stories of a western town-第26章

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〃The　silver　service　was　a　good　muzzle；〃　he　thought。　He　went　away　for　an　interview　with　the　corporation　lawyer　and　the　superintendent　of　the　road；　leaving　Mrs。　Ellis　in　a　distraction　of　conscience　that　made　her　the　wonder　of　her　servants　that　morning；　during　all　the　preparations　for　the　whist…party。　She　might　have　felt　more　remorseful　had　she　guessed　her　brother's　real　plan。　　He　knew　enough　of　Lossing　to　be　assured　that　he　would　not　yield　about　the　ordinance；　which　he　firmly　believed　to　be　a　dangerous　one　for　the　city。　He　expected；　he　counted　on　the　mayor's　refusing　his　proffers。　He　hoped　that　Esther　would　feel　the　sympathy　which　women　give；　without　question　generally；　to　the　business　plans　of　those　near　and　dear　to　them；　taking　it　for　granted　that　the　plans　are　right　because　they　will　advantage　those　so　near　and　dear。　That　was　the　beautiful　and　proper　way　that　Jenny　had　always　reasoned；　why　should　Jenny's　daughter　do　otherwise？　When　Harry　Lossing　should　oppose　her　father　and　refuse　to　please　him　and　to　win　her；　mustn't　any　high…spirited　woman　feel　hurt？　Certainly　she　must；　and　he　would　take　care　to　whisk　her　off　to　Europe　before　the　young　man　had　a　chance　to　make　his　peace！　〃Yes；　sir；〃　says　Armorer；　to　his　only　confidant；　〃you　never　were　a　domestic　conspirator　before；　Horatio；　but　you　have　got　it　down　fine！　You　would　do　for　Gaboriau〃Gaboriau's　novels　being　the　only　fiction　that　ever　Armorer　read。　　Nevertheless；　his　conscience　pricked　him　almost　as　sharply　as　his　sister's　pricked　her。　Consciences　are　queer　things；　like　certain　crustaceans；　they　grow　shells　in　spots；　and；　proof　against　moral　artillery　in　one　part；　they　may　be　soft　as　a　baby's　cheek　in　another。　Armorer's　conscience　had　two　sides；　business　and　domestic；　people　abused　him　for　a　business　buccaneer；　at　the　same　time　his　private　life　was　pure；　and　he　was　a　most　tender　husband　and　father。　　He　had　never　deceived　Esther　before　in　her　life。　Once　he　had　ridden　all　night　in　a　freight…car　to　keep　a　promise　that　he　had　made　the　child。　　It　hurt　him　to　be　hoodwinking　her　now。　But　he　was　too　angry　and　too　frightened　to　cry　back。　The　interview　with　the　lawyer　did　not　take　any　long　time；　but　he　spent　two　hours　with　the　superintendent　of　the　road；　who　pronounced　him　〃a　little　nice　fellow　with　no　airs　about　him。　Asked　a　power　of　questions　about　Harry　Lossing；　guess　there　is　something　in　that　story　about　Lossing　going　to　marry　his　daughter！〃　Marston　drove　him　to　Lossing's　office　and　left　him　there。　He　was　on　the　ground；　and　Marston　lifting　the　whip　to　touch　the　horse；　when　he　asked：　　〃Say；　before　you　gois　there　any　danger　in　leaving　off　the　conductors？〃　Marston　was　raised　on　mules；　and　he　could　not　overcome　a　vehement　distrust　of　electricity。　　〃Well；〃　said　he；　〃I　guess　you　want　the　cold　facts。　The　children　are　almighty　thick　down　on　Third　Street；　and　children　are　always　trying　to　see　how　near　they　can　come　to　being　killed；　you　know；　sir；　and　then；　the　old　women　like　to　come　and　stand　on　the　track　and　ask　questions　of　the　motorneer　on　the　other　track；　so　that　the　car　coming　down　has　a　chance　to　catch　'em。　The　two　together　keep　the　conductors　on　the　jump！〃　〃Is　that　so？〃　said　Armorer；　musingly；　〃well；　I　guess　you'd　better　close　with　that　insurance　man　and　get　the　papers　made　out　before　we　run　the　new　way。〃　〃If　we　ever　do　run！〃　muttered　the　superintendent　to　himself　as　he　drove　away。　Armorer　ran　his　sharp　eye　over　the　buildings　of　the　Lossing　Art　Furniture　Manufacturing　Company；　from　the　ugly　square　brick　box　that　was　the　nucleusthe　egg；　so　to　speak　from　which　the　great　concern　had　been　hatched；　to　the　handsome　new　structures　with　their　great　arched　windows　and　red　mortar。　〃Pretty　property；　very　pretty　property；〃　thought　Armorer；　〃wonder　if　that　story　Marston　tells　is　true！〃　　The　story　was　to　the　effect　that　a　few　weeks　before　his　last　sickness　the　older　Lossing　had　taken　his　son　to　look　at　the　buildings；　and　said；　〃Harry；　this　will　all　be　yours　before　long。　It　is　a　comfort　to　me　to　think　that　every　workman　I　have　is　the　better；　not　the　worse；　off　for　my　owning　it；　there's　no　blood　or　dirt　on　my　money；　and　I　leave　it　to　you　to　keep　it　clean　and　to　take　care　of　the　men　as　well　as　the　business。〃　〃Now；　wasn't　he　a　d　fool！〃　said　Armorer；　cheerfully；　taking　out　his　note…book　to　mark；　〃_See　abt　road　MD　_〃

