the conflict-第25章

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al　ambitions　not　agreeable　to　the　old　established　bosses。　　Besides；　the　League　was；　like　the　bosses　and　their　henchmen；　in　politics　every　day　in　every　year。　　The　League　theory　was　that　politics　was　as　much　a　part　of　a　citizen's　daily　routine　as　his　other　work　or　his　meals。

It　was　the　night　of　the　League's　great　ratification　meeting。　　The　next　day　the　first　campaign　number　containing　the　biographical　sketch　of　Tony　Rivers；　Kelly's　right…hand　man　。　。　。　would　go　upon　the　press；　and　on　the　following　day　it　would　reach　the　public。

Market　Square　in　Remsen　City　was　on　the　edge　of　the　power　quarter；　was　surrounded　by　cheap　hotels；　boarding　houses　and　saloons。　　A　few　years　before；　the　most　notable　citizens；　market　basket　on　arm；　could　have　been　seen　three　mornings　in　the　week；　making　the　rounds　of　the　stalls　and　stands；　both　those　in　the　open　and　those　within　the　Market　House。　　But　customs　had　rapidly　changed　in　Remsen　City；　and　with　the　exception　of　a　few　old　fogies　only　the　poorer　classes　went　to　market。　　The　masters　of　houses　were　becoming　gentlemen；　and　the　housewives　were　elevating　into　ladiesand　it　goes　without　saying　that　no　gentleman　and　no　lady　would　descend　to　a　menial　task　even　in　private；　much　less　in　public。

Market　Square　had　even　become　too　common　for　any　but　the　inferior　meetings　of　the　two　leading　political　parties。　　Only　the　Workingmen's　League　held　to　the　old　tradition　that　a　political　meeting　of　the　first　rank　could　be　properly　held　nowhere　but　in　the　natural　assembling　place　of　the　peopletheir　market。　　So；　their　first　great　rally　of　the　campaign　was　billed　for　Market　Square。　　And　at　eight　o'clock；　headed　by　a　large　and　vigorous　drum　corps；　the　Victor　Dorn　cohorts　at　their　full　strength　marched　into　the　centre　of　the　Square；　where　one　of　the　stands　had　been　transformed　with　flags；　bunting　and　torches　into　a　speaker's　platform。　　A　crowd　of　many　thousands　accompanied　and　followed　the　procession。　　Workingmen's　League　meetings　were　popular；　even　among　those　who　believed　their　interests　lay　elsewhere。　　At　League　meetings　one　heard　the　plain　truth；　sometimes　extremely　startling　plain　truth。　　The　League　had　no　favors　to　ask　of　anybody；　had　nothing　to　conceal；　was　strongly　opposed　to　any　and　all　political　concealments。　　Thus；　its　speakers　enjoyed　a　freedom　not　usual　in　political　speakingand　Dorn　and　his　fellow…leaders　were　careful　that　no　router；　no　exaggerator　or　well　intentioned　wild　man　of　any　kind　should　open　his　mouth　under　a　league　banner。　　THAT　was　what　made　the　League　so　dangerousand　so　steadily　prosperous。

The　chairman；　Thomas　Colman；　the　cooper；　was　opening　the　meeting　in　a　speech　which　was　an　instance　of　how　well　a　man　of　no　platform　talent　can　acquit　himself　when　he　believes　something　and　believes　it　is　his　duty　to　convey　it　to　his　fellow…men。　　Victor　Dorn；　to　be　the　fourth　speaker　and　the　orator　of　the　evening；　was　standing　at　the　rear　of　the　platform　partially　concealed　by　the　crowd　of　men　and　women　leaders　of　the　party　grouped　behind　Colman。　　As　always　at　the　big　formal　demonstrations　of　the　League；　Victor　was　watching　every　move。　　This　evening　his　anxiety　was　deeper　than　ever　before。　　His　trained　political　sagacity　warned　him　that；　as　he　had　suggested　to　Selma；　the　time　of　his　party's　first　great　crisis　was　at　hand。　　No　movement　could　become　formidable　with　out　a　life　and　death　struggle；　when　its　aim　frankly　was　to　snatch　power　from　the　dominant　class　and　to　place　it　where　that　class　could　not　hope　to　prevail　either　by　direct　means　of　force　or　by　its　favorite　indirect　means　of　bribery。　　What　would　Kelly　do？　　What　would　be　his　stroke　at　the　very　life　of　the　League？　for　Victor　had　measured　Kelly　and　knew　he　was　not　one　to　strike　until　he　could　destroy。

