a far country-第45节

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the　national　situation？　　George　indulged　in　rather　a　vigorous　arraignment
of　the　demagogues；　national　and　state；　who　were　hurting　business　in　order
to　obtain　political　power。　　The　Reverend　Mr。　Doddridge　assented；
deploring　the　poverty　that　the　local　people　had　brought　on　themselves　by
heeding　the　advice　of　agitators；　and　Mrs。　Hutchins；　who　spent　much　of　her
time　in　charity　work；　agreed　with　the　minister　when　he　declared　that　the
trouble　was　largely　due　to　a　decline　in　Christian　belief。　　Ezra　Hutchins；
too；　nodded　at　this。

〃Take　that　man　Krebs；　for　example；〃　the　minister　went　on；　stimulated　by
this　encouragement；　〃he's　an　atheist；　pure　and　simple。〃　　A　sympathetic
shudder　went　around　the　table　at　the　word。　　George　alone　smiled。　　〃Old
Krebs　was　a　free…thinker；　I　used　to　get　my　glasses　of　him。　　He　was　at
least　a　conscientious　man；　a　good　workman；　which　is　more　than　can　be　said
for　the　son。　　Young　Krebs　has　talent；　and　if　only　he　had　devoted　himself
to　the　honest　practice　of　law；　instead　of　stirring　up　dissatisfaction
among　these　people；　he　would　be　a　successful　man　to…day。〃

Mr。　Hutchins　explained　that　I　was　at　college　with　Krebs。

〃These　people　must　like　him；〃　I　said；　〃or　they　wouldn't　have　sent　him　to
the　legislature。〃

〃Well；　a　good　many　of　them　do　like　him；〃　the　minister　admitted。　　〃You
see；　he　actually　lives　among　them。　　They　believe　his　socialistic
doctrines　because　he's　a　friend　of　theirs。〃

〃He　won't　represent　this　town　again；　that's　sure；〃　exclaimed　George。
〃You　didn't　see　in　the　papers　that　he　was　nominated；did　you；　Paret？〃

〃But　if　the　mill　people　wanted　him；　George；　how　could　it　be　prevented？〃
his　wife　demanded。

George　winked　at　me。

〃There　are　more　ways　of　skinning　a　cat　than　one；〃　he　said　cryptically。

〃Well；　it's　time　to　go　to　the　meeting；　I　guess；〃　remarked　Ezra；　rising。
Once　more　he　looked　at　his　watch。

We　were　packed　into　several　family　carriages　and　started　off。　　In　front
of　the　hall　the　inevitable　red　fire　was　burning；　its　quivering　light
reflected　on　the　faces　of　the　crowd　that　blocked　the　street。　　They　stood
silent；　strangely　apathetic　as　we　pushed　through　them　to　the　curb；　and
the　red　fire　went　out　suddenly　as　we　descended。　　My　temporary　sense　of
depression；　however；　deserted　me　as　we　entered　the　hall；　which　was　well
lighted　and　filled　with　people；　who　clapped　when　the　Hon。　Joseph　and　I；
accompanied　by　Mr。　Doddridge　and　the　Hon。　Henry　Clay　Mellish　from
Pottstown；　with　the　local　chairman；　walked　out　on　the　stage。　　A　glance
over　the　audience　sufficed　to　ascertain　that　that　portion　of　the
population　whose　dinner　pails　we　longed　to　fill　was　evidently　not　present
in　large　numbers。　　But　the　farmers　had　driven　in　from　the　hills；　while
the　merchants　and　storekeepers　of　Elkington　had　turned　out　loyally。

The　chairman；　in　introducing　me；　proclaimed　me　as　a　coming　man；　and
declared　that　I　had　already　achieved；　in　the　campaign；　considerable
notoriety。　　As　I　spoke；　I　was　pleasantly　aware　of　Maude　Hutchins　leaning
forward　a　little　across　the　rail　of　the　right…hand　stage　boxfor　the
town　hall　was　half　opera…house；　her　attitude　was　one　of　semi…absorbed
admiration；　and　the　thought　that　I　had　made　an　impression　on　her
stimulated　me。　　I　spoke　with　more　aplomb。　　Somewhat　to　my　surprise；　I
found　myself　making　occasional；　unexpected　witticisms　that　drew　laughter
and　applause。　　Suddenly；　from　the　back　of　the　hall；　a　voice　called　out：

