the conflict-第42章

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lasses　against　the　educated　leadership　of　the　community。

Selma　laughed　contemptuously。　　‘‘What　nonsense；　David　Hulland　from　YOU！''　she　cried。　　‘‘By　educated　leadership　do　you　mean　the　traction　and　gas　and　water　and　coal　and　iron　and　produce　thieves？

Or　do　you　mean　the　officials　and　the　judges　who　protect　them　and　license　them　to　rob？''　　Her　eyes　flashed。　　‘‘At　this　very　moment；　in　our　town；　those　thieves　and　their　agents；　the　police　and　the　courts；　are　committing　the　most　frightful　crime　known　to　a　free　people。　　Yet　the　masses　are　submitting　peaceably。　　How　long　the　upper　class　has　to　indulge　in　violence；　and　how　savagely　cruel　it　has　to　be；　before　the　people　even　murmur。　　But　I　didn't　come　here　to　remind　you　of　what　you　already　know。　　I　came　to　ask　you；　as　a　man　whom　I　have　respected；　to　assert　his　manhoodif　there　is　any　of　it　left　after　this　campaign　of　falsehood　and　shifting。''

‘‘Selma！''　he　protested　energetically；　but　still　avoiding　her　eyes。

‘‘Those　wretches　are　stealing　that　election　for　you；　David　Hull。　　Are　you　going　to　stand　for　it？　　Or；　will　you　go　into　town　and　force　Kelly　to　stop？''

‘‘If　anything　wrong　is　being　done　by　Kelly；''　said　David；　‘‘it　must　be　for　Sawyer。''

Selma　rose。　　‘‘At　our　consultation；''　said　she　quietly　and　even　with　no　suggestion　of　repressed　emotion；　‘‘they　debated　coming　to　you　and　laying　the　facts　before　you。　　They　decided　against　it。　　They　were　right；　I　was　wrong。　　I　pity　you；　David　Hull。　　Good…by。''

She　walked　away。　　He　hesitated；　observing　her。　　His　eyes　lighted　up　with　the　passion　he　believed　his　good　sense　had　conquered。　　‘‘Selma；　don't　misjudge　me！''　he　cried；　following　her。　　‘‘I　am　not　the　scoundrel　they're　making　you　believe　me。　　I　love　you！''

She　wheeled　upon　him　so　fiercely　that　he　started　back。　　‘‘How　dare　you！''　she　said；　her　voice　choking　with　anger。　　‘‘You　miserable　fraud！　　You　bellwether　for　the　plutocracy；　to　lead　reform　movements　off　on　a　false　scent；　off　into　the　marshes　where　they'll　be　suffocated。''　　She　looked　at　him　from　head　to　foot　with　a　withering　glance。　　‘‘No　doubt；　you'll　have　what's　called　a　successful　career。　　You'll　be　their　traitor　leader　for　the　radicals　they　want　to　bring　to　confusion。　　When　the　people　cry　for　a　reform　you'll　shout　louder　than　anybody　elseand　you'll　be　made　leaderand　you'll　leadinto　the　marshes。　　Your　followers　will　perish；　but　you'll　come　back；　ready　for　the　next　treachery　for　which　the　plutocracy　needs　you。　　And　you'll　look　honest　and　respectableand　you'll　talk　virtue　and　reform　and　justice。　　But　you'll　know　what　you　are　yourself。　　David　Hull；　I　despise　you　as　much　as　you　despise　yourself。''

He　did　not　follow　as　she　walked　away。　　He　returned　to　the　log；　and　slowly　reseated　himself。　　He　was　glad　of　the　violent　headache　that　made　thought　impossible。


Remsen　City；　boss…ridden　since　the　Civil　War；　had　experienced　　many　a　turbulent　election　day　and　night。　　The　rivalries　of　the　two　bosses；　contending　for　the　spoils　where　the　electorate　was　evenly　divided；　had　made　the　polling　places　in　the　poorer　quarters　dangerous　all　day　and　scenes　of　rioting　at　night。　　But　latterly　there　had　been　a　notable　improvement。　　People　who　entertained　the　pleasant　and　widespread　delusion　that　statute　laws　offset　the　habits　and　customs　of　men；　restrain　the　strong　and　protect　the　weak；　attributed　the　improvement　to　sundry　vigorously　worded　enactments　of　the　legislature　on　the　subject　of　election　frauds。　　In　fact；　the　real　bottom　cause　of　the　change　was　the　‘‘gentlemen's　agreement''　between　the　two　party　machines　whereunder　both　entered　the　service　of　the　same　master；　the　plutocracy。

