the conflict-第13章

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　with　a　second　glance　at　the　note　which　conveyed；　among　other　humiliating　things；　an　impression　of　her　own　absolute　lack　of　importance　to　Selma　Gordon。　　‘‘Serves　me　right　for　lowering　myself　to　such　people。　　If　I　wanted　to　try　to　do　anything　for　the　working　class　I'd　have　to　keep　away　from　them。　　They're　so　unattractive　to　look　at　and　to　associate　withnot　like　those　shrewd；　respectful；　interesting　peasants　one　finds　on　the　other　side。　　They're　better　in　the　East。　　They　know　their　place　in　a　way。　　But　out　here　they're　insufferable。''

And　she　spent　the　morning　quarrelling　with　her　maid　and　the　other　servants；　issuing　orders　right　and　left；　working　herself　into　a　horrible　mood　dominated　by　a　headache　that　was　anything　but　a　pretense。　　As　she　wandered　about　the　house　and　gardens；　she　trailed　a　beautiful　negligee　with　that　carelessness　which　in　a　woman　of　clean　and　orderly　habits　invariably　indicates　the　possession　of　many　clothes　and　of　a　maid　who　can　be　counted　on　to　freshen　things　up　before　they　shall　be　used　again。　　Her　father　came　home　to　lunch　in　high　good　humor。

‘‘I'll　not　go　down　town　again　for　a　few　days；''　said　he。　　‘‘I　reckon　I'd　best　keep　out　of　the　way。　　That　scoundrelly　Victor　Dorn　has　done　so　much　lying　and　inciting　these　last　four　or　five　years　that　it　ain't　safe　for　a　man　like　me　to　go　about　when　there's　trouble　with　the　hands。''

‘‘Isn't　it　outrageous！''　exclaimed　Jane。　　‘‘He　ought　to　be　stopped。''

Hastings　chuckled　and　nodded。　　‘‘And　he　will　be；''　said　he。　　‘‘Wait　till　this　strike's　over。''

‘‘When　will　that　be？''　asked　Jane。

‘‘Mighty　soon；''　replied　her　father。　　‘‘I　was　ready　for　'em　this　timegood　and　ready。　　I've　sent　word　to　the　governor　that　I　want　the　militia　down　here　tomorrow''

‘‘Has　there　been　a　riot？''　cried　Jane　anxiously。

‘‘Not　yet；''　said　Hastings。　　He　was　laughing　to　himself。　　‘‘But　there　will　be　to…night。　　Then　the　governor'll　send　the　troops　in　to…morrow　afternoon。''

‘‘But　maybe　the　men'll　be　quiet；　and　then''　began　Jane；　sick　inside　and　trembling。

‘‘When　I　say　a　thing'll　happen；　it'll　happen；''　interrupted　her　father。　　‘‘We've　made　up　our　minds　it's　time　to　give　these　fellows　a　lesson。　　It's　got　to　be　done。　　A　milder　lesson'll　serve　now；　where　later　on　it'd　have　to　be　hard。　　I　tell　you　these　things　because　I　want　you　to　remember　'em。　　They'll　come　in　handywhen　you'll　have　to　look　after　your　own　property。''

She　knew　how　her　father　hated　the　thought　of　his　own　death；　this　was　the　nearest　he　had　ever　come　to　speaking　of　it。　　‘‘Of　course；　there's　your　brother　William；''　he　went　on。　　‘‘William's　a　good　boyand　a　mighty　good　business　manthough　he　does　take　risks　I'd　never　'a　tooknot　even　when　I　was　young　and　had　nothing　to　lose。　　Yesand　Billy's　honest。　　BUT''the　big　head　shook　impressively‘‘William's　human；　Jenny　don't　ever　forget　that。　　The　love　of　money's　an　awful　thing。''　　A　lustful　glitter　like　the　shine　of　an　inextinguishable　fire　made　his　eyes　fascinating　and　terrible。　　‘‘It　takes　hold　of　a　man　and　never　lets　go。　　To　see　the　money　pile　upand　upand　up。''

The　girl　turned　away　her　gaze。　　She　did　not　wish　to　see　so　far　into　her　father's　soul。　　It　seemed　a　hideous　indecency。

‘‘So；　Jennydon't　trust　William；　but　look　after　your　own　property。''

‘‘Oh；　I　don't　care　anything　about　it；　popsy；''　she　cried；　fighting　to　think　of　him　and　to　speak　to　him　as　simply　the　living　father　she　had　always　insisted　on　seeing。

‘‘Yesyou　do　care；''　said　Hastings　sharply。　　‘‘You've　got　to　have　your　money；　because　that's　your　foundation　what　you're　built　on。　　And　I'm　going　to　train　you。　　This　here　strike's　a　good　time　to　begin。''

After　a　long　silence　she　said：　　‘‘Yes；　money's　what　I'm　built　on。

I　might　as　well　recognize　the　truth　and　act　accordingly。　　I　want　you　to　teach　me；　father。''

‘‘I've　got　to　educate　you　so　as；　when　you　get　control；　you　won't　go　and　do　fool　sentimental　things　like　some　womenand　some　men　that　warn't　trained　practically　men　like　that　Davy　Hull　you　think　so　well　of。　　Things　that'd　do　no　good　and　'd　make　you　smaller　and　weaker。''

‘‘I　understand；''　said　the　girl。　　‘‘About　this　strike　WHY　won't　you　give　the　men　shorter　hours　and　better　pay？''

