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+The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Gray Dawn, by Stewart Edward White
+
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+**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971**
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+*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!*****
+
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+Title: The Gray Dawn
+
+Author: Stewart Edward White
+
+Release Date: October, 2005 [EBook #9149]
+[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule]
+[This file was first posted on September 8, 2003]
+
+Edition: 10
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ASCII
+
+*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GRAY DAWN ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by C. Aldarondo, T. Vergon, J. Fairbanks
+and Online Distributed Proofreaders
+
+
+
+
+THE GREY DAWN
+
+BY
+
+STEWART EDWARD WHITE
+
+
+Illustrated by
+Thomas Fogarty
+
+ILLUSTRATIONS
+
+They moved away, leaving Mrs. Morrell alone, biting her lips and planning
+revenges
+
+King listened to him in silence
+
+"Look here, don't try to come that rot. I said, get out--and I mean it!"
+
+"Call all you please," he sneered. "Nobody's going to pay any attention to
+your calls at Jake's Place!"
+
+OTHER BOOKS BY THE SAME AUTHOR
+
+
+THE CLAIM JUMPERS
+THE WESTERNERS
+THE BLAZED TRAIL
+ARIZONA NIGHTS
+BLAZED TRAIL STORIES
+THE CABIN
+CAMP AND TRAIL
+CONJUROR'S HOUSE
+THE FOREST
+THE SIGN AT SIX
+THE RULES OF THE GAME
+
+THE RIVERMAN
+THE SILENT PLACES
+THE ADVENTURES OF BOBBY ORDE
+THE MOUNTAINS
+THE PASS
+THE MAGIC FOREST
+THE LAND OF FOOTPRINTS
+AFRICAN CAMP FIRES
+THE REDISCOVERED COUNTRY
+GOLD
+THE MYSTERY
+  (With Samuel Hopkins Adams)
+
+
+THE GRAY DAWN
+
+
+PRINCIPAL CHARACTERS IN TALE
+
+MILTON KEITH: a young lawyer from Baltimore.
+NAN KEITH: his wife.
+JOHN SHERWOOD: a gambler.
+PATSY SHERWOOD: his wife.
+ARTHUR MORRELL: an English adventurer.
+MIMI MORRELL: his wife or mistress.
+BEN SANSOME: a lady-killer, destined to become an "old beau."
+W. T. COLEMAN, or "old Vigilante," a leader.
+DAVID TERRY: a leader on the other side.
+JAMES KING OF WILLIAM: a modern Crusader.
+THE SPIRIT OF SAN FRANCISCO
+    AND OTHERS
+
+
+
+
+I
+
+
+On the veranda of the Bella Union Hotel, San Francisco, a man sat enjoying
+his morning pipe. The Bella Union overlooked the Plaza of that day, a
+dusty, unkempt, open space, later to be swept and graded and dignified into
+Portsmouth Square. The man was at the younger fringe of middle life. He was
+dressed neatly and carefully in the fashionable costume of the time, which
+was the year of grace 1852. As to countenance, he was square and solid; as
+to physique, he was the same; as to expression, he inclined toward the
+quietly humorous; in general he would strike the observer as deliberately,
+philosophically competent. A large pair of steelbound spectacles sat
+halfway down his nose. Sometimes he read his paper through their lenses;
+and sometimes, forgetting, he read over the tops of their bows. The
+newspaper he held was an extraordinary document. It consisted of four large
+pages. The outside page was filled solidly with short eight or ten line
+advertisements; the second page grudgingly vouchsafed a single column of
+news items; the third page warmed to a column of editorial and another of
+news; all the rest of the space on these and the entire fourth page was
+again crowded close with the short advertisements. They told of the arrival
+of ships, the consignment of goods, the movements of real estate, the sales
+of stock, but mainly of auctions. The man paid little attention to the
+scanty news, and none at all to the editorials. His name was John Sherwood,
+and he was a powerful and respected public gambler.
+
+The approach across the Plaza of a group of men caused him to lay aside his
+paper, and with it his spectacles. The doffing of the latter strangely
+changed his whole expression. The philosophical middle-aged quietude fell
+from him. He became younger, keener, more alert. It was as though he had
+removed a disguise.
+
+The group approaching were all young men, and all dressed in the height of
+fashion. At that rather picturesque time this implied the flat-brimmed
+beaver hat; the long swallowtail, or skirted coat; the tight "pantaloons";
+varicoloured, splendid, low-cut waistcoats of satin, of velvet, or of
+brocade; high wing collars; varnished boots; many sparkling, studs and
+cravat pins; rather longish hair; and whiskers cut close to the cheek or
+curling luxuriantly under the chin. They were prosperous, well-fed,
+arrogant-looking youths, carrying their crests high, the light of questing
+recklessness in their eyes, ready to laugh, drink, or fight with anybody.
+At sight of Sherwood they waved friendly hands, and canes, and veered in
+his direction.
+
+"Yo're just the man we are looking for!" cried a tall, dark, graceful young
+fellow, "We are all 'specially needful of wisdom. The drinks are on some
+one, and we cain't decide who."
+
+John Sherwood, his keen eyes twinkling, set his chair down on four legs.
+
+"State your case, Cal," he said.
+
+Cal waved a graceful hand at a stout, burly, red-faced man whose thick
+blunt fingers, square blue jowl, and tilted cigar gave the flavour of the
+professional politician. "John Webb, here-excuse _me_, Sheriff John Webb-
+presumin' on the fact that he has been to the mines, and that he came here
+in '49, arrogates to himself the exclusive lyin' privileges, of this
+assemblage."
+
+"Pretty large order," commented Sherwood.
+
+"_Pre_cisely," agreed Cal, "and that's why the drinks are on him!"
+
+But Sheriff Webb, who had been chuckling cavernously inside his bulky
+frame, spoke up in a harsh and husky voice: "I told them an innocent
+experience of mine, and they try to hold me up for drinks. I don't object
+to giving them a reasonable amount of drinks--what _I_ call reasonable," he
+added hastily, "but I object to being held up."
+
+"He says he used to cook," put in a small, alert, nervous, rather flashily
+dressed individual named Rowlee, editor of the _Bugle_.
+
+"I did!" stoutly asseverated Webb.
+
+"And that he baked a loaf of bread so hard nobody could eat it."
+
+"Sounds perfectly reasonable," said Sherwood.
+
+"And that nobody could _break_ it," Rowlee went on.
+
+"I have no difficulty in believing that," said Sherwood judicially. "Your
+case is mighty weak yet, Cal."
+
+"But he claims it was so hard that they used it for a grindstone."
+
+"I did not!" disclaimed Webb indignantly.
+
+An accusing groan met this statement.
+
+"I tell you I didn't say anything of the kind," roared Webb, his bull voice
+overtopping them all.
+
+"Well, what did you say, then?" challenged Calhoun Bennett.
+
+"I said we tried to use her as a grindstone," said Webb, "but it didn't
+work."
+
+"Weak case, boys; weak case," said Sherwood.
+
+The little group, their eyes wide, their nostrils distended, waited
+accusingly for Webb to proceed. After an interval, the sheriff, staring
+critically at the lighted end of his cigar, went on in a drawling voice:
+
+"Yes, we, couldn't get a hole through her to hang her axle on. We blunted
+all our drills. Every Sunday we'd try a new scheme. Finally we laid her
+flat under a tree and rigged a lightnin' rod down to the centre of her. No
+use. She tore that lightning all to pieces."
+
+He looked up at them with a limpid, innocent eye, to catch John Sherwood
+gazing at him accusingly.
+
+"John Webb," said he "you forget that I came out here in, '48. On your
+honour, do you expect _me_ to believe that yarn?"
+
+"Well," said Webb, gazing again at his cigar end, "no--really I don't. The
+fact is," he went on with a perfectly solemn air of confidence, "the fact
+is, I've lived out here so long and told so many damn lies that now without
+some help I don't know when to believe myself."
+
+"Do we get that drink?" insisted Calhoun Bennett.
+
+"Oh, Lord, yes, you always get a drink."
+
+"Well, come on and _get_ it then--you, too, of course, Mr. Sherwood."
+
+The gambler arose, and began leisurely to fold his paper and to put away
+his spectacles.
+
+"I see you got Mex Ryan off, Cal," he observed. "You either had
+extraordinary luck, or you're a mighty fine lawyer. Looked like a clear
+case to me. He just naturally went in and beat Rucker half to death in his
+own store. How did you do it?"
+
+"I assure yo' it was no sinecure," laughed the tall, dark youth. "I earned
+my fee."
+
+"Yes," grumbled Webb, "but he got six months--and I got to take care of
+him. Cluttering up my jail with dirty beasts like Mex Ryan! Could just as
+easy have turned him loose!"
+
+"That would have been a little too much!" smiled Bennett. "It was takin'
+some risk to let him off as easy as we did. It isn't so long since the
+Vigilantes."
+
+"Oh, hell, we can handle that sort of trash now," snorted Webb.
+
+"Who was backing Mex, anyway?" asked Rowlee curiously.
+
+"Better ask who had it in for Rucker," suggested the fourth member of the
+group, a man who had not heretofore spoken. This was Dick Blatchford, a
+round-faced, rather corpulent, rather silent though jovial-looking
+individual, with a calculating and humorous eye. He was magnificently
+apparelled, but rather untidy.
+
+"Well, I do ask it," said Rowlee.
+
+But to this he got no response.
+
+"Come on, ain't you got that valuable paper folded up yet?" rumbled Webb to
+Sherwood.
+
+They all turned down the high-pillared veranda, toward the bar, talking
+idly and facetiously of last night's wine and this morning's head. A door
+opened at their very elbow, and in it a woman appeared.
+
+
+
+
+II
+
+
+She was a slender woman, of medium height, with a small, well-poised head,
+on which the hair lay smooth and glossy. Her age was somewhere between
+thirty and thirty-five years. A stranger would have been first of all
+impressed by the imperious carriage of her head and shoulders, the repose
+of her attitude. Become a friend or a longer acquaintance, he would have
+noticed more particularly her wide low brow, her steady gray eyes and her
+grave but humorous lips. But inevitably he would have gone back at last to
+her more general impression. Ben Sansome, the only man in town who did
+nothing, made society and dress a profession and the judgment of women a
+religion, had long since summed her up: "She carries her head charmingly."
+
+This poised, wise serenity of carriage was well set off by the costume of
+the early fifties--a low collar, above which her neck rose like a flower
+stem; flowing sleeves; full skirts with many silken petticoats that
+whispered and rustled; low sandalled shoes, their ties crossed and
+recrossed around white slender ankles. A cameo locket, hung on a heavy gold
+chain, rose and fell with her breast; a cameo brooch pinned together the
+folds of her bodice; massive and wide bracelets of gold clasped her wrists
+and vastly set off her rounded, slender forearms.
+
+She stood quite motionless in the doorway, nodding with a little smile in
+response to the men's sweeping salutes.
+
+"You will excuse me gentlemen, I am sure," said Sherwood formally, and
+instantly turned aside.
+
+The woman in the doorway thereupon preceded him down a narrow, bare,
+unlighted hallway, opened another door, and entered a room. Sherwood
+followed, closing the door after him.
+
+"Want something, Patsy?" he inquired.
+
+The room was obviously one of the best of the Bella Union. That is to say,
+it was fairly large, the morning sun streamed in through its two windows,
+and it contained a small iron stove. In all other respects it differed
+quite from any other hotel room in the San Francisco of that time. A heavy
+carpet covered the floor, the upholstery was of leather or tapestry, wall
+paper adorned the walls, a large table supported a bronze lamp and numerous
+books and papers, a canary, in a brass cage, hung in the sunshine of one of
+the windows, flitted from perch to perch, occasionally uttering a few
+liquid notes under its breath.
+
+"Just a little change, Jack, if you have some with you," said the woman.
+Her speaking voice was rich and low.
+
+Sherwood thrust a forefinger into his waistcoat pocket, and produced one of
+the hexagonal slugs of gold current at that time.
+
+"Oh, not so much!" she protested.
+
+"All I've got. What are you up to to-day, Patsy?"
+
+"I thought of going down to Yet Lee's--unless there is something better to
+do."
+
+"Doesn't sound inspiring. Did you go to that fair or bazaar thing
+yesterday?"
+
+She smiled with her lips, but her eyes darkened.
+
+"Yes, I went. It was not altogether enjoyable. I doubt if I'll try that
+sort of thing again."
+
+Sherwood's eye suddenly became cold and dangerous.
+
+"If they didn't treat you right--"
+
+She smiled, genuinely this time, at his sudden truculence.
+
+"They didn't mob me," she rejoined equably, "and, anyway, I suppose it is
+to be expected."
+
+"It's that cat of Morrell's," he surmised.
+
+"Oh, she--and others. I ought not to have spoken of it, Jack. It's really
+beneath the contempt of sensible people."
+
+"I'll get after Morrell, if he doesn't make that woman behave," said
+Sherwood, without attention to her last speech.
+
+She smiled at him again, entirely calm and reasonable.
+
+"And what good would it do to get after Morrell?" she asked. "Mrs. Morrell
+only stands for what most of them feel. I don't care, anyway. I get along
+splendidly without them." She sauntered over to the window, where she began
+idly to poke one finger at the canary.
+
+"For the life of me, Patsy," confessed Sherwood, "I can't see that they're
+an inspiring lot, anyway. From what little I've seen of them, they haven't
+more than an idea apiece. They'd bore me to death in a week."
+
+"I know that. They'd bore me, too. Don't talk about them. When do they
+expect the _Panama_--do you know?"
+
+But with masculine persistence he refused to abandon the topic.
+
+"I must confess I don't see the point," he insisted. "You've got more
+brains than the whole lot of them together, you've got more sense, you're a
+lot better looking"--he surveyed her, standing in the full light by the
+canary's cage, her little glossy head thrown back, her pink lips pouted
+teasingly at the charmed and agitated bird, her fine clear features
+profiled in the gold of the sunshine--"and you're a thoroughbred, egad,
+which most of them are not."
