the titan-第55章

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uffing　the　boxes；　he　would　learn　how　the　city　was　going。　　If　it　looked　favorable　for　the　Republicans　it　would　be　easy　to　complete　the　victory　and　complain　that　his　lieutenants　had　been　suborned。　　If　it　looked　certain　for　the　Democrats　he　could　throw　Gilgan　and　pocket　his　funds。　　In　either　case　he　would　be　〃in〃　twenty…five　to　thirty　thousand　dollars；　and　he　would　still　be　councilman。

〃All　very　fine；〃　replied　Mr。　Kerrigan；　pretending　a　dullness　which　he　did　not　feel；　〃but　it's　damned　ticklish　business　at　best。　　I　don't　know　that　I　want　anything　to　do　with　it　even　if　we　could　win。　　It's　true　the　City　Hall　crowd　have　never　played　into　my　hands　very　much；　but　this　is　a　Democratic　district；　and　I'm　a　Democrat。　If　it　ever　got　out　that　I　had　thrown　the　party　it　would　be　pretty　near　all　day　with　me。

〃I'm　a　man　of　my　word；〃　declared　Mr。　Gilgan；　emphatically；　getting　up。　　〃I　never　threw　a　man　or　a　bet　in　my　life。　　Look　at　me　record　in　the　eighteenth。　　Did　you　ever　hear　any　one　say　that　I　had？〃

〃No；　I　never　did；〃　returned　Kerrigan；　mildly。　　〃But　it's　a　pretty　large　thing　you're　proposing；　Mr。　Gilgan。　　I　wouldn't　want　to　say　what　I　thought　about　it　offhand。　　This　ward　is　supposed　to　be　Democratic。　　It　couldn't　be　swung　over　into　the　Republican　column　without　a　good　bit　of　fuss　being　made　about　it。　　You'd　better　see　Mr。　Tiernan　first　and　hear　what　he　has　to　say。　　Afterward　I　might　be　willing　to　talk　about　it　further。　　Not　now；　thoughnot　now。〃

Mr。　Gilgan　went　away　quite　jauntily　and　cheerfully。　　He　was　not　at　all　downcast。



Chapter　XXXVI



An　Election　Draws　Near

Subsequently　Mr。　Kerrigan　called　on　Mr。　Tiernan　casually。　　Mr。　Tiernan　returned　the　call。　　A　little　later　Messrs。　Tiernan；　Kerrigan；　and　Gilgan；　in　a　parlor…room　in　a　small　hotel　in　Milwaukee　（in　order　not　to　be　seen　together）；　conferred。　　Finally　Messrs。　　Tiernan；　Edstrom；　Kerrigan；　and　Gilgan　met　and　mapped　out　a　programme　of　division　far　too　intricate　to　be　indicated　here。　　Needless　to　say；　it　involved　the　division　of　chief　clerks；　pro　rata；　of　police　graft；　of　gambling　and　bawdy…house　perquisites；　of　returns　from　gas；　street…railway；　and　other　organizations。　　It　was　sealed　with　many　solemn　promises。　　If　it　could　be　made　effective　this　quadrumvirate　was　to　endure　for　years。　　Judges；　small　magistrates；　officers　large　and　small；　the　shrievalty；　the　water　office；　the　tax　office；　all　were　to　come　within　its　purview。　　It　was　a　fine；　handsome　political　dream；　and　as　such　worthy　of　every　courtesy　and　consideration　but　it　was　only　a　political　dream　in　its　ultimate　aspects；　and　as　such　impressed　the　participants　themselves　at　times。

The　campaign　was　now　in　full　blast。　　The　summer　and　fall　（September　and　October）　went　by　to　the　tune　of　Democratic　and　Republican　marching　club　bands；　to　the　sound　of　lusty　political　voices　orating　in　parks；　at　street…corners；　in　wooden　〃wigwams；〃　halls；　tents；　and　parlorswherever　a　meager　handful　of　listeners　could　be　drummed　up　and　made　by　any　device　to　keep　still。　　The　newspapers　honked　and　bellowed；　as　is　the　way　with　those　profit…appointed　advocates　and　guardians　of　〃right〃　and　〃justice。　　Cowperwood　and　McKenty　were　denounced　from　nearly　every　street…corner　in　Chicago。　Wagons　and　sign…boards　on　wheels　were　hauled　about　labeled　〃Break　the　partnership　between　the　street…railway　corporations　and　the　city　council。〃　〃Do　you　want　more　streets　stolen？〃　〃Do　you　want　Cowperwood　to　own　Chicago？〃　Cowperwood　himself；　coming　down…town　of　a　morning　or　driving　home　of　an　evening；　saw　these　things。　　He　saw　the　huge　signs；　listened　to　speeches　denouncing　himself；　and　smiled。　　By　now　he　was　quite　aware　as　to　whence　this　powerful　uprising　had　sprung。　　Hand　was　back　of　it；　he　knewfor　so　McKenty　and　Addison　had　quickly　discoveredand　with　Hand　was　Schryhart；　Arneel；　Merrill；　the　Douglas　Trust　Company；　the　various　editors；　young　Truman　Leslie　MacDonald；　the　old　gas　crowd；　the　Chicago　General　Companyall。　　He　even　suspected　that　certain　aldermen　might　possibly　be　suborned　to　desert　him；　though　all　professed　loyalty。　　McKenty；　Addison；　Videra；　and　himself　were　planning　the　details　of　their　defenses　as　carefully　and　effectively　as　possible。　　Cowperwood　was　fully　alive　to　the　fact　that　if　he　lost　this　electionthe　first　to　be　vigorously　contestedit　might　involve　a　serious　chain　of　events；　but　he　did　not　propose　to　be　unduly　disturbed；　since　he　could　always　fight　in　the　courts　by　money；　and　by　preferment　in　the　council；　and　with　the　mayor　and　the　city　attorney。　　〃There　is　more　than　one　way　to　kill　a　cat；〃　was　one　of　his　pet　expressions；　and　it　expressed　his　logic　and　courage　exactly。　Yet　he　did　not　wish　to　lose。