〃How　about　House　Bill　709？〃

There　was　a　silence；　then　a　stirring　and　craning　of　necks。　　It　was　my
first　experience　of　heckling；　and　for　the　moment　I　was　taken　aback。　　I
thought　of　Krebs。　　He　had；　indeed；　been　in　my　mind　since　I　had　risen　to
my　feet；　and　I　had　scanned　the　faces　before　me　in　search　of　his。　　But　it
was　not　his　voice。

〃Well；　what　about　Bill　709？〃　I　demanded。

〃You　ought　to　know　something　about　it；　I　guess；〃　the　voice　responded。

〃Put　him　out！〃　came　from　various　portions　of　the　hall。

Inwardly；　I　was　shaken。　　Notin　orthodox　language　from　any　〃conviction
of　sin。〃　　Yet　it　was　my　first　intimation　that　my　part　in　the　legislation
referred　to　was　known　to　any　save　a　select　few。　　I　blamed　Krebs；　and　a
hot　anger　arose　within　me　against　him。　　After　all；　what　could　they　prove？

〃No；　don't　put　him　out；〃　I　said。　　〃Let　him　come　up　here　to　the　platform。
I'll　yield　to　him。　　And　I'm　entirely　willing　to　discuss　with　him　and
defend　any　measures　passed　in　the　legislature　of　this　state　by　a
Republican　majority。　　Perhaps；〃　I　added；　〃the　gentleman　has　a　copy　of　the
law　in　his　pocket；　that　I　may　know　what　he　is　talking　about；　and　answer
him　intelligently。〃

At　this　there　was　wild　applause。　　I　had　the　audience　with　me。　　The
offender　remained　silent　and　presently　I　finished　my　speech。　　After　that
Mr。　Mecklin　made　them　cheer　and　weep；　and　Mr。　Mellish　made　them　laugh。
The　meeting　had　been　highly　successful。

〃You　polished　him　off；　all　right；〃　said　George　Hutchins；　as　he　took　my
hand。

〃Who　was　he？〃

〃Oh；　one　of　the　local　sore…heads。　　Krebs　put　him　up　to　it；　of　course。〃

〃Was　Krebs　here？〃　I　asked。

〃Sitting　in　the　corner　of　the　balcony。　　That　meeting　must　have　made　him
feel　sick。〃　　George　bent　forward　and　whispered　in　my　ear：　〃I　thought　Bill
709　was　Watling's　idea。〃

〃Oh；　I　happened　to　be　in　the　Potts　House　about　that　time；〃　I　explained。

George；　of　whom　it　may　be　gathered　that　he　was　not　wholly　unsophisticated；
grinned　at　me　appreciatively。

〃Say；　Paret；〃　he　replied；　putting　his　hand　through　my　arm；　〃there's　a
little　legal　business　in　prospect　down　here　that　will　require　some
handling；　and　I　wish　you'd　come　down　after　the　campaign　and　talk　it　over；
with　us。　　I've　just　about　made　up　my　mind　that　you're　he　man　to　tackle
it。〃

〃All　right；　I'll　come；〃　I　said。

〃And　stay　with　me；〃　said　George。。。。

We　went　to　his　yellow…brick　house　for　refreshments；　salad　and　ice…cream
and　（in　the　face　of　the　Hutchins　traditions）　champagne。　　Others　had　been
invited　in；　some　twenty　persons。。。。　　Once　in　a　while；　when　I　looked　up；　I
met　Maude's　eyes　across　the　room。　　I　walked　home　with　her；　slowly；　the
length　of　the　Hutchinses'　block。　　Floating　over　the　lake　was　a　waning
October　moon　that　cast　through　the　thinning　maples　a　lace…work　of　shadows
at　our　feet；　I　had　the　feeling　of　well…being　that　comes　to　heroes；　and
the　presence　of　Maude　Hutchins　was　an　incense；　a　vestal　incense　far　from
unpleasing。　　Yet　she　had　reservations　which　appealed　to　me。　　Hers　was　not
a　gushing　provincialism；　like　that　of　Mrs。　George。