+
+"Oh, thank you, kind sir." She threw him a humourous glance. "But of course
+that is not the point."
+
+"Oh, isn't it? Well, perhaps you'll tell me the point."
+
+She left the canary and came to face him.
+
+"I'm not respectable," she said.
+
+At the word he exploded.
+
+"Respectable? What are you talking about? You talk as though--as though we
+weren't married, egad!"
+
+"Well, Jack," she replied, a faint mocking smile curving the corners of her
+mouth, "when it comes to that, we _did_ elope, you'll have to acknowledge.
+And we weren't married for quite a long time afterward."
+
+"We got married as soon as we could, didn't we?" he cried indignantly. "Was
+it our fault that we didn't get married sooner? And what difference did it
+make, anyway?"
+
+"Now don't get all worked up," she chided. "I'm just telling you why, in
+the eyes of some of these people, I'm not 'respectable.' You asked me, you
+know."
+
+"Go on," he conceded to this last.
+
+"Well, we ran away and weren't married. That's item one. Then perhaps
+you've forgotten that I sat on lookout for some of your games in the early
+days in the mining camps?"
+
+"Forgotten?" said Sherwood, the light of reminiscence springing to his
+eyes.
+
+The same light had come into hers.
+
+"Will you _ever_ forget," she murmured, "the camps by the summer streams,
+the log towns, the lights, the smoke, the freedom--the comradeship--"
+
+"Homesick for the old rough days?" he teased.
+
+"Kind of," she confessed. "But it wasn't 'respectable'--a--well, a _fairly_
+good-looking woman in a miner's saloon."
+
+He flared again.
+
+"Do you mean to tell me they dare say--"
+
+"They dare say anything--behind our backs," she said, with cool contempt.
+"It's all drivelling nonsense. I care nothing about it. But you asked me.
+Don't bother your head about it. Have you anything to suggest doing this
+morning, instead of Yet Lee's?" She turned away from him toward the door
+leading into another room. "I'll get my hat," she said over her shoulder.
+
+"Look here, Patsy," said Sherwood, rather grimly, "if you want to get in
+with that lot, you shall."
+
+She stopped at this, and turned square around.
+
+"If I do--when I do--I will," she replied. "But, John Sherwood, you mustn't
+interfere--never in the world! Promise!" She stood there, almost menacing
+in her insistence, evidently resolved to nip this particularly masculine
+resolution in the bud.
+
+"Egad, Patsy," cried Sherwood, "you are certainly a raving beauty!"
+
+He covered the ground between them in two strides, and crushed her in his
+arms. She threw her head back for his kiss.
+
+A knock sounded, and almost immediately a very black, very bullet-headed
+young negro thrust his head in at the door.
+
+"Sam," said Sherwood deliberately, "some day I'm going to kill you!"
+
+"Yes, sah! yes, sah!" agreed Sam heartily.
+
+"Well, what the devil do you want?"
+
+"Th' _Panama_ done been, signalled; yes, sah!" said the negro, but without
+following his head through the door.
+
+"Well, what the devil do you suppose I care, you black limb?" roared
+Sherwood, "and what do you mean coming in here before you're told?"
+
+"Yes, sah! yes, sah, dat's right," ducked Sam, "Shell I awdah the team,
+sah?"
+
+"I suppose we might as well go see her docked. Would you like it?" he asked
+his wife.
+
+"I'd love it."
+
+"Then get the team. And some day I'm going to kill you."
+
+
+
+
+III
+
+
+Mrs. Sherwood prepared herself first of all by powdering her nose. This
+simple operation, could it have been seen by the "respectable" members of
+the community, would in itself have branded her as "fast," In those days
+cosmetics of any sort were by most considered inventions of the devil. It
+took extraordinary firmness of character even to protect one's self against
+sunburn by anything more artificial than the shadow of a hat or a parasol.
+Then she assumed a fascinating little round hat that fitted well down over
+her small head. This, innocent of pins, was held on by an elastic at the
+back. A ribbon, hanging down directly in front, could be utilized to steady
+it in a breeze.
+
+"All ready," she announced, picking up a tiny parasol, about big enough for
+a modern doll. "You may carry my mantle."
+
+Near the foot of the veranda steps waited Sam at the heads of a pair of
+beautiful, slim, satiny horses. Their bay coats had been groomed until they
+rippled and sparkled with every movement of the muscles beneath. Wide red-
+lined nostrils softly expanded and contracted with a restrained eagerness;
+and soft eyes rolled in the direction of the Sherwoods--keen, lithe,
+nervous, high-strung creatures, gently stamping little hoofs, impatiently
+tossing dainty heads, but nevertheless making no movement that would stir
+the vehicle that stood "cramped" at the steps. Their harness carried no
+blinders; their tails, undocked, swept the ground; but their heads were
+pulled into the air by the old stupid overhead check reins until their
+noses pointed almost straight ahead. It gave them rather a haughty air.
+
+Sherwood stepped in first, took the reins in one hand, and offered his
+other hand to his wife. Sam instantly left the horses' heads to hold a
+wicker contrivance against the arc of the wheels. This was to protect
+skirts from dusty tires. Mrs. Sherwood settled as gracefully to her place
+as a butterfly on its flower. Sam snatched away the wicker guards. Sherwood
+spoke to the horses. With a purring little snort they moved smoothly away.
+The gossamerlike wheels threw the light from their swift spokes. Sam, half
+choked by the swirl of dust, gazed after them. Sherwood, leaning slightly
+forward against the first eagerness of the animals, showed a strong,
+competent, arresting figure, with his beaver hat, his keen grim face, his
+snow-white linen, and the blue of his brass-buttoned-coat. The beautiful
+horses were stepping as one, a delight to the eye, making nothing whatever
+of the frail vehicle at their heels. But Sam's eye lingered longest on the
+small stately figure of his mistress. She sat very straight, her head high,
+the little parasol poised against the sun, the other hand clasping the hat
+ribbon.
+
+"Dem's quality foh sure!" said Sam with conviction.
+
+Sherwood drove rapidly around the edge of the Plaza and, so into Kearney
+Street. From here to the water front were by now many fireproof brick and
+stone structures, with double doors and iron shatters, like fortresses. So
+much had San Francisco learned from her five disastrous fires. The stone
+had come from China, the brick also from overseas. Down side streets one
+caught glimpses of huge warehouses--already in this year of 1852 men talked
+of the open-air auctions of three years before as of something in history
+inconceivably remote. The streets, where formerly mule teams had literally
+been drowned in mud, now were covered with planking. This made a fine
+resounding pavement. Horses' hoofs went merrily _klop, klop, klop_, and the
+wheels rumbled a dull undertone. San Francisco had been very proud of this
+pavement when it was new. She was very grateful for it even now, for in the
+upper part of town the mud and dust were still something awful.
+Unfortunately the planks were beginning to wear out in places; and a city
+government, trying to give the least possible for its taxes, had made no
+repairs.
+
+There were many holes, large or small: jagged, splintered, ugly holes going
+down to indeterminate blackness either of depth or mud. Private
+philanthropists had fenced or covered these. Private facetiousness had
+labelled most of them with signboards. These were rough pictures of
+disaster painted from the marking pot, and various screeds--"Head of
+Navigation," "No Bottom," "Horse and Dray Lost Here," "Take Soundings,"
+"Storage, Inquire Below," "Good Fishing for Teal," and the like.
+
+Among these obstructions Sherwood guided his team skilfully, dodging not
+only them, but other vehicles darting or crawling in the same direction.
+There were no rules of the road. Omnibuses careered along, every window
+rattling loudly; drays creaked and strained, their horses' hoofs slipping
+against wet planks; horsemen threaded their way; nondescript delivery
+wagons tried to outrattle the omnibuses. The din was something
+extraordinary--hoofs drumming, wheels rumbling, oaths and shouts, and from
+the sidewalks the blare and bray of brass bands in front of the various
+auction shops. Newsboys and bootblacks darted in all directions, shouting
+raucously as they do to-day. Cigar boys, an institution of the time, added
+to the hubbub. Everybody was going in the same direction, some sauntering
+with an air of leisure, some hurrying as though their fortunes were at
+stake.
+
+A wild shriek arose, and everybody made room for the steam sand shovel on
+its way to dump the sand hills into the bay. It was called the "steam
+paddy" to distinguish it from the "hand paddy"--out of Cork or Dublin. It
+rumbled by on its track, very much like juggernaut in its calm indifference
+as to how many it ran over. Sherwood's horses looked at it nervously
+askance; but he spoke to them, and though they trembled they stood.
+
+Now they debouched on the Central Wharf, and the sound of the hoofs and the
+wheels changed its tone. Central Wharf extended a full mile into the bay.
+It was lined on either side its narrow roadway by small shacks, in which
+were offered fowls, fish, vegetables, candy, refreshments. Some of them
+were tiny saloons or gambling houses. But by far the majority were the
+cubicles where the Jewish slop sellers displayed their wares. Men returning
+from the mines here landed, and here replenished their wardrobes.
+Everything was exposed to view outside, like clothes hung out after a rain.
+
+The narrow way between this long row of shops was crowded almost
+dangerously. Magnificent dray horses, with long hair on the fetlocks above
+their big heavy hoofs, bridling in conscious pride of silver-mounted
+harness and curled or braided manes, rose above the ruck as their
+ancestors, the warhorses, must have risen in medieval battle. The crowd
+parted before them and closed in behind them. Here and there, too, a
+horseman could be seen--with a little cleared space at his heels. Or a
+private calash picking its way circumspectly.
+
+From her point of vantage on the elevated seat Mrs. Sherwood could see over
+the heads of people. She sat very quietly, her body upright, but in the
+poised repose characteristic of her. Many admiring glances were directed at
+her. She seemed to be unconscious of them. Nevertheless, nothing escaped
+her. She saw, and appreciated and enjoyed, every phase of that
+heterogeneous crowd--miners in their exaggeratedly rough clothes, brocaded
+or cotton clad Chinese, gorgeous Spaniards or Chilenos, drunken men, sober
+men, excited men, empty cans or cases kicking around underfoot, frantic
+runners for hotels or steamboats trying to push their way by, newsboys and
+cigar boys darting about and miraculously worming their way through
+impenetrable places. Atop a portable pair of steps a pale, well-dressed
+young man was playing thimble-rig on his knees with a gilt pea. From an
+upturned keg a preacher was exhorting. And occasionally, through gaps
+between the shacks, she caught glimpses of blue water; or of ships at
+anchor; or, more often, of the tall pile drivers whose hammers went
+steadily up and down.
+
+Sherwood guided his glossy team and light spidery vehicle with the greatest
+delicacy and skill. He was wholly absorbed in his task. Suddenly up ahead a
+wild turmoil broke out. People crowded to right and left, clambering,
+shouting, screaming. A runaway horse hitched to a light buggy came
+careering down the way.
+
+A collision seemed inevitable. Sherwood turned his horses' heads directly
+at an open shop front. They hesitated, their small pointed ears working
+nervously. Sherwood spoke to them. They moved forward, quivering, picking
+their way daintily. Sherwood spoke again. They stopped. The runaway hurtled
+by, missing the tail of the buggy by two feet. A moment later a grand crash
+marked the end of its career farther down the line. Again Sherwood spoke to
+his horses, and exerted the slightest pressure on the reins. Daintily,
+slowly, their ears twitching back and forth, their fine eyes rolling, they
+backed out of the opening.
+
+Throughout all this exciting little incident the woman had not altered her
+pose nor the expression of her face. Her head high, her eye ruminative, she
+had looked on it all as one quite detached from possible consequences. The
+little parasol did not change its angle. Only, quite deliberately, she had
+relinquished the ribbon by which she held on her hat, and had placed her
+slender hand steadyingly on the side of the vehicle.
+
+The bystanders, already leaping down from their places of refuge and again
+crowding the narrow way, directed admiring eyes toward the beautiful,
+nervous, docile horses, the calm and dominating man, and the poised, dainty
+creature at his side. One drunken individual cheered her personally. At
+this a faint shell pink appeared in her cheeks, though she gave no other
+sign that she had heard. Sherwood glanced down at her, amused.
+
+But now emerged the Jew slop seller, very voluble. He had darted like a rat
+to some mysterious inner recess of his burrow; but now he was out again
+filling the air with lamentations, claims, appeals for justice. Sherwood
+did not even glance toward him; but in the very act of tooling his horses
+into the roadway tossed the man some silver. Immediately, with shouts and
+cheers and laughter, the hoodlums nearby began a scramble.
+
+The end of the long wharf widened to a great square, free of all buildings
+but a sort of warehouse near one end. Here a rope divided off a landing
+space. Close to the rope the multitude crowded, ready for its
+entertainment. Here also stood in stately grandeur the three livery hacks
+of which San Francisco boasted. They were magnificent affairs, the like of
+which has never elsewhere been seen plying for public hire, brightly
+painted, highly varnished, lined with silks, trimmed with solid silver. The
+harnesses were heavily mounted with the same metal. On their boxes sat
+fashionable creatures, dressed, not in livery, but throughout in the very
+latest of the late styles, shod with varnished leather, gloved with softest
+kid. Sherwood drove skilfully to the very edge of the roped space, pushing
+aside the crowd on foot. They growled at him savagely. He paid no attention
+to them, and they gave way. The buggy came to a stop. The horses, tossing
+their heads, rolling their eyes, stamping their little hoofs, nevertheless
+stood without need of further attention.