Never　in　Remsen　City　history　had　there　been　grosser　frauds　than　those　of　this　famous　election　day；　and　never　had　the　frauds　been　so　open。　　A　day　of　scandal　was　followed　by　an　evening　of　shame；　for　to　overcome　the　League　the　henchmen　of　Kelly　and　House　had　to　do　a　great　deal　of　counting　out　and　counting　in；　of　mutilating　ballots；　of　destroying　boxes　with　their　contents。　　Yet　never　had　Remsen　City　seen　so　peaceful　an　election。　　Representatives　of　the　League　were　at　every　polling　place。　　They　protested；　they　took　names　of　principals　and　witnesses　in　each　case　of　real　or　suspected　fraud。　　They　appealed　to　the　courts　from　time　to　time　and　got　rulingsalways　against　them；　even　where　the　letter　of　the　decision　was　in　their　favor。　　They　did　all　this　in　the　quietest　manner　conceivable；　without　so　much　as　an　expression　of　indignation。　　And　when　the　results　were　announceda　sweeping　victory　for　Hull　and　the　fusion　ticket；　Hugo　Galland　elected　by　five　hundred　over　Falconerthe　Leaguers　made　no　counter　demonstration　as　the　drunken　gangs　of　machine　heelers　paraded　in　the　streets　with　bands　and　torches。

Kelly　observed　and　was　uneasy。　　What　could　be　the　meaning　of　this　meek　acceptance　of　a　theft　so　flagrant　that　the　whole　town　was　talking　about　it？　　What　was　Victor　Dorn's　‘‘game''？

He　discovered　the　next　day。　　The　executive　committee　of　the　League　worked　all　night；　the　League's　printers　and　presses　worked　from　six　o'clock　in　the　morning　until　ten。　　At　half…past　ten　Remsen　City　was　flooded　with　a　special　edition　of　the　New　Day；　given　away　by　Leaguers　and　their　wives　and　sons　and　daughtersa　monster　special　edition　paid　for　with　the　last　money　in　the　League's　small　campaign　chest。　　This　special　was　a　full　account　of　the　frauds　that　had　been　committed。　　No　indictment　could　have　been　more　complete；　could　have　carried　within　itself　more　convincing　proofs　of　the　truth　of　its　charges。　　The　New　Day　declared　that　the　frauds　were　far　more　extensive　than　it　was　able　to　prove；　but　it　insisted　upon；　and　took　into　account；　only　those　frauds　that　could　be　proved　in　a　‘‘court　of　justice　if　Remsen　City　had　a　court　of　justice；　which　the　treatment　of　the　League's　protectors　at　the　Courthouse　yesterday　shows　that　it　has　not。''　　The　results　of　the　League's　investigations　were　tabulated。　　The　New　Day　showed：

First；　that　while　Harbinger；　the　League　candidate　for　Mayor；　had　actually　polled　5；280　votes　at　least；　and　David　Hull　had　polled　less　than　3；950；　the　election　had　been　so　manipulated　that　in　the　official　count　4；827　votes　were　given　to　Hull　and　3；980　votes　to　Harbinger。

Second；　that　in　the　actual　vote　Falconer　had　beaten　Hugo　Galland　by　1；230　at　least；　that　in　the　official　count　Galland　was　declared　elected　by　a　majority　of　672。

Third；　that　these　results　were　brought　about　by　wholesale　fraudulent　voting；　one　gang　of　twenty…two　repeaters　casting　upwards　of　a　thousand　votes　at　the　various　polling　places；　also　by　false　counting；　the　number　of　votes　reported　exceeding　the　number　cast　by　between　two　and　three　thousand。

As　a　piece　of　workmanship　the　document　was　an　amazing　illustration　of　the　genius　of　Victor　Dorn。　　Instead　of　violence　against　violence；　instead　of　vague　accusation；　here　was　a　calm；　orderly　proof　of　the　League's　case；　of　the　outrage　that　had　been　done　the　city　and　its　citizens。　　Before　night　fell　the　day　after　the　election　there　was　no　one　in　Remsen　City　who　did　not　know　the　truth。

The　three　daily　newspapers　ignored　the　special。　　They　continued　to　congratulate　Remsen　City　upon　the　‘‘vindication　of　the　city's　fame　for　sound　political　sense；''　as　if　there　had　been　no　protest　against　the　official　version　of　the　election　returns。　　Nor　did　the　press　of　the　state　or　the　country　contain　any　reference　to　the　happenings　at　Remsen　City。　　But　Remsen　City　knew；　and　that　was　the　main　point　sought　by　Victor　Dorn。

