the cost-第31章

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d　of　walking　as　he　had　intended。　　The　supper…table　was　readywas　spread　in　the　dining…shed。　　They　washed　their　hands　and　sunburnt　arms　and　soused　their　heads　in　cold　water　from　the　well；　and　sat；　Scarborough　at　one　end；　Gabbard　at　the　other；　the　strapping　sons　and　the　〃hands〃　down　either　side。　　The　whole　meal　was　before　themhuge　platters　of　fried　chicken；　great　dishes　full　of　beans　and　corn　and　potatoes；　plates　piled　high　with　hot　corn　bread；　other　plates　of　〃salt…rising〃；　Mrs。　Gabbard's　miraculous　apple　pies；　and　honey　for　which　the　plundered　flowers　might　still　be　mourning。　　Yesterday　it　would　have　seemed　to　Scarborough　dinner　enough　for　a　regiment。　　To…dayhe　thought　he　could　probably　eat　it　all；　and　wished　that　he　might　try。　　To　drink；　there　were　coffee　and　cider　and　two　kinds　of　milk。　　He　tried　the　buttermilk　and　kept　on　with　it。

〃You　must　'a'　had　a　busy　summer；〃　said　Gabbard。　　〃This　is　the　first　time　you've　been　with　us。〃

〃Yes；〃　Scarborough　replied。　　〃I　did　hope　to　get　here　for　the　threshing；　but　I　couldn't。〃

The　threshing　set　them　all　offit　had　been　a　record　year；　thirty…eight　bushels　to　the　acre　on　the　average；　twenty…seven　on　the　hillsides　which　Gabbard　had　hesitated　whether　to　〃put　in〃　or　not。　　An　hour　after　supper　Scarborough　could　no　longer　hold　his　eyes　open。　　〃Wake　me　with　the　others；〃　he　said　to　Mrs。　Gabbard；　who　was　making　up　the　〃salt…rising〃　yeast　for　the　morrow's　baking。　　〃I'll　have　breakfast　when　they　do。〃

〃I　reckon　you've　earned　it；〃　said　Mrs。　Gabbard。　　〃Eph　says　you　laid　it　over　'em　all　to…day。〃

〃Well；　I　guess　I　at　least　earned　my　supper；〃　replied　Scarborough。　　〃And　I　guess　I　ate　it。〃

〃You　didn't　do　so　bad；　considerin'；〃　Mrs。　Gabbard　admitted。　　〃Nothin'　like　livin'　in　town　to　take　appetite　away。〃

〃That　isn't　all　it　takes　away；〃　said　Scarborough；　going　on　to　his　own　part　of　the　house　without　explaining　his　remark。　　When　his　head　touched　the　pillow　his　brain　instantly　stopped　the　machinery。　　He　needed　no　croonings　or　dronings　from　the　fields　to　soothe　him。　　〃Not　an　idea　in　my　head　all　day；〃　he　said　to　himself　with　drowsy　delight。


Four　days　of　this；　and　on　the　fifth　came　the　outside　world　in　the　form　of　Burdick；　chairman　of　the　county　committee　of　his　party　in　the　county　in　which　his　farm　lay。　　They　sat　on　the　fence　under　the　big　maple；　out　of　earshot　of　the　others。

〃Larkin's　come　out　for　John　Frankfort　for　the　nomination　for　governor；〃　said　Burdick。

Scarborough　smiled。　　〃Even　Larkin　couldn't　get　it　for　Frankforthe's　too　notorious。〃

〃He　don't　want　to　get　it　for　him；〃　replied　Burdick。　　〃His　real　man's　Judge　Graney。〃

Scarborough　stopped　fanning　himself　with　his　wide…brimmed　straw。　　Judge　Graney　was　the　most　adroit　and　dangerous　of　John　Dumont's　tools。　　He　had　given　invaluable　aid　from　the　bench　at　several　of　the　National　Woolens　Company's　most　critical　moments。　　Yet　he　had　retained　and　increased　his　popularity　and　his　reputation　by　deciding　against　his　secret　master　with　a　brave　show　of　virtue　when　he　knew　the　higher　courts　must　reverse　him。　　For　several　years　Scarborough　had　been　looking　forward　to　the　inevitable　open　conflict　between　the　forces　of　honesty　in　his　party　and　the　forces　of　the　machine　as　ruled　by　the　half…dozen　big　corporations　who　also　ruled　the　machine　of　the　opposition　party。　　He　had　known　that　the　contest　must　come；　and　that　he　must　take　part　in　it；　and　he　had　been　getting　ready。　　But　he　had　not　wished　to　give　battle　until　he　was　strong　enough　to　give　a　battle　which；　even　if　he　lost　it；　would　not　strengthen　the　hold　of　the　corruptionists。

After　he　rejected　Larkin's　dazzling　offers；　conditioned　upon　his　aloofness　rather　than　frank　subservience；　he　had　thought　the　whole　situation　over；　and；　as　he　hinted　to　Pauline；　had　realized　how　apparently　hopeless　a　fight　against　the　machine　would　be　just　then；　with　the　people　prosperous　and　therefore　quiescent。　　And　he　had　decided　to　stand　aside　for　the　time。　　He　now　saw　that　reluctance　to　attack　Dumont　had　been　at　least　a　factor　in　this　decision；　and　he　also　saw　that　he　could　not　delay；　as　he　had　hoped。　　There　was　no　escapeeither　he　must　let　his　work　of　years　be　undermined　and　destroyed　or　he　must　give　battle　with　all　his　strength　and　skill。　　He　remembered　what　Pauline　had　said：　　〃You　can't　lose！〃