+
+Now the brass bands blared with a sudden overwhelming blast of sound, the
+crowd cheered noisily; the runners for the hotels began to bark like a pack
+of dogs. With a vast turmoil of paddle wheels, swirling of white and green
+waters, bellowing of speaking trumpets, throwing of handlines and scurrying
+of deck hands and dock hands, the _Panama_ came to rest. After considerable
+delay the gangplank was placed. The passengers began to disembark, facing
+the din much as they would have faced the buffeting of a strong wind. This
+was the cream of the entertainment for which the crowd had gathered; for
+which, indeed, the Sherwoods had made their excursion. Each individual
+received his meed of comment, sometimes audible and by no means always
+flattering. Certainly in variety both of character and of circumstance they
+offered plenty of material. From wild, half-civilized denizens of
+Louisiana's canebrakes, clinging closely to their little bundles and their
+long rifles, to the most polished exquisites of fashion they offered all
+grades and intermediates. Some of them looked rather bewildered. Some
+seemed to know just what to do and where to go. Most dove into the crowd
+with the apparent idea of losing their identity as soon as possible. The
+three magnificent hacks were filled, and managed, with much plunging and
+excitement, to plow a way through the crowd and so depart. Amusing things
+happened to which the Sherwoods called each other's attention. Thus a man,
+burdened with a single valise, ducked under the ropes near them. A paper
+boy happened to be standing near. The passenger offered the boy a fifty-
+cent piece.
+
+"Here, boy," said he, "just carry this valise for me."
+
+The paper boy gravely contemplated the fifty cents, dove into his pocket,
+and produced another.
+
+"Here, man," said he, handing them both to the traveller, "take this and
+carry it yourself."
+
+One by one the omnibuses filled and departed. The stream of passengers down
+the gangplank had ceased. The crowd began to thin. Sherwood gathered his
+reins to go. Mrs. Sherwood suddenly laid her hand on his forearm.
+
+"Oh, the poor thing!" she cried, her voice thrilling with compassion.
+
+A young man and a steward were supporting a girl down the gangplank.
+Evidently she was very weak and ill. Her face was chalky white, with dark
+rings under the eyes, her lips were pale, and she leaned heavily on the
+men. Although she could not have heard Mrs. Sherwood's exclamation of pity,
+she happened to look up at that instant, revealing a pair of large, dark,
+and appealing eyes. Her figure, too, dressed in a plain travelling dress,
+strikingly simple but bearing the unmistakable mark of distinction, was
+appealing; as were her exquisite, smooth baby skin and the downward
+drooping, almost childlike, curves of her lips. The inequalities of the
+ribbed gangplank were sufficient to cause her to stumble.
+
+"She is very weak," commented Mrs. Sherwood.
+
+"She is--or would be--remarkably pretty," added Sherwood. "I wonder what
+ails her."
+
+Arrived at the foot of the gangplank the young man removed his hat with an
+air of perplexity, and looked about him. He was of the rather florid,
+always boyish type; and the removal of his hat had revealed a mat of close-
+curling brown hair, like a cap over his well-shaped head. The normal
+expression of his face was probably quizzically humorous, for already the
+little lines of habitual half laughter were sketched about his eyes.
+
+"A plunger," said John Sherwood to himself, out of his knowledge of men;
+then as the young man glanced directly toward him, disclosing the colour
+and expression of his eyes, "a plunger in something," he amended, revising
+his first impression.
+
+But now the humorous element was quite in abeyance, and a faint dismay had
+taken its place. One arm supporting the drooping girl, he was looking up
+and down the wharf. Not a vehicle remained save the heavy drays already
+backing up to receive their loads of freight. The dock hands had dropped
+and were coiling the line that had separated the crowd from the landing
+stage.
+
+With another exclamation the woman in the carriage rose, and before
+Sherwood could make a move to assist her, had poised on the rim of the
+wheel and leaped lightly to the dock. Like a thistledown she floated to the
+little group at the foot of the gangplank. The steward instantly gave way
+to her evident intention. She passed her arm around the girl's waist. The
+three moved slowly toward the buggy, Mrs. Sherwood, her head bent
+charmingly forward, murmuring compassionate, broken, little phrases,
+supporting the newcomer's reviving footsteps.
+
+Sherwood, a faint, fond amusement lurking in the depths of his eyes,
+quietly cramped the wheels of the buggy.
+
+
+
+
+IV
+
+
+A half hour later the two men, having deposited the women safely in the
+Sherwoods' rooms at the Bella Union, and having been unceremoniously
+dismissed by Mrs. Sherwood, strolled together to the veranda. They had not,
+until now, had a chance to exchange six words.
+
+The newcomer, who announced himself as Milton Keith from Baltimore, proved
+to have a likable and engaging personality. He was bubbling with interest
+and enthusiasm; and these qualities, provided they are backed solidly, are
+always prepossessing. Sherwood, quietly studying him, concluded that such
+was the case. His jaw and mouth were set in firm lines; his eye, while
+dancing and mischievous, had depths of capability and reserves of
+forcefulness. But Sherwood was, by inclination and by the necessities of
+his profession, a close observer of men. Another, less practised, might
+have seen here merely an eager, rather talkative, apparently volatile, very
+friendly, quite unreserved young man of twenty-five. Any one, analytical or
+otherwise, could not have avoided feeling the attractive force of the
+youth's personality, the friendly quality that is nine tenths individual
+magnetism and one tenth the cast of mind that initially takes for granted
+the other man's friendliness.
+
+At the moment Keith was boyishly avid for the sights of the new city. In
+these modern days of long journeys, a place so remote as San Francisco, in
+the most commonplace of circumstances, gathers to its reputation something
+of the fabulous. How much more true then of a city built from sand dunes in
+four years; five times swept by fire, yet rising again and better before
+its ashes were extinct; the resort of all the picturesque, unknown races of
+the earth--the Chinese, the Chileno, the Mexican, the Spanish, the
+Islander, the Moor, the Turk--not to speak of ordinary foreigners from
+Russia, England, France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, and the out-of-the-way
+corners of Europe; the haunt of the wild and striking individuals of all
+these races. "Sydney ducks" from the criminal colonies; "shoulder strikers"
+direct from the tough wards of New York; long, lean, fever-haunted crackers
+from the Georgia mountains or the Louisiana canebrakes; Pike County
+desperadoes; long-haired men from the trapping countries; hard-fisted,
+sardonic state of Maine men fresh from their rivers; and Indian fighters
+from the Western Reserve; grasping, shrewd commercial Yankees; fire-eating
+Southern politicians; lawyers, doctors, merchants, chiefs, and thiefs, the
+well-educated and the ignorant, the high-minded and the scalawags, all
+dumped down together on a sand hill to work out their destinies; a city
+whose precedents, whose morals, whose laws, were made or adapted on the
+spot; where might in some form or another--revolver, money, influence--made
+its only right; whose history ranged in three years the gamut of human
+passion, strife, and development; whose background was the fabled El Dorado
+whence the gold in unending floods poured through its sluices. To the
+outside world tales of these things had come. They did not lose in the
+journey. The vast loom of actual occurrences rose above the horizon like
+mirages. Names and events borrowed a half-legendary quality from distances,
+as elsewhere from time. Keith had heard of Coleman, of Terry, of Broderick,
+Brannan, Gwin, Geary, as he had heard of the worthies of ancient history;
+he had visualized the fabled splendours of San Francisco's great gambling
+houses, of the excitements of her fervid, fevered life, as he might have
+visualized the magnificences of pagan Rome; he had listened to tales of her
+street brawls, her vast projects, the buccaneering raids of her big men,
+her Vigilance Committee of the year before, as he would have listened to
+the stories of one of Napoleon's veterans. Now, by the simple process of a
+voyage that had seemed literally interminable but now was past, he had
+landed in the very midst of fable. It was like dying, he told Sherwood
+eagerly, like going irretrievably to a new planet. All his old world now
+seemed as remote, as insubstantial, as phantomlike, as this had seemed.
+
+"Even yet I can't believe it's all so," he cried, walking excitedly back
+and forth, and waving an extinct cigar. "I've got to see it, touch it! Why,
+I know it all in advance. That must be where the Jenny Lind Theatre stood--
+before the fire--just opposite? I thought so! And the bay used to come up
+to Montgomery Street, only a block down! You see, I know it all! And when
+we came in, and I saw all those idle ships lying at anchor, just as they
+have lain since their crews deserted them in '49 to go to the mines--and I
+know why they haven't been used since, why they will continue to lie there
+at anchor until they rot or sink--"
+
+"Do you?" said Sherwood, who was vastly amused and greatly taken by this
+fresh enthusiasm.
+
+"Yes, the clipper ships!" Keith swept on. "The first cargoes in this new
+market make the money--the fastest clippers--poor old hulks--but you
+brought in the argonauts!"
+
+So he ran on, venting his impatience, so plainly divided between his sense
+of duty in staying near his wife and his great desire to slip the leash,
+that Sherwood smiled to himself. Once again he mentioned Coleman and the
+Vigilantes of '51.
+
+"I suppose he's around here? I may see him?"
+
+"Oh, yes," said Sherwood, "you'll see him. But if you would accept a bit of
+advice, go slow. You must remember that such a movement makes enemies,
+arouses opposition. A great many excellent people--whom you will know--are
+a little doubtful about all that."
+
+Keith mentioned other names.
+
+"I know them all. They are among the most influential members of the bar."
+He glanced at a large watch. "Just at this hour we might find them at the
+Monumental engine house. What do you say?"
+
+"I should like nothing better!" cried Keith.
+
+"Your wife's illness is not likely to require immediate attendance?"
+suggested Sherwood inquiringly.
+
+"She's only seasick--horrible voyage--she's always under the weather on
+shipboard--three weeks of it from Panama--Nan's as strong as a horse,"
+replied Keith, with obvious impatience.
+
+They walked across the Plaza to the Monumental fire engine house, a square
+brick structure of two stories, with wide folding doors, and a bell cupola
+apart. Keith paused to admire the engine. It was of the type usual in those
+days, consisting of a waterbox with inlet and outlet connections, a pump
+atop, and parallel pump rails on either side, by the hand manipulation of
+which the water was thrown with force from the box. The vehicle was drawn
+by means of a long rope, carried on a drum. This could be slacked off at
+need to accommodate as high as a hundred men or as few as would suffice to
+move her. So far this engine differed in no manner from those Keith had
+seen in the East. But this machine belonged to a volunteer company, one of
+many and all rivals. It was gayly coloured. On the sides of its waterbox
+were scenic paintings of some little merit. The woodwork was all mahogany.
+Its brass ornamentation was heavy and brought to a high state of polish.
+From a light rack along its centre dangled two beautifully chased speaking
+trumpets, and a row of heavy red-leather helmets. Axes nestled in sockets.
+A screaming gilt eagle, with wings outspread, hovered atop. Alongside the
+engine stood the hook and ladder truck and the hose cart. These smaller and
+less important vehicles were painted in the same scheme of colour, were
+equally glittering and polished. Keith commented on all this admiringly.
+
+"Yes," said Sherwood, "you see, since the big fires, it has become a good
+deal a matter of pride. There are eleven volunteer companies, and they are
+great rivals in everything, political and social, as well as in the line of
+regular business, so to speak. Mighty efficient. You'll have to join a
+company, of course; and you better look around a little before deciding.
+Each represents something different--some different element. They are
+really as much clubs as fire companies."
+
+They mounted to the upper story, where Keith found himself in a long room,
+comfortably fitted with chairs, tables, books, and papers. A double door
+showed a billiard table in action. Sherwood indicated a closed door across
+the hall.
+
+"Card rooms," said he briefly.
+
+The air was blue with smoke and noisy with rather vociferative conversation
+and laughter. Several groups of men were gathered in little knots. A negro
+in white duck moved here and there carrying a tray.
+
+Sherwood promptly introduced Keith to many of these men, and he was as
+promptly asked to name his drink. Keith caught few of the names, but he
+liked the hearty, instant cordiality. Remarking on the beauty and order of
+the machines, loud cries arose for "Taylor! Bert Taylor!" After a moment's
+delay a short, stocky, very red-faced man, with rather a fussy manner, came
+forward.
+
+"Mr. Keith," said a tall, dark youth, with a pronounced Southern accent,
+"I want foh to make you acquainted with Mr. Tayloh. Mr. Tayloh is at once
+the patron saint of the Monumentals, but to a large extent its 'angel' as
+well --I hope you understand the theatrical significance of that term,
+suh. He is motheh, fatheh, guardeen, and dry nurse to every stick, stone,
+and brick, every piece of wood, brass, or rubbah, every inch of hose, and
+every man _and_ Irishman on these premises." Taylor had turned an
+embarrassed brick red. "Mr. Keith," went on the dark youth, explanatorily,
+"was just sayin' that though he had inspected carefully many fire
+equipments, per'fessional and amateur, he had nevah feasted his eyes
+on so complete an outfit as that of our Monumentals."
+
+Keith had not said all this, but possibly he had meant it. The brick-red,
+stocky little man was so plainly embarrassed and anxious to depart that
+Keith racked his brains for something to say. All he could remember was the
+manufacturer's nameplate on the machine downstairs.
+
+"I see you have selected the Hunaman engine, sir," said he. The little
+man's eye brightened.
+
+"It may be, sir, that you favour the piano-box type--of the sort made by
+Smith or Van Ness?" he inquired politely.
+
+"It is a point on which my opinion is still-suspended," replied Keith with
+great gravity.
+
+The little man moved nearer, and his shyness fell from him.
+
+"Oh, but really there is no choice, none whatever!" he cried. "I'm sure,
+sir, I can convince you in five minutes. I assure you we have gone into the
+subject thoroughly--this Hunaman cost us over five thousand dollars; and
+you may be certain we went very thoroughly into the matter before making
+the investment----"
+
+He went on talking in his self-effacing, deprecatory, but very earnest
+fashion. The other men in the group, Keith felt, were watching with covert
+amusement. Occasionally, he thought to catch half-concealed grins at his
+predicament. In less than the five minutes the claims of the piano box were
+utterly demolished. Followed a dissertation on methods of fighting fire;
+and then a history of the Monumental Company--its members, its officers,
+and its proud record. "And our bell--did you know that?--is the bell used
+by the Vigilantes--" He broke off suddenly in confusion, his embarrassment
+descending on him again. A moment later he sidled away.
