We were packed into several family carriages and started off.In front of the hall the inevitable red fire was burning,its quivering light reflected on the faces of the crowd that blocked the street.They stood silent,strangely apathetic as we pushed through them to the curb,and the red fire went out suddenly as we descended.My temporary sense of depression,however,deserted me as we entered the hall,which was well lighted and filled with people,who clapped when the Hon.Joseph and I,accompanied by Mr.Doddridge and the Hon.Henry Clay Mellish from Pottstown,with the local chairman,walked out on the stage.A glance over the audience sufficed to ascertain that that portion of the population whose dinner pails we longed to fill was evidently not present in large numbers.But the farmers had driven in from the hills,while the merchants and storekeepers of Elkington had turned out loyally.
The chairman,in introducing me,proclaimed me as a coming man,and declared that I had already achieved,in the campaign,considerable notoriety.As I spoke,I was pleasantly aware of Maude Hutchins leaning forward a little across the rail of the right-hand stage box--for the town hall was half opera-house;her attitude was one of semi-absorbed admiration;and the thought that I had made an impression on her stimulated me.I spoke with more aplomb.Somewhat to my surprise,Ifound myself making occasional,unexpected witticisms that drew laughter and applause.Suddenly,from the back of the hall,a voice called out:--"How about House Bill 709?"There was a silence,then a stirring and craning of necks.It was my first experience of heckling,and for the moment I was taken aback.Ithought of Krebs.He had,indeed,been in my mind since I had risen to my feet,and I had scanned the faces before me in search of his.But it was not his voice.
"Well,what about Bill 709?"I demanded.
"You ought to know something about it,I guess,"the voice responded.
"Put him out!"came from various portions of the hall.
Inwardly,I was shaken.Not--in orthodox language from any "conviction of sin."Yet it was my first intimation that my part in the legislation referred to was known to any save a select few.I blamed Krebs,and a hot anger arose within me against him.After all,what could they prove?
"No,don't put him out,"I said."Let him come up here to the platform.
I'll yield to him.And I'm entirely willing to discuss with him and defend any measures passed in the legislature of this state by a Republican majority.Perhaps,"I added,"the gentleman has a copy of the law in his pocket,that I may know what he is talking about,and answer him intelligently."At this there was wild applause.I had the audience with me.The offender remained silent and presently I finished my speech.After that Mr.Mecklin made them cheer and weep,and Mr.Mellish made them laugh.
The meeting had been highly successful.
"You polished him off,all right,"said George Hutchins,as he took my hand.
"Who was he?"
"Oh,one of the local sore-heads.Krebs put him up to it,of course.""Was Krebs here?"I asked.
"Sitting in the corner of the balcony.That meeting must have made him feel sick."George bent forward and whispered in my ear:"I thought Bill 709was Watling's idea.""Oh,I happened to be in the Potts House about that time,"I explained.
George,of whom it may be gathered that he was not wholly unsophisticated,grinned at me appreciatively.
"Say,Paret,"he replied,putting his hand through my arm,"there's a little legal business in prospect down here that will require some handling,and I wish you'd come down after the campaign and talk it over,with us.I've just about made up my mind that you're he man to tackle it.""All right,I'll come,"I said.
"And stay with me,"said George....
We went to his yellow-brick house for refreshments,salad and ice-cream and (in the face of the Hutchins traditions)champagne.Others had been invited in,some twenty persons....Once in a while,when I looked up,Imet Maude's eyes across the room.I walked home with her,slowly,the length of the Hutchinses'block.Floating over the lake was a waning October moon that cast through the thinning maples a lace-work of shadows at our feet;I had the feeling of well-being that comes to heroes,and the presence of Maude Hutchins was an incense,a vestal incense far from unpleasing.Yet she had reservations which appealed to me.Hers was not a gushing provincialism,like that of Mrs.George.
"I liked your speech so much,Mr.Paret,"she told me."It seemed so sensible and--controlled,compared to the others.I have never thought a great deal about these things,of course,and I never understood before why taking away the tariff caused so much misery.You made that quite plain.
"If so,I'm glad,"I said.
She was silent a moment.
"The working people here have had a hard time during the last year,"she went on."Some of the mills had to be shut down,you know.It has troubled me.Indeed,it has troubled all of us.And what has made it more difficult,more painful is that many of them seem actually to dislike us.They think it's father's fault,and that he could run all the mills if he wanted to.I've been around a little with mother and sometimes the women wouldn't accept any help from us;they said they'd rather starve than take charity,that they had the right to work.But father couldn't run the mills at a loss--could he?""Certainly not,"I replied.
"And then there's Mr.Krebs,of whom we were speaking at supper,and who puts all kinds of queer notions into their heads.Father says he's an anarchist.I heard father say at supper that he was at Harvard with you.
Did you like him?"
