the conflict-第15节

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　tolerate　murder；　even　for　their　benefit。　　But　you　don't　know　how　things　are　done　in　business　nowadays。　　The　men　like　your　father　have　to　use　men　of　the　Kelly　and　the　House　sortyou　know　who　they　are？''

‘‘Yes；''　said　Jane。

‘‘The　Kellys　and　the　Houses　give　general　orders　to　their　lieutenants。　　The　lieutenants　pass　the　orders　along　and　down。　　And　so　on；　until　all　sorts　of　men　are　engaged　in　doing　all　sorts　of　work。　　Dirty；　clean；　criminalall　sorts。　　Some　of　these　men；　baffled　in　what　they　are　trying　to　do　to　earn　their　paybaffled　by　Victor　Dornplot　against　him。''　　Again　that　sad；　bitter　laugh。　　‘‘My　dear　Miss　Hastings；　to　kill　a　cat　there　are　a　thousand　ways　besides　skinning　it　alive。''

‘‘You　are　prejudiced；''　said　Jane；　in　the　manner　of　one　who　could　not　be　convinced。

Selma　made　an　impatient　gesture。　　‘‘Again　I　say；　no　matter。　　Victor　laughs　at　our　fears''

‘‘I　knew　it；''　said　Jane　triumphantly。　　‘‘He　is　less　foolish　than　his　followers。''

‘‘He　simply　does　not　think　about　himself；''　replied　Selma。　　‘‘And　he　is　right。　　But　it　is　our　business　to　think　about　him；　because　we　need　him。　　Where　could　we　find　another　like　him？''

〃Yes；　I　suppose　your　movement　WOULD　die　out；　if　　he　were　not　behind　it。''

Selma　smiled　peculiarly。　　‘‘I　think　you　don't　quite　understand　what　we　are　about；''　said　she。　　‘‘You've　accepted　the　ignorant　notion　of　your　class　that　we　are　a　lot　of　silly　roosters　trying　to　crow　one　sun　out　of　the　heavens　and　another　into　it。　　The　facts　are　somewhat　different。　　Your　class　is　saying；　‘To…day　will　last　forever；'　while　we　are　saying；　‘No；　to…day　will　run　its　coursewill　be　succeeded　by　to…morrow。　　Let　us　not　live　like　the　fool　who　thinks　only　of　the　day。　　Let　us　be　sensible；　intelligent；　let　us　realize　that　there　will　be　to…morrow　and　that　it；　too；　must　be　lived。　　Let　us　get　ready　to　live　it　sensibly。　　Let　us　build　our　social　system　so　that　it　will　stand　the　wear　and　tear　of　another　day　and　will　not　fall　in　ruins　about　our　heads。'　''

‘‘I　am　terribly　ignorant　about　all　these　things；''　said　Jane。　　‘‘What　a　ridiculous　thing　my　education　has　been！''

‘‘But　it　hasn't　spoiled　your　heart；''　cried　Selma。　　And　all　at　once　her　eyes　were　wonderfully　soft　and　tender；　and　into　her　voice　came　a　tone　so　sweet　that　Jane's　eyes　filled　with　tears。　　‘‘It　was　to　your　heart　that　I　came　to　appeal；''　she　went　on。　　‘‘Oh；　Miss　Hastingswe　will　do　all　we　can　to　protect　Victor　Dorn　and　we　guard　him　day　and　night　without　his　knowing　it。　　But　I　am　afraidafraid！　　And　I　want　you　to　help。　　Will　you？''

‘‘I'll　do　anything　I　can；''　said　Janea　Jane　very　different　from　the　various　Janes　Miss　Hastings　knew　a　Jane　who　seemed　to　be　conjuring　of　Selma　Gordon's　enchantments。

‘‘I　want　you　to　ask　your　father　to　give　him　a　fair　show。　　We　don't　ask　any　favorsfor　ourselvesfor　him。　　But　we　don't　want　to　see　him''　Selma　shuddered　and　covered　her　eyes　with　her　hands　‘‘lying　dead　in　some　alley；　shot　or　stabbed　by　some　unknown　thug！''