+
+"But I found him very interesting!" protested Keith, in answer to implied
+apologies.
+
+"Bert is invaluable here; but he's a lunatic on fire apparatus. We couldn't
+get along without him, but it's sometimes mighty difficult to get on _with_
+him," said some one.
+
+Keith was making a good impression without consciously trying to do so. His
+high spirits of youth and enthusiasm were in his favour; and as yet he had
+no interests to come into conflict with those of any one present. More
+drinks were ordered and fresh cigars lighted. From Sherwood they now
+learned that Keith had but just landed, and intended to settle as a
+permanent resident. As one man they uprose.
+
+"And yo' wastin' of yo' time indoors!" mourned the dark Southerner. "And so
+much to see!"
+
+Enthusiastically they surrounded him and led him forth. Only a very old,
+very small, very decadent village is devoid of what is modernly called the
+"booster" spirit. In those early days of slow transportation and isolated
+communities, local patriotism was much stronger than it is now. And
+something about the air's wine of the Pacific slope has always, and
+probably will always, make of every man an earnest proselyte for whatever
+patch of soil he calls home. But add to these general considerations the
+indubitable facts of harbour, hill, health, opportunity, activity, and a
+genuine history, if of only three years, one can no longer marvel that
+every man, each in his own way, saw visions.
+
+In the course of the next few hours Keith got confused and mixed
+impressions of many things. The fortresslike warehouses; the plank roads;
+the new Jenny Lind Theatre; the steam paddies eating steadily into the sand
+hills at the edge of town; the Dramatic Museum; houses perched on the
+crumbling edges of hills; houses sunk far below the level of new streets,
+with tin cans and ducks floating around them; new office buildings; places
+where new office buildings were going to be or merely ought to be; land
+that in five years was going to be worth fabulous sums; unlikely looking
+spots where historic things had stood or had happened--all these were
+pointed out to him. He was called upon to exercise the eye of faith; to
+reconstruct; to eliminate the unfinished, the mean, the sordid; to overlook
+the inadequate; to build the city as it was sure to be; and to concern
+himself with that and that only. He admired Mount Tamalpais over the way.
+He was taken up a high hill--a laborious journey--to gaze on the spot where
+he would have been able to see Mount Diabolo, if only Mount Diabolo had
+been visible. And every few blocks he was halted and made to shake hands
+with some one who was always immediately characterized to him impressively,
+under the breath--"Colonel Baker, sir, one of the most divinely endowed men
+with the gift of eloquence, sir"; "Mr. Rowlee, sir, editor of one of our
+leading journals"; "Judge Caldwell, sir at present one of the ornaments of
+our bench"; "Mr. Ben Sansome, sir, a leadin' young man in our young but
+vigorous social life"; and so on.
+
+These introductions safely and ceremoniously accomplished, each newcomer
+insisted on leading the way to the nearest bar.
+
+"I insist, sir. It is just the hour for my afternoon toddy."
+
+After some murmuring of expostulation, the invitation was invariably
+accepted.
+
+There was always a barroom immediately adjacent. Keith was struck by the
+number and splendour of these places. Although San Francisco was only three
+years removed from the tent stage, and although the freightage from the
+centres of civilization was appalling, there was no lack of luxury.
+Mahogany bars with brass rails, huge mirrors with gilt frames, pyramids of
+delicate crystal, rich hangings, oil paintings of doubtful merit but
+indisputable interest, heavy chandeliers of prism glasses, most elaborate
+free lunches, and white-clad barkeepers--such matters were common to all.
+In addition, certain of the more pretentious boasted special attractions.
+Thus, one place supported its ceiling on crystal pillars; another--and this
+was crowded--had dashing young women to serve the drinks, though the mixing
+was done by men; a third offered one of the new large musical boxes capable
+of playing several very noisy tunes; a fourth had imported a marvellous
+piece of mechanism: a piece of machinery run by clockwork, exhibiting the
+sea in motion, a ship tossing on its bosom; on shore, a water mill in
+action, a train of cars passing over a bridge, a deer chase with hounds,
+huntsmen, and game, all in pursuit or flight, and the like. The barkeepers
+were marvels of dexterity and of especial knowledge. At command they would
+deftly and skilfully mix a great variety of drinks--cocktails, sangarees,
+juleps, bounces, swizzles, and many others. In mixing these drinks it was
+their especial pride to pass them at arm's length from one tall glass to
+another, the fluid describing a long curve through the air, but spilling
+never a drop.
+
+In these places Keith pledged in turn each of his new acquaintances, and
+was pledged by them. Never, he thought, had he met so jolly, so
+interesting, so experienced a lot of men. They had not only lived history,
+they had made it. They were so full of high spirits and the spirit of play.
+His heart warmed to them mightily; and over and over he told himself that
+he had made no mistake in his long voyage to new fields of endeavour. On
+the other hand, he, too, made a good impression. Naturally the numerous
+drinks had something to do with this mutual esteem; but also it was a fact
+that his boyish, laughing, half-reckless spirit had much in common with the
+spirit of the times. Quite accidentally he discovered that the tall, dark
+Southern youth was Calhoun Bennett. This then seemed to him a remarkable
+coincidence.
+
+"Why, I have a letter of introduction to you!" he said.
+
+Again and again he recurred to this point, insisting on telling everybody
+how extraordinary the situation was.
+
+"Here I've been talking to him for three hours," he exclaimed, "and never
+knew who he was, and all the time I had a letter of introduction to him!"
+
+This and a warm irresponsible glow of comradeship were the sole indications
+of the drinks he had had. Keith possessed a strong head. Some of the others
+were not so fortunate. Little Rowlee was frankly verging on drunkenness.
+
+The afternoon wind was beginning to die, and the wisps of high fog that
+had, since two o'clock, been flying before it, now paused and forgathered
+to veil the sky. Dusk was falling.
+
+"Look here," suggested Rowlee suddenly; "let's go to Allen's Branch and
+have a good dinner, and then drift around to Belle's place and see if
+there's any excitement to be had thereabouts."
+
+"Belle--our local Aspasia, sah," breathed a very elaborate, pompous,
+elderly Southerner, who had been introduced as Major Marmaduke Miles.
+
+But this suggestion brought to Keith a sudden realization of the lateness
+of the hour, the duration of his absence, and the fact that, not only had
+he not yet settled his wife in rooms of her own, but had left her on the
+hands of strangers. For the first time he noticed that Sherwood was not of
+the party.
+
+"When did Sherwood leave?" he cried.
+
+"Oh, a right sma't time ago," said Bennett.
+
+Keith started to his feet.
+
+"I should like to join you," said he, "but it is impossible now."
+
+A chorus of expostulation went up at this.
+
+"But I haven't settled down yet!" persisted Keith. "I don't know even
+whether my baggage is at the hotel."
+
+They waived aside his objections; but finding him obdurate, perhaps a
+little panicky over the situation, they gave over urging the point.
+
+"But you must join us later in the evening," said they.
+
+The idea grew.
+
+"I tell you what," said Rowlee, with half-drunken gravity; "he's got to
+come back. We can't afford to lose him this early. And he can't afford to
+lose us. The best life of this glorious commonwealth is as yet a sealed
+book to him. It is our sacred duty, gentlemen, to break those seals. What
+does he know of our temples of Terpsichore? Our altars to the gods of
+chance? Our bowers of the Cyprians?"
+
+He would have gone on at length, but Keith, laughingly protesting, trying
+to disengage himself from the detaining hands, broke in with a promise to
+return. But little Rowlee was not satisfied.
+
+"I think we should take no chances," he stated. "How would it be to appoint
+a committee to 'company him and see that he gets back?"
+
+Keith's head was clear enough to realize with dismay that this brilliant
+idea was about to take. But Ben Sansome, seizing the situation, locked his
+arm firmly in Keith's.
+
+"I'll see personally that he gets back," said he.
+
+
+
+
+V
+
+
+"That was mighty good of you; you saved my life!" said Keith to him,
+gratefully, as they walked up the street.
+
+"You couldn't have that tribe of wild Indians descending on your wife,"
+said Sansome. He had kept pace with, the others, but showed it not at all.
+Sansome was a slender, languid, bored, quiet sort of person, exceedingly
+well dressed in the height of fashion, speaking with a slight, well-bred
+drawl, given to looking rather superciliously from beneath his fine
+eyelashes, almost too good looking. He liked, or pretended he liked, to
+view life from the discriminating spectator's standpoint; and remained
+unstirred by stirring events. He prided himself on the delicacy of his
+social tact. In the natural course of evolution he would probably never
+marry, and would become in time an "old beau," haunting ballrooms with
+reminiscences of old-time belles.
+
+Keith, meeting the open air, began to feel his exhilaration.
+
+"What I need is my head under a pump for about ten seconds," he told
+Sansome frankly. "Lord! It was just about time I got away."
+
+Arrived at the hotel, Sansome said good-bye, but Keith would have none of
+it.
+
+"No, no!" he cried. "You must come in, now you've come so far! I want you
+to meet my wife; she'll be delighted!"
+
+And Sansome, whose celebrated social tact had been slightly obscured by his
+potations, finally consented. Truth to tell, it would have been a little
+difficult for him to have got away. Poising his light stick and gloves in
+his left hand, giving his drooping moustache a last twirl, and settling his
+heavy cravat in place, he followed Keith down the little hall to the
+Sherwoods' apartments.
+
+At the knock Keith was at once invited to enter. The men threw open the
+door. Sansome stared with all his might.
+
+Nan Keith had made the usual miraculous recovery from seasickness once she
+felt the solid ground beneath, her. The beautiful baby-textured skin had
+come alive with soft colour, her dark, wide, liquid eyes had brightened.
+She had assumed a soft, silken, wrapperlike garment with, a wide sash,
+borrowed from Mrs. Sherwood; and at the moment was seated in an enveloping
+armchair beneath a wide-shaded lamp. The firm, soft lines of her figure,
+uncorseted in this negligee, were suggested beneath the silk. Sansome
+stopped short, staring, his eyes kindling with, interest. Here was
+something not only new but different--a distinct addition. Sansome, like
+most dilettantes, was something of a phrase maker, and prided himself on
+the apt word. He found it here, to his own satisfaction, at least.
+
+"Her beauty is positively creamy!" he murmured to himself.
+
+At sight of her Keith crossed directly to her, full of a sudden, engaging,
+tender solicitude.
+
+"How are you feeling now, honey?" he inquired. "Quite recovered? All right
+now?"
+
+But Nan was inclined to be a little vexed and reproachful. She had been
+left alone, with strangers, altogether too long. Keith excused himself
+volubly and convincingly--she had been asleep--she was much better off not
+being disturbed--that this was true was proven by results--she was
+blooming, positively blooming--as fresh as a rose leaf--of course it was
+rather an imposition on the Sherwoods, but the baggage hadn't come up yet,
+and they were kind people, our sort, the sort for whom the word obligation
+did not exist--he, personally, had not intended being gone so long, but by
+the rarest of chances he had run across some of the men to whom, he had
+introductions, and they had been most kind in making him acquainted--
+nothing was more important to a young lawyer than to "establish
+connections"--it did not do to overlook a chance.
+
+He urged all this, and more, with all his usual, vital, enthusiastic force.
+In spite of herself, she was overborne to a reproachful forgiveness.
+
+In the meantime Mrs. Sherwood had gone over to where Ben Sansome was still
+standing by the door. Sansome did not like Mrs. Sherwood. He considered
+that she had no social tact at all. This was mainly--though he did not
+analyze it--because she was quite apt to speak the direct and literal truth
+to him; because she had a disquieting self-confidence and competence in
+place of appropriate, graceful, feminine dependence; but especially because
+she had never and would never play up to his game.
+
+"Are you making a formal afternoon call, Ben?" she asked in her cool,
+mocking voice. "Aren't you really a little _de trop?_"
+
+"I did not come of my own volition at this time, I assure you," he replied
+a trifle stiffly. The thought that he was suspected of a blunder in social
+custom stung him; as, in a rather lazily amused way, she knew it would.
+
+At this reply she glanced keenly toward Keith, then nodded; slowly.
+
+"I see," she conceded.
+
+Sansome moved to go. But at this Keith's attention was attracted. He sprang
+forward, seized Sansome's arm, insisted on introducing him to Nan, was
+over-effusive, over-cordial, buoyant. Both Sansome and Mrs. Sherwood were
+experienced enough to yield entirely to his mood. They understood perfectly
+that at the least opposition Keith was in just the condition to reveal
+himself, perhaps, to break over the frail barrier that separates
+exhilaration from loss of self-control. They saw also that Nan had no
+suspicion of the state of affairs. Indeed, following the reaction from her
+long voyage and her illness, she responded and played up to Keith's high
+spirits. Neither wanted her to grasp the situation if it could be avoided:
+Mrs. Sherwood from genuine good feeling, Sansome because of the social
+awkwardness and bad taste. Besides, he felt that his presence at such a
+scene would be a very bad beginning for himself.
+
+"No, you're not going," Keith was insisting; "you don't realize what a
+celebration this is! Here we've pulled up all our roots, haven't we, Nan?
+and come thousands of miles to a new country, a wonderful country; and the
+very first day of our landing you want us to act as though nothing had
+happened!"
+
+Nan nodded a vigorous assent to his implied reference to her.
+
+"And what we're going to do is to celebrate," insisted Keith. "You're all
+going to dine with us. No, I insist! You're the only friends we have out
+here, and you aren't going to desert us the very first day we need you."
+
+"I wish you would!" cried Nan, sitting forward eagerly.
+
+They tried to expostulate, to get out of it, but without avail. It seemed
+easier to promise. Keith rushed out to look for his baggage, to arrange for
+rooms, leaving the three together to await his return.