A　committee　of　the　League　with　copies　of　the　special　edition　and　transcripts　of　the　proofs　in　the　possession　of　the　League　went　in　search　of　David　Hull　and　Hugo　Galland。　　Both　were　out　of　town；　‘‘resting　in　retirement　from　the　fatigue　of　the　campaign。''　　The　prosecuting　attorney　of　the　county　was　seen；　took　the　documents；　said　he　would　look　into　the　matter；　bowed　the　committee　outand　did　as　Kelly　counted　on　his　doing。　　The　grand　jury　heard；　but　could　not　see　its　way　clear　to　returning　indictments；　no　one　was　upon　a　grand　jury　in　that　county　unless　he　had　been　passed　by　Kelly　or　House。　　Judge　Freilig　and　Judge　Lansing　referred　the　committee　to　the　grand　jury　and　to　the　county　prosecutor。

When　the　League　had　tried　the　last　avenue　to　official　justice　and　had　found　the　way　barred；　House　meeting　Kelly　in　the　Palace　Hotel　cafe'；　said：

‘‘Well；　Richard；　I　guess　it's　all　over。''　Kelly　nodded。　　‘‘You've　got　away　with　the　goods。''

‘‘I'm　surprised　at　Dorn's　taking　it　so　quietly；''　said　House。　　‘‘I　rather　expected　he'd　make　trouble。''

Kelly　vented　a　short；　grunting　laugh。　　‘‘Trouble　hell！''　ejaculated　he。　　‘‘If　he'd　'a'　kicked　up　a　fight　we'd　'a'　had　him。

But　he　was　too　'cute　for　that；　damn　him。　　So　next　time　he　wins。''

‘‘Oh；　folks　ain't　got　no　memoriesespecially　for　politics；''　said　House　easily。

‘‘You'll　see；''　retorted　Kelly。　　‘‘The　next　mayor　of　this　town'll　be　a　Leaguer；　and　by　a　majority　that　can't　be　trifled　with。　　So　make　hay　while　the　sun　shines；　Joe。　　After　this　administration　there'll　be　a　long　stretch　of　bad　weather　for　haying。''

‘‘I'm　trying　to　get　hold　of　Hull；''　said　House；　and　it　was　not　difficult　to　read　his　train　of　thought。　　‘‘I　was　a　LEETLE　afraid　he　was　going　to　be　scared　by　that　document　of　Dorn'sand　was　going　to　do　something　crazy。''

Again　Kelly　emitted　his　queer　grunting　laugh。　　‘‘I　guess　he　was　a　LEETLE　afraid　he　would；　too；　and　ran　away　and　hid　to　get　back　his　nerve。''

‘‘Oh；　he's　all　right。　　He's　a　pushing；　level…headed　fellow；　and　won't　make　no　trouble。　　Don't　you　think　so？''

‘‘Trouble？　　I　should　say　not。　　How　can　heif　he　takes　the　job？''

To　which　obvious　logic　no　assent　was　necessary。

Davy's　abrupt　departure　was　for　the　exact　reason　Mr。　Kelly　ascribed。　　And　he　had　taken　Hugo　with　him　because　he　feared　that　he　would　say　or　do　something　to　keep　the　scandal　from　dying　the　quick　death　of　all　scandals。　　There　was　the　less　difficulty　in　dissuading　him　from　staying　to　sun　himself　in　the　glories　of　his　new　rank　and　title　because　his　wife　had　cast　him　adrift　for　the　time　and　was　stopping　at　the　house　of　her　father；　whose　death　was　hourly　expected。

Old　Hastings　had　been　in　a　stupor　for　several　weeks。　　He　astonished　everybody；　except　Dr。　Charlton；　by　rousing　on　election　night　and　asking　how　the　battle　had　gone。

‘‘And　he　seemed　to　understand　what　I　told　him；''　said　Jane。

‘‘Certainly　he　understood；''　replied　Charlton。　　‘‘The　only　part　of　him　that's　in　any　sort　of　condition　is　his　mind；　because　it's　the　only　part　of　him　that's　been　properly　exercised。　　Most　people　die　at　the　top　first　because　they've　never　in　all　their　lives　used　their　minds　when　they　could　possibly　avoid　it。''

In　the　week　following　the　election　he　came　out　of　his　stupor　again。　　He　said　to　the　nurse：

‘‘It's　about　supper　time；　ain't　it？''

‘‘Yes；''　answered　she。　　‘‘They're　all　down　at　din　supper。　　Shall　I　call　them？''

‘‘No；''　said　he。　　‘‘I　want　to　go　down　to　her　room。''

‘‘To　Miss　Jane's　room？''　asked　the　puzzled　nurse。

‘‘To　my　wife's　room；''　said　Hastings　crossly。

The　nurse；　a　stranger；　thought　his　mind　was　wandering。　　‘‘Certainly；''　said　she　soothingly。　　‘‘In　a　few　minutesas　soon　as　you've　rested　a　while。''

‘‘You're　a　fool！''　mumbled　Hastings。　　‘‘Call　Jinny。''

The　nurse　obeyed。　　When　he　repeated　his　request　to　Jane；　she　hesitated。　　The　tears　rolled