Mondovi High School - Mirror Yearbook (Mondovi, WI)

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dared that the next night at nine o’clock on the same spot, the Buckley faction would hold another meeting and promised positively that Dick Buckley would be there with a volley of evidence to give them, and would for the first time in the history of Crawford's fame e | ose the truth. Few of the crowd trusted in Carel-ton's statement believing that the clever Crawford faction could easily hold Dick at their will, if he were in their hands. They would though without doubt be on to leave them there, wasn't it? It was someone elses turn to get a surprise next and one can imagine the dismay of the wily politicians when they returned to find that the important papers had all disappeared. CHAPTER III. (In which Buckley makes a move). The next day was Tuesday and no political excitement of any active kind broke up the busy routine of the days business in the enterprising city. Politics was the Buckley was still hammering away his threats toward the Crawford faction, when a powerful motor car suddenly drove up with three occupants, ran right alongside the dry goods box on which the young political aspirant was mounted and stopped just long enough for two of the men to scoop him up into the car. then sped away like fury. the spot the next night for political excitement of some kind, for one or other of the two factions would l e there. “Let's start something,” Dal hey suggested to Crawford. “No, we'll let it go at this,” Crawford said, “This’ll end everything. The election is as good as won, Jim. Two thousand dollars well spent, don't you think?” “Right you are, Ed. Let’s go hack to the house and put those papers away.” “Good suggestion, Jim. Careless of us 8 big issue, however, and the city had gone crazy over the excitement of the previous evening. But most interesting of all was the news press of the day. The two regular daily papers of the city were full of praise of Crawford and ridicule of Buck-lev but the reason was obvious. (Taw-ford’s financial interest in the two papers was sufficient to govern them, and the public suspected it, though no one dared to expound it. But a new paper begun its history that day and full of revela-

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‘i B-e itmj x o I'm from New York. 1 never stole a thing in my life and I’m glad now you • might me this time, hut I'm pressed to the hone for cash. What ’ye want? Some help on that Buckley case?” i lie politicians started. “What do you kin w aoout Buckley? they broke out in «In i us. Oh nothing much, except that I heard him giving a speech over by the Central Depot tonight and I knew this is where Ciawford, the other candidate lived and being the only man in the city whom I knew was worth anything I struck for it That hoy’s got a pile of statistics against you, and judging from appearances you ain’t a hit better than 1 am.” While speaking his catlike eyes alisorhed every object of discernment in the room, the important paper and all were left in view and little escaped the attention of the burglar. “Don’t get important all of a sudden w '’ve got the goods on you and if you behave yourself you’ll come out alright P.ut what do you know about this Buck-lev case? Anything?” The burglar shook his head. The politicians seemed relieved. “Is Buckley still talking?” “lie was about fifteen minutes ago.” the Burglar replied, ”1 came right from there over here.” “Well, here’s our plan. Remember if you don’t come to our tenns we’ll turn you over to the police. It’s for our interest that we get Buckley out of the city and nut for a couple of weeks. And the time to take him out is now. Now, you get Dick Buckley out of city tonight and keep him out until after election and its worth $1,0(10 to you. What do you say? Make out the papers Jim.” “I can do the job, but it’ll cost you more than a thousand dollars, because I’ve got a eouple of other fellows to come in on this.” “Well, then two thousand Here sign H e papers.” “Sign first yourself, both of youi the burglar replied and shoved the papers over to tue politicians. Crawford and Dalbey both signed the papers, a duplicate copy was made and after carefully examining them the burglar signed “Jim Brown to them both. Both parties were left with a copy. “Now' what’s your plan” asked Crawford, “need any money?” “Give me a hundred dollars, that’ll do to start on. I’ll have to hire a car and two other fellows to help me. and in fifteen minutes Dick Buckley’ll lie on on his way to Pittsburgh. And you fellows will send me the two thousand there tomorrow afternoon or at my own peril 1 11 send you both to the pen with me?” The burglar hurriedly left and in a few moments Crawford and Dalbey left the room for the scene of the political gathering centered around their opponent. The crowd was intense; there were men on both sides there now, and Buckley was still boldly hammering away his threats toward the Crawford faction, when a powerful motor car suddenly drove up with three occupants, ran right alongside the dry-goods box on which the young political candidate was mounted and stopped just long enough for two of the men to scoop him up into the car, then sped away like fury. It was so quick and unexpected that the crowd were dumfounded and speechless for a moment. Crawford and Dalbev quietly chuckled and laughed— to them it was a joke. No one would ever know who was at the bottom of the affair and in two weeks the election would be over. But Dick’s followers would never allow the crowd to depart with such an abrupt and interrupted ending, so Jack Carelton, Dick’s private secretary mounted the platform and denounced the act declaring it was only an example of the dirty work characterizing the Crawford faction, and that it was their work from beginning to end, and made the sensational statement of the evening when he de- 7

