the vision spendid(美景)-第42节
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them。
〃Mrs。 Van Tyle has sent me to bring you to breakfast； Miss Frome。
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Mornin'； Mr。 Farnum。〃
〃And I'm ready for it； We've been round the deck ever so many times。
Haven't we； Mr。 Farnum？〃
She nodded lightly to Jeff and walked away with the Englishman。 The
sunshine of her warm vitality was like quicksilver in Farnum's veins。 What
a gallant spirit； at once delicate and daring； dwelt in that vivid slender
form！ A snatch of Chesterton came to his mind：
Her face was like an open word When brave men speak and choose；
The very colors of her coat Were better than good news。
〃It is the hour of man： new purposes； Broad shouldered； press against
the world's slow gate； And voices from the vast eternities Publish the
soul's austere apostolate。
Man bursts the chains that his own hands have made； Hurls down the
blind； fierce gods that in blind years He fashioned； and a power upon them
laid To bruise his heart and shake his soul with fears。〃 Edwin Markham。
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THE VISION SPLENDID
CHAPTER 18
THE PILLARS OF SOCIETY ARE GIVEN AN ILLUSTRATION
OF A ROORBACK
PART 1
Rawson sat in the rotunda of the Pacific Hotel in desultory
conversation with Captain Chunn； Hardy and Rogers。 He brought his
clenched hand down on the padded leather arm of the big chair。
〃They'll jam it through to…morrow。 That's what they'll do。 James K。
Farnum's been playing mighty pretty politics and he has got the votes to
deliver the goods。〃
Hardy nodded as he knocked the ash from his cigar。 〃Now that it's all
over we can see James K。's trail easily enough。 He meant to defeat the
initiative and referendum amendment； and he meant to do it without losing
his popularity。 He's done it too。 Jeff's disappearance made it certain our
bill wouldn't go through。 James jumps in with a hurrah and passes one that
isn't worth the powder to blow it up。 But he's going to claim it as a great
victory for the peopleand if I know that young man he'll get away with
his bluff。 Yet it's certain as taxes that he's been working for Joe Powers all
the time。〃
〃I wouldn't put it past him to have engineered some deal to get rid of
his cousin；〃 Chunn suggested。
Rawson shook his head。 〃No。 Not respectable enough for James。 And
he's not fool enough to run his head into a trap。 But I'd bet my head Big
Tim gave him a tip it was to be pulled off。 J。 K。 had to know。 Otherwise he
wouldn't have been in a position to play the game for them。 But he didn't
know any detailsjust a suggestion。 Enough to wise him without making
him responsible。〃
〃And the play he's been making in the papers。 Offering a reward for
information about Jeff； insisting publicly that he has absolute confidence
in his cousin's integrity while he shakes his head in private。 If you want
my opinion； that young man is a whited sepulchre。 I never did believe in
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him。〃
Rogers turned to Captain Chunn with an incredulous smile。 〃But you
still believe in Jeff。 Frankly； it looks to me like a double sell out。〃
The old Confederate's eyes gleamed。 〃Sir； I've known that boy since he
was a little tad。 He's never told me a lie。 He's square as they make them。〃
〃I used to believe in his cousin James； too；〃 Rogers commented。
〃Oh； James！ He's another proposition。〃 Rawson's voice was sour with
disgust。 〃He just naturally looked to see where his bread was buttered。
He's as selfish as the devil for all that suave； cordial way of his。 Right
from the first his idea has been to make a big personal hit。 And he figured
out he could do it easier with Joe Powers back of him than against him。
James K。 is the smoothest fraud on the Pacific Coast。 But Jeffwhy； every
hair of his head is straight。 He's one out of a million； believe me。〃
〃You've said it；〃 Chunn agreed。
Rogers smiled across at them。 〃He's left a lot of good friends behind
him anyhow。 But it's strange he could drop off the earth without a soul
knowing about it。〃
〃The men who murdered him know about it；〃 Rawson answered
significantly。
Captain Chunn shook his head。 〃No； that boy will turn up yet。〃
〃But not in time to save us。 We're licked。 There's not one chance in a
million for us。 That's the discouraging feature of it； to be sold out after we
had won our fight。〃
Rawson agreed with Hardy。 〃Yes； we're licked。 Even if Jeff were to
show up； with all these stories against him； we wouldn't be able to stem
the tide now。〃
〃Mister Raw…w…sonMister Raw…w…son。〃 The singsong voice of a
bellhop echoed through the rotunda。
Captain Chunn's walking stick flagged the lad and brought him sliding
across the polished floor。
〃Telegram for Mr。 Rawson。〃
The big politician ripped it open and ran his eyes rapidly over the
yellow slip。 From his lips burst a sudden oath of surprise。
〃By Jupiter； the miracle's happened。 Jeff is alive and on his way here。
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He's sent me a wireless from out at sea somewhere。〃
〃What！〃 Captain Chunn let out a whoop of joy。
〃Listen here。〃 Rawson read aloud his message。 〃'Shanghaied on
schooner _Nancy Hanks_ 。 Escaped at Honolulu。 Back in Verden to…night。
Keep up the fight。'〃
〃Didn't I say Jeff was alive？ Didn't I say he would come back and beat
those robbers yet？〃 the owner of the _World_ demanded。
〃Don't get excited。 It may be a fake。〃 This from Hardy； who was
almost as much moved himself。
〃Fake nothing！ We'll go down to the telegraph office and make sure it's
0。 K。 Won't this make a bully story for the _World_ 'Shanghaied' in big
letters across the top； and underneath a red hot roast of the old city hall
gang's methods of trying to defeat the will of the people。〃 Rawson laughed
aloud as his imagination pictured the story。
The old soldier's eyes gleamed。 〃I'll run twice as many copies as usual。
We'll plaster the state with them； calling for mass meetings everywhere to
insist on the legislature passing our bill。〃
〃Go easy； gentlemen；〃 advised Rogers。 〃If it's true we hold a trump
card； but we want to play it mighty carefully so as to make it carry as
much dynamite as possible。〃
The company could give no information more definite than that the
message had come from the _Bellingham；_ which was still a couple of
hundred miles out at sea。
In view of the value of the news from a strategic slant his friends
succeeded in keeping the lid on Captain Chunn's enthusiasm until the
party was safe aboard a fast yacht steaming out of the harbor to meet the
_Bellingham。_ The old Confederate's first impulse had been to run an
extra immediately； but he was argued out of it。
〃We don't want to go off half cocked。 We've got a beautiful comeback
if we play it right。 That is； if Jeff's got any proof。 But we better wait and
let Jeff run the newspaper end of it； Captain。〃
This was Hardy's view； and it was indorsed by the others。
〃Another thing。 This story has got to come just like an explosion on
James K。 Farnum's supporters。 We've got to sweep them right back to our
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bill。 Now if we break the force of it by giving them warning that swarm of
lobbyists will get busy and stay busy all night；〃 Rawson added。
Jim Dunn； the star reporter of the _World；_ was hurriedly summoned
by telephone。 Chunn explained to the city editor that Dunn and the staff
photographer were needed to cover a big story； but of what the story was
no mention was made to the office。 As soon as Dunn and Quillen reached
the wharf the _Fly by Night_ shot out of the dock。
PART