+
+
+
+
+VI
+
+
+Both Mrs. Sherwood and Sansome applied themselves to relieving whatever
+embarrassment Nan might feel over this unusual situation. Sansome was
+possessed of great charm and social experience. He could play the game of
+light conversation to perfection. By way of bridging the pause in events,
+he set himself to describing the society in which the Keiths would shortly
+find themselves launched. His remarks were practically a monologue,
+interspersed by irrepressible gurgles of laughter from Nan. Mrs. Sherwood
+sat quietly by. She did not laugh, but it was evident she was amused. In
+this congenial atmosphere Sansome outdid himself.
+
+"They are all afraid of each other," he told her, "because they don't know
+anything about each other. Each ex-washerwoman thinks the other ex-
+washerwoman must have been at least a duchess at home. It's terribly funny.
+If they can get hold of six porcelain statuettes, a half-dozen
+antimacassars, some gilt chairs, and a glass bell of wax flowers, they
+imagine they're elegantly furnished. And their functions! I give you my
+word, I'd as soon attend a reasonably pleasant funeral! Some of them try to
+entertain by playing intellectual games--you know, rhyming or spelling
+games--seriously!" He went on to describe some of the women, mentioning no
+names, however. "You'll recognize them when you meet them," he assured her.
+"There's one we'll call the Social Agitator--she isn't happy unless she is
+running things. I believe she spent two weeks once in London--or else she
+buys her boots there--anyway, when discussions get lively she squelches
+them by saying, 'Of course, my dear, that may be absolutely _au fait_ in
+New York--but in London--' It corks them up every time. And 'pon honour,
+three quarters of the time she's quite wrong! Then there's the Lady Thug,
+Square jaw, square shoulder, sort of bulging out at the top--you know--in
+decollete one cannot help thinking 'one more struggle and she'll be free!'"
+
+"Oh, fie, Mr. Sansome," laughed Nan, half shocked.
+
+Sansome rattled on. The ultimate effect was to convey an impression of San
+Francisco society--such as existed at all--as stodgy, stupid, pretentious,
+unattractive. Nan was immensely amused, but inclined to take it all with a
+grain of salt.
+
+"Mrs. Sherwood doesn't bear you out," she told him, "and she's the only one
+I've seen yet. I think we're going to have a pretty good time."
+
+But at this point Keith returned. He was quite sobered from his temporary
+exhilaration, but still most cordial and enthusiastic over his little
+party, Sansome noted with quiet amusement that his light curly hair was
+damp. Evidently he had taken his own prescription as to the pump.
+
+"Well," he announced, "I have a room--such as it is. Can't say much for it.
+The baggage is all here; nothing missing for a wonder. I've spoken to the
+manager about dinner for five." He turned to Nan with brightening interest.
+"Guess what I saw on the bill of fare! Grizzly bear steak! Think of that! I
+ordered some."
+
+Sansome groaned comically.
+
+"What's the matter?" inquired Keith.
+
+"Did you ever try it before? Tough, stringy, unfit for human consumption."
+
+But Keith was fascinated by the name of the thing.
+
+"There's plenty else," he urged defensively, "and I always try everything
+once."
+
+It was agreed that they should all meet again after an hour. Sansome
+renewed his promises to be on hand.
+
+The room Keith had engaged was on the second story, and quite a different
+sort of affair from that of the Sherwoods'. Indeed it was little more than
+a pine box, containing only the bare necessities. One window looked out on
+an unkempt backyard, now mercifully hidden by darkness.
+
+"This is pretty tough," said Keith, "but it is the very best I could do.
+And the price is horrible. We'll have to hunt up a living place about the
+first thing we do."
+
+"Oh, it's all right," said Nan indifferently. The lassitude of seasickness
+had left her, and the excitement of new surroundings was beginning. She
+felt gently stirred by the give and take of the light conversation in the
+Sherwoods' room; and, although she did not quite realize it, she was
+responding to the stimulation of having made a good impression. Her
+subconscious self was perfectly aware that in the silken negligee, under
+the pink-shaded lamp, her clear soft skin, the pure lines of her radiant
+childlike beauty, the shadows of her tumbled hair, had been very appealing
+and effective. She moved about a trifle restlessly, looking at things
+without seeing them. "I'm glad to see the brown trunk. Open it, will you,
+dear? Heavens, what a mirror!" She surveyed herself in the flawed glass,
+moving from side to side, fascinated at the strange distortions.
+
+"I call it positive extortion, charging what they do for a room like this,"
+grumbled Keith, busy at the trunk. "The Sherwoods must pay a mint of money
+for theirs. I wonder what he does!"
+
+Her attention attracted by this subject, she arrested her posing before the
+mirror.
+
+"They certainly are quick to take the stranger in," she commented lightly.
+
+Something in her tone arrested Keith's attention, and he stopped fussing at
+his keys. Nan had meant little by the remark. It had expressed the vague
+instinctive recoil of the woman brought up in rather conventional
+circumstances and in a conservative community from too sudden intimacy,
+nothing more. She did not herself understand this.
+
+"Don't you like the Sherwoods?" he instantly demanded, with the masculine
+insistence on dissecting every butterfly.
+
+"Why, she's charming!" said Nan, opening her eyes in surprise. "Of course,
+I like her immensely!"
+
+"I should think so," grumbled Keith. "They certainly have been mighty good
+to us."
+
+But Nan had dropped her negligee about her feet, and was convulsed at the
+figure made of her slim young body by the distorted mirror.
+
+"Come here, Milt," she gasped.
+
+She clung to him, gurgling with laughter, pointing one shaking finger at
+the monstrosity in the glass.
+
+"Look--look what you married!"
+
+They dressed gayly. His optimism and enthusiasm boiled over again. It was a
+shame, his leaving her all that afternoon, he reiterated; but she had no
+idea what giant strides he had made. He told her of the city, and he
+enumerated some of the acquaintances he had made--Calhoun Bennett, Bert
+Taylor, Major Marmaduke Miles, Michael Rowlee, Judge Caldwell, and others.
+They had been most cordial to him, most kind; they had taken him in without
+delay.
+
+"It's the spirit of the West, Nan," he cried, "hospitable, unsuspicious,
+free, eager to welcome! Oh, this is going to be the place for me;
+opportunity waits at every corner. They are not tied down by conventions,
+by the way somebody else has done things--"
+
+He went on rapidly to detail to her some of the things he had been told--
+the contemplated public improvements, the levelling of the sand hills, the
+building of a city out of nothing.
+
+"Why, Nan, do you realize that only four years ago this very Plaza had only
+six small buildings around it, that there were only three two-story
+structures in town, that the population was only about five hundred--there
+are thirty-five thousand now, that--" he rattled on, detailing his recently
+acquired statistics. Oh, potent influence of the Western spirit--already,
+eight hours after his landing on California's shores, Milton Keith was a
+"booster."
+
+With an expansion of relief that only a woman could fully appreciate, Nan
+unpacked and put on a frock that had nothing whatever to do with the sea
+voyage, and which she had not for some time seen. In ordinary accustomed
+circumstances she would never have thought of donning so elaborate a
+toilette for a hotel dining-room, but she was yielding to reaction. In her
+way she was "celebrating," just as was Keith. Her hair she did low after
+the fashion of the time, and bound it to her brow by a bandeau of pearls.
+The gown itself was pale green and filmy. It lent her a flowerlike
+semblance that was very fresh and lovely.
+
+"By Jove, Nan, you certainly have recovered from the sea!" cried Keith, and
+insisted on kissing her.
+
+"Look how you've mussed me all up!" chided Nan, but without irritation.
+
+They found the other three waiting for them, and without delay entered the
+dining-room. This, as indeed all the lower story, was in marked contrast of
+luxury with the bare pine bedrooms upstairs. Long red velvet curtains, held
+back by tasselled silken cords, draped the long windows; fluted columns at
+regular intervals upheld the ceiling; the floor was polished and slippery;
+the tables shone with white and silver. An obese and tremendous darkey in
+swallowtail waved a white-gloved hand at them, turned ponderously, and
+preceded them down the aisle with the pomp of a drum major. His dignity was
+colossal, awe inspiring, remote. Their progress became a procession, a
+triumphal procession, such as few of Caesar's generals had ever known.
+Arrived at the predestined table, he stood one side while menials drew out
+the chairs. Then he marched tremendously back to the main door, his chin
+high, his expression haughty, his backbone rigid. This head waiter was the
+feature of the Bella Union Hotel, just as the glass columns were the
+feature of the Empire, or the clockwork mechanism of the El Dorado.
+
+The dinner itself went well. Everybody seemed to be friendly and at ease,
+but by one of those strange and sudden social transitions it was rather
+subdued. This was for various reasons. Nan Keith, after her brief reaction,
+found herself again suffering from the lassitude and fatigue of a long
+voyage; she needed a night's rest and knew it. Keith himself was a trifle
+sleepy as an after affect to the earlier drinking. Sherwood was naturally
+reserved and coolly observing; Mrs. Sherwood was apparently somehow on
+guard; and Sansome, as always, took his tone from those about him. The wild
+spirits of the hour before had taken their flight. It was, however, a
+pleasant dinner--without constraint, as among old friends. After the meal
+they went to the public parlour, a splendid but rather dismal place.
+Sherwood almost immediately excused himself. After a short and somewhat
+awkward interval, Nan decided she would go to bed for her needed rest.
+
+"You won't think me rude, I know." said she.
+
+Keith, whose buoyant temper had been sadly divided between a genuine wish
+to do the proper and dutiful thing by his wife and a great desire to see
+more of this fascinating city, rose with so evident an alacrity under
+restraint that Mrs. Sherwood scarcely, concealed a smile. She said her
+adieux at the same time, and left the room, troubling herself only to the
+extent of that ancient platitude about "letters to write."
+
+
+
+
+VII
+
+
+"I think we'll find most of the proper crowd down at the Empire," observed
+Sansome as the two picked their way across the Plaza. "That is one of the
+few old-fashioned, respectable gambling places left to us. The town is not
+what it used to be in a sporting way. It was certainly wide open in the
+good old days!"
+
+The streets at night were ill lighted, except where a blaze of illumination
+poured from the bigger saloons. The interims were dark, and the side
+streets and alleys stygian. "None too safe, either," Sansome understated
+the case. Many people were abroad, but Keith noticed that there seemed to
+be no idlers; every one appeared to be going somewhere in particular. After
+a short stroll they entered the Empire, which, Sansome explained, was the
+most stylish and frequented gambling place in town, a sort of evening club
+for the well-to-do and powerful. Keith looked over a very large room or
+hall, at the lower end of which an alcove made a sort of raised stage with
+footlights. Here sat a dozen "nigger minstrels" with banjos strumming, and
+bawling away at top pressure. An elaborate rosewood bar ran down the whole
+length at one side--an impressive polished bar, perhaps sixty feet long,
+with a white-clad, immaculate barkeeper for every ten feet of it. Big
+mirrors of French plate reflected the whole room, and on the shelf in front
+of them glittered crystal glasses of all shapes and sizes, arranged in
+pyramids and cubes. The whole of the main floor was carpeted heavily. Down
+the centre were stationed two rows of gambling tables, where various games
+could be played--faro, keeno, roulette, stud poker, dice. Beyond these
+gambling tables, on the other side of the room from the bar, were small
+tables, easy chairs of ample proportions, lounges, and a fireplace.
+Everything was most ornate. The ceilings and walls were ivory white and
+much gilt. Heavy chandeliers, with the usual glass prisms and globes,
+revolved slowly or swayed from side to side. Huge oil paintings with shaded
+top and foot-lights occupied all vacant spaces in the walls. They were
+"valued" at from ten to thirty thousand dollars apiece, and that fact was
+advertised. "Leda and the Swan," "The Birth of Venus," "The Rape of the
+Sabines," "Cupid and Psyche" were some of the classic themes treated as
+having taken place in a warm climate. "Susannah and the Elders" and "Salome
+Dancing" gave the Biblical flavour. The "Bath of the Harem" finished the
+collection. No canvas was of less size than seven by ten feet.
+
+The floor was filled with people. A haze of blue smoke hung in the air.
+There was no loud noise except from the minstrel stage at the end. A low
+hum of talk, occasionally accented, buzzed continuously. Many of the people
+wandering about, leaning against the bar, or integers of the compact groups
+around the gambling tables, were dressed in the height of fashion; but, on
+the other hand, certainly half were in the roughest sort of clothes--floppy
+old slouch hats, worn flannel shirts, top boots to which dried mud was
+clinging. These men were as well treated as the others.
+
+Fascinated, Keith would, have liked to linger, but Sansome threaded his way
+toward the farther corner. As Keith passed near one of the close groups
+around a gambling table, it parted momentarily, and he looked into the eyes
+of the man in charge, cold, passionless, aloof, eyes neither friendly nor
+unfriendly. And he saw the pale skin; the weary, bored, immobile features;
+the meticulous neat dress; the long, deft fingers; and caught the
+withdrawn, deadly, exotic personality of the professional gambler on duty.
+
+The whole place was unlike anything he had ever seen before. Whether it was
+primarily a bar, a gambling resort, or a sort of a public club with
+trimmings, he could not have determined. Many of those present, perhaps a
+majority, were neither gambling, nor drinking; they seemed not to be adding
+to the profits of the place in any way, but either wandered about or sat in
+the easy chairs, smoking, reading papers, or attending to the occasional
+outbreaks of the minstrels. It was most interesting.
+
+They joined a group in the far corner. A white-clad negro instantly brought
+them chairs, and hovered discreetly near. Among those sitting about Keith
+recognized several he had met in the afternoon; and to several more he was
+introduced. Of these the one who most instantly impressed him was called
+Morrell. This was evidently a young Englishman, a being of a type raised
+quite abundantly in England, but more rarely seen in native Americans--the
+lean-faced, rather flat-cheeked, high-cheek-boned, aquiline-nosed, florid-
+complexioned, silent, clean-built sort that would seem to represent the
+high-bred, finely drawn product of a long social evolution. These traits
+when seen in the person of a native-born American generally do represent
+this fineness; but the English, having been longer at the production of
+their race, can often produce the outward semblance without necessarily the
+inner reality. Many of us even now do not quite realize that fact;
+certainly in 1852 most of us did not. Morrell was dressed in riding
+breeches, carried a short bamboo crop, smiled engagingly to exhibit even,
+strong, white teeth, and had little to say.
