a far country-第77章

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whose　leader　was　the　Personality　to　whom　I　have　before　referred。　　He　and
his　group　had　managed　to　gain　control　of　certain　conservative　fortresses
in　various　cities　such　as　the　Corn　National　Bank　and　the　Ashuela
Telephone　Companyto　mention　two　of　many：　Adolf　Scherer　was　his　ally；
and　the　Boyne　Iron　Works；　Limited；　was　soon　to　be　merged　by　him　into　a
greater　corporation　still。　　Leonard　Dickinson　might　be　called　his　local
governor…general。　　We　manned　the　parapets　and　kept　our　ears　constantly　to
the　ground　to　listen　for　the　rumble　of　attacks；　but　sometimes　they　burst
upon　us　fiercely　and　suddenly；　without　warning。　　Such　was　the　assault　on
the　Ashuela；　which　for　years　had　exercised　an　apparently　secure　monopoly
of　the　city's　telephone　service；　which　had　been　able　to　ignore　with
complacency　the　shrillest　protests　of　unreasonable　subscribers。　　Through
the　Pilot　it　was　announced　to　the　public　that　certain　benevolent　〃Eastern
capitalists〃　were　ready　to　rescue　them　from　their　thraldom　if　the　city
would　grant　them　a　franchise。　　Mr。　Lawler；　the　disinterestedness　of　whose
newspaper　could　not　be　doubted；　fanned　the　flame　day　by　day；　sent　his
reporters　about　the　city　gathering　instances　of　the　haughty　neglect　of
the　Ashuela；　proclaiming　its　instruments　antiquated　compared　with　those
used　in　more　progressive　cities；　as　compared　with　the　very　latest
inventions　which　the　Automatic　Company　was　ready　to　install　provided　they
could　get　their　franchise。　　And　the　prices！　　These；　too；　would　fall
under　competition。　　It　was　a　clever　campaign。　　If　the　city　would　give
them　a　franchise；　that　Automatic　Companyso　well　named！　would　provide
automatic　instruments。　　Each　subscriber；　by　means　of　a　numerical　disk；
could　call　up　any　other；　subscriber；　there　would　be　no　central　operator；
no　listening；　no　tapping　of　wires；　the　number　of　calls　would　be
unlimited。　　As　a　proof　of　the　confidence　of　these　Eastern　gentlemen　in
our　city；　they　were　willing　to　spend　five　millions；　and　present　more　than
six　hundred　telephones　free　to　the　city　departments！　　What　was　fairer；
more　generous　than　this！　　There　could　be　no　doubt　that　popular　enthusiasm
was　enlisted　in　behalf　of　the　〃Eastern　Capitalists；〃　who　were　made　to
appear　in　the　light　of　Crusaders　ready　to　rescue　a　groaning　people　from
the　thrall　of　monopoly。　　The　excitement　approached　that　of　a　presidential
election；　and　became　the　dominant　topic　at　quick…lunch　counters　and　in
street…cars。　　Cheap　and　efficient　service！　　Down　with　the　Bastille　of
monopoly！

As　counsel　for　the　Ashuela；　Mr。　Ogilvy　sent　for　me；　and　by　certain　secret
conduits　of　information　at　my　disposal　I　was　not　long　in　discovering　the
disquieting　fact　that　a　Mr。　Orthwein；　who　was　described　as　a　gentleman
with　fat　fingers　and　a　plausible　manner；　had　been　in　town　for　a　week　and
had　been　twice　seen　entering　and　emerging　from　Monahan's　saloon。　　In
short；　Mr。　Jason　had　already　been　〃seen。〃　　Nevertheless　I　went　to　him
myself；　to　find　him　for　the　first　time　in　my　experience　absolutely　non…
committal。

〃What's　the　Ashuela　willing　to　do？〃　he　demanded。

I　mentioned　a　sum；　and　he　shook　his　head。　　I　mentioned　another；　and　still
he　shook　his　head。

〃Come　'round　again；〃　he　said。。。

I　was　compelled　to　report　this　alarming　situation　to　Ogilvy　and　Dickinson
and　a　few　chosen　members　of　a　panicky　board　of　directors。

〃It's　that　damned　Grannis　crowd；〃　said　Dickinson；　mentioning　an
aggressive　gentleman　who　had　migrated　from　Chicago　to　Wall　Street　some
five　years　before　in　a　pink　collar。

〃But　what's　to　be　done？〃　demanded　Ogilvy；　playing　nervously　with　a　gold
pencil　on　the　polished　table。　　He　was　one　of　those　Americans　who　in　a
commercial　atmosphere　become　prematurely　white；　and　today　his　boyish；
smooth…shaven　face　was　almost　as　devoid　of　colour　as　his　hair。　　Even
Leonard　Dickinson　showed　anxiety；　which　was　unusual　for　him。

〃You've　got　to　fix　it；　Hugh；〃　he　said。

I　did　not　see　my　way；　but　I　had　long　ago　learned　to　assume　the　unruffled
air　and　judicial　manner　of　speaking　that　inspires　the　layman　with　almost
superstitious　confidence　in　the　lawyer。。。。