‘‘Because　the　company　can't　afford　it。　　As　things　are　now；　there's　only　enough　left　for　a　three　per　cent　dividend　after　the　interest　on　the　bonds　is　paid。''

She　had　read　in　the　New　Day　that　by　a　series　of　tricks　the　‘‘traction　ring''　had　quadrupled　the　bonded　indebtedness　of　the　roads　and　multiplied　the　stock　by　six；　and　had　pocketed　the　proceeds　of　the　steal；　that　three　per　cent　on　the　enormously　inflated　capital　was　in　fact　eighteen　per　cent　on　the　actual　stock　value；　that　seven　per　cent　on　the　bonds　was　in　fact　twenty…　eight　per　cent　on　the　actual　bonded　indebtedness；　that　this　traction　steal　was　a　fair　illustration　of　how　in　a　score　of　ways　in　Remsen　City；　in　a　thousand　and　one　ways　in　all　parts　of　the　country；　the　upper　class　was　draining　away　the　substance　of　the　masses；　was　swindling　them　out　of　their　just　wages；　was　forcing　them　to　pay　many　times　the　just　prices　for　every　article　of　civilized　use。　　She　had　read　these　thingsshe　had　thought　about　themshe　had　realized　that　they　were　true。

She　did　not　put　to　her　father　the　question　that　was　on　her　lipsthe　next　logical　question　after　his　answer　that　the　company　could　not　afford　to　cut　the　hours　lower　than　fourteen　or　to　raise　wages　to　what　was　necessary　for　a　man　to　have　if　he　and　his　family　were　to　live；　not　in　decency　and　comfort；　but　in　something　less　than　squalor。　　She　did　not　put　the　question　because　she　wished　to　spare　her　fatherto　spare　herself　the　shame　of　hearing　his　tricky　answerto　spare　herself　the　discomfort　of　squarely　facing　a　nasty　truth。

Instead　she　said：　　‘‘I　understand。　　And　you　have　got　to　look　out　for　the　rights　of　the　people　who　have　invested　their　money。''

‘‘If　I　didn't　I'd　be　cheating　them；''　said　Hastings。　　‘‘And　if　the　men　don't　like　their　jobs；　why；　they　can　quit　and　get　jobs　they　do　like。''　　He　added；　in　absolute　unconsciousness　of　his　inconsistency；　in　absolute　belief　in　his　own　honesty　and　goodness；　‘‘The　truth　is　our　company　pays　as　high　wages　as　can　be　got　anywhere。　　As　for　them　hourswhen　_I_　was　working　my　way　up；　_I_　used　to　put　in　sixteen　and　eighteen　hours　a　day；　and　was　mighty　glad　to　do　it。　　This　lazy　talk　of　cutting　down　hours　makes　me　sick。　　And　these　fellows　that're　always　kicking　on　their　jobs；　I'd　like　to　know　what'd　become　of　them　and　their　families　if　I　and　men　like　me　didn't　provide　work　for　'em。''

‘‘Yes；　indeed！''　cried　Jane；　eagerly　seizing　upon　this　attractive　view　of　the　situationand　resolutely　accepting　it　without　question。

In　came　one　of　the　maids；　saying：　　‘‘There's　a　man　wants　to　see　you；　Mr。　Hastings。''

‘‘What's　his　name？　　What　does　he　want？''　inquired　Hastings；　while　Jane　made　a　mental　note　that　she　must　try　to　inject　at　least　a　little　order　and　form　into　the　manners　of　announcing　visitors。

‘‘He　didn't　give　a　name。　　He　just　said；　‘Tell　the　old　man　I　want　to　see　him。'　　I　ain't　sure；　but　I　think　it's　Dick　Kelly。''

As　Lizzie　was　an　ardent　Democrat；　she　spoke　the　name　contemptuouslyfor　Dick　Kelly　was　the　Republican　boss。　　If　it　had　been　House；　the　Democratic　boss　and　Kelly's　secret　dependent　and　henchman；　she　would　have　said　‘‘Mr。　Joseph　House''　in　a　tone　of　deep　respect。

‘‘Kelly；''　said　Hastings。　　‘‘Must　be　something　important　or　he'd　'a　telephoned　or　asked　me　to　see　him　at　my　office　or　at　the　Lincoln　Club。　　He　never　came　out　here　before。　　Bring　him　in；　Lizzie。''

A　moment　and　there　appeared　in　the　doorway　a　man　of　perhaps　forty　years　who　looked　like　a　prosperous　contractor　who　had　risen　from　the　ranks。　　His　figure　was　notable　for　its　solidity　and　for　the　power　of　the　shoulders；　but　already　there　were　indications　that　the　solidity；　come　of　hard　manual　labor　in　early　life；　was　soon　to　soften　into　fat　under　the　melting　influence　of　prosperity　and　the　dissipation　it　put　within　too　easy　reach。　　The　striking　features　of　his　face　were　a　pair　of　keen；　hard；　greenish　eyes　and　a　jaw　that　protruded　uglilythe　jaw　of　aggressiveness；　not　the　too　prominent　jaw　of　weakness。　　At　sight　of　Jane　he　halted　awkwardly。

‘‘How're　you；　Mr。　Hastings？''　said　he。

‘‘Hello；　Dick；''　said　the　old　man。　　‘‘This　is　my