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O tions it was. Every man in the city was ttoon on tlie mailing list. The “Buckley Truths” it was called and the dashing headlines were far from comforting to Crawford and his associates. First they exposed the exact method of running the other two dailies of the city,—an exact photograph o! Mayor Crawford and the Editor of the Daily Herald signing a central t leasing exclusive control of the Herald for four weeks was reproduced. Below this was printed an exact reproduction of the contract and in glaring type was printed the announcement that tonight in a political speech Dick Buckley would display the original contract and challenge his opponent to deny the origin of it. A glimpse of the contract with the Editor of the Times was also promised. Other sensational statements were brought out in the “Buckley Truths.” A public warning was issued to Crawford and his followers declaring that any attempt to frustrate Buckley’s plans by crookedness would result in harm to themselves, as detectives were watching them It was merely a hint and as the Buckley faction reasoned would prevent serious trouble and unnecessary action. All day the issues were discussed with zeal. Crawford and Dalbey remained under cover in fear,—they had lost their papers and to get into the limelight would only mean more trouble for them. They still had confidence in Jack Brown, the burglar, and relied now on his work to save them. It was 7:00 P. M. Buckley had not been heard from. The burglar and his accomplices no doubt held him in Pittsburgh, forty miles distant. Such was the presumption of Crawford and Dalbey as they lounged in the comfortable rockers in the Mayor’s home. “What should we do, Crawford?” asked Dalbey, “send him the money?” “Yes, of course,” growled Crawford, “we don't want that devil to come running back on us with those contracts we lost last night do you? But see here, Jim Dalbey, those two contracts with the Editors were not amongst those other papers they were locked up in that sate, and if you’ve gone and given things away tell me so now.” “Come now Ed, I don’t blame you for suspecting me, but on my word of honor I’m with you to the last. And we'll win yet, if the last atom of my energy and skill is expelled in doing it.” “Put it there, Jim,” and he wrung Dal-bev’s hand, “but let's wire two thousand dollars to Jack Brown at Pittsburgh.” The following telegram was wired at once: To Jack Brown, Pittsburgh. “We have ordered for you two thousand dollars on Bank of Pittsburgh. Wire hack all news.” JIM DALBEY The following message was received back: To Mayor Crawford, -------------- “Have ordered for you twenty-one hundred dollars on First National Bank of your city. Dick Buckley will address the citizens of your city at eight tonight. See me tonight at midnight in the ‘Secret X’ Ha-ha beaten at your own game!” JACK BROWN One can imagine the effect the message would have on the mayor. This much it meant for sure,—he had been beaten at his own game,—trickery. “Well,” he mused, “it's a poor man who will give up at that. Come on Dalbey. So we are to hear Buckley speak after all And Jack Brown will meet us in the ‘Secret X.’ Now how does he know where the ‘Secret X’ is. Say Jim, you and I will need some help. W here can we get a couple of good detectives.” “At the Gct’em Detective Agency, I guess. Let’s get a couple. ’ The Get’ein agency was called up and in five minutes two plain clothes men met the politicians in the lobby of the Hotel Randolph and the party of four departed 9