the conflict-第15章

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cessary；　he　never　permitted　himself　to　know　any　unnecessary　criminal　or　wicked　fact　about　his　enterprises。

‘‘I　don't　know；''　he　repeated。　　‘‘And　I　don't　want　to　know。''

‘‘Anyhow；　Dorn　gave　away　the　whole　thing。　　He　even　read　a　copy　of　your　letter　of　introduction　to　the　governorthe　one　youaccording　to　Dorngave　Fillmore　when　you　sent　him　up　to　the　Capitol　to　arrange　for　the　invitation　to　come　after　the　riot。''

Hastings　knew　that　the　boss　was　deliberately　‘‘rubbing　it　in''　because　Hastingsthat　is；　Hastings'　agents　had　not　invited　Kelly　to　assist　in　the　project　for　‘‘teaching　the　labor　element　a　much　needed　lesson。''　　But　knowledge　of　Kelly's　motive　did　not　make　the　truth　he　was　telling　any　less　truethe　absurd　mismanagement　of　the　whole　affair；　with　the　result　that　Dorn　seemed　in　the　way　to　change　it　from　a　lesson　to　labor　on　the　folly　of　revolt　against　their　kind　and　generous　but　firm　employers　into　a　provoker　of　fresh　and　fiercer　revolt　effective　revoltpolitical　revolt。　　So；　as　Kelly　‘‘rubbed；''　Hastings　visibly　winced　and　writhed。

Kelly　ended　his　recital　with：　　‘‘The　speech　created　a　hell　of　a　sensation；　Mr。　Hastings。　　That　young　chap　can　talk。''

‘‘Yes；''　snapped　Hastings。　　‘‘But　he　can't　do　anything　else。''

‘‘I'm　not　so　sure　of　that；''　replied　Kelly；　who　was　wise　enough　to　realize　the　value　of　a　bogey　like　Dorn　its　usefulness　for　purposes　of　‘‘throwing　a　scare　into　the　silk…stocking　crowd。''　　‘‘Dorn's　getting　mighty　strong　with　the　people。''

‘‘Stuff　and　nonsense！''　retorted　Hastings。　　‘‘They'll　listen　to　any　slick　tongued　rascal　that　roasts　those　that　are　more　prosperous　than　they　are。　　But　when　it　comes　to　doing　anything；　they　know　better。　　They　envy　and　hate　those　that　give　them　jobs；　but　they　need　the　jobs。''

‘‘There's　a　good　deal　of　truth　in　that；　Mr。　Hastings；''　said　Kelly；　who　was　nothing　if　not　judicial。　　‘‘But　Dorn's　mighty　plausible。　　I　hear　sensible　men　saying　there's　something　more'n　hot　air　in　his　facts　and　figgures。''　　Kelly　paused；　and　made　the　pause　significant。

‘‘About　that　last　block　of　traction　stock；　Mr。　Hastings。　　I　thought　you　were　going　to　let　me　in　on　the　ground　floor。　　But　I　ain't　heard　nothing。''

‘‘You　ARE　in；''　said　Hastings；　who　knew　when　to　yield。　　‘‘Hasn't　Barker　been　to　see　you？　　I'll　attend　to　it；　myself。''

‘‘Thank　you；　Mr。　Hastings；''　said　Kellydry　and　brief　as　always　when　receipting　with　a　polite　phrase　for　pay　for　services　rendered。　　‘‘I've　been　a　good　friend　to　your　people。''

‘‘Yes；　you　have；　Dick；''　said　the　old　man　heartily。　　‘‘And　I　want　you　to　jump　in　and　take　charge。''

Hastings　more　than　suspected　that　Kelly；　to　bring　him　to　terms　and　to　force　him　to　employ　directly　the　high…priced　Kelly　or　Republico…Democratic　machine　as　well　as　the　State　Republico…Democratic　machine；　which　was　cheaper；　had　got　together　the　inside　information　and　had　ordered　one　of　his　henchmen　to　convey　it　to　Dorn。　　But　of　what　use　to　quarrel　with　Kelly？　　Of　course；　he　could　depose　him；　but　that　would　simply　mean　putting　another　boss　in　his　placeperhaps　one　more　expensive　and　less　efficient。　　The　time　had　been　when　heand　the　plutocracy　generallywere　compelled　to　come　to　the　political　bosses　almost　hat　in　hand。　　That　time　was　past；　never　to　return。　　But　still　a　competent　political　agent　was　even　harder　to　find　than　a　competent　business　managerand　was　far　more　necessary；　for；　while　a　big　business　might　stagger　along　under　poor　financial　or　organizing　management　within；　it　could　not　live　at　all　without　political　favors；　immunities；　and　licenses。　　A　band　of　pickpockets　might　as　well　try　to　work　a　town　without　having　first　‘‘squared''　the　police。　　Not　that　Mr。　Hastings　and　his　friends　THEMSELVES　compared　themselves　to　a　band　of　pickpockets。　　No；　indeed。　　It　was　simply　legitimate　business　to　blackjack　your　competitors；　corner　a　supply；　create　a　monopoly　and　fix　prices　and　wages　to　suit　your　own　notions　of　what　was　your　due　for　taking　the　‘‘hazardous　risks　of　business　enterprise。''

‘‘Leave　everything　to　me；''　said　Kelly　briskly。　　‘‘I　can　put　the　thing　through。　　Just　tell　your　lawyer　to　apply　late　this　afternoon　to　Judge　Lansing　for　an　injunction　forbidding　the　strikers　to　assemble　anywhere　within　the　county。　　We　don't　want　no　more　of　this　speechifying。　　This　is　a　peaceable　community；　and　it　won't　stand　for　no　agitators。''