+
+"A beverage seems called for," remarked Judge Caldwell, a gross, explosive,
+tobacco-chewing man, with a merry, reckless eye. The order given, the
+conversation swung back to the topic that had occupied it before Keith and
+Sansome had arrived.
+
+It seemed that an individual there present, Markle by name--a tall,
+histrionic, dark man with a tossing mane--conceived himself to have been
+insulted by some one whose name Keith did not catch, and had that very
+afternoon issued warning that he would "shoot on sight." Some of the older
+men were advising him to go slow.
+
+"But, gentlemen," cried Markle heatedly, "none of you would stand such
+conduct from anybody! What are we coming to? I'll get that----as sure as
+God made little apples."
+
+"That's all right; I don't blame yo'," argued Calhoun. Bennett. "Do not
+misunderstand me, suh. I agree with yo', lock, stock, an' barrel. My point
+is that yo' must be circumspect. Challenge him, that's the way."
+
+"He isn't worth my challenge, sir, nor the challenge of any decent man. You
+know that, sir,"
+
+"Well, street shootings have got to be a little, a little----"
+
+He fell silent, and Keith, looked up in surprise to see why. A man was
+slowly passing the table. He was a thick, tall, strong man, moving with a
+freedom that bespoke smoothly working muscles. His complexion was florid;
+and this, in conjunction with a sweeping blue-black moustache, gave him
+exactly the appearance of a gambler or bartender. Only as he passed the
+table and responded gravely to the formal salutes, Keith caught a flash of
+his eye. It was gray, hard as steel, forceful, but so far from being cold
+it seemed to glow and change with an inner fire, The bartender impression
+was swept into limbo forever.
+
+"That's one good reason why," said Calhoun Bennett, when this man had gone
+on.
+
+But Markle overflowed with a torrent of vituperative profanity. His face
+was congested and purple with the violence of his emotions. Keith stared in
+astonishment at the depth of hatred stirred. He turned for explanation to
+the man next him, Judge Girvin, a gentleman of the old school, weighty,
+authoritative, a little pompous.
+
+"That is Coleman," Judge Girvin told him. "W.T. Coleman, the leader of the
+vigilance movement of last year."
+
+"That's why," repeated Calhoun Bennett, with quiet vindictiveness,
+"lawlessness, disrespect foh law and order, mob rule. Since this strangler
+business, no man can predict what the lawless element may do!"
+
+This speech was the signal for an outburst against the Vigilance Committee,
+so unanimous and hearty that Keith was rather taken aback. He voiced his
+bewilderment.
+
+"Why, gentlemen, I am, of course, only in the most distant touch with these
+events; but the impression East is certainly very general that the
+Vigilantes did rather a good piece of work in clearing the city of crime."
+
+They turned on him with a savagery that took his breath. Keith, laughing,
+held up both hands.
+
+"Don't shoot, don't shoot! I'll come down!" he cried. "I told you I didn't
+know anything about it!"
+
+They checked themselves, suddenly ashamed of their heat. Calhoun Bennett
+voiced their feeling of apology.
+
+"Yo' must accept our excuses, Mr, Keith, but this is a mattah on which we
+feel strongly. Our indignation was naturally not directed against yo',
+suh."
+
+But Judge Girvin, ponderous, formal, dignified, was making a pronouncement.
+
+"Undoubtedly, young sir," he rolled forth at Keith, "undoubtedly a great
+many scoundrels were cleared from the city at that time. That no one would
+have the temerity to deny. But you, sir, as a lawyer, realize with us that
+even pure and equitable justice without due process of law is against the
+interests of society as a coherent whole. Infringement of law, even for a
+good purpose, invariably brings about ultimate contempt, for all law. In
+the absence of regularly constituted tribunals, as in a primitive society--
+such as that prior to the Constitutional Convention of September, 1849--it
+may become necessary that informal plebiscites be countenanced. But in the
+presence of regularly constituted and appointed tribunals, extra-legal
+functions are not to be undertaken by the chance comer. If defects occur in
+the administration of the law, the remedy is in the hand of the public. The
+voter----" he went on at length, elaborating the legal view. Everybody
+listened with respect and approval until he had finished. But then up spoke
+Judge Caldwell, the round, shining, perspiring, untidy, jovial, Silenus-
+like jurist with the blunt fingers.
+
+"We all agree with you theoretically, Judge," said he. "What these other
+fellows object to, I imagine, is that the law has such a hell of a hang
+fire to it."
+
+Judge Girvin's eyes flashed, and he tossed back his white mane. "The due
+forms of the law are our heritage from the ages!" he thundered back. "The
+so-called delays and technicalities are the checks devised by human
+experience against the rash judgments and rasher actions by the volatile
+element of society! They are the safeguards, the bulwarks of society! It is
+better that a hundred guilty men escape than that one innocent man should
+suffer!"
+
+The old judge was magnificent, his eyes alight, his nostrils expanded, his
+head reared back defiantly, all the great power of his magnetism and his
+authority brought to bear. Keith was thrilled. He considered that the
+discussion had been lifted to a high moral plane.
+
+By rights Judge Caldwell should have been crushed, but he seemed
+undisturbed,
+
+"Well," he remarked comfortably, "on that low average we must have quite a
+few innocent men among us after all."
+
+"What do you mean, sir?" demanded Judge Girvin, halted in mid career and
+not catching the allusion.
+
+"Surely, Judge, you don't mean to imply that you endorse Coleman and his
+gang?" put in Calhoun Bennett courteously but incredulously.
+
+"Endorse them? Certainly not!" disclaimed Caldwell. "I need my job," he
+added with a chuckle.
+
+Bennett tossed back his hair, and a faint disgust appeared in his dark
+eyes, but he said nothing more. Caldwell lit a cigar with pudgy fingers.
+
+"My advice to you," he said to Markle, "is that if you think you're going
+to have to kill this man in self-defence"--he rolled an unabashed and
+comical eye at the company--"you be sure to see our old friend, Sheriff
+Webb, gets you to jail promptly." He heaved to his feet, "Might even send
+him advance word," he suggested, and waddled away toward the bar.
+
+A dead silence succeeded his departure. None of the younger men ventured a
+word. Finally Judge Girvin, with a belated idea of upholding the honour of
+the bench, turned to Keith.
+
+"Judge Caldwell's humour is a little trying at times, but he is
+essentially sound."
+
+The young Englishman, Morrell, uttered a high cackle.
+
+"Quite right," he observed; "he'll fix it all right for you, Markle."
+
+At the bad taste of what they thought an example of English stupidity every
+one sat aghast. Keith managed to cover the situation by ordering another
+round of drinks. Morrell seemed quite pleased with himself.
+
+"Got a rise out of the old Johnny, what?" he remarked to Keith aside.
+
+Judge Caldwell returned. The conversation became general. Vast projects
+were discussed with the light touch--public works, the purchase of a
+theatre for the town hall, the sale by auction of city or state lands, the
+extension of wharves, the granting of franchises, and many other affairs,
+involving, apparently, millions of money. All these things were spoken of
+as from the inside. Keith, sipping his drinks quietly, sat apart and
+listened. He felt himself in the current of big affairs. Occasionally, men
+sauntered by, paused a moment. Keith noticed that they greeted his
+companions with respect and deference. He experienced a feeling of being at
+the centre of things. The evening drifted by pleasantly.
+
+Along toward midnight, John Sherwood, without a hat, stopped long enough to
+exchange a few joking remarks, then sauntered on.
+
+"I know him," Keith told Calhoun Bennett. "That's John Sherwood. He's at
+our hotel. What does _he_ do?"
+
+"Oh, don't you know who he is?" replied Bennett. "He's the owner of this
+place."
+
+"A gambler?" cried Keith, a trifle dashed.
+
+"Biggest in town. But square."
+
+Keith for a moment was a little nonplussed. The sudden intimacy rose up to
+confront him. They were kind people, and Mrs. Sherwood was apparently
+everything she should be--but a public gambler! Of course he had no
+prejudices--but Nan--
+
+
+
+
+VIII
+
+
+Keith returned to the hotel very late, and somewhat exalted. He was
+bubbling over with good stories, interesting information, and ideas; so he
+awakened Nan, and sat on the edge of the bed, and proceeded
+enthusiastically to tell her all about it. She was very sleepy. Also an
+exasperated inhabitant of the next room pounded on the thin partition.
+Reluctantly Keith desisted. It took him some time to get to sleep, as the
+excitement was seething in his veins.
+
+He came to consciousness after a restless night. The sun was streaming in
+at the window. He felt dull and heavy, with a slight headache and a
+weariness in all his muscles. Worst of all, Nan, in a ravishing pink fluffy
+affair, was bending over him, her eyes dancing with amusement and mischief.
+
+"And how is my little madcap this morning?" she inquired with mock
+solicitude. This stung Keith to some show of energy, and he got up.
+
+The sun was really very bright. A dash of cold water made him feel better.
+Enthusiasm began to flow back like a tide. The importance of the evening
+before reasserted its claims on his imagination. As he dressed he told Nan
+all about it. In the midst of a glowing eulogy of their prospects, he
+checked himself with a chuckle.
+
+"Guess what the Sherwoods are," said he.
+
+Nan, who had been half listening up to this time, gave him her whole
+attention.
+
+"A gambler! A common gambler!" she repeated after him, a little dismayed.
+
+"I felt the same way for a minute or so," he answered her tone cheerfully.
+"But after all I remembered--you must remember--that society here is very
+mixed. And anyway, Sherwood is no 'common gambler'; I should say he was a
+most _un_common gambler!" He chuckled at his little joke. "All sorts of
+people are received here. We've got to get used to that. And certainly no
+one could hope anywhere to find nicer--more presentable--people."
+
+She nodded, but with a reservation.
+
+"Surely nowhere would you find kinder people," went on Keith. "See how they
+took us in!"
+
+"Look out they don't take you in, Milton," she interjected suddenly.
+
+Keith, brought up short, sobered at this.
+
+"That is unjust, Nan," he said gravely.
+
+She said nothing, but showed no signs of having been convinced. After her
+first need had passed, Nan Keith's natural reserve had asserted itself.
+This was the result of heredity and training, as part of herself, something
+she could not help. Its tendency was always to draw back from too great or
+too sudden intimacies. There was nothing snobbish in this; it was a sort of
+instinct, a natural reaction. She liked Mrs. Sherwood, admired her slow,
+complete poise, approved her air of breeding and the things by which she
+had surrounded herself. The older woman's kindness had struck in her a deep
+chord of appreciation. But somehow circumstances had hurried her too much.
+Her defensive antagonism, not to Mrs. Sherwood as a person, but to sudden
+intimacy as such, had been aroused. It had had, in her own mind, no excuse.
+She knew she ought to be grateful and cordial; she felt that she was not
+quite ready. The fact that the Sherwoods had proved to be "common gamblers"
+gave just the little excuse her conscience needed to draw back a trifle.
+This, it should be added, was also quite instinctive, not at all a
+formulated thought.
+
+She said nothing for some time; then remarked mysteriously:
+
+"Perhaps that's why they go to meet boats."
+
+Keith, who was miles beyond the Sherwoods by now, looked bewildered.
+
+Keith had letters of business introduction to Palmer, Cook & Co., a banking
+firm powerful and respected at the time, but destined to become involved in
+scandal. The most pressing need, both he and Nan had determined, was a
+house of their own; the hotel was at once uncomfortable and expensive.
+Accordingly a callow, chipper, self-confident, blond little clerk was
+assigned to show them about. He had arrived from the East only six months
+ago; but this was six months earlier than the Keiths, so he put on all the
+airs of an old-timer. In a two-seated calash, furnished by the bankers,
+they drove to the westerly part of the town. The plank streets soon ran out
+into sand or rutty earth roads. These bored their way relentlessly between
+sand hills in the process of removal. Steam paddies coughed and clanked in
+all directions. Many houses had, by these operations, been left perched
+high and dry far above the grade of the new streets. Often the sand was
+crumbling away from beneath their outer corners. All sorts of nondescript
+ramshackle and temporary stairs had been improvised to get their
+inhabitants in or out. The latter seemed to be clinging to their tenements
+as long as possible.
+
+"They often cave in," explained the clerk, "and the whole kit and kaboodle
+comes sailing down into the street. Sometimes it happens at night," he
+added darkly.
+
+"But isn't anybody hurt?" cried Nan.
+
+"Lots of 'em," replied the clerk cheerfully "Git dap!"
+
+They now executed a flank attack on the "fashionable" quarter of the town.
+
+"They're grading the street down below," the clerk justified his roundabout
+course.
+
+Here were a number of isolated, scattered wooden houses, of some size and
+of much scroll and jigsaw work. Some of them had little ornamental iron
+fencelets running along their ridgepoles, or lightning rods on the chimneys
+or at the corners, although thunderstorms were practically unknown. The
+clerk at once began to talk of these as "mansions." He drew up before one
+of them, hitched the horse, and invited his clients to descend. Nan looked
+at the exterior a trifle doubtfully. It was a high-peaked, slender house,
+drawn together as though it felt cold; with carved wooden panels over each
+window, miniature balconies with elaborate spindly columns beneath, and a
+haughty, high, narrow porch partially clothing a varnished front door
+flanked with narrow strips of coloured glass.
