the conflict-第43章
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tor was troubled in mind。
‘‘You've told him；'' said Selma to Colman as she paused in the doorway。
Victor turned his head quickly； opened his eyes； gave her a look of welcome that made her thrill with pride。 ‘‘Ohthere you are！'' he exclaimed。 ‘‘I was hoping you'd come。''
‘‘I saw David Hull just after it was done；'' said Selma。 ‘‘And I thanked him for you。''
Victor's eyes had a look of amusement； of mockery。 ‘‘Thank you；'' he said。
She； the sensitive； was on the alert at once。 ‘‘Didn't you want me to thank him？''
Victor did not answer。 In the same amused way he went on： ‘‘So they carried him on their shoulders him and that other defender of the rights of the people； Hugo Galland？ I should like to have seen。 It was a memorable spectacle。''
‘‘You are laughing at it；'' exclaimed the girl。 ‘‘Why？''
‘‘You certainly are taking the news very queer； Victor；'' said Colman。 Then to Selma； ‘‘When I told him he got white and I thought I'd have to send for Doctor Charlton。''
‘‘Welljoy never kills；'' said Victor mockingly。 ‘‘I don't want to keep you； TomSelma'll sit with me。''
When they were alone； Victor again closed his eyes and resumed that silent drumming upon the counterpane。 Selma watched the restless fingers as if she hoped they would disclose to her the puzzling secret of Victor's thoughts。 But she did not interrupt。
That was one lesson in restraint that Victor had succeeded in teaching hernever to interrupt。 At last he heaved a great sigh and said：
‘‘Well； Selma； old girlwe've probably lost again。 I was glad you came because I wanted to talkand I can't say what's in my mind before dear old Tomor any of them but my sister and you。''
‘‘You didn't want those injunctions and indictments out of the way？'' said Selma。
‘‘If they had stood； we'd have wonin a walk；'' replied Victor。 ‘‘As the cards lie now； David Hull will win。 And he'll make a pretty good show mayor； probably good enough to fool a large majority of our fellow citizens； who are politically as shallow and credulous as nursery children。 And soour work of educating them will be the harder and slower。 Oh； these David Hulls！these good men who keep their mantles spotless in order to make them the more useful as covers for the dirty work of others！'' Suddenly his merry smile burst out。 ‘‘And they carried Hugo Galland on their shoulders？''
‘‘Then you don't think Hull's motives were honorable？'' inquired Selma； perplexed and anxious。
‘‘How could I know his motives？any man's motives？'' replied Victor。 ‘‘No one can read men's hearts。 All I ever consider is actions。 And the result of his actions is probably the defeat of the League and the election of Dick Kelly。''
‘‘I begin to understand；'' said Selma thoughtfully。 ‘‘ButI do believe his motive was altogether good。''
‘‘My dear girl；'' said Victor； ‘‘the primer lesson in the life of action is： ‘NeverNEVER look at motives。 Actiononly actionsalways actions。' The chief reason the human race is led patiently round by the nose is its fondness for fussing about motives。 We are interested only in men's actions and the results to our cause。 Davy Hull's motives concern only himself and those who care for him。'' Victor's eyes； twinkling mischievously； shot a shrewd glance at Selma。 ‘‘You're not by any chance in love with Davy？''
Selma colored high。 ‘‘Certainly not！'' she exclaimed indignantly。
‘‘Why not？ Why not？'' teased Victor。 ‘‘He's tall and handsomeand superbly solemnand women always fancy a solemn man has intellect and character。 Not that Davy is a foolby no means。 I'd be the last man to say thatI whom he has just cleverly checkmated in one move。''
‘‘You intended not to give bail！ You intended to go to jail！'' exclaimed Selma abruptly。 ‘‘I see it all！ How stupid I was！ Oh； I could cry； Victor！ What a chance。''
‘‘Spilt milk；'' said Victor。 ‘‘We must forget it； and plan to meet the new conditions。 We'll start the paper at once。 We can't attack him。 Very clever of him very clever！ If he were as brave as he is shrewd； I'd almost give up hope of winning this town while he was in politics here。 But he lacks courage。 And he daren't think and speak honestly。 How that does cripple a man！''
‘‘He'll be one of us before very long；'' said Selma。 ‘‘You misjudge him； Victor。''
Dorn smiled。 ‘‘Not so long as his own class gratifies his ambitions；'' replied Victor。 ‘‘If he came with us it'd be because his own class had failed him and he hoped to rise through and uponours。''
Selma did not agree with him。 But as she always felt presumptuous and even foolish in disagreeing with Victor； she kept silent。 And presently Victor began to lay out her share in the task of starting up the New Day。 ‘‘I shall be all right within a week；'' said he； ‘‘and we must get the first number out the week following。'' She was realizing now that Hull's move had completely upset an elaborate plan of campaign into which Victor had put all his intelligence and upon which he had staked all his hopes。 She marvelled as he talked； unfolding rapidly an entirely new campaign； different in every respect from what the other would have been。 How swiftly his mind had worked； and how well！ How little time he had wasted in vain regrets！ How quickly he had recovered from a reverse that would have halted many a strong man。
And then she remembered how they all； his associates； were like him； proof against the evil effects of set…back and defeat。 And why were they so？ Because Victor Dorn had trained them to fight for the cause； and not for victory。 ‘‘Our cause is the right； and in the end right is bound to win because the right is only another name for the sensible''that had been his teaching。 And a hardy army he had trained。 The armies trained by victory are strong； but the armies schooled by defeatthey are invincible。
When he had explained his new campaignas much of it as he deemed it wise at that time to withdraw from the security of his own brainshe said：
‘‘But it seems to me we've got a good chance to win； anyhow。''
‘‘A chance； perhaps；'' replied he。 ‘‘But we'll not bother about that。 All we've got to do is to keep on strengthening ourselves。''
‘‘Yes； that's it！'' she cried。 ‘‘One added herefive thereten yonder。 Every new stone fitted solidly against the ones already in place。''
‘‘We must never forget that we aren't merely building a new party；'' said Dorn。 ‘‘We're building a new civilizationone to fit the new conditions of life。 Let the Davy Hulls patch and tinker away at trying to keep the old structure from falling in。 We know it's bound to fall and that it isn't fit for decent civilized human beings to live in。 And we're getting the new house ready。 Soto us； election day is no more important than any of the three hundred and sixty…five。''
It was into the presence of a Victor Dorn restored in mind as well as in body that Jane Hastings was shown by his sister； Mrs。 Sherrill； one afternoon a week or so later。
All that time Jane had been searching for an excuse for going to see him。 She had haunted the roads and the woods where he and Selma habitually walked。 She had seen neither of them。 When the pretext for a call finally came to her； as usual； the most obvious thing in the world。 He must be suspecting her of having betrayed his confidence and brought about the vacating of those injunctions and the quashing of the indictments。 She must go to him and clear herself of suspicion。
She felt that the question of how she should dress for this crucial interview； this attempt to establish some sort of friendly relations with him； was of the very highest importance。 Should she wear something plain； something that would make her look as nearly as might be like one of his own class？ HIS class！
No no； indeed。 The class in which he was accidentally born and bred； but to which he did not belong。 Or； should she go dressed frankly as of her own class wearing the sort of things that made her look her finest and most superior and most beautiful？ Having nothing else to do； she spent several hours in trying various toilets。 She was not long in deciding against disguising herself as a working woman。 That garb might win his mental and mora
