THE PILLARS OF SOCIETY ARE GIVEN AN ILLUSTRATION OF A ROORBACK

Part 1

Rawson sat in the rotunda of the Pacific Hotel in desultory conversation
with Captain Chunn, Hardy and Rogers. He brought his clenched hand down
on the padded leather arm of the big chair.

"They'll jam it through to-morrow. That's what they'll do. James K.
Farnum's been playing mighty pretty politics and he has got the votes to
deliver the goods."

Hardy nodded as he knocked the ash from his cigar. "Now that it's all
over we can see James K.'s trail easily enough. He meant to defeat
the initiative and referendum amendment, and he meant to do it without
losing his popularity. He's done it too. Jeff's disappearance made it
certain our bill wouldn't go through. James jumps in with a hurrah and
passes one that isn't worth the powder to blow it up. But he's going to
claim it as a great victory for the people--and if I know that young man
he'll get away with his bluff. Yet it's certain as taxes that he's been
working for Joe Powers all the time."

"I wouldn't put it past him to have engineered some deal to get rid of
his cousin," Chunn suggested.

Rawson shook his head. "No. Not respectable enough for James. And he's
not fool enough to run his head into a trap. But I'd bet my head Big Tim
gave him a tip it was to be pulled off. J. K. had to know. Otherwise
he wouldn't have been in a position to play the game for them. But he
didn't know any details--just a suggestion. Enough to wise him without
making him responsible."

"And the play he's been making in the papers. Offering a reward
for information about Jeff, insisting publicly that he has absolute
confidence in his cousin's integrity while he shakes his head in
private. If you want my opinion, that young man is a whited sepulchre. I
never did believe in him."

Rogers turned to Captain Chunn with an incredulous smile. "But you still
believe in Jeff. Frankly, it looks to me like a double sell out."

The old Confederate's eyes gleamed. "Sir, I've known that boy since he
was a little tad. He's never told me a lie. He's square as they make
them."

"I used to believe in his cousin James, too," Rogers commented.

"Oh, James! He's another proposition." Rawson's voice was sour with
disgust. "He just naturally looked to see where his bread was buttered.
He's as selfish as the devil for all that suave, cordial way of his.
Right from the first his idea has been to make a big personal hit. And