+
+The clerk produced a key. The interior also was high and narrow. Much
+glistening varnish characterized the front hall. They inspected one after
+another the various rooms. The house was partly furnished. In the showrooms
+hung heavy red curtains held back by cords with gilt tassels. Each
+fireplace was framed by a mantel of white marble. But the glory was the
+drawing-room. This had been frescoed in pale blue, and all about the wall
+and even across part of the ceiling had been draped festoon after festoon
+of fishnet. Only this was not real fishnet, as a closer inspection showed.
+It had been cunningly painted! In the dim light, and to a person with an
+optimistic imagination, the illusion was almost perfect. Nan choked
+suddenly at the sight of this; then her eyes widened to a baby stare, and
+she become preternaturally solemn.
+
+They looked it all over from top to bottom; the clerk fairly tiptoeing
+about with the bent-backed air of one who handles a precious jade vase.
+From the front windows he showed them a really magnificent view, with the
+blue waters of the bay shining, and the Contra Costa shore shimmering in
+the haze.
+
+"In the residence next door to the west dwell most desirable neighbours,"
+he urged, "the Morrells. They are English, or at least he is."
+
+"I met him last night," said Keith to Nan; "he looked like a good sort."
+
+"Who is in the big house over there?" asked Nan, indicating a very
+elaborate structure diagonally opposite.
+
+"That--oh, that--well, that is in rather a state of transition, as it
+were," stammered the little clerk, and at once rattled on about something
+else. This magnificent mansion, he explained, was the only one Palmer, Cook
+& Co. had on their lists for the moment.
+
+Therefore he drove them back to the Bella Union. Keith departed with him to
+look up a suitable office downtown,
+
+Nan bowed solemnly to his solemn salutation in farewell, and turned as
+quickly as she could to the interior of the hotel. Sherwood sat in his
+accustomed place, his big steel spectacles on his nose, his paper spread
+out before him. He arose and bowed. She nodded, but did not pause. Once
+inside the hall, she picked up her skirts and fairly flew up the stairs to
+her room. Slamming the door shut, she locked it, then sank on the edge of
+the bed and laughed--laughed until she wiped the tears from her cheeks,
+rocking back and forth and hugging herself in an ecstasy. Every few moments
+she would pull up; then some unconsidered enormity would strike her afresh
+and she would go off into another paroxysm. After a while, much relieved,
+she wiped her eyes and arose.
+
+"This place will be the death of me yet," she told her distorted image in
+the mirror.
+
+She rummaged in one of her trunks, produced writing materials, and started
+a letter to an Eastern friend. This occupied her fully for two hours. At
+that period it was customary to "indite epistles" with a "literary
+flavour," a practice that immensely tickled those who did the inditing. Nan
+became wholly interested and quite pleased with herself. Her first
+impressions, she found when she came to write them down, were stimulating
+and interesting. She was full of enthusiasm; but had she been capable of a
+real analysis she would have found it quite different from Keith's
+enthusiasm. She looked on this strange, uncouth, vital city from the
+outside, from the superior standpoint. She appreciated it as she would have
+appreciated the "quaintness" of the villagers in some foreign town.
+
+About noon Keith returned.
+
+"I've looked into every possibility," he told her. "Honest, Nan, I don't
+see exactly what we are to do unless we build for ourselves. That Boyle
+house is the only house in town for rent--that is of any size and in a
+respectable quarter. You see they are too new out here to have built houses
+for rent yet; and if you find any vacant at all, it is sheer good fortune.
+Of course to stay in this little box is impossible, and--"
+
+She had been contemplating him, her eyes dancing with amusement.
+
+"You've taken it!" she accused him.
+
+"Well--I--yes," he admitted, a little red.
+
+She laughed.
+
+"I knew it," she said. "When can we move in? I want to get started."
+
+
+
+
+IX
+
+
+Keith's first plunge into the teeming life of the place had to suffice him
+for all the rest of that week. There seemed so many pressing things to do
+at home. The Boyle house was only partly furnished. Each morning he and Nan
+went downtown and prospected for things needed. This was Nan's first
+experience of the sort; and she confessed to a ludicrous surprise over the
+fact that pots, pans, brooms, kitchen utensils, and such homely matters had
+to be thought of and bought.
+
+"I had a sort of notion they grew on the premises," she said.
+
+Mrs. Sherwood gave them much valuable advice, particularly as to auctions.
+In the Keiths limited experience auctions generally had meant cheap or
+second-hand articles, but out here the reverse was the case. A madness
+possessed otherwise conservative Eastern merchants--especially of the staid
+city of Boston--to send out on speculation immense cargoes of all sorts of
+goods. These were the despair of consignees. Heavy freights, high interest
+charges, tremendous warehouse rates, speedily ate up whatever chance of
+profits a fresh consignment might have. The only solution was to sell out
+as promptly as possible; and the quickest method was the auction.
+Therefore, auctions were everywhere in progress, and the professional
+auctioneers were a large, influential, and skilful class of people. Their
+advertisements made the bulk of the newspapers. They dressed well, carried
+an air of consequence, furnished refreshments, brass bands, or other
+entertainments to their patrons. The era of fabulous prices was at an end,
+but the era of wild speculation as to what the public was going to want was
+in full tide. Keith and Nan found these auctions great fun, and piece by
+piece they accumulated the items of their house furnishing. It was slow
+work, but amusing. At times Mrs. Sherwood accompanied them, but not often.
+Her advice was always good.
+
+As to Mrs. Sherwood, Nan Keith found her attitude very vague. There was no
+doubt that she liked her personally, admired her slow, purposeful, half-
+indolent movements, the poise of her small, patrician head, the
+unconscious, easy grace of her body, the direct commonsense quality of her
+mind. One met her face to face; there were no frills and furbelows of the
+spirit. Also, Nan was grateful for the other woman's first kindness and
+real sympathy, and she wanted to "play the game." But, on the other hand,
+all her social training and her instinct of formalism tended to hold her
+aloof. She blamed herself intellectually for this feeling; but since it was
+a feeling, and had nothing to do with intellect, it persisted.
+
+In the auction rooms, also, she seemed to meet--be formally introduced to--
+a bewildering number of people, most of whom she could not place at all.
+There seemed to be no reason for meeting them; certainly she would not have
+met them in the East. Nevertheless, they all shook her by the hand, and
+bowed to her whenever subsequently they passed her on the street. Keith
+told her this was all usual and proper in this new and mixed social order;
+and she was perfectly willing to make the effort. She was really charming
+to everybody. The consciousness that she was successfully adapting herself
+to their primitive provincial scope, and her very gracious condescension to
+all types, filled her with respect for her democracy and breadth of mind.
+
+The afternoon they spent at the house receiving boxes and packages. Keith
+worked busily, happily, feverishly, in his shirt sleeves. He attacked the
+job on the principle of a whirlwind campaign, hammering, ripping, throwing
+papers down, deciding instantly where this or that chair or table was to
+stand, tearing on to the next, enjoying himself dustily and hugely.
+
+Nan was more leisurely. She found time to gossip with the drayman who
+brought up the goods, actually came to a liking and a warm friendly feeling
+for him as a person. This was a new experience for Nan, and she explored it
+curiously.
+
+John McGlynn was a teamster, but likewise a thoroughly independent and
+capable citizen. He was of the lank, hewn, lean-faced, hawk-nosed type,
+deliberate in movement and speech, with a twinkling, contemplative,
+appraising eye, and an unhurried drawl. He told Nan he had come out in '49.
+
+"No, ma'am," he disclaimed vigorously, "I didn't go to the mines. I am a
+teamster, and I always did teaming." He did not add, as he might have done,
+that in those days of the individual he had been an important influence.
+
+His great pride was his team and wagon, and that pride was justified. The
+wagon was a heavy flat affair, gayly decorated, and on the sides of the box
+were paintings of landscapes. The horses were great, magnificent creatures,
+with arching thick necks, long wavy manes and forelocks, soft, intelligent
+eyes, and with great hoofs and hairy fetlocks. They carried themselves in
+conscious pride, Their harness was heavy with silver and with many white
+and coloured rings. In colour they were dapple gray.
+
+"That team," said John McGlynn, "is a perfect match. Took me two years to
+get them together. Wuth a mint of money. That Kate, there, is a regular
+character. You'd be surprised how cute she is. I often wonder who Kate
+_is_. She must be some very famous woman."
+
+John McGlynn was a very wonderful and very accommodating person, Nan
+thought. He would help carry things in, and was willing to unpack or to
+carry out the mess Keith's mad career left behind, it. Also he cast an eye
+on the garden possibilities, and issued friendly, expert advice to which
+Nan listened, breathless. They held long intimate consultations as to the
+treatment of the soil.
+
+"A few posies does sort of brighten things up; they're wuth while," quoth
+John.
+
+Without previous consultation, he appeared one day accompanied by a rotund,
+bland, gorgeous Chinaman, perched beside him on his elevated seat.
+
+"This is Wing Woh, a friend of mine," he announced. "You got to have a
+Chink, of course. You can't run that sized house without help. Wing knows
+all the Chinks in town, and bosses about half of them."
+
+Wing Woh descended and without a word walked into the house. He was a very
+ornate person, dressed in a skull cap with a red coral button atop, a
+brocaded pale lavendar tunic of silk, baggy pale green trousers tied close
+around the ankles, snow-white socks and the typical shoe. Gravely,
+solemnly, methodically he went over the entire house; then returned and
+clambered up beside John.
+
+"All light," he vouchsafed to the astonished Nan.
+
+Next morning she found waiting on the veranda a smiling "china boy" dressed
+all in clean white. A small cloth bundle lay at his feet.
+
+"My name Wing Sam," he announced; "I wo'k you thi'ty dolla' month. Where
+you keep him bloom?"
+
+That day John McGlynn stopped after unloading his boxes to give a little
+advice.
+
+"Chinks are queer," said he. "When you show this fellow how to do anything,
+be sure to show him right, because that's the way he's going to do it
+forever after. You can't change him. And show him; don't tell him. And let
+him do things his own way as much as you can, instead of insisting on your
+way."
+
+McGlynn also advised Keith as to where he could to the best advantage hire
+a horse and buggy by the month.
+
+"You want a good safe animal, so Mrs. Keith can drive him; but you don't
+want a cow. Jump aboard and I'll take you around. Never mind your coat," he
+told Keith, "it's warm."
+
+So they "jumped aboard" and drove down the street. Nan gurgled with
+amusement over the episode. She sat on the high seat beside John McGlynn's
+lank figure, above the broad backs of the great horses; and Keith in his
+shirtsleeves, his hair every which way, a smudge of black across his nose,
+balanced in the flat dray body behind. Nan tried to imagine the sensation
+they would create in Baltimore, and laughed aloud.
+
+"Is sort of funny," commented John McGlynn sympathetically. "But everything
+goes out here."
+
+Nan, aghast at the uncanny perspicacity of the man, choked silently. In her
+world there had always been a sort of vague, unexpressed feeling that the
+"lower classes" were dull.
+
+They used the horse and buggy a great deal. It was delivered at the hotel
+door every morning and taken from the same place every evening. Innumerable
+errands downtown for things forgotten kept it busy. At night they returned
+to the hotel pretty well tired out. It was a tremendous task, much as they
+might be enjoying it.
+
+"Seems to me the more we do the worse it gets," said Keith. "Let's dig some
+sort of a hole and move in anyway."
+
+"In a few days," agreed Nan, who as general-in-chief had a much clearer
+idea of the actual state of affairs than the dusty private.
+
+
+
+
+X
+
+
+One morning the accumulated fatigue had its way, and they overslept
+scandalously. It was after ten o'clock before they were ready to drive up
+the street. As they turned the corner from Kearney Street they were saluted
+by the ringing of numerous bells.
+
+"Why, it's Sunday!" cried Keith, after a moment's calculation. In the
+unexpectedness of this discovery he reined in the horse.
+
+"It will never do to work to-day," she answered his unspoken thought. "I
+suppose we ought to go to church."
+
+But Keith turned the horse's head to the left.
+
+"Church?" he returned with great decision. "We're going on a spree. This is
+a day of rest, and we've earned it."
+
+"Where?" asked Nan, a trifle shocked at his implication as to church.
+
+"I haven't the remotest idea," said Keith.
+
+They drove along a plank road leading out of town. It proved to be thronged
+with people, all going in the same direction. The shuffle of their feet on
+the planks and the murmur of their many voices were punctuated by the
+_klop, klop_ of hoofs and occasional shouts of laughter. All races of the
+earth seemed to be represented. It was like a Congress of the Nations at
+some great exposition. French, Germans, Italians, Russians, Dutchmen,
+British, were to be recognized and to be expected. But also were strange
+peoples--Turks, Arabs, Negroes, Chinese, Kanakas, East Indians, the
+gorgeous members of the Spanish races, and nondescript queer people to whom
+neither Nan nor Keith could assign a native habitat. At every step one or
+the other called delighted attention to some new exhibit. Most
+extraordinary were, possibly, the men from the gold mines of the Sierras,
+These were mostly young, but long haired, bearded, rough, wilder than any
+mortal man need be. They walked with a wide swagger. Their clothes were
+exaggeratedly coarse, but they ornamented themselves with bright silk
+handkerchiefs; with feathers, flowers; with squirrel or buck-tails In their
+hats; with long heavy chains of nuggets; with glittering and prominently
+displayed pistols, revolvers, stilettos, knives, or dirks. Some had plaited
+their beards in three tails; others had tied their long hair under their
+chins. But even the most bizarre seemed to attract no attention. San
+Francisco was accustomed to it.
