the fact that there was a wild swarm of bees somewhere in the direction taken. But we took no bee boxes with us on that day-only our pails for picking blueberries. These were filled and we returned to our homes. It was only the next Monday, when the poor hay day, to which I have referred, gave us our opportunity, and we started out with our bee-hunting boxes for the place where I had lined the bee. When we had traveled about half way to the field there was a shower of rain sufficient to stop bees from working. But we were too eager to be turned back. When we reached the buckwheat field not a single bee could be found upon it. Though it was not then raining, the flowers were wet enough to drabble the bodies of the bees and they all remained in thei home; at least, all that could reach it before being overtaken by the shower. But Nathan had great knowledge of the ways of the honey bee. He was keen for the hunt and full of resources. Part of the plowed field had been planted to corn. At that time every corn patch had also its pumpkins. In this case the pumpkin vines grew rampant underneath the corn. Their large flowers had been opened in the morning, as is their habit, but the rain had closed them. Nathan began at once to open them and look for bees that might have been caught and imprisoned when the rain closed the long tubular corrollas at the top. His search was successful, and we soon had two bees at work in our boxes. They were somewhat benumbed and stupefied at first from their imprisonment and the coolness that followed the shower. They soon revived, however, and partook freely of the sweets which we offered them. After filling its honeysac to its full capacity, one of them rose slowly, flying over and around the box, and then in widening circles, and examined closely both the box and the locality. Having completed its observation, it struck off in the same direction that the laden bee lined from the buckwheat flowers on the day before had taken. METHOD OF SECURING A YOUNG SWARM FROM THEIR HEMLOCK TREE HOME commissioner of streets to-morrow," he began in a somewhat embarrassed manner, "and we promised you the job. If electioneering was the whole thing you'd get the place without a kick, but Hammond, there's more than that to be considered. There's a big pool at stake in the coming election and wethey that is, the party has been working quietly for more than six years to form a circle around that pool. We've got a mayor who's onto his job and we've got to have a commissioner who can play in with him. See what I mean? So the majority has decided to put Ryan in as commissioner and-" "Not if" broke in Hammond, bristling as he rose. "Wait a minute now," crooned the other softly. "We'll put Ryan in as commissioner and give you twentyfive thousand dollars to go on working and make a noise like a clam, when it comes to talking about the inner circle. That's fair, ain't it?" For a full minute Hammond stood before the other in unbelieving astonishment. Twice he tried to speak and twice the words withered on the tip of his palsied tongue. Then stepping over to the chairman's desk, he spoke a little lower than his natural tone. "Lynch," he said, eyeing the other keenly, "twenty-five thousand dollars is a big sum of money. It is more than I ever had in my life, but it's too small a price to buy this office from me." "Well, call it fifty," returned the other, trying to assume an easy air. "No, nor a hundred and fifty. You'll slate me for commissioner of streets or I'll show you and the others up like a floating mine under a searchlight." "Oh! no, you won't," said the chairman, conciliatingly. "You'll take the money," and, rising, he patted the lawyer on the shoulder. Hammond brushed away the hand as though it had been a scorpion. "You'll give me the position or I'll show you up," was the uncompromising reply. "Come now, don't be a fool," said Lynch, shortly. "You'll be in line for something better than commissioner later on, but just now-" "Just now I'm needed in the position of commissioner more than I'll need the position of governor later on. I want the place." "Well, you can't have the place!" and the thick neck of the other swelled like a glutted leech. "Then I'll hold you up before the public gaze for the bunch of boodling vampires that you are." "You blab and you don't get a damn cent! We've got the "World" and "Leader" with us and the rest of 'em 'll say you're a sorehead because we won't give you what you want. Now take the money and stay with us. Before long we'll boost you into something good. This city is the seat of the state government-" "With most of its brains in its seat," exploded the attorney. "No, I'll stay square to the finish." "Well, I see your finish coming," sneered Lynch as the door banged. A summer zephyr that was filtered through the flower beds of the park, sent its refreshing breath through the moist hair of Hammond in his seat on the park bench. It played about his open throat and caressed his throbbing temples until at last, as his heated brain. cooled, a determined resolution crystallized itself therein. Then lighting his half-consumed cigar. he strolled slowly to his rooms, the disappointments of today behind him, the prospects of a new to-morrow ahead. The next morning four men sat in the office of Jim Francis, cooling their heels and waiting. The Boss, who sat behind his desk a few yards away, was one of the most unique figures in city politics. He was a boss in the most generous interpretation of the expression; an autocrat who ruled with a hand that broke wherever it could not bend, yet to those who were loyal to him he dealt favors lavishly with that same hand. A self-acknowledged spoilsman, he took all that was yielded in the political dragnet, and those who 206 too formed the army of his adherents shared the glory and the infamy of his name. With him nothing was sacred to sacrifice, yet all that he did was done shamelessly and openly. Of this last trait his office was typical. There was no inner sanctum and any who desired to see him and talk with him must do so before any who might be present, a fact which often made the first desire to be last and gave the last an unwilling opportunity to be first. On this particular morning the first to be called was a square shouldered, well-groomed man whose features were marred by a pair of shifting eyes and a weak mouth. When the office boy called his name he was nervously prodding the carpet with the point of his cane and he started suddenly on hearing himself spoken