the vision spendid(美景)-第16章
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his victim as a terrier does a rat。 〃Forget it。 You were elected to support R。
K。 Hardy； sewed up with a pledge tight and fast。 We're not in the primer
class； Killen。 Don't get a notion you're going to do as you damn please。
You'llvoteforR。K。 Hardy。 Get that？〃
〃I refuse to be moved by threats； and I decline to discuss the matter
further；〃 retorted Killen with a pitiable attempt at dignity。
Rawson laughed with insulting menace。 〃That's a good one。 I've sold
out； but it's none of your business what I got。 That what you mean？〃
〃You surely must recognize our right to an explanation； Killen；〃 Jeff
said gently。
〃No； sir； I don't；〃 flushed the little man with sullen bravado。 〃I ain't got
a thing against you； but Rawson goes too far。〃
〃I think he does；〃 Jeff agreed。 〃Killen is all right。 Gentlemen； suppose
you let him and me talk it over alone。 We can reach an agreement that is
satisfactory。〃
Hardy's face cleared。 This was not the first waverer Jeff had brought
back into line； not the first by several。 There was something compelling in
his friendly smile and affectionate manner。
〃I'm sure Mr。 Killen intends only what is right。 I'm content to leave the
matter entirely with you and him；〃 Hardy said。
Jeff turned to Rawson。 〃And you； old warhorse？〃
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〃Have it your own way； but don't forget there's a nigger in the
woodpile。〃
Jeff and Killen walked to the office of the latter； which was on the next
floor of the Century Building； the legislator stiffening his will to resist the
assaults he felt would be made upon it。 But as soon as the door was shut
Jeff surprised him by laying a hand on his shoulder。
〃Tell me all about it； Sam。〃
Killen gasped。 He got an impossible vision of young Farnum as his
brother in trouble。 〃About what？ I didn't say〃
〃I've known for a week something was wrong。 I couldn't very well ask
you； but since I've blundered in you'd better let me help you if I can。〃
Killen was touched。 His lip trembled。 〃It don't do any good to talk
about things。 I guess a fellow has to carry his own griefs。 Nobody else is
hunting for a chance to invest in them。〃
〃What's a friend for？〃 Jeff wanted to know gently。
The little man gulped。 〃I guess I've got no friends。 Anyhow they don't
count when a fellow's in hard luck。 It's every man for himself。〃
The younger man's smile was warm as summer sunshine。 〃Wrong
guess； Sam。 We're in this little old world to help each other when we can。〃
The wretched man drew the back of a trembling hand across his moist
eyes。 He inhaled a long sobbing breath and broke into apology for his
weakness。 〃Haven't slept for a week except from trional。 The back of my
head pricks day and night。 Can't think of anything but my troubles。〃
〃Unload them on me；〃 Jeff said lightly。
〃It's that mortgage on my mill；〃 Killen blurted out。 〃It falls due this
month and I can't meet it。 Things haven't been going well with me。〃
〃Can't you get it renewed？〃
〃Through a dummy Big Tim has bought it up。 He won't renew； unless …
…〃 Killen broke off； to continue in a moment： 〃And that ain't all。 My little
girl needs an operation awful badly。 The doctor says she had ought to go to
Chicago。 I just can't raise the price。〃
〃How much is the mortgage？〃
〃Three thousand；〃 replied the man； and he added with a gust of weak
despair； 〃My God； man！ That mill's all I've got to keep bread in the mouths
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of my motherless children。〃
〃I reckon Big Tim has offered to cancel the mortgage notes and give
you about a thousand to go on；〃 Jeff suggested casually。
Killen nodded。 〃It would put me on my feet again and give the kiddie
her chance。〃 The answer had slipped out naturally； but now the fear chilled
him that he had been lured into making a confession。 〃I didn't say I was
going to take it；〃 he added hastily。
〃You're quite safe with me； Killen；〃 Jeff told him。 He was wondering
whether he could not get Captain Chunn to take over the mortgage。
〃I'm not so much struck on Hardy myself；〃 grumbled the legislator。
〃He's a rich man； just as Frome is。 Six of one and half a dozen of the other；
looks like to me。〃
〃No； Killen。 Frome represents the Transcontinental and the utility
corporations。 Hardy stands for the people。 And you're pledged to support
Hardy。 You mustn't forget that。〃
〃I ain't likely to forget that mortgage either；〃 Killen came back
drearily。
〃I think I can arrange about having the mortgage renewed。 Will that
do？〃
〃Yes。 We're going to have a good year in the lumber business。
Probably in twelve months I could clear it off。〃