〃No；　one　can't　lose　in　this　sort　of　fight；〃　he　thought。　　〃Either　WE　win　or　there'll　be　no　victory。〃　　He　sprang　from　the　fence　to　the　ground。　　〃Let's　go　to　the　house；〃　he　said　to　Burdick。

〃What　you　going　to　do？〃　asked　Burdick；　as　they　walked　toward　the　gate；　where　his　horse　and　buggy　were　hitched。

〃Fight；　of　course；〃　said　Scarborough。　　〃Fight　Larkin　and　his　gang　in　the　open。　　I'll　get　ex…Governor　Bowen　to　let　us　use　his　name　and　canvass　the　state　for　him。〃

Burdick　shook　his　head　sadly。

〃It　ain't　politics；〃　he　said。　　〃You'll　split　the　party；　then　the　party'll　turn　and　split　you。〃　　And　later；　as　they　were　separating；　Scarborough　to　drive　to　Saint　X；　Burdick　to　go　back　to　Marshaltown；　he　said：　　〃I'll　help　all　I　can　in　a　quiet　way。　　ButI　hope　you've　got　your　cyclone　cellar　dug。〃

Scarborough　laughed。　　〃I　haven't　been　digging　a　cyclone　cellar。　　I've　been　trying　to　manufacture　a　cyclone。〃

There　were　thirty…three　clear　days　before　the　meeting　of　the　convention。　　He　wasted　not　an　hour　of　them　on　the　manufacturing　towns；　he　went　to　the　countryto　the　farmers　and　the　villagers；　the　men　who　lived　each　man　in　his　own　house；　on　his　own　soil　from　which　he　earned　his　own　living。　　Up　and　down　and　across　the　state　he　went；　speaking；　organizing；　planning；　inspiringhe　and　the　coterie　of　young　men　who　looked　up　to　him　as　their　leader　and　followed　him　in　this　desperate　assault　as　courageously　as　if　victory　were　assured。

Not　long　before　the　convention　he　paused　at　ex…Judge　Bowen's　country　place　and　spent　two　hours　with　him　in　his　great；　quiet；　cool　library。

〃Isn't　it　inspiring；〃　Scarborough　said；　〃to　see　so　many　young　men　in　arms　for　a　principle？〃

The　old　man　slowly　shook　his　magnificent　white　head　and　smiled　at　the　young　man。　　〃Principles　without　leaders　go　begging；〃　he　replied。　　〃Men　rally　to　the　standard　only　when　the　right　voice　calls。　　The　right　voice　at　the　right　time。〃　　He　laid　his　hand　on　Scarborough's　shoulder　with　affection　and　pride。　　〃If　the　moment　should　come　for　you　to　think　of　it；　do　not　forget　that　the　leader　is　the　principle；　and　that　in　this　fight　the　leader　is　not　Ibut　you。〃



XIX。

PAULINE　GOES　INTO　POLITICS。

Larkin　decided　that　the　state　convention　should　be　held　at　Saint　X　because　his　machine　was　most　perfect　there。　　The　National　Woolens　Company；　the　Consolidated　Pipe　and　Wire　Company　and　the　Indiana　Oil　and　Gas　Corporationthe　three　principal　political　corporations　in　the　statehad　their　main　plants　there　and　were　in　complete　political　control。　　While　Larkin　had　no　fear　of　the　Scarborough　movement；　regarding　it　as　a　sentimental　outburst　in　the　rank　and　file　of　the　party　that　would　die　away　when　its　fomenter　had　been　〃read　out　of　the　party〃　at　the　convention　by　the　regular　organization；　still　he　had　been　in　the　game　too　long　to　take　unnecessary　chances。　　He　felt　that　it　would　be　wise　to　have　the　delegates　assemble　where　all　the　surroundings　would　be　favorable　and　where　his　ablest　and　confidential　men　could　do　their　work　in　peace　and　quiet。

The　convention　was　to；　meet　on　the　last　Thursday　in　September。　　On　the　preceding　Monday　morning；　CulverDumont's　small；　thin；　stealthy　private　secretaryarrived　at　Saint　X　and；　after　making　an　appointment　with　Merriweather　for　half…past　twelve；　went　out　to　the　Eyrie　to　go　through　a　lot　of　accumulated　domestic　business　with　Mrs。　Dumont。　　When　she　in　a　most　formal　and　unencouraging　manner　invited　him　to　stop　there；　he　eagerly　accepted。　　〃Thank　you　so　much；〃　he　said　effusively。　　〃To　be　perfectly　frank；　I've　been　tempted　to　invite　myself。　　I　have　some　valuables　with　me　that　I　don't　feel　at　all　easy　about。　　If　I　should　be　robbed；　it　would　be　a　very　serious　matter。　　Would　it　be　asking　too　much　of　you　to　ask　you　to　put　a　package　in　your　jewel　safe？〃

〃I'll　be　glad　to　do　it　for　you；〃　replied　Pauline。　　〃There's　plenty　of　roomthe　safe's　almost　empty　and　it's　ridiculously　large。〃

〃My　package　isn't　small；〃　said　Culver。　　〃And　on　my　mind　it　weighs　tons。〃　　He　reached　in