‘‘Hadn't　the　lawyers　better　go　to　Judge　Freilig？''　said　Hastings。

‘‘He's　shown　himself　to　be　a　man　of　sound　ideas。''

‘‘NoLansing；''　said　Kelly。　　‘‘He　don't　come　up　for　re…election　for　five　years。　　Freilig　comes　up　next　fall；　and　we'll　have　hard　work　to　pull　him　through；　though　House　is　going　to　put　him　on　the　ticket；　too。　　Dorn's　going　to　make　a　hot　campaignconcentrate　on　judges。''

‘‘There's　nothing　in　that　Dorn　talk；''　said　Hastings。　　‘‘You　can't　scare　me　again；　Dick；　as　you　did　with　that　Populist　mare's　nest　ten　years　ago。''

That　had　been　Kelly's　first　‘‘big　killing''　by　working　on　the　fears　of　the　plutocracy。　　Its　success　had　put　him　in　a　position　to　buy　a　carriage　and　a　diamond　necklace　for　Mrs。　Kelly　and　to　make　first　payments　on　a　large　block　of　real　estate。　　‘‘It　was　no　mare's　nest；　Mr。　Hastings；''　gravely　declared　the　boss。　　‘‘If　I　hadn't　'a　knowed　just　how　to　use　the　money　we　collected；　there'd　'a　been　a　crowd　in　office　for　four　years　that　wouldn't　'a　been　easy　to　manage；　I　can　tell　you。　　But　they　was　nothing　to　this　here　Dorn　crowd。　Dorn　is''

‘‘We　must　get　rid　of　him；　Dick；''　interrupted　Hastings。

The　two　men　looked　at　each　othera　curious　glance　telegraphy。　　No　method　was　suggested；　no　price　was　offered　or　accepted。　　But　in　the　circumstances　those　matters　became　details　that　would　settle　themselves；　the　bargain　was　struck。

‘‘He　certainly　ought　to　be　stopped；''　said　Kelly　carelessly。　　‘‘He's　the　worst　enemy　the　labor　element　has　had　in　my　time。''　　He　rose。　　‘‘Well；　Mr。　Hastings；　I　must　be　going。''　　He　extended　his　heavy；　strong　hand；　which　Hastings　rose　to　grasp。　　‘‘I'm　glad　we're　working　together　again　without　any　hitches。　　You　won't　forget　about　that　there　stock？''

‘‘I'll　telephone　about　it　right　away；　Dickand　about　Judge　Lansing。　　You're　sure　Lansing's　all　right？　　I　didn't　like　those　decisions　of　his　last　yearthe　railway　cases；　I　mean。''

‘‘That　was　all　right；　Mr。　Hastings；''　said　Kelly　with　a　wave　of　the　hand。　　‘‘I　had　to　have　'em　in　the　interests　of　the　party。　　I　knowed　the　upper　court'd　reverse。　　No；　Lansing's　a　good　party　mana　good；　sound　man　in　every　way。''

‘‘I'm　glad　to　hear　it；''　said　Hastings。

Before　going　into　his　private　room　to　think　and　plan　and　telephone；　he　looked　out　on　the　west　veranda。　　There　sat　his　daughter；　and　a　few　feet　away　was　David　Hull；　his　long　form　stretched　in　a　hammock　while　he　discoursed　of　his　projects　for　a　career　as　a　political　reformer。　　The　sight　immensely　pleased　the　old　man。　　When　he　was　a　boy　David　Hull's　grandfather；　Brainerd　Hull；　had　been　the　great　man　of　that　region；　and　Martin　Hastings；　a　farm　hand　and　the　son　of　a　farm　hand；　had　looked　up　at　him　as　the　embodiment　of　all　that　was　grand　and　aristocratic。　　As　Hastings　had　never　travelled；　his　notions　of　rank　and　position　all　centred　about　Remsen　City。　　Had　he　realized　the　extent　of　the　world；　he　would　have　regarded　his　ambition　for　a　match　between　the　daughter　and　granddaughter　of　a　farm　hand　and　the　son　and　grandson　of　a　Remsen　City　aristocrat　as　small　and　ridiculous。　　But　he　did　not　realize。

Davy　saw　him　and　sprang　to　his　feet。

‘‘Nonodon't　disturb　yourselves；''　cried　the　old　man。　　‘‘I've　got　some　things　to　'tend　to。　　You　and　Jenny　go　right　ahead。''

And　he　was　off　to　his　own　little　room　where　he　conducted　his　own　business　in　his　own　primitive　but　highly　efficacious　way。　　A　corps　of　expert　accountants　could　not　have　disentangled　those　crabbed；　criss…crossed　figures；　no　solver　of　puzzles　could　have　unravelled　the　mystery　of　those　strange　hieroglyphics。　　But　to　the　old　man　there　wasn't　a　difficultor　a　dullmark　in　that　entire　set　of　dirty；　dog…eared　little　account　books。　　He　spent　hours　in　poring　over　them。　　Just　to　turn　the　pages　gave　him　keen　pleasure；　to　read；　and　to　reconstruct　from　those　hints　the　whole　story　of　some　agitating　and　profitable　operation；　made　in　comparison　the　delight　of　an　imaginative　boy　in　Monte　Cristo　or　Cru