.
Norton nodded.
"We've got to get rid of him. Caro
lina. That's all there Is to It He has
to go'. When It comes to bossing the
senator and making love to you, too,
he's getting too strong."
"Bow can you do It?" she asked.
"You know when fattier likes any one
he won't believe a thing against him."
Norton agreed sorrowfully.
"That's right. Seems like the sena
tor's coming to think more of this fel
low than he does of his own family.
"Why shouldn't I let him make love to
met"
Why, I wouldn't be surprised It he'd
even let one of you girls inarry him If
he wanted to marry you."
"We'd have something to say about
that," Carolina laughed amusedly. "Do
you think that Hope or I could ever
care for a man like this fellow? Of
course not. But do be careful, Char
lie. This Altacoola business must go
through right. It would be too cruel
not to have it so. And then"?
"And then you and I'll be married
at once, Carolina, whether your father
likes it or not," ended Norton for her.
"With Altacoola safe, we can do as we
please, as between us we'll be rich.
What does it matter how we get the
money, as long as we get it."
CHAPTER XIV.
when a daughter betrays 1ier
father.
BCD returned to find Miss Lang
don and Norton still In the
I room. New buoyancy, new
courage, thrilled in his veins.
He would give this congressman the
battle of his life for this prize, of that
he was confident.
"I have an engagement with Mrs.
Holcomb, Senator Holcomb's wife,"
Elie said, "so I must hurry away, but
I expect to be back to see father."
"I think I'll just wait," suggested
Norton. "I have to see the senator hs
Boon as possible, and he ought to re
turn from that ways and means com
mittee meeting pretty soon."
When Carolina had gone a slight
feeling of constraint settled over the
two.
"The senator's pretty busy these
days with his naval base matter com
ing up, isn't he?"
"Yes; keeps him pretty busy receiv
ing delegations from Aitacoola and
Gulf City nnd patting them both on
the back." said Haines. "Had a man
from Gulf City in this morning with
some pretty strong arguments."
The secretary watched Norton keen
ly to note the effect of this hint in
favor of Gulf City.
"Gulf City!" Norton sneered.
"Shucks! Who'd pv.f a naval base on
a bunch of mud flats? I reckon those
Gulf City fellows are wasting their
time."
"Think so?" suggested Haines. "Are
you absolutely sure?"
Norton started.
"Why, you don't mean to tell me."
he exclaimed, "that Senator Langdon
would vote for Gulf City for the
naval base?"
I don t mean to tell you anything,
congressman," was the cool rejoinder.
"It's not my business. The senator's
the one who does the talking."
An ugly sneer wrinkled the congress
man's face.
"Well, I'm glad he attends to his
own business and doesn't trust too
many people," he said pointedly.
The secretary smiled In puzzling
fashion.
"That's exactly why I don't talk,
congressman," he said pleasantly.
"The senator doesn't trust too many
people. If he did, there might be too
much money made out of land specu
lation. Senator Langdon doesn't hap
pen to be one of those senators who
care for that kind of thing."
"I suppose you think you're pretty
strong with the senator." ventured the
Mississippian.
"Tell you tin truth, I haven't thought
very much about it," replied Haines,
"but. If you come right down to It, 1
guess I am pretty strong."
"Suppose you've influenced him Id
the naval base business, then."
Still the secretary smiled, keeping his
t.-mper under the adroit attack.
"Well, I think he'd listen to me with
considerable Interest."
"But you're for Altacoola, of course."
ififneS shoos Ins neaa.
"No, I can't say that I'm for Alta
coola. Fellow who was In here Hits
morning put up u pretty good nrgu- i
meut. to my mind. for Qulf City In
fact, hp made It pretty strong Seem
ed to show It was nil to my Interest to
Bo In with Gulf City. Think I'll have
to Investigate a little more. 1 tell you.
Norton." spoke Haines in a confiden
tial manner, "this land speculation fe
ver Is a frightful thing. While I wa?
talking to this fellow from Gulf City
1 almost caught it myself, l'robably
if 1 met the head of the Altacoola spec
ulation I might catch the fever from
him too."
