第58章

Hull reddened.She had cut into quick.``You will see who is Mayor when I'm elected,'' said he with all his dignity.

Jane laughed in the disagreeably mocking way that was the climax of her ability to be nasty when she was thoroughly out of humor.

``That's right, Davy.Deceive yourself.It's far more comfortable.So long!''

And she went into the house.

Davy's conduct of the affair was masterly.He showed those rare qualities of judgment and diplomacy that all but insure a man a distinguished career.His statement for the press was a model of dignity, of restrained indignation, of good common sense.The most difficult part of his task was getting Hugo Galland into condition for a creditable appearance in court.In so far as Hugo's meagre intellect, atrophied by education and by luxury, permitted him to be a lawyer at all, he was of that now common type called the corporation lawyer.That is, for him human beings had ceased to exist, and of course human rights, also; the world as viewed from the standpoint of law contained only corporations, only interests.Thus, a man like Victor Dorn was in his view the modern form of the devil--was a combination of knave and lunatic who had no right to live except in the restraint of an asylum or a jail.

Fortunately, while Hugo despised the ``hoi polloi'' as only a stupid, miseducated snob can despise, he appreciated that they had votes and so must be conciliated; and he yearned with the snob's famished yearning for the title and dignity of judge.

Davy found it impossible to convince him that the injunctions and indictments ought to be attacked until he had convinced him that in no other way could he become Judge Galland.As Hugo was fiercely prejudiced and densely stupid and reverent of the powers of his own intellect, to convince him was not easy.In fact, Davy did not begin to succeed until he began to suggest that whoever appeared before Judge Lansing the next morning in defense of free speech would be the Alliance and Democratic and Republican candidate for judge, and that if Hugo couldn't see his way clear to appearing he might as well give up for the present his political ambitions.

Hugo came round.Davy left him at one o'clock in the morning and went gloomily home.He had known what a prejudiced ass Galland was, how unfit he was for the office of judge; but he had up to that time hidden the full truth from himself.Now, to hide it was impossible.Hugo had fully exposed himself in all his unfitness of the man of narrow upper class prejudices, the man of no instinct or enthusiasm for right, justice and liberty.

``Really, it's a crime to nominate such a chap as that,'' he muttered.``Yet we've got to do it.How Selma Gordon's eyes would shame me, if she could see me now!''

Davy had the familiar fondness for laying on the secret penitential scourge--wherewith we buy from our complacent consciences license to indulge in the sins our appetites or ambitions crave.

Judge Lansing--you have never seen a man who LOOKED the judge more ideally than did gray haired, gray bearded, open browed Robert Lansing--Judge Lansing was all ready for his part in the farce.He knew Hugo and helped him over the difficult places and cut him short as soon as he had made enough of his speech to give an inkling of what he was demanding.The Judge was persuaded to deliver himself of a high-minded and eloquent denunciation of those who had misled the court and the county prosecutor.He pointed out--in weighty judicial language--that Victor Dorn had by his conduct during several years invited just such a series of calamities as had beset him.But he went on to say that Dorn's reputation and fondness for speech and action bordering on the lawless did not withdraw from him the protection of the law.In spite of himself the law would protect him.The injunctions were dissolved and the indictments were quashed.

The news of the impending application, published in the morning papers, had crowded the court room.When the Judge finished a tremendous cheer went up.The cheer passed on to the throng outside, and when Davy and Hugo appeared in the corridor they were borne upon the shoulders of workingmen and were not released until they had made speeches.Davy's manly simplicity and clearness covered the stammering vagueness of hero Galland.

As Davy was gradually clearing himself of the eager handshakers and back-slappers, Selma suddenly appeared before him.Her eyes were shining and her whole body seemed to be irradiating emotion of admiration and gratitude.``Thank you--oh, thank you!'' she said, pressing his hand.``How I have misjudged you!''

Davy did not wince.He had now quite forgotten the part selfish ambition had played in his gallant rush to the defense of imperilled freedom--had forgotten it as completely as the now ecstatic Hugo had forgotten his prejudices against the ``low, smelly working people.'' He looked as exalted as he felt.``Ionly did my plain duty,'' replied he.``How could any decent American have done less?''

``I haven't seen Victor since yesterday afternoon,'' pursued Selma.``But I know how grateful he'll be-- not so much for what you did as that YOU did it.''

The instinct of the crowd--the universal human instinct--against intruding upon a young man and young woman talking together soon cleared them of neighbors.An awkward silence fell.Said he hesitatingly:

``Are you ready to give your answer?--to that question I asked you the other day.''

``I gave you my answer then,'' replied she, her glance seeking a way of escape.

``No,'' said he.``For you said then that you would not marry me.And I shall never take no for an answer until you have married some one else.''

She looked up at him with eyes large and grave and puzzled.

``I'm sure you don't want to marry me,'' she said.``I wonder why you keep asking me.''