And　he　went　in。　　Harry　greeted　him　with　exceeding　cordiality　and　a　fine　blush。　　Armorer　explained　that　he　had　come　to　speak　to　him　about　the　proposed　street…car　ordinances；　he　（Armorer）　always　liked　to　deal　with　principals　and　without　formality；　now；　couldn't　they　come；　representing　the　city　and　the　company；　to　some　satisfactory　compromise？　Thereupon　he　plunged　into　the　statistics　of　the　earnings　and　expenses　of　the　road　（with　the　aid　of　his　note…book）；　and　made　the　absolute　necessity　of　retrenchment　plain。　Meanwhile；　as　he　talked　he　studied　the　attentive　listener　before　him；　and　Harry；　on　his　part；　made　quite　as　good　use　of　his　eyes。　Armorer　saw　a　tall；　athletic；　fair　young　man；　very　carefully；　almost　foppishly　dressed；　with　bright；　steady　blue　eyes　and　a　firm　chin；　but　a　smile　under　his　mustache　like　a　child's；　it　was　so　sunny　and　so　quick。　　Harry　saw　a　neat　little　figure　in　a　perfectly　fitting　gray　check　travelling　suit；　with　a　rose　in　the　buttonhole　of　the　coat　lapel。　　Armorer　wore　no　jewellery　except　a　gold　ring　on　the　little　finger　of　his　right　hand；　from　which　he　had　taken　the　glove　the　better　to　write。　Harry　knew　that　it　was　his　dead　wife's　wedding…ring；　and　noticed　it　with　a　little　moving　of　the　heart。　The　face　that　he　saw　was　pale　but　not　sickly；　delicate　and　keen。　A　silky　brown　mustache　shot　with　gray　and　a　Van…dyke　beard　hid　either　the　strength　or　the　weakness　of　mouth　and　chin。　He　looked　at　Harry　with　almond…shaped；　pensive　dark　eyes；　so　like　the　eyes　that　had　shone　on　Harry's　waking　and　sleeping　dreams　for　months　that　the　young　fellow　felt　his　heart　rise　again。　Armorer　ended　by　asking　Harry　（in　his　most　winning　manner）　to　help　him　pull　the　ordinance　out　of　the　fire。　　〃It　would　be；〃　he　said；　impressively；　〃a　favor　he　should　not　forget！〃　〃And　you　must　know；　Mr。　Armorer；〃　said　Harry；　in　a　dismal　tone　at　which　the　president　chuckled　within；　〃that　there　is　no　man　whose　favor　I　would　do　so　much　to　win！〃　〃Well；　here's　your　chance！〃　said　Armorer。　Harry　swung　round　in　his　chair；　his　clinched　fists　on　his　knee。　He　was　frowning　with　eagerness；　and　his　eyes　were　like　blue　steel。　〃See　here；　Mr。　Armorer；〃　said　he；　〃I　am　frank　with　you。　I　want　to　please　you；　because　I　want　to　ask　you　to　let　me　marry　your　daughter。　　But　I　CAN'T　please　you；　because　I　am　mayor　of　this　town；　and　I　don't　dare　to　let　you　dismiss　the　conductors。　I　don't　DARE；　that's　the　point。　　We　have　had　four　children　killed　on　this　road　since　electricity　was　put　in。〃　〃We　have　had　forty　killed　on　one　street　railway　I　know；　what　of　it？　Do　you　want　to　give　up　electricity　because　it　kills　children？〃　〃No；　but　look　here！　the　conductors　lessen　the　risk。　　A　lady　I　know；　only　yesterday；　had　a　little　boy　going　from　the　kindergarten　home；　nice　little　fellow　only　five　years　old　〃　〃She　ought　to　have　sent　a　nurse　with　a　child　five　years　old；　a　baby！〃　cried　Armorer；　warmly。　〃That　lady；〃　answered　Harry；　quietly；　〃goes　without　any　servant　at　all　in　order　to　keep　her　two　children　at　the　kindergarten；　and　the　boy's　elder　sister　was　ill　at　home。　　The　boy　got　on　the　car；　and　when　he　got　off　at　the　crossing　above　his　house；　he　started　to　run　across；　the　other　train…car　was　coming；　the　little　fellow　didn't　notice；　and　ran　to　cross；　he　stumbled　and　fell　right　in　the　path　of　the　coming　car！〃　〃Where　was　the　conductor？　　He　didn't　seem　much　good！〃　〃They　had　left　off　the　conductor　on　that　line。〃　〃Well；　did　they　run　over　the　boy？　　Why　haven't　I　been　informed　of　the　accident？〃　〃There　was　no　accident。　　A　man　on　the　front　platform　saw　the　boy　fall；　made　a　flying　leap　off　the　moving　car；　fell；　but　scrambled　up　and　pulled　the　boy　off　the　track。　　It　was　sickening；　I　thought　we　were　both　gone！〃　〃Oh；　you　were　the　man？〃　〃I　was　the　man；　and　don't　you　see；　Mr。　Armorer；　why　I　feel　strongly　on　the　subject？　　If　the　conductor　had　been　on；　there　wouldn't　have　been　any　occasion　for　any　accident。〃　〃Well；　sir；　you　may　be　assured　that　we　will　take　precautions　against　any　such　accide