"Why don't you put your money Into
Gulf City and lose it, then'/" replied
Norton, uodding his head scornfully.
"That'd be a good lesson for a rising
young politician like you."
Senator Langdou's secretary peered
straight Into Norton's eyes.
"Because, congressman," he said, "if
I were to put my money In Gulf City
perhaps 1 wouldn't lose it."
The southerner took a step forward,
leaned over and glared angrily at
Haines. 11 is face whitened.
"You don't mean that you could
swing Langdon into Gulf City?" be
gasped.
Haines smiled.
"1 can't say that, Norton, but I guess
people interested In Altacoola would
hate to have me try."
"1 didn't know you were that kind.
Haines," said Norton, his virtue
"TO make you pay for that P'
aroused at the thought of losing his
money. "So you're playing the game
like all the rest?"
"Why shouldn't I?" shrugged the sec
retary. "I guess perhaps I'm a little
sore because the Altacoola people
haven't even paid me the compliment
of thinking I had any Influence, bo
they can't expect me to work for them.
The Gulf City people have. As things
stand. Gulf City looks pretty good to
me."
"Is this straight talk?" exclaimed
Norton.
"Take It or leave It." retorted Bud.
The Mississippian leaned with his
hands on the desk.
"Well. Haines, if you're like the
rest and are really Interested in Alta
coola, I don't know that you'd have to
go very far to talk."
"You know something of Altacoola
lands, then, Norton?" said Robert,
tingling with suppressed excitement.
He felt that he was getting close to
real facts in a colossal "deal."
Norton was sure of his man now.
"Well, I am In touch with some peo
plu who've got lands and options on
more. I might tlx it for you to come
In." he whispered.
Haines shook his head.
"You know I haven't much money,
Norton. All I could put in would be
my influence. Y.'lio are these people?
Are they cheap little local folks or are
they real people here who have some
power and can do something that is
worth while?"
"Do I look like I'd fool with cheap
skates, Haines? They're the real peo
ple I think. Haines, that either Sen
ator Stevens or Senator Peabody would
advise you that you are safe."
"Ah! Then Stevens and Peabody
are the ones. They'll make It Alta
<">rl-i, then sell to the government at
n big advance and move to 'Easy
street.'"
"That's right," agreed Norton.
P.ud Haines straightened abruptly.
The expression on his face gave Nor
ton a sudden chill?made him tremble.
"Now I've got you," cried the secre
tary. "You've given yourself dead
away. I've known all along you're a
d d thief. Norton, and you've Just
proved it to me yourself."
"What do you mean?" Norton was
clinching his fist. Words like that
mean fight to a southerner!"
"I mean that before Senator Lang
don goes one step further In this mat
ter he shall know that his colleagues
and you are thieves, Mr. Norton, try
ing to use liltn for a cat's paw to steal
for them from the government. I sus
pected something this morning when
Gulf City tried to bribe me and a vis- |
ltor from there gave me what turns
out to be a pretty good tip."
"So that was your dirty trick," ex- |
claimed the congressman as he re
gained ills composure.
"Set a make believe thief to catch a
real one." laughed the secretary.
"Very good trick, I think."
"IH make you pay for that!" cried
Norton, shaking his fist.
"All right. Send In your bill any old
time," laughed Haines. "The sooner
the better. Meantime I'm going to talk
to Langdon."
He had started for the door when
Carolina Langdon re-entered, followed
by her brother Knndolph.
"Walt a minute," said Norton, with
unexpected quietness. "I wouldn't do
what you're about to do, Mr. Haines."
"Of course you wouldn't" sneeied
Haines.
"I mean that you will be making a
mistake, Haines, to tell the senator
"Yon cnn't retnfir to hcllevc iflxa Lung
Jvn."
what you hare learned." rejoined the
southerner, struggling to keep culm at
this critical moment when nil was at
stake. lie realized, further, that now
was thi> time to put Haines out of the l<
way ?if that were possible. "A mis e
take. .Mr. Ilalnes." ho continued. "be I
cause, you see, you dou't know as mull
as you think 1 wouMu't talk to I.aeg
don If 1 were you. It will oul.v e;:i \
ba trass him ami do uo good, because
Langdon's money Is In this scheme i
ti>o. and Lnngdou's In the same boat t
with the rest of us." c
Haines stopped short at this astound
Ing charge against his chief. I
"Norton, you lie! I'll believe It of
I.augdon when he tells uie so; uot oth
erwise."
