the vision spendid(美景)-第19节
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cousin。 Both of them were bound for the office of the candidate being
supported by the progressives for the Senate。
〃Anything new？〃 Jeff asked。
〃A rumor that Killen has fallen by the wayside。 Big Tim was with him
for an hour last night at the Pacific。〃
〃I've not been sure of Killen for quite a while。 He's a weak sister。〃
〃He'd better not go wrong if he expects to keep on living in this state；〃
James imparted； a hard light in his eyes。
At the third floor they left the elevator and turned to the right under an
arch bearing the sign Hardy； Elliott & Carson。 Without knocking they
passed into Hardy's private office。
Of the three men they found there it was plain that one was being
pushed doggedly to bay。 He was small and insignificant； with weak
blinking eyes。 Standing with his back to the wall； he moistened his lips
with the tip of his tongue。
〃Who says it？〃 he whined shrilly。 〃Who says I sold out？〃
An apoplectic； bull…necked ruffian stood directly in front of him and
sawed the air violently with a fat forefinger。
〃I ain't sayin' it； KillenI'm askin' if you have。 What I say is that you'd
better make your will before you vote for Frome。 Make 'em pay fat； for by
thunder！ you'll be political junk； Mr。 Sam Killen。〃
Killen； sweating agony； turned appealingly to Jeff。 〃I haven't said I
was going to vote for Frome。 Mr。 Rawson's got no right to bulldoze me
and I'm not going to stand it。〃
〃The hell you ain't；〃 roared Rawson； shaking his fist at the unhappy
legislator。 〃I guess you'll stand the gaff till you explain。〃
〃Just a moment； Bob；〃 interrupted Jeff。 〃Let's get at the facts。 Don't
convict the prisoner till the evidence is in。〃
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Rawson hobbled his wrath for the moment。 〃That's all right； Jeff。 You
ask Hardy。 I'm giving you straight goods。〃
The keen…eyed； smooth…shaven man in a gray business suit who had
been listening silently to the gathering storm contributed information
briefly and impartially。
〃Mr。 Killen spent an hour last night with Big Tim at the Pacific Hotel。〃
〃Sneaked in by the side entrance and took the elevator to the seventh
floor。 The deal was arranged in Room 743；〃 added Rawson。
〃You spied on me；〃 burst from Killen's lips。
〃Sure thing。 And we caught you with the goods；〃 sneered the red…
faced politician。
〃I'll not stand it。 I'll not support a man that won't trust me。〃
〃You won't； eh？〃 Rawson was across the floor in two jumps； worrying
his victim as a terrier does a rat。 〃Forget it。 You were elected to support R。
K。 Hardy； sewed up with a pledge tight and fast。 We're not in the primer
class； Killen。 Don't get a notion you're going to do as you damn please。
You'llvoteforR。K。 Hardy。 Get that？〃
〃I refuse to be moved by threats； and I decline to discuss the matter
further；〃 retorted Killen with a pitiable attempt at dignity。
Rawson laughed with insulting menace。 〃That's a good one。 I've sold
out； but it's none of your business what I got。 That what you mean？〃
〃You surely must recognize our right to an explanation； Killen；〃 Jeff
said gently。
〃No； sir； I don't；〃 flushed the little man with sullen bravado。 〃I ain't got
a thing against you； but Rawson goes too far。〃
〃I think he does；〃 Jeff agreed。 〃Killen is all right。 Gentlemen； suppose
you let him and me talk it over alone。 We can reach an agreement that is
satisfactory。〃
Hardy's face cleared。 This was not the first waverer Jeff had brought
back into line； not the first by several。 There was something compelling in
his friendly smile and affectionate manner。
〃I'm sure Mr。 Killen intends only what is right。 I'm content to leave the
matter entirely with you and him；〃 Hardy said。
Jeff turned to Rawson。 〃And you； old warhorse？〃
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〃Have it your own way； but don't forget there's a nigger in the
woodpile。〃