Like　every　competent　man　of　action；　Victor　had　measured　his　own　abilities；　and　had　found　that　they　were　to　be　relied　upon。　　But　the　contest　between　him　and　Kelly　the　contest　in　the　last　ditchwas　so　appallingly　unequal。　　Kelly　had　the　courts　and　the　police；　the　moneyed　class；　the　employers　of　labor；　had　the　clergy　and　well…dressed　respectability；　the　newspapers；　all　the　customary　arbiters　of　public　sentiment。　　Also；　he　had　the　criminal　and　the　semi…criminal　classes。　　And　what　had　the　League？

The　letter　of　the　law；　guaranteeing　freedom　of　innocent　speech　and　action；　guaranteeing　the　purity　of　the　ballotno；　not　guaranteeing；　but　simply　asserting　those　rights；　and　leaving　the　upholding　of　them　toKelly's　allies　and　henchmen！　　Also；　the　League　had　the　power　of　between　a　thousand　and　fifteen　hundred　intelligent　and　devoted　men　and　about　the　same　number　of　womena　solid　phalanx　of　great　might；　of　might　far　beyond　its　numbers。　　Finally；　it　had　Victor　Dorn。　　He　had　no　mean　opinion　of　his　value　to　the　movement；　but　he　far　and　most　modestly　underestimated　it。　　The　human　way　of　rallying　to　an　abstract　principle　is　by　way　of　a　standard　bearera　man　personalitya　real　or　fancied　incarnation　of　the　ideal　to　be　struggled　for。　　And　to　the　Workingmen's　League；　to　the　movement　for　conquering　Remsen　City　for　the　mass　of　its　citizens；　Victor　Dorn　was　that　incarnation。

Kelly　could　use　violenceviolence　disguised　as　law；　violence　candidly　and　brutally　lawless。　　Victor　Dorn　could　only　use　lawful　meansclearly　and　cautiously　lawful　means。　　He　must　at　all　costs　prevent　the　use　of　force　against　him　and　his　partymust　give　Kelly　no　pretext　for　using　the　law　lawlessly。　　If　Kelly　used　force　against　him；　whether　the　perverted　law　of　the　courts　or　open　lawlessness；　he　must　meet　it　with　peace。　　If　Kelly　smote　him　on　the　right　cheek　he　must　give　him　the　left　to　be　smitten。

When　the　League　could　outvote　Kelly；　thenanother　policy；　still　of　calmness　and　peace　and　civilization；　but　not　so　meek。　　But　until　the　League　could　outvote　Kelly；　nothing　but　patient　endurance。

Every　man　in　the　League　had　been　drilled　in　this　strategy。　　Every　man　understoodand　to　be　a　member　of　the　League　meant　that　one　was　politically　educated。　　Victor　believed　in　his　associates　as　he　believed　in　himself。　　Still；　human　nature　was　human　nature。　　If　Kelly　should　suddenly　offer　some　adroit　outrageous　provocation　would　the　League　be　able　to　resist？

Victor；　on　guard；　studied　the　crowd　spreading　out　from　the　platform　in　a　gigantic　fan。　　Nothing　there　to　arouse　suspicion；　ten　or　twelve　thousand　of　working　class　men　and　women。　　His　glance　pushed　on　out　toward　the　edges　of　the　crowdtoward　the　saloons　and　alleys　of　the　disreputable　south　side　of　Market　Square。　　His　glance　traveled　slowly　along；　pausing　upon　each　place　where　these　loungers；　too　far　away　to　hear；　were　gathered　into　larger　groups。　　Why　he　did　not　know；　but　suddenly　his　glance　wheeled　to　the　right；　and　then　as　suddenly　to　the　leftthe　west　and　the　east　ends　of　the　square。　　There；　on　either　side　he　recognized；　in　the　farthest　rim　of　the　crowd；　several　of　the　men　who　did　Kelly's　lowest　kinds　of　dirty　workthe　brawlers；　the　repeaters；　the　leaders　of　gangs；　the　false　witnesses　for　petty　corporation　damage　cases。　　A　second　glance；　and　he　saw　or；　perhaps；　divinedpurpose　in　those　sinister　presences。　　He　looked　for　the　policethe　detail　of　a　dozen　bluecoats　always　assigned　to　large　open…air　meetings。　　Not　a　policeman　was　to　be　seen。

Victor　pushed　through　the　crowd　on　the　platform；　advanced　to　the　side　of　Colman。　　‘‘Just　a　minute；　Tom；''　he　said。　　‘‘I've　got　to　say　a　wordat　once。''

Colman　had　fallen　back；　Victor　Dorn　was　facing　the　crowdHIS　crowdthe　men　and　women　who　loved　him。　　In　the　clear；　friendly；　natural　voice　that　marked　him　for　the　leader　born；　the　honest　leader　of　an　honest　cause；　he　said：