to. As he stepped toward the desk at the other side of the room, the man before it raised his hand and pressed a button. Instantly a big negro appeared and as he reached the side of the visitor the Boss looked up and with his eye on the latter he spoke deliberately to the negro. "Roger," he said, "this is Mr. Fletcher, of the eleventh ward, who sells his friends at the highest figure. He has come to talk with me but as I haven't time to hear his talk I want you to take him out there and tell him what I think of him. Then, if he lets you live after that, show him through the back entrance where we send out all of our rubbish." Fletcher went white to his hair. "Roger will talk with you," returned the Boss, waving his hand toward the door. "Tell Mr. Sheehan I'll see him," he said to the boy, and the first, his features furrowed with a black look of hate, followed Roger through the door. Sheehan was a slick politician lawyer who, when there was any money in it, did anything for anybody and then generally hid his doings under the name of somebody else. He was quick of tongue and motion and as he stepped sprucely over to the big desk he stretched out his hand with an oily word of greeting. The Boss sat back in his chair, ignoring the extended hand. "Did you do the job?" he asked, pointedly. "I've landed all of 'em," returned the other, laying a paper on the desk. Francis looked over the paper carefully and, satisfied with its contents, reached for his checkbook. "Er-Mr. Francis, do you mind making the payment in cash?" asked the lawyer, with a smooth smile. "Don't want the bank people to know that you and the old man are friends, eh?" flashed Francis. "Well, ah—the other's a bit safer, you know." "Yes, I know," dryly came the answer. "You're willing to do my work, aren't you?" "Certainly, certainly, but—” "Then you'll take my paper," and he handed over the check. "Tell Garland he's next," turning to the boy. "Hello, Garland," he said, as the "You other man came before him. look a little yellow this morning. Overtaxing your liver?" "No, it ain't my liver," returned Garland, laughing feebly. "Guess it's my heart. Lynch has offered me a good chunk of the People's graft if I—” "Going to flop, eh?" "Think you can do better by yourself than the old man's done by you?" "Not that you ain't treated me white, but it looks good the other way. You see " "Certainly I see, my boy. It's the naked knife between us after this. If you think you can do better on the other side, try it, and if I can do you while you're trying, I'll do it. If there's anything left of you after the polls close, come 'round and see me. You're square." "Thanks, Boss," and shaking the Garland outstretched hand, out. went "I'm ready for Mr. " Francis took another glance at the card in his hand. and turned around to look: "for Mr. Hammond," he finished, slowly. "How are you, Mr. Hammond?" he said, nodding shortly. "What are you doing in the enemy's camp?" "I'm considering a change of faith," said the other flatly, "and I want to know what prospect there is for a new recruit in the Independent ranks." For a full minute the older politician scrutinized him sharply. "Steam roller?" he asked, at length. "Yes and no," returned Hammond. "I wanted and was slated for the position of commissioner of streets. I was too honest for that, so they changed the slate and offered me that very excellent but unsatisfactory mediator between grafter and the honest man-cold cash. But that isn't my end in politics. I wanted enough political power to show that I'm square. It seems I can't have that. Then I want to do the next best thing and join a crowd that whatever its methods, and whatever its ends, always does what it says. For a chance to succeed in politics, for a chance to get into power, I am willing to sign body and soul into your possession; willing to take up your standard and follow your dictates; willing to lay aside principles and self-respect. Then when you agree that I have acquitted myself of my obligations toward youif it isn't too late-I want to turn square and reclaim what I have bartered." Francis watched the pallor overspread the face of the man before him and listened to the tremor in his voice with a calloused fascination. He knew the man, his record and his value as an ally. "Rather a risky trade both ways, isn't it?" smiled Francis. "Do you know what the full cost will be if I take you up?" "Exactly what I offer for sale; body and soul, self respect, friends, principles, honor-all these go into the scale. But if they will buy me what I want more than anything else in life; what I have fought for fairly and squarely a chance in politics-the bargain is made." "Suppose I don't take you up." up, I give the story of this visit to the papers." "Naturally I'd deny it by calling you a white-livered, black-hearted liar, and the other gentle epithets exchanged by warring politicians, but-" and his voice grew deeply serious, "Francis, you're going to take me up. In a close election like this I'm too good a political asset for you to put aside. The others don't know my full power, but you do. If I bolt and go into the third, fourth and fifth wards and tell them. why I bolted, I'll swing those wards whichever way I go. They believed in the cause for which I was fighting because I believed in it myself, and if I take this story to them and tell them of the graft and rottenness in the People's party, they'll believe and go with me. If I swing in with the Reform Party there is a hope, but I don't want to risk on a hope when I can win on a certainty." "Hammond, you're even more of a politician than I thought you were," said the Boss, smiling. "If I take you in tow, what concessions do you want to offer your people?" "Only a fair tax rate. The men in those three wards, mostly working men, own their own homes. It would be ruinous to foist a high tax rate on them as the Lynch people are going to do in order to further their own selfish ends. Then, too, low taxes is the most potent shibboleth we can raise in these wards and if I raise it they'll believe me." "Well, so much for the people. Now what do you want?" "Commissioner of streets." "Too much, entirely too much." "Well, what do you offer?" "You won't take money? seventy-five thousand, cash?" Say "No, I don't belong to the tip taking class. If you've got a candidacy to offer me, all right; if not-" "Suppose I offer you the tax assessorship." "I'll take it!" "Even though your hands are somewhat bound by commissioners who are in the organization?" "Yes." |