〃Good！ And about the little girlshe'll have her chance。 I promise you
that。〃
The mill man wrung his hand； tears in his eyes。 〃You're a white man；
Jeff； and a dashed good friend。 I tell you I'd hate like poison to go back on
Hardy。 A fellow can't afford to do a thing like that。 But what else could I
do？ A fellow's got to stand by the children he brings into the world； ain't
he？〃
Farnum evaded with a smile this discussion of moral issues。 〃Well；
you can stand by them and us； too； if I can fix up this mortgage
proposition for you。〃
〃When will you let me know？〃 asked Killen anxiously。
〃Will to…morrow morning do？ In James' office； say。〃
〃I'll have to know before noon；〃 Killen reminded him； flushing with
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embarrassment。
〃If I can arrange to get the moneyand I think I canI'll let you know
at eleven。 Don't worry； Sam。 It will be all right。〃
The legislator shook hands again。 〃I ain't going to forget what you're
doing for me。 No； sir！〃
Jeff laughed his thanks easily。 〃That's all right。 I reckon you would
have done as much for me。 Sam Killen isn't the man to throw his friends
down。〃
〃That's right；〃 returned the other with a sudden valiant infusion of
courage。 〃I stand pat。 I'm not going to lie down before the
Transcontinental。 Not on your life； I ain't。〃
They were walking toward the outer door as Killen's speech
overflowed。 〃The Transcontinental doesn't own this state yet。 No； sir！ Nor
Frome and Merrill either。 We'll show 'em〃
The valor of the big voice collapsed like a rent balloon。 For the office
door had opened to let in Big Tim O'Brien。 His shrewd eyes passed with
whimsical disgust over Killen and rested on Farnum。
The situation made for amusement； since Jeff knew that Big Tim had
heard over the transom enough to show that Killen's vote had been
recaptured for Hardy。
〃You've stumbled on a red hot Hardy ratification meeting。 Did you
come to get into the bandwagon while there is time； Tim？〃 Jeff asked with
twinkling eyes。
〃No sinking ship for mine。 I guess I wouldn't ratify yet a while if I
were youse； Farnum。〃
He stood aside to let the editor of the _World_ pass。 Jeff laughed。 〃Go
to it； Tim。〃
〃I haven't got anything to say to you； Mr。 O'Brien；〃 the mill man
announced with heightened color。
〃Maybe I've got something to say to youse； Mr。 Killen。〃
Jeff passed out smiling。 〃Well； I'll not interrupt you。 See you to…
morrow； Sam。〃
Big Tim sat down heavily in a chair and pulled from his vest pocket a
fat black cigar。
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〃Smoke； Killen？〃
〃No； thanks。〃 The legislator spoke with stiff dignity。
Big Tim looked at the other man and his paunch shook with the
merriment that appeared to convulse him。
〃What's the matter？〃 snapped the mill man。
〃I'm laughin' at the things I see； Killen。 Man； but you're an easy mar…
rk。〃
〃How？〃
〃Can't you see they're stringin' youse for a sucker？〃
〃No； I can't see it。 I've made up my mind。 I'm going to stand by
Hardy。〃
〃Fine！ Now I'll tell youse one thing。 We're goin' to elect Frome to…
morrow。〃 O'Brien rose as one who has no time for unprofitable talk。 〃Your
friends have sold youse out。 I'm going to call on one of thim right now。〃
〃I don't believe it。〃
〃Of course you don't。〃 Tim's projecting balcony shook with the humor
of it。 〃But you'll be convinced when they take your mill from youse； me
boy。 It's a frame…upand you're the goat。〃
With which shot he took his departure； too shrewd to attempt any
argument。 He had left behind him a doubt。 That was all he could do just
now。
Before Tim was out of the building Killen was gumshoeing after him。
He meant to find out whether O'Brien had been lying when he said he was
going to call on one of his friends。 Fifty yards behind him Killen followed；
along Powers Avenue； down Pacific Street； to the Equitable Building。
From the pilot of one of the elevators he learned that the big boss had got
off at the seventh floor and gone straight into James Farnum's office。
His mind was instantly alive with suspicions tumbling over each other
in chaotic incoherency。 There was a deal of some kind on foot。 Jeff's
cousin was in it。 Then Jeff must be playing him for a sucker。 His teeth set
with a snap。
Meanwhile Big Tim was having a heart to heart talk with James K。
Farnum。
The young lawyer had risen in surprise at the entrance of O'Brien。 The
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big fellow； laughing easily； had helped himself to a chair。
〃Make yourself at home； Tim；〃 he said jauntily。
〃Anything I can do for you； Mr。 O'Brien？〃 James asked with stiff
dignity。
〃Sure。 Or I wouldn't be here。 Sit down。 I'll not bite ye。〃
The lawyer continued to stand。