One　of　the　amusing　features　of　the　campaign　was　that　the　McKenty　orators　had　been　instructed　to　shout　as　loudly　for　reforms　as　the　Republicans；　only　instead　of　assailing　Cowperwood　and　McKenty　they　were　to　point　out　that　Schryhart's　Chicago　City　Railway　was　far　more　rapacious；　and　that　this　was　a　scheme　to　give　it　a　blanket　franchise　of　all　streets　not　yet　covered　by　either　the　Cowperwood　or　the　Schryhart…Hand…Arneel　lines。　　It　was　a　pretty　argument。　　The　Democrats　could　point　with　pride　to　a　uniformly　liberal　interpretation　of　some　trying　Sunday　laws；　whereby　under　Republican　and　reform　administrations　it　had　been　occasionally　difficult　for　the　honest　working…man　to　get　his　glass　or　pail　of　beer　on　Sunday。　On　the　other　hand　it　was　possible　for　the　Republican　orators　to　show　how　〃the　low　dives　and　gin…mills〃　were　everywhere　being　operated　in　favor　of　McKenty；　and　that　under　the　highly　respectable　administration　of　the　Republican　candidate　for　mayor　this　partnership　between　the　city　government　and　vice　and　crime　would　be　nullified。

〃If　I　am　elected；〃　declared　the　Honorable　Chaffee　Thayer　Sluss；　the　Republican　candidate；　〃neither　Frank　Cowperwood　nor　John　McKenty　will　dare　to　show　his　face　in　the　City　Hall　unless　he　comes　with　clean　hands　and　an　honest　purpose。

〃Hooray！〃　yelled　the　crowd。

〃I　know　that　ass；〃　commented　Addison；　when　he　read　this　in　the　Transcript。　　〃He　used　to　be　a　clerk　in　the　Douglas　Trust　Company。　He's　made　a　little　money　recently　in　the　paper　business。　　He's　a　mere　tool　for　the　Arneel…Schryhart　interests。　　He　hasn't　the　courage　of　a　two…inch　fish…worm。〃

When　McKenty　read　it　he　simply　observed：　〃There　are　other　ways　of　going　to　City　Hall　than　by　going　yourself。〃　He　was　depending　upon　a　councilmanic　majority　at　least。

However；　in　the　midst　of　this　uproar　the　goings　to　and　fro　of　Gilgan；　Edstrom；　Kerrigan；　and　Tiernan　were　nor　fully　grasped。　　A　more　urbanely　shifty　pair　than　these　latter　were　never　seen。　　While　fraternizing　secretly　with　both　Gilgan　and　Edstrom；　laying　out　their　political　programme　most　neatly；　they　were　at　the　same　time　conferring　with　Dowling；　Duvanicki；　even　McKenty　himself。　　Seeing　that　the　outcome　was；　for　some　reasonhe　could　scarcely　see　why　looking　very　uncertain；　McKenty　one　day　asked　the　two　of　them　to　come　to　see　him。　　On　getting　the　letter　Mr。　Tiernan　strolled　over　to　Mr。　Kerrigan's　place　to　see　whether　he　also　had　received　a　message。

〃Sure；　sure！　I　did！〃　replied　Mr。　Kerrigan；　gaily。　　〃Here　it　is　now　in　me　outside　coat　pocket。　　'Dear　Mr。　Kerrigan；〃'　he　read；　〃'won't　you　do　me　the　favor　to　come　over　to…morrow　evening　at　seven　and　dine　with　me？　Mr。　Ungerich；　Mr。　Duvanicki；　and　several　others　will　very　likely　drop　in　afterward。　　I　have　asked　Mr。　Tiernan　to　come　at　the　same　time。　　Sincerely；　John　J。　McKenty。'　That's　the　way　he　does　it；〃　added　Mr。　Kerrigan；　〃just　like　that。