Selma　made　it　so　vivid　that　Jane　saw　the　whole　tragedy　before　her　very　eyes。

‘‘The　real　reason　why　they　hate　him；''　Selma　went　on；　‘‘is　because　he　preaches　up　education　and　preaches　down　violenceand　is　building　his　party　on　intelligence　instead　of　on　force。　　The　masters　want　the　workingman　who　burns　and　kills　and　riots。　　They　can　shoot　him　down。　　They　can　make　people　accept　any　tyranny　in　preference　to　the　danger　of　fire　and　murder　let　loose。　　But　Victor　is　teaching　the　workingmen　to　stop　playing　the　masters'　game　for　them。　　No　wonder　they　hate　him！　　He　makes　them　afraid　of　the　day　when　the　united　workingmen　will　have　their　way　by　organizing　and　voting。　　And　they　know　that　if　Victor　Dorn　lives；　that　day　will　come　in　this　city　very；　very　soon。''　　Selma　saw　Davy　Hull；　impatient　at　his　long　wait；　advancing　toward　them。　　She　said：　　‘‘You　will　talk　to　your　father？''

‘‘Yes；''　said　Jane。　　‘‘And　I　assure　you　he　will　do　what　he　can。　　You　don't　know　him；　Miss　Gordon。''

‘‘I　know　he　loves　youI　know　he　MUST　love　you；''　said　Selma。　　‘‘Now；　I　must　go。　　Good…by。　　I　knew　you　would　be　glad　of　the　chance　to　do　something　worth　while。''

Jane　had　been　rather　expecting　to　be　thanked　for　her　generosity　and　goodness。　　Selma's　remark　seemed　at　first　blush　an　irritating　attempt　to　shift　a　favor　asked　into　a　favor　given。　　But　it　was　impossible　for　her　to　fail　to　see　Selma's　sensible　statement　of　the　actual　truth。　　So；　she　said　honestly：

‘‘Thank　you　for　coming；　Miss　Gordon。　　I　am　glad　of　the　chance。''

They　shook　hands。　　Selma；　holding　her　hand；　looked　up　at　her；　suddenly　kissed　her。　　Jane　returned　the　kiss。　　David　Hull；　advancing　with　his　gaze　upon　them；　stopped　short。　　Selma；　without　a　glancebecause　without　a　thoughtin　his　direction；　hastened　away。

When　David　rejoined　Jane；　she　was　gazing　tenderly　after　the　small；　graceful　figure　moving　toward　the　distant　entrance　gates。　　Said　David：

‘‘I　think　that　girl　has　got　you　hypnotized。''

Jane　laughed　and　sent　him　home。　　‘‘I'm　busy；''　she　said。　　‘‘I've　got　something　to　do；　at　last。''



III


Jane　knocked　at　the　door　of　her　father's　little　office。　　‘‘Are　you　there；　father？''　said　she。

‘‘Yescome　in；　Jinny。''　　As　she　entered；　he　went　on；　‘‘But　you　must　go　right　away　again。　　I've　got　to　'tend　to　this　strike。''　　He　took　on　an　injured；　melancholy　tone。　　‘‘Those　fool　workingmen！

They're　certain　to　lose。　　And　what'll　come　of　it　all？　　Why；　they'll　be　out　their　wages　and　their　jobs；　and　the　company　lose　so　much　money　that　it　can't　put　on　the　new　cars　the　public's　clamorin'　for。　　The　old　cars'll　have　to　do　for　another　year；　anyhowmaybe　two。''

Jane　had　heard　that　lugubrious　tone　from　time　to　time；　and　she　knew　what　it　meantan　air　of　sorrow　concealing　secret　joy。　　So；　here　was　another　benefit　the　companyshe　preferred　to　think　of　it　as　the　company　rather　than　as　her　fatherexpected　to　gain　from　the　strike。　　It　could　put　off　replacing　the　miserable　old　cars　in　which　it　was　compelling　people　to　ride。　　Instead　of　losing　money　by　the　strike；　it　would　make　money　by　it。　　This　was　Jane's　first　glimpse　of　one　of　the　most　interesting　and　important　truths　of　modern　lifehow　it　is　often　to　the　advantage　of　business　men　to　have　their　own　business　crippled；　hampered；　stopped　altogether。