Jeff and Killen walked to the office of the latter； which was on the next
floor of the Century Building； the legislator stiffening his will to resist the
assaults he felt would be made upon it。 But as soon as the door was shut
Jeff surprised him by laying a hand on his shoulder。
〃Tell me all about it； Sam。〃
Killen gasped。 He got an impossible vision of young Farnum as his
brother in trouble。 〃About what？ I didn't say〃
〃I've known for a week something was wrong。 I couldn't very well ask
you； but since I've blundered in you'd better let me help you if I can。〃
Killen was touched。 His lip trembled。 〃It don't do any good to talk
about things。 I guess a fellow has to carry his own griefs。 Nobody else is
hunting for a chance to invest in them。〃
〃What's a friend for？〃 Jeff wanted to know gently。
The little man gulped。 〃I guess I've got no friends。 Anyhow they don't
count when a fellow's in hard luck。 It's every man for himself。〃
The younger man's smile was warm as summer sunshine。 〃Wrong
guess； Sam。 We're in this little old world to help each other when we can。〃
The wretched man drew the back of a trembling hand across his moist
eyes。 He inhaled a long sobbing breath and broke into apology for his
weakness。 〃Haven't slept for a week except from trional。 The back of my
head pricks day and night。 Can't think of anything but my troubles。〃
〃Unload them on me；〃 Jeff said lightly。
〃It's that mortgage on my mill；〃 Killen blurted out。 〃It falls due this
month and I can't meet it。 Things haven't been going well with me。〃
〃Can't you get it renewed？〃
〃Through a dummy Big Tim has bought it up。 He won't renew； unless …
…〃 Killen broke off； to continue in a moment： 〃And that ain't all。 My little
girl needs an operation awful badly。 The doctor says she had ought to go to
Chicago。 I just can't raise the price。〃
〃How much is the mortgage？〃
〃Three thousand；〃 replied the man； and he added with a gust of weak
despair； 〃My God； man！ That mill's all I've got to keep bread in the mouths
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of my motherless children。〃
〃I reckon Big Tim has offered to cancel the mortgage notes and give
you about a thousand to go on；〃 Jeff suggested casually。
Killen nodded。 〃It would put me on my feet again and give the kiddie
her chance。〃 The answer had slipped out naturally； but now the fear chilled
him that he had been lured into making a confession。 〃I didn't say I was
going to take it；〃 he added hastily。
〃You're quite safe with me； Killen；〃 Jeff told him。 He was wondering
whether he could not get Captain Chunn to take over the mortgage。
〃I'm not so much struck on Hardy myself；〃 grumbled the legislator。
〃He's a rich man； just as Frome is。 Six of one and half a dozen of the other；
looks like to me。〃
〃No； Killen。 Frome represents the Transcontinental and the utility
corporations。 Hardy stands for the people。 And you're pledged to support
Hardy。 You mustn't forget that。〃
〃I ain't likely to forget that mortgage either；〃 Killen came back
drearily。
〃I think I can arrange about having the mortgage renewed。 Will that
do？〃
〃Yes。 We're going to have a good year in the lumber business。
Probably in twelve months I could clear it off。〃
〃Good！ And about the little girlshe'll have her chance。 I promise you
that。〃
The mill man wrung his hand； tears in his eyes。 〃You're a white man；
Jeff； and a dashed good friend。 I tell you I'd hate like poison to go back on
Hardy。 A fellow can't afford to do a thing like that。 But what else could I
do？ A fellow's got to stand by the children he brings into the world； ain't
he？〃
Farnum evaded with a smile this discussion of moral issues。 〃Well；
you can stand by them and us； too； if I can fix up this mortgage
proposition for you。〃
〃When will you let me know？〃 asked Killen anxiously。
〃Will to…morrow morning do？ In James' office； say。〃
〃I'll have to know before noon；〃 Killen reminded him； flushing with