〃I　liked　your　speech　so　much；　Mr。　Paret；〃　she　told　me。　　〃It　seemed　so
sensible　andcontrolled；　compared　to　the　others。　　I　have　never　thought　a
great　deal　about　these　things；　of　course；　and　I　never　understood　before
why　taking　away　the　tariff　caused　so　much　misery。　　You　made　that　quite
plain。

〃If　so；　I'm　glad；〃　I　said。

She　was　silent　a　moment。

〃The　working　people　here　have　had　a　hard　time　during　the　last　year；〃　she
went　on。　　〃Some　of　the　mills　had　to　be　shut　down；　you　know。　　It　has
troubled　me。　　Indeed；　it　has　troubled　all　of　us。　　And　what　has　made　it
more　difficult；　more　painful　is　that　many　of　them　seem　actually　to
dislike　us。　　They　think　it's　father's　fault；　and　that　he　could　run　all
the　mills　if　he　wanted　to。　　I've　been　around　a　little　with　mother　and
sometimes　the　women　wouldn't　accept　any　help　from　us；　they　said　they'd
rather　starve　than　take　charity；　that　they　had　the　right　to　work。　　But
father　couldn't　run　the　mills　at　a　losscould　he？〃

〃Certainly　not；〃　I　replied。

〃And　then　there's　Mr。　Krebs；　of　whom　we　were　speaking　at　supper；　and　who
puts　all　kinds　of　queer　notions　into　their　heads。　　Father　says　he's　an
anarchist。　　I　heard　father　say　at　supper　that　he　was　at　Harvard　with　you。
Did　you　like　him？〃

〃Well；〃　I　answered　hesitatingly；　〃I　didn't　know　him　very　well。〃

〃Of　course　not；〃　she　put　in。　　〃I　suppose　you　couldn't　have。〃

〃He's　got　these　notions；〃　I　explained；　〃that　are　mischievous　and　crazy
but　I　don't　dislike　him。〃

〃I'm　glad　to　hear　you　say　that！〃　she　answered　quietly。　　〃I　like　him；　too…
…he　seems　so　kind；　so　understanding。〃

〃Do　you　know　him？〃

〃Well；〃she　hesitated〃I　feel　as　though　I　do。　　I've　only　met　him　once；
and　that　was　by　accident。　　It　was　the　day　the　big　strike　began；　last
spring；　and　I　had　been　shopping；　and　started　for　the　mills　to　get　father
to　walk　home　with　me；　as　I　used　to　do。　　I　saw　the　crowds　blocking　the
streets　around　the　canal。　　At　first　I　paid　no　attention　to　them；　but
after　a　while　I　began　to　be　a　little　uneasy；　there　were　places　where　I
had　to　squeeze　through；　and　I　couldn't　help　seeing　that　something　was
wrong；　and　that　the　people　were　angry。　　Men　and　women　were　talking　in
loud　voices。　　One　woman　stared　at　me；　and　called　my　name；　and　said
something　that　frightened　me　terribly。　　I　went　into　a　doorwayand　then　I
saw　Mr。　Krebs。　　I　didn't　know　who　he　was。　　He　just　said；　‘You'd　better
come　with　me；　Miss　Hutchins；'　and　I　went　with　him。　　I　thought　afterwards
that　it　was　a　very　courageous　thing　for　him　to　do；　because　he　was　so
popular　with　the　mill　people；　and　they　had　such　a　feeling　against　us。
Yet　they　didn't　seem　to　resent　it；　and　made　way　for　us；　and　Mr。　Krebs
spoke　to　many　of　them　as　we　passed。　　After　we　got　to　State　Street；　I