‘‘You　needn't　worry；　father；''　said　she　cheerfully。　　‘‘The　strike's　been　declared　off。''

‘‘What's　that？''　cried　her　father。

‘‘A　girl　from　down　town　just　called。　　She　says　the　union　has　called　the　strike　off　and　the　men　have　accepted　the　company's　terms。''

‘‘But　them　terms　is　withdrawn！''　cried　Hastings；　as　if　his　daughter　were　the　union。　　He　seized　the　telephone。　　‘‘I'll　call　up　the　office　and　order　'em　withdrawn。''

‘‘It's　too　late；''　said　she。

Just　then　the　telephone　bell　rang；　and　Hastings　was　soon　hearing　confirmation　of　the　news　his　daughter　had　brought　him。　　She　could　not　bear　watching　his　face　as　he　listened。　　She　turned　her　back；　stood　gazing　out　at　the　window。　　Her　father；　beside　himself；　was　shrieking　into　the　telephone　curses；　denunciations；　impossible　orders。　　The　one　emergency　against　which　he　had　not　provided　was　the　union's　ending　the　strike。　　When　you　have　struck　the　line　of　battle　of　a　general；　however　able　and　self…controlled；　in　the　one　spot　where　he　has　not　arranged　a　defense；　you　have　thrown　him　and　his　armyinto　a　panic。　　Some　of　the　greatest　tactitians　in　history　have　given　way　in　those　circumstances；　so；　Martin　Hastings'　utter　loss　of　self…control　and　of　control　of　the　situation　only　proves　that　he　had　his　share　of　human　nature。　　He　had　provided　against　the　unexpected；　he　had　not　provided　against　the　impossible。

Jane　let　her　father　rave　on　into　the　telephone　until　his　voice　grew　hoarse　and　squeaky。　　Then　she　turned　and　said：　　‘‘Now；　fatherwhat's　the　use　of　making　yourself　sick？　　You　can't　do　any　goodcan　you？''　　She　laid　one　hand　on　his　arm；　with　the　other　hand　caressed　his　head。　　‘‘Hang　up　the　receiver　and　think　of　your　health。''

‘‘I　don't　care　to　live；　with　such　goings…on；''　declared　he。　　But　he　hung　up　the　receiver　and　sank　back　in　his　chair；　exhausted。

‘‘Come　out　on　the　porch；''　she　went　on；　tugging　gently　at　him。　　‘‘The　air's　stuffy　in　here。''

He　rose　obediently。　　She　led　him　to　the　veranda　and　seated　him　comfortably；　with　a　cushion　in　his　back　at　the　exact　spot　at　which　it　was　most　comfortable。　　She　patted　his　shrunken　cheeks；　stood　off　and　looked　at　him。

‘‘Where's　your　sense　of　humor？''　she　cried。　　‘‘You　used　to　be　able　to　laugh　when　things　went　against　you。　　You're　getting　to　be　as　solemn　and　to　take　yourself　as　seriously　as　Davy　Hull。''

The　old　man　made　a　not　unsuccessful　attempt　to　smile。　　‘‘That　there　Victor　Dorn！''　said　he。　　‘‘He'll　be　the　death　of　me；　yet。''

‘‘What　has　he　done　now？''　said　Jane；　innocently。

Hastings　rubbed　his　big　bald　forehead　with　his　scrawny　hand。　　‘‘He's　tryin'　to　run　this　townto　run　it　to　the　devil；''　replied　he；　by　way　of　evasion。

‘‘Something's　got　to　be　done　about　himeh？''　observed　she；　in　a　fine　imitation　of　a　business…like　voice。

‘‘Something　WILL　be　done；''　retorted　he。

Jane　wincedhid　her　distressreturned　to　the　course　she　had　mapped　out　for　herself。　　‘‘I　hope　it　won't　be　something　stupid；''　said　she。　　Then　she　seated　herself　and　went　on。　　‘‘Fatherdid　you　ever　stop　to　wonder　whether　it　is　Victor　Dorn　or