n prevails. The secretary is
instructed to communicate this vote at once," added the chairman.

"And now I must add, by the force of stringent necessity which I find in
my endeavor to carry on the work of our mayor," said the chairman, "that
it became necessary for us to transact a little business here tonight.
Exigencies are arising which make it important to have some action taken
on the sub-letting of contracts. Will some member move that the present
incumbent be given discretionary power to act in these matters?"

"No, no," shouted Turner, and was echoed by two or three others. But
Blatchley rose and moved that the chairman of the board of aldermen be
allowed to go ahead with all the city's business during the indefinite
absence of the mayor, using his discretion therein.

The motion was seconded by several others and when Mr. Mason arose,
there was a chorus of "Question, question," from the opposite faction.
He would not give way, however, and stood his ground for some moments,
arguing for fair play, and finally offering a substitute motion, asking
that no contracts be given out and only routine business be transacted
while the present crisis was on; but he might as well have talked to the
vagrant wind. Not over half a dozen men present were in entire sympathy
with him, and they were helpless. It soon became evident that the
others had been primed for this meeting--as indeed was the case, every
doubtful one having been called to a private confab with the acting
mayor, and promised something for good behavior.

"Isn't there an ordinance that prevents our taking any action whatever,
until the mayor has been absent a fortnight?" finally asked Mason.

"That ordinance was changed two years ago," replied the chairman. "The
time is now limited to one week."

"And you have waited just that," replied Mr. Mason, sitting down. He saw
it was impossible to struggle any longer.

So the acting mayor was given full power to do what he pleased while the
mayor was still secluded. Fortunately, it was voted to keep this
decision from the newspapers; for feeling was growing daily more bitter
against the city council, and the people were already asking how much
the aldermen knew about the abduction of their woman-mayor, and why they
were not more active in the search for her.

CHAPTER XX

An Enforced Vacation

When Gertrude Van Deusen decided to go to see Newton Fitzgerald on that
eventful evening, she thought first,