ard that he loved above all things
was to be pointed out on the street or in the car as "Mike Shay." To
overhear some one say, "That's Michael Shay, the big Boss of the South
Ward," meant more to him a thousand fold than any decoration in the gift
of the greatest of Old-World potentates.

Hartigan learned that he could go to Shay at any time for a reasonable
contribution, after having made it clear that it was for some one in
distress--not for a church. The only return Shay ever asked was that Jim
come sometimes and put on the gloves with him in a friendly round. Most
of Shay's legal finesse was done through Squeaks. That small, but active
person was on the boards of at least twenty-five popular organizations,
and it was understood that he was there to represent the boss.
Extraordinary evidence of _some one's_ pull was shown when one day
Squeaks was elevated to the Bench. It was only as a police magistrate,
but he was now Judge Squeaks, with larger powers than were by law
provided, and he began to "dig himself in," entrench himself, make his
position good with other powers, in anticipation of the inevitable
conflict with Boss Shay. It became largely a line-up of political
parties; Squeaks had made a deal with the party in power at Springfield,
and gave excellent guarantees of substantial support--both electoral and
financial--before the keen-eyed myrmidons of Shay brought to the boss
the news that Squeaks had turned traitor.

Then the war was on; not openly, for Squeaks had scores of documents
that would, before any impartial jury, have convicted Shay of
manipulating election returns, intimidating voters, and receiving
blackmail. It was important to get possession of these documents before
they could be used. While the present party held power in State
politics, there would be no chance for Shay to escape. There were two
possibilities, however; one, that the election close at hand might
reverse the sympathies of those in power; the other, that Squeaks might
find it unwise to use the weapon in his hands.

Now was the Cedar Mountain House in peril, for Shay's support was
essential. At a word from him, the police might call the club a
disorderly house, and order it shut up. The fact that Squeaks was a
governor strengthened the probability of drastic action. On the other
hand, Squeaks as police magistrate, could restrain the police for a time
or discover flaws in as many indictments as were brought up. The
District Court