He　kissed　the　letter　mockingly　and　put　it　back　into　his　pocket。

〃Sure　I　got　one；　jist　the　same　way。　　The　very　same　langwidge；　nearly；〃　commented　Mr。　Tiernan；　sweetly。　　〃He's　beginning　to　wake　up；　eh？　What！　The　little　old　first　and　second　are　beginning　to　look　purty　big　just　now；　eh？　What！〃

〃Tush！〃　observed　Mr。　Kerrigan　to　Mr。　Tiernan；　with　a　marked　sardonic　emphasis；　〃that　combination　won't　last　forever。　　They've　been　getting　too　big　for　their　pants；　I'm　thinking。　　Well；　it's　a　long　road；　eh？　It's　pretty　near　time；　what？〃

〃You're　right；〃　responded　Mr。　Tiernan；　feelingly。　　〃It　is　a　long　road。　　These　are　the　two　big　wards　of　the　city；　and　everybody　knows　it。　　If　we　turn　on　them　at　the　last　moment　where　will　they　be；　eh？〃

He　put　a　fat　finger　alongside　of　his　heavy　reddish　nose　and　looked　at　Mr。　Kerrigan　out　of　squinted　eyes。

〃You're　damned　right；〃　replied　the　little　politician；　cheerfully。

They　went　to　the　dinner　separately；　so　as　not　to　appear　to　have　conferred　before；　and　greeted　each　other　on　arriving　as　though　they　had　not　seen　each　other　for　days。

〃How's　business；　Mike？〃

〃Oh；　fair；　Pat。　　How's　things　with　you？〃

〃So　so。〃

〃Things　lookin'　all　right　in　your　ward　for　November？〃

Mr。　Tiernan　wrinkled　a　fat　forehead。　　〃Can't　tell　yet。〃　All　this　was　for　the　benefit　of　Mr。　McKenty；　who　did　not　suspect　rank　party　disloyalty。

Nothing　much　came　of　this　conference；　except　that　they　sat　about　discussing　in　a　general　way　wards；　pluralities；　what　Zeigler　was　likely　to　do　with　the　twelfth；　whether　Pinski　could　make　it　in　the　sixth；　Schlumbohm　in　the　twentieth；　and　so　on。　　New　Republican　contestants　in　old；　safe　Democratic　wards　were　making　things　look　dubious。

〃And　how　about　the　first；　Kerrigan？〃　inquired　Ungerich；　a　thin；　reflective　German…American　of　shrewd　presence。　　Ungerich　was　one　who　had　hitherto　wormed　himself　higher　in　McKenty's　favor　than　either　Kerrigan　or　Tiernan。

〃Oh；　the　first's　all　right；〃　replied　Kerrigan；　archly。　　〃Of　course　you　never　can　tell。　　This　fellow　Scully　may　do　something；　but　I　don't　think　it　will　be　much。　　If　we　have　the　same　police　protection〃

Ungerich　was　gratified。　　He　was　having　a　struggle　in　his　own　ward；　where　a　rival　by　the　name　of　Glover　appeared　to　be　pouring　out　money　like　water。　　He　would　require　considerably　more　money　than　usual　to　win。　　It　was　the　same　with　Duvanicki。

McKenty　finally　parted　with　his　lieutenantsmore　feelingly　with　Kerrigan　and　Tiernan　than　he　had　ever　done　before。　　He　did　not　wholly　trust　these　two；　and　he　could　not　exactly　admire　them　and　their　methods；　which　were　the　roughest　of　all；　but　they　were　useful。

〃I'm　glad　to　learn；〃　he　said；　at　parting；　〃that　things　are　looking　all　right　with　you；　Pat；　and　you；　Mike；〃　nodding　to　each　in　turn。　〃We're　going　to　need　the　most　we　can　get　out　of　everybody。　　I　depend　on　you　two　to　make　a　fine　showingthe　best　of　any。　　The　rest　of　us　will　not　forget　it　when　the　plums　are　being　handed　around　afterward。〃

〃Oh；　you　can　depend　on　me　to　do　the　best　I　can　always；〃　commented　Mr。　Kerrigan；　sympathetically。　　〃It's　a　tough　year；　but　we　haven't　failed　yet。〃

〃And　me；　Chief！　That　goes　for　me；〃　observed　Mr。　Tiernan；　raucously。　〃I　guess　I　can　do　as　well　as　I　have。〃

〃Good　for　you；　Mike！〃　soothed　McKenty；　laying　a　gentle　hand　on　his　shoulder。　　〃And　you；　too；　Kerrigan。　　Yours　are　the　key　wards；　and　we　understand　that。　　I've　always　been　sorry　that　the　leaders　couldn't　agree　on　you　two　for　something　better　than　councilmen；　but　next　time　there　won't　be　any　doubt　of　it；　if　I　have　any　influence　then。〃　He　went　in　and　closed　the　door。　　Outside　a　cool　October　wind　was　whipping　dead　leaves　and　weed　stalks　along　the　pavements。　Neither　Tiernan　nor　Kerrigan　spoke；　though　they　had　come　away　together；　until　they　were　two　hundred　feet　d