Norton turned to itaudolph.
"Perhaps you'll believe Mr. Lang
don's son. Mr, Ilalnes?"
liamlolph I.augdon stepped forward.
"It's true, Haines," he said; "uiy fa
ther's money is in Altacoolu lauds."
Ilalnes looked hltu up and down, with
R sneer.
"Vour uiouey inay be," he said. "I
don't think you're a bit too good for It,
but your father is a different kind."
Carolina l.augdou stood at the back
of the room, nervously awaiting the
moment when, she knew, she would
be forced Into the unpleasant discus
?ion.
"X reckon you cau't refuse to believe
Miss I.augdon," drawled Norton, with
aggravated deliberation.
"Of course," stammered Ilalnes. "I'd
believe it if Miss Langdon says it's ;
so."
The congressman turned toward '
Carolina as he spoke and lixed 011 her
a tense look which spelled as plainly '
as though spoken, "It's all In your
hands, my fortune?yours."
She slowly drew across the room. I
Haines could hardly conceal the tur
moil of his mind. The world seemed 1
suddenly snatched from around him. '
leaving her ttguro alone before him.
Would she affirm what Norton and 1
Iiandolph had said? He must believe
her. l!ut surely It was Impossible that 1
she? '
Carolina played for lime. She feared 1
the making of a false move.
"I don't understand?" she said in- '
quiringly to Norton. 1
He calmly began an elaborate expla
nat ion. I
"Mis-; I.:r.i^don. this secretary has ^
(khscovered inai
there is a certain '
perfectly legitl
mate venture In -
Altacoola lands 1
belli): carried on
through certain
influential people
we know and by
<uo. The blood of
the young re
former Is boiling,
lie Is going
straight to your
(1 ratuer witn me
"My father?in-Ill? fucts.
the deal." "I have tried to
explain to him how It will needlessly
embarrass the senator and spoil his
own future. He won't believe nie. He
won't believe your brother. Perhaps
you can make it clear."
At last Carolina nerved herself to
Bpeak.
"You had better not go to my fa
ther, Mr. Haines. It will do no good.
He?Is?in?the deall You must be
lieve me when I tell you so."
The girl took her eyes from the sec
retary. He was plainly suffering.
CIIAPTEK XV.
CAROLINA LANUDON'S ADVICE.
" T ET me speak to Mr. Haines
alone," said Carolina to Norton
I and her brother.
* * Norton turned a triumphant
grin at Randolph as ho beckoned him
out and whispered: "Leave him to
her. It's all right. That New York
dude has been riding for a fall?he's
going to get it now."
"I am sorry, so sorry this should
have occurred, Mr. Ilalnes," Carolina
Bald gently.
The secretary looked up slowly, his
face drawn. It was an effort for him
to speak
"I can't understand it," he said. "I
mightn't have thought so much of this
a month ago, but
I have come to
love the senator
almost as a son,
and to think that
he could be like
the rest of that
bunch Is awful."
"You are too
much of an
idealist, Mr.
Haines," said the
girl.
"And y o u "t
What do you
think of It?" he
demanded.
The girl's
glance wavered.
"Don't Idealize
me too much, el
ther, Sir. Haines.
1 didn't think it
was much. Per
haps I don't un
derstand business
any too well."
nut you see
"i can't ?indcrntand now?" insisted
it," he said. ..
the man.
The glrf looked up at him sorrow
full}-.
"Yes; I see at least that you and fa
ther can never work together now."
Haines nodded affirmatively.
"I suppose so. I'm thinking of that
IIow am I to leave him? We've boon
so close. I've been so fond of him. 1
don't know how I could tell him."