‘‘My　friends；　if　there　is　an　attempt　to　disturb　this　meeting；　remember　what　we　of　the　League　stand　for。　　No　violence。　　Draw　away　from　every　disturber；　and　wait　for　the　police　to　act。　　If　the　police　stop　our　meeting；　let　themand　be　ready　to　go　to　court　and　testify　to　the　exact　words　of　the　speaker　on　which　the　meeting　was　stopped。　　Remember；　we　must　be　more　lawful　than　the　law　itself！''

He　was　turning　away。　　A　cheer　was　risinga　belated　cheer；　because　his　words　had　set　them　all　to　thinking　and　to　observing。　　From　the　left　of　the　crowd；　a　dozen　yards　away　from　the　platform；　came　a　stone　heavily　rather　than　swiftly　flung；　as　from　an　impeded　hand。　　In　full　view　of　all　it　curved　across　the　front　of　the　platform　and　struck　Victor　Dorn　full　in　the　side　of　the　head。

He　threw　up　his　hands。

‘‘Boysremember！''　he　shouted　with　a　terrible　energy　then；　he　staggered　forward　and　fell　from　the　platform　into　the　crowd。

The　stone　was　a　signal。　　As　it　flew；　into　the　crowd　from　every　direction　the　Beech　Hollow　gangs　tore　their　way；　yelling　and　cursing　and　striking　out　right　and　left　trampling　children；　knocking　down　women；　pouring　out　the　foulest　insults。　　The　street　lamps　all　round　Market　Square　went　out；　the　torches　on　the　platform　were　torn　down　and　extinguished。　　And　in　a　dimness　almost　pitch　dark　a　riot　that　involved　that　whole　mass　of　people　raged　hideously。　　Yells　and　screams　and　groans；　the　shrieks　of　women；　the　piteous　appeals　of　childrenbenches　torn　up　for　weaponsmad　slashing　aboutsnarls　and　singings　of　pain…stricken　groups　then　police　whistles；　revolvers　fired　in　the　air；　and　the　quick；　regular　tramp　of　disciplined　forces。　　The　police　strangely　ready；　strangely　inactive　until　the　mischief　had　all　been　done　entered　the　square　from　the　north　and；　forming　a　double　line　across　it　from　east　to　west；　swept　it　slowly　clean。　　The　fighting　ended　as　abruptly　as　it　had　begun。　　Twenty　minutes　after　the　flight　of　that　stone；　the　square　was　empty　save　a　group　of　perhaps　fifty　men　and　women　formed　about　Victor　Dorn's　body　in　the　shelter　of　the　platform。

Selma　Gordon　was　holding　his　head。　　Jane　Hastings　and　Ellen　Clearwater　were　kneeling　beside　him；　and　Jane　was　wiping　his　face　with　a　handkerchief　wet　with　whisky　from　the　flask　of　the　man　who　had　escorted　them　there。

‘‘He　is　only　stunned；''　said　Selma。　　‘‘I　can　feel　the　beat　of　his　blood。　　He　is　only　stunned。''

A　doctor　came；　got　down　on　his　knees；　made　a　rapid　examination　with　expert　hands。　　As　he　felt；　one　of　the　relighted　torches　suddenly　lit　up　Victor's　face　and　the　faces　of　those　bending　over　him。

‘‘He　is　only　stunned；　Doctor；''　said　Selma。

‘‘I　think　so；''　replied　the　doctor。

‘‘We　left　our　carriage　in　the　side　street　just　over　there；''　said　Jane　Hastings。　　‘‘It　will　take　him　to　the　hospital。''

‘‘Nohome；''　said　Selma；　who　was　calm。　　‘‘He　must　be　taken　home。''

‘‘The　hospital　is　the　place　for　him；''　said　the　doctor。

‘‘Nohome；''　repeated　Selma。　　She　glanced　at　the　men　standing　round。　　‘‘TomHenryand　you；　Ed　help　me　lift　him。''

‘‘Please；　Selma；''　whispered　Jane。　　‘‘Let　him　be　taken　to　the　hospital。''

‘‘Among　our　enemies？''　said　Selma　with　a　strange　and　terrible　little　laugh。　　‘‘Oh；　no。　　After　this；　we　trust　no　one。　　They　may　have　arranged　to　finish　this　night's　work　there。　　He　goes　homedoesn't　he；　boys？''

‘‘That's　right；　Miss　Gordon；''　replied　one　of　them。

The　doctor　shrugged　his　shoulders。　　‘‘Here's　where　I　drop　the　case；''　said　he。

‘‘Nothing　of　the　kind；''　cried　Jane　imperiously。　　‘‘I　am　Jane　HastingsMartin　Hastings'　daughter。　　You　will　come　with　us；　pleaseor　I　shall　see　to　it　that　you　are　not　let　off　easily　for　such　a　shameful　neglect　of　duty。''

‘‘Let　him　go；　Jane；''　said　Selma。　　‘‘There　will　be　a　d