the conflict-第20章
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views。''
‘‘All rightall right；'' said her father。 He never liked company in his drives； company interfered with his thinking out what he was going to do at the office。 ‘‘I'm mighty glad to know you； young man。 I hope we'll know each other better。 I think you'll find out that for a devil I'm not half badeh？''
Victor bowed； murmured something inarticulate； shook his host's hand； and when the ceremony of parting was over drew a stealthy breath of reliefwhich Jane observed。 She excused herself to accompany her father to his trap。 As he was climbing in she said：
‘‘Didn't you rather like him； father？''
Old Hastings gathered the reins in his lean； distorted hands。 ‘‘So so；'' said he。
‘‘He's got brains； hasn't he？''
‘‘Yes； he's smart； mighty smart。'' The old man's face relaxed in a shrewd grin。 ‘‘Too damn smart。 Giddap； Bet。''
And he was gone。 Jane stood looking after the ancient phaeton with an expression half of amusement； half of discomfiture。 ‘‘I might have known；'' reflected she； ‘‘that popsy would see through it all。''
When she reappeared in the front doorway Victor Dorn was at the edge of the veranda； ready to depart。 As soon as he saw her he said gravely： ‘‘I must be off； Miss Hastings。 Thank you for the very interesting dinner。'' He extended his hand。 ‘‘Good day。''
She put her hands behind her back； and stood smiling gently at him。 ‘‘You mustn't gonot just yet。 I'm about to show you the trees and the grass； the bees； the chickens and the cows。 Also； I've something important to say to you。''
He shook his head。 ‘‘I'm sorry； but I must go。''
She stiffened slightly； her smile changed from friendly to cold。 ‘‘Ohpardon me；'' she said。 ‘‘Good…by。''
He bowed； and was on the walk； and running rapidly toward the entrance gates。
‘‘Mr。 Dorn！'' she called。
He turned。
She was afraid to risk asking him to come back for a moment。 He might refuse。 Standing there； looking so resolute； so completely master of himself； so devoid of all suggestion of need for any one or anything； he seemed just the man to turn on his heel and depart。 She descended to the walk and went to him。 She said：
‘‘Why are you acting so peculiarly？ Why did you come？''
‘‘Because I understood that your father wished to propose some changes in the way of better hours and better wages for the men；'' replied he。 ‘‘I find that the purpose wasnot that。''
‘‘What was it？''
‘‘I do not care to go into that。''
He was about to go onon out of her life forever； she felt。 ‘‘Wait；'' she cried。 ‘‘The men will get better hours and wages。 You don't understand father's ways。 He was really discussing that very thingin his own mind。 You'll see。 He has a great admiration for you。 You can do a lot with him。 You owe it to the men to make use of his liking。''
He looked at her in silence for a moment。 Then he said： ‘‘I'll have to be at least partly frank with you。 In all his life no one has ever gotten anything out of your father。 He uses men。 They do not use him。''
‘‘Believe me； that is unjust；'' cried Jane。 ‘‘I'll tell you another thing that was on his mind。 He wants to to make reparation forthat accident to your father。 He wants to pay your mother and you the money the road didn't pay you when it ought。''
Dorn's candid face showed how much he was impressed。 This beautiful； earnest girl； sweet and frank； seemed herself to be another view of Martin Hastings' characterone more in accord with her strong belief in the essential goodness of human nature。
Said he： ‘‘Your father owes us nothing。 As for the roadits debt never existed legallyonly morally。 And it has been outlawed long agofor there's a moral statute of limitations； too。 The best thing that ever happened to us was our not getting that money。 It put us on our mettle。 It might have crushed us。 It happened to be just the thing that was needed to make us。''
Jane marveled at this view of his family； at the verge of poverty； as successful。 But she could not doubt his sincerity。 Said she sadly； ‘‘But it's not to the credit of the roador of father。 He must payand he knows he must。''
‘‘We can't accept；'' said Dorna finality。
‘‘But you could use it to build up the paper；'' urged Jane； to detain him。
‘‘The paper was started without money。 It lives without moneyand it will go on living without money； or it ought to die。''
‘‘I don't understand；'' said Jane。 ‘‘But I want to understand。 I want to help。 Won't you let me？''
He shook his head laughingly。 ‘‘Help what？'' inquired he。 ‘‘Help raise the sun？ It doesn't need help。''
Jane began to see。 ‘‘I mean； I want to be helped；'' she cried。
‘‘Oh； that's another matter；'' said he。 ‘‘And very simple。''
‘‘Will YOU help me？''
‘‘I can't。 No one can。 You've got to help yourself。 Each one of us is working for himselfworking not to be rich or to be famous or to be envied； but to be free。''
‘‘Working for himselfthat sounds selfish； doesn't it？''
‘‘If you are wise； Jane Hastings；'' said Dorn； ‘‘you will distrustdisbelieve inanything that is not selfish。''
Jane reflected。 ‘‘YesI see；'' she cried。 ‘‘I never thought of that！''
‘‘A friend of mine； Wentworth；'' Victor went on； ‘‘has put it wonderfully clearly。 He said； ‘Some day we shall realize that no man can be free until all men are free。' ''
‘‘You HAVE helped mein spite of your fierce refusal；'' laughed Jane。 ‘‘You are very impatient to go； aren't you？ Well； since you won't stay I'll walk with youas far as the end of the shade。''
She was slightly uneasy lest her overtures should be misunderstood。 By the time they reached the first long； sunny stretch of the road down to town she was so afraid that those overtures would not be ‘‘misunderstood'' that she marched on beside him in the hot sun。 She did not leave him until they reached the corner of Pike avenueand then it was he that left her； for she could cudgel out no excuse for going further in his direction。 The only hold she had got upon him for a future attempt was slight indeedhe had vaguely agreed to lend her some books。
People who have nothing to do get rid of a great deal of time in trying to make impressions and in speculating as to what impressions they have made。 Janehastening toward Martha's to get out of the sun which could not but injure a complexion so delicately fine as hersgave herself up to this form of occupation。 What did he think of her？ Did he really have as little sense of her physical charm as he seemed？ No woman could hope to be attractive to every man。 Stillthis man surely must be at least not altogether insensible。 ‘‘If he sends me those books to…dayor tomorrow or even next day；'' thought Jane； ‘‘it will be a pretty sure sign that he was impressedwhether he knows it or not。''
She had now definitely passed beyond the stage where she wondered at herselfand reproached herselffor wishing to win a man of such common origin and surroundings。 She could not doubt Victor Dorn's superiority。 Such a man as that didn't need birth or wealth or even fame。 He simply WAS the man worth while worth any woman's while。 How could Selma be associated so intimately with him without trying to get him in love with her？ Perhaps she had tried and had given up？ NoSelma was as strange in her way as he was in his way。 What a strangeoriginalINDIVIDUAL pair they were！
‘‘But；'' concluded Jane； ‘‘he belongs with US。 I must take him away from all that。 It will be interesting to do itso interesting that I'll be sorry when it's done； and I'll be looking about for something else to do。''
She was not without hope that the books would come that same evening。 But they did not。 The next day passed； and the next； and still no books。 Apparently he had meant nothing by his remark； ‘‘I've some books you'd be interested to read。'' Was his silence indifference； or was it shyness？ Probably she could only faintly appreciate the effect her position； her surroundings produced in this man whose physical surroundings had always been as poor as her mental surroundings those created by that marvelous mind of hishad been splendid。
She tried to draw out her father on the subject of the young man； with a view to getting a hint as to whet