In girlish, friendly fashion Carolina
rested her hand on his arm.
"Won't you take my advice. Mr
Haines? (Jo away without seeing him.
Just leave a note to sny you have
gone. Ho will understand. It will be
easier for both that way?easier for
him. easier for you." Sho paused.
?oKlns at nlm appealln ly us >;'ie * ]
U very softly. "And e:isi,>r fur i: . Mr 1
laines."
Ho looked at her thoughtful! >'?
"Easier for you?" lio said. "VL-ry
cell. I'll do It that way." I
Tho secretary stepped slowly to his
lesk, sat down and started to write
he note. Carolina watched him curi
ously.
"What will you do," she asked, "now J
hat you have given up this position?"
"Oh, I can always go back to news- s
paper work," he ]
answered with
out looking up.
The term "news
paper work" gave
Carolina a (liock.
She had forgot
ten that this man
hud been a re
porter. Here he
was turned loose
with the knowl
edge of this ;
"deal," which she
knew would be \
popular material
for newspapers j
to print. She !
must gain still
another point, j
"i can (jo bach to and she relt tnat
newapaiiir work." sjje had enough I
>o\ve. to win against him.
"I'm going to ask you still another
!avor," she said.
Bud returned her look with a bitter
smile.
"What is it?"
"You have learned about this?this
and matter and"?
"Oh, yes! I can guess. You want
me to keep quiet about it?to hush it
jp," a shade of scorn in his tone.
"I only asked this so that you would
not disgrace me," she pleaded.
Disillusioned at last, robbed of his
lifelong optimism, shorn of his ideals,
sveu his love?for he began to despise
this beautiful, misguided woman?
Haines sat broken In spirit, thinking
how quickly the brightness of life
fades to blackness.
"Very well," ho said sadly. "I sup
pose Iiou are innocent. I'll save you.
If they're all?your father, too?crook
ed, why shouldn't I be crooked? All
right; I won't say anything."
"I only ask you not to disgrace me,"
pleaded the girl. "You will promise
that?"
"It's a promise."
She slghe<l In relief.
"Father will bo coming back soon,"
A
"Don't forget there's some money comlnr,
to you."
she said. "You won't want to see
hira."
Haines rose.
"No, I won't want to see him. Give
him this note. I'll have to come back
while he's away to clear up some
things. Goodby."
Haines bowed and hurried from the
room through a side doorway Just as
Senator I>angdon camo in through the
main entrance.
"Bud, Bud," he called, but the sec
retary did not halt.
Carolina I.augdon stood with Ilalnes'
note In her hand, wondering at what
she had done. She regretted having
become entangled In the wars of men
In Washington. She saw that the
man's gamo was played too strongly,
too ffiriously fast, for most women to
enter, yet she rejoiced that the coveted
fortune had not been lost She was
sorry that her means of saving it had
not been less questionable. She saw
that ambition and honesty, ambition
and truth, with difficulty follow the
same path.
Senator Langdon's face was unusual
ly grave as he came to greet Carolina.
Lines showed in his face that the
daughter hnd never noticed before.
She saw Norton and Randolph, who
had followed him, exchange significant
glances?Jubilant glances ? and won
dered what new development they had
maneuvered
"He's gone without a word," the sen
ator sighed. "Well, perhaps that's
best."
"He left a note for you." said the
girl, handing him the letter which
Haines had given her.
Langdon opened it and read:
I am giving up the Job. You can under
stand why. The least said about It be
tween us the better. X am sorry. That's
all. BUD HAINES.
Slowly he read the letter a second
fime.
"And he was making the best kind
ef a secretary, I thought."
Divining that something against
nalnes had been told her father, Caro
lina glanced at Norton.
"I told your father how we caught
Mr. ILnlucs," he spoke as an answer
to her.
The girl was startled. She had not
thought that things would go this far.
"I told him how Haines wanted to
pet tn some laud simulation scheme
with Altacoola, how wo tricked him
rind cousht hlin with the goods when
he made the proposition to me and
how we forccd him to confess."
?"Vou told father that?" gasped Caro
lina.