〃We'll　find　a　way　out；〃　I　said。

Mr。　Jason；　of　course；　held　the　key　to　the　situation；　and　just　how　I　was
to　get　around　him　was　problematical。　　In　the　meantime　there　was　the
public：　to　permit　the　other　fellow　to　capture　that　was　to　be　lacking　in
ordinary　prudence；　if　its　votes　counted　for　nothing；　its　savings　were
desirable；　and　it　was　fast　getting　into　a　state　of　outrage　against
monopoly。　　The　chivalry　of　finance　did　not　permit　of　a　revelation　that
Mr。　Grannis　and　his　buccaneers　were　behind　the　Automatic；　but　it　was
possible　to　direct　and　strengthen　the　backfire　which　the　Era　and　other
conservative　newspapers　had　already　begun。　　Mr。　Tallant　for　delicate
reasons　being　persona　non　grata　at　the　Boyne　Club；　despite　the　fact　that
he　had　so　many　friends　there；　we　met　for　lunch　in　a　private　room　at　the
new　hotel；　and　as　we　sipped　our　coffee　and　smoked　our　cigars　we　planned　a
series　of　editorials　and　articles　that　duly　appeared。　　They　made　a　strong
appeal　to　the　loyalty　of　our　citizens　to　stand　by　the　home　company　and
home　capital　that　had　taken　generous　risks　to　give　them　service　at　a　time
when　the　future　of　the　telephone　business　was　by　no　means　assured；　they
belittled　the　charges　made　by　irresponsible　and　interested　〃parties；〃　and
finally　pointed　out；　not　without　effect；　that　one　logical　consequence　of
having　two　telephone　companies　would　be　to　compel　subscribers　in　self…
defence　to　install　two　telephones　instead　of　one。　　And　where　was　the
saving　in　that？

〃Say；　Paret；〃　said　Judah　B。　when　we　had　finished　our　labours；　〃if　you
ever　get　sick　of　the　law；　I'll　give　you　a　job　on　the　Era's　staff。　　This
is　fine；　the　way　you　put　it。　　It'll　do　a　lot　of　good；　but　how　in　hell　are
you　going　to　handle　Judd？。。。。〃

For　three　days　the　inspiration　was　withheld。　　And　then；　as　I　was
strolling　down　Boyne　Street　after　lunch　gazing　into　the　store　windows　it
came　suddenly；　without　warning。　　Like　most　inspirations　worth　anything；
it　was　very　simple。　　Within　half　an　hour　I　had　reached　Monahan's　saloon
and　found　Mr。　Jason　out　of　bed；　but　still　in　his　bedroom；　seated
meditatively　at　the　window　that　looked　over　the　alley。

〃You　know　the　crowd　in　New　York　behind　this　Automatic　company　as　well　as
I　do；　Jason；〃　I　said。　　〃Why　do　you　want　to　deal　with　them　when　we've
always　been　straight　with　you；　when　we're　ready　to　meet　them　and　go　one
better？　　Name　your　price。〃

〃Suppose　I　dowhat　then；〃　he　replied。　　〃This　thing's　gone　pretty　far。
Under　that　damned　new　charter　the　franchise　has　got　to　be　bid　forhasn't
it？　　And　the　people　want　this　company。　　There'll　be　a　howl　from　one　end
of　this　town　to　the　other　if　we　throw　'em　down。〃

〃We'll　look　out　for　the　public；〃　I　assured　him；　smiling。

〃Well；〃　he　said；　with　one　of　his　glances　that　were　like　flashes；　〃what
you　got　up　your　sleeve？〃

〃Suppose　another　telephone　company　steps　in；　and　bids　a　little　higher　for
the　franchise。　　That　relieves；　your　aldermen　of　all　responsibility；
doesn't　it？〃

〃Another　telephone　company！〃　he　repeated。

I　had　already　named　it　on　my　walk。

〃The　Interurban；〃　I　said。

〃A　dummy　company？〃　said　Mr。　Jason。

〃Lively　enough　to　bid　something　over　a　hundred　thousand　to　the　city　for
its　franchise；〃　I　replied。

Judd　Jason；　with　a　queer　look；　got　up　and　went　to　a　desk　in　a　dark
corner；　and　after　rummaging　for　a　few　moments　in　one　of　the　pigeon…holes；
drew　forth　a　glass　cylinder；　which　he　held　out　as　he　approached　me。

〃You　get　it；　Mr。　Paret；〃　he　said。

〃What　is　it？〃　I　asked；　〃a　bomb！〃

〃That；〃　he　announced；　as　he　twisted　the　tube　about　in　his　long　fingers；
holding　it　up　to　the　light；　〃is　the　finest　brand　of　cigars　ever　made　in
Cuba。　　A　gentleman　who　had　every　reason　to　be　grateful　to　meI　won't　say
who　he　wasgave　me　that　once。　　Well；　the　Lord　made　me　so's　I　can't
appreciate　any　better　tobacco　than　those　five…cent　'Bobtails'　Monahan's
got　downstairs；　and　I　saved　it。　　I　saved　it　for　the　man　who　would　put
something　over　me　some　day；　andyou　get　it。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　I　said；　unconsciously　falling　in　with　the　semi…ceremony　of
his　manner。　　〃I　do　not　flatter　myself　that　the　solution　I　hav