Norton nodded.
"I don't understand It." said Lang
don. "To think that he was that
kind!"
Son Itaudolph now took his turn In
the case against the secretary.
"We were both here, father. I heard
him?Carolina heard him," he said.
"Didn't you, Carolina?"
"Yes," said the girl weakly, "I was
here." Then she turned abruptly. "I
must go," she said, "must go right
away. Mrs. Hofccomb Is waiting for
me "
The senator turned to his desk bent
and discouraged.
"I suppose I should have taken a
secretary who was a southerner and a
gentleman. Well, Uandolph, you'll
have to act now. Take this letter"?
The young man sat down and took
the following from the senator's dicta
tion:
Mr. Haines.
Sir?I quite understand your feeitnss
and the impossibility of your continuing
in my employ. The least aaid about it
the better. 1 am sorry too.
WILLIAM II. LANGDON.
"Vou boys run away. I've got to
think." said the senator.
When the pair bad gone the old man
drew the letter to him, and below Ills
signature he added a postscript, "Don't
forget there's some money coming to
you."
Walking across the room to leave,
he sighed:
"lie was making the best kind of a
secretary."
Continued next week.
The H?ppy Family Circle.
Father and mother, sister and
brothers, soon get to know one an
other's intimate affairs, and the lit
tle bowel and liver disturbances soon
become household comment. It is
well to remember that in constipa
tion and indigestion, and other troub
les of the stomach, liver and bowels
a quick cure can be had by the use
of Dr. Caldwell's Syrup Pepsin. Take
it tonight and you will feel perfect
ly well In the morning. It is abso
lutely guaranteed to do what is
claimed, and if you want to try It
before buying send your address for
a sample bottle to Pepsin Syrup Co.,
119 Caldwell Bids., Monticello, 111.
It is sold by Hood Bros. at 50c and
$1 a bottle.
NOTICE.
The undersigned having qualified
a;i Executor on the estate of Pherebe
Griswold deceasd, hereby notifies all
persons having claims against said
estate to present the same to me du
ly verified on or before the 9th day
of April, 1910 or this notice will be
pleaded in bar of their recovery;
and all persons indebted to said es
tate will make immediate payment.
This 7th day of April, 1909.
Chas. W. Horne, Ex.
Clayton, N. C.
NOTICE.
The undersigned having qualified
as executrix on the estate of L. B.
Holt deceased, hereby notifies all
persons having claims against said
estate to present the same to me
on or before the 26th day of March,
19X0, or this notice will be pleaded
in bar of their recovery; and all
persons indebted to said estate will
inako immediate payment.
This 19th day of March, 1909.
MISS LILLIAN HOLT, Exrx.,
Smithfield, N. C., R. F. D. No. 2.
NOTICE.
The undersigned having qualified
as Executor on the estate of W.
Ruffin Stanley, deceased hereby no
tifies all persons having claims
against said estate to present the
same to mo duly verified on or be
fore tho 26th day of March, 1910, or
this notice will be pleaded in bar of
their recovery; and all persons in
debted to said estate will make im
mediate payment.
This 24th day of March, 1909.
JNO. E. STANLEY, Ex.
Four Oaks, N. C.
NOTICE.
North Carolina, Johnston County.
J. T. Hudson to the use of F. E.
Wellons.
vs.
Richard Ennis, Martha Riddic and
husband, Sam Riddic, Willis Ed
wards and others.
The defendant above named will
take notice that an action entitled
as above has been commenced In the
Superior Court of Johnston county
to foreclose a mortgage on a cer
tain lot in the town of Smithfield,
which said lot was mortgaged by
Richard Ennis and wife Bettie J.
Ennis. The defendants will further
take notice that they are required
to appear at the next term of tho
Superior court of Johnston county
to be held on the 10th day of May,
1909, at the Court House in said
county in Smithfield, N. C.. and ans
wer or demur to the complaint in
this action or the plaintiff will ap
ply to tho court for the relief de
manded In said complaint.
This April, 1st, 1909.
W. S. STEVENS. C. 8. C.