+
+Indeed, the few fashionable strollers were much more stared at. Most of the
+well dressed were in some sort of vehicle. The Keiths saw many buggies like
+their own. A few very smart, or rather very ornamental, double rigs dashed
+by. In these sat generally good-looking but rather loud young women, who
+stared straight ahead with an assumption of supreme indifference. Hacks or
+omnibuses careered along. In these the company was generally merry but
+mixed, though occasionally a good-looking couple had hired an ordinary
+public conveyance. Horsemen and horsewomen were numerous. Some of these
+were very dashing indeed, the women with long trailing skirts and high hats
+from which floated veils; the men with skin-tight trousers strapped under
+varnished boots, and long split-skirted coats. Others were simply plain a-
+horseback. The native Californians with their heavy, silver-mounted
+saddles, braided rawhide reins and bridles, their sombreros, their
+picturesque costumes, and their magnificent fiery horses made a fine
+appearance. Occasionally screaming, bouncing Chinese, hanging on with both
+hands, would dash by at full speed, their horses quite uncontrolled, their
+garments flying, ecstatically scared and happy, causing great confusion,
+and pursued by curses.
+
+"Evidently we're headed in the right direction," remarked Keith.
+
+After a drive of two or three miles, never far from the bay they arrived
+at what had evidently been a sleepy little village. The original low,
+picturesque, red-tiled adobe buildings still clustered about the Mission.
+But much had been added. The Keiths found themselves in an immense
+confusion. Screaming signs cried everywhere for attention--advertising bear
+pits, cock fights, theatrical attractions, side shows, and the like.
+Innumerable hotels and restaurants, small, cheap, and tawdry, offered their
+hospitality, the liquid part of which was already being widely accepted.
+Men were striking pegs with hammers, throwing balls at negroes' heads
+thrust through canvas, shooting at targets. A racecourse was surrounded.
+Dust rose in choking clouds, and the sun beat down heavily.
+
+"Goodness, what a place!" cried Nan in dismay.
+
+Had they known it, there were many quiet, attractive, outlying resorts
+catering to and frequented by the fashionables, for "the Mission" was at
+that time in its heyday as a Sunday amusement for all classes. As it was,
+Keith drove on through the village, and so out to a winding country road.
+
+"This is heavenly," said Nan, and laid aside her veil.
+
+The road wound and meandered through the low hills of the peninsula. The
+sun beat down on them in a flood, only its heat, no longer oppressive, had
+become grateful.
+
+"Doesn't it feel good on your back!" exclaimed Nan, recognizing this
+quality. "One seems to soak it in--just the way a thirsty plant soaks
+water."
+
+The rounded hills were turning a ripe soft brown. Across their crests the
+sky looked very blue. High in the heavens some buzzards were sailing.
+Innumerable quail called. On tree tops perched yellow-breasted meadow larks
+with golden voices. In the bottom of the narrow valley where the road wound
+were green willow trees and a little trickle of water. From the ground came
+upward waves of heat and a pungent clean odour of some weed. Nan was
+excited and keenly receptive to impressions.
+
+"It's a hot day!" she cried, "and the road is dusty. By rights it ought to
+be disagreeable. But it isn't! Why is that?"
+
+The little valley widened into a pocket. Back from the road stood a low
+white much house. Its veranda was smothered in the gorgeousness of
+bougainvillaea. A grave, elderly, bearded Spaniard, on horseback, passed
+them at a smooth shuffling little trot, and gave them a sonorous _buenas
+dias_, The road mounted rapidly. Once when Keith had reined in to breathe
+the horse, they heard the droning crescendo hum of a new swarm of bees
+passing overhead.
+
+"Isn't this nice!" cried Nan, snuggling against Keith's arm.
+
+Suddenly, over the crest and down the other side, they came on sand hills.
+The horse plodded along at a walk. Nan hung far out watching, fascinated,
+the smooth, clean sand dividing before the wheels and flowing back over the
+rim, and so over a little rise, and the sea was before them.
+
+"Oh, the Pacific!" exclaimed she, sitting up very straight.
+
+The horse broke into a trot along the smooth hard shore. The wind was
+coming in from the wide spaces. A taste of salt was in the air. Foam
+wreaths advanced and receded with the edge of the wash, or occasionally
+blew in a mass across the flat, until gradually they scattered and
+dissipated. The horse pricked up his ears, breathed deep of the fresh cool
+air, expanded his nostrils snorting softly, pretended to shy at the foam
+wreaths. The wash advanced and drew back with a soft hissing sound; the
+wind blew flat and low, so that even on the wet parts a fine, white, dried
+mist of sand was always scurrying and hurrying along close to the ground.
+Outside the surges reared and fell with a crash.
+
+After the tepid or heated atmosphere of the hills the air was unexpectedly
+cool and vital. A flock of sickle-billed curlews stood motionless until
+they were within fifty yards; then rose and flew just inside the line of
+the breakers, uttering indescribably weird and lonely cries. A long file of
+pelicans, their wings outspread, sailed close to the surface of the ocean,
+undulating over the waves and into the hollows exactly paralleling, at a
+height of only a few feet, the restless contour of the sea. Occasionally
+they would all flop their wings two or three times in unison.
+
+"I believe it's a sort of game--they're having fun!" stated Nan with
+conviction.
+
+Everything seemed to be having fun. Close to the wash were forty or fifty
+tiny white sanderlings in a compact band. When the wash receded they
+followed it with an incredibly rapid twinkling of little legs; and when
+again the wave rushed, shoreward, _scuttle, scuttle, scuttle_ went they,
+keeping always just at the edge of the water. Never were they forced to
+wing; yet never did they permit the distance to widen between themselves
+and the inrushing or outrushing wave. There were also sundry ducks. These
+swam just inside the breakers, and were carried backward and forward by the
+surges. Always they faced seaward. At the very last instant, as a great
+curler bent over them, they dipped their heads and dived. If the wave did
+not break, however, they rode over its top. Their accuracy of eye was
+uncanny. Time after time they gauged the wave so closely that they just
+flipped over the crest as it crashed with a roar beneath them. A tenth of a
+second later would have destroyed them. Keith reined up the horse to watch
+them and the sanderlings.
+
+"It _is_ a game," he agreed after a while, "just like the pelicans. It
+isn't considered sporting for sanderlings to get more than three inches
+away from the edge of the wash; or for a duck to dive unless he actually
+has to. It must be a game; for they certainly aren't catching anything."
+
+At this moment the sanderlings as though at a signal sprang into the air,
+wheeled back and forth with instantaneous precision, and departed. The
+ducks, too, dove, and came up only outside the surf.
+
+"Good little sportsmen," laughed Keith; "they play the game for its own
+sake. They don't like an audience."
+
+After a few miles they came to a cliff reaching down to the beach and
+completely barring the way. Off shore were rocky islets covered with seals
+and sea lions. A lone blue heron stood atop a sand dune, absolutely
+motionless.
+
+"I don't know where we are, or how we get out," said Keith, "but I'm going
+to take that chap there as a sign post," and he turned his horse directly
+toward the heron.
+
+Sure enough, a track led them through the sand, and by a zigzag route to
+the top of the knoll that had barred their way along the shore. They came
+to an edge. Before them lay an arm of the sea, sweeping and eddying with a
+strong incoming tide. Over the way stood a great mountain, like a sentinel.
+Far to their right the arm widened. There was a glimpse of sparkling blue,
+and of the pearl of far-off hills, and the haze of a distant dim peak.
+
+"It's the Golden Gate!" cried Keith in sudden enlightenment.
+
+He told her that the mountain over the way must be Tamalpais; that the
+pearl-gray, far-off hills must be Contra Costa; that the distant dim peak
+was undoubtedly Mount Diabolo. She repeated the syllables after him softly,
+charmed by their music.
+
+Simultaneously they discovered that they were hungry. The wind whipped in
+from the sea. An outpost tent or so marked the distant invisible city over
+the hills. Keith turned his horse's head toward them. They drove back
+across what are now the Presidio hills.
+
+But in a hollow they came upon another ranch house, like the first--low,
+white, red roofed, covered with vines. Keith insisted on driving to it. A
+number of saddled horses dozed before the door, a half-dozen dogs sprawled
+in the dust, fowls picked their way between the horses' legs or over the
+dogs' recumbent forms. At the sound of wheels several people came from the
+shadow of the porch into the open. They proved to be Spanish Californians
+dressed in the flat sombreros, the short velvet jackets, the slashed
+trousers, and soft leather _zapatos_. The men, handsome, lithe, indolent,
+pressed around the wheels of the buggy, showing their white teeth in
+pleasant smiles.
+
+"Can we get anything to eat here?" asked Keith.
+
+They all smiled again most amiably. The elder swept off his hat with a free
+gesture.
+
+"_A piedes ouestros, senora_," he said, "_pero no hablo Ingles. Habla usted
+Espanol?_"
+
+Keith understood the last three words.
+
+"No," he shook his head violently, "no _Espanol_. Hungry." He pointed to
+Nan, then to himself: "She, me, hungry."
+
+This noble effort brought no results, except that the Californians looked
+more politely distressed and solicitous than ever.
+
+"They don't understand us," murmured Nan; "don't you think we'd better
+drive on?"
+
+But Keith, who had now descended from the buggy, resorted to sign language.
+He rubbed his stomach pathetically and pointed down his open mouth; as an
+afterthought he rubbed the horse's belly; then, with apparent intention, he
+advanced toward Nan. A furious red inundated her face and neck, and she
+held her little parasol threateningly between them. Everybody burst into
+laughter.
+
+"_Si! si! si!_" they cried.
+
+Several started to unharness the horse. Others held out their hands. After
+a moment's hesitation Nan accepted their aid and descended. Keith's
+performance was evidently considered a great joke.
+
+On the low veranda were two women, one most enormously fat, the other young
+and lithe. They were dressed almost exactly alike, their blue--black hair
+parted smoothly over their foreheads but built up to a high structure
+behind, filmy _rebosas_ over high combs, and skirts with many flowered
+flounces. They both had soft, gentle eyes, and they were both so heavily
+powdered that their complexions were almost blue. All the men explained to
+them at once. The younger answered gayly; the older listened with entire
+placidity. But when the account was finished, she reached out to pat Nan's
+hand, and to smile reassuringly.
+
+Various foods and a flask of red wine were brought. There was no
+constraint, for Keith threw himself with delighted abandon into experiments
+with sign language.
+
+"_Esta simpatica_," the Californians told each other over and again.
+
+Their manners were elaborate, dignified, deliberate, and beautiful. Keith,
+ordinarily rather direct and brusque, to Nan's great amusement became
+exactly like them. They outvied each other. The women touched smilingly the
+stuff of Nan's gown, and directly admired her various feminine trappings.
+She, thus encouraged, begged permission to examine more closely the lace of
+the _rebosas_ or the beautiful embroidery on the shawls. A little feeling
+of intimacy drew them all together, although they understood no word of
+each other's language.
+
+One of the dogs now approached and gravely laid its nose on Nan's knee,
+gazing up at her with searching soft eyes. The older woman cried out
+scandalized, but Nan shook her head, and patted the beast's nose.
+
+"You like?" asked the woman.
+
+"Why, you do talk English!" cried Nan.
+
+But either these two words were all the woman had, or she was unwilling to
+adventure further.
+
+"You like?" she repeated again, after a moment, and then, observing Nan's
+interest, she uttered a command to one of the numerous ragged small boys
+standing about. The urchin darted away, to return after a moment with a
+basket, which he emptied on the ground. Four fuzzy puppies rolled out.
+
+"Oh, the darlings!" cried Nan.
+
+The little animals proceeded at once to roll one another over, growling
+fiercely, charging uncertainly about, gazing indeterminately through their
+blue infantile eyes. The mother left her position at Nan's knee to hover
+over them; turning them over with her nose, licking them, skipping nimbly
+sidewise when they charged down upon her with an idea of nourishment.
+
+Nan was enchanted. She left the bench to stoop to their level, tumbling
+them over on their backs; playfully boxing their ears, working them up to a
+wild state of yapping enthusiasm.
+
+"The little darlings!" she cried; "just see their fat little tummies! And
+their teeth are just like needles. No, no, you mustn't! You'll tear my
+flounces! Look, Milton, see this little rascal pull at my handkerchief!"
+
+Her cheeks were flushed, and as she looked up laughing from beneath her
+hat, she made a very charming picture.
+
+"You like," stated the Californian woman with conviction.
+
+After a while it became time to go. Vaqueros brought out the horse and
+harnessed it to the buggy. Keith made a movement to offer payment, but
+correctly interpreted the situation and refrained. They mounted the
+vehicle.
+
+"_Muchas gracias!_" Nan enunciated slowly.
+
+This effort was received with an admiring acclaim that flushed Nan with an
+inordinate pride. She had picked up the phrase from hearing it used at
+table. The fat woman came forward, one of the puppies tucked under her arm.
+In spite of her apparently unwieldy size she moved gracefully and lightly.
+
+"You like?" she inquired, holding the squirming puppy at arm's length.
+
+"_Si, si, muchas gracias!_" cried Nan eagerly, and employing at once all
+her Spanish vocabulary. She deposited the puppy in her lap and reached out
+to shake hands. Keith flicked the horse with his whip. He, too, had
+recollected a word of Spanish, and he used it now.
+
+"_Adios!_" he shouted.
+
+But their hosts had a better phrase.
+
+"_Vaya Con Dios!_" they cried in chorus.
+
+Nan was in raptures over the whole episode, but especially over the puppy.
+The latter, with the instantaneous adaptability of extreme youth, had
+snuggled down into a compact ball, and was blinking one hazy dark blue eye
+upward at his new mistress.
+
+"Weren't they nice people," cried Nan, "and wasn't it an adventure? And
+isn't he just the dearest, cutest little thing? You're not a little Spanish
+dog any more, you know. You're a--what is it they call us?--oh, yes! You're
+a gringo now. Why, that's a fine idea! Your name is Gringo!"
+
+And Gringo he became henceforth.
+
+"What kind of a dog is he?" she asked.
+
+Keith grinned sardonically.
+
+"Of course I do not know his honoured father," said he, "so I cannot offer
+an opinion as to that half of him. But on his mother's side he is
+bloodhound, bulldog, collie, setter, pointer, St. Bernard, and Old English
+sheepdog."
+
+"Which?"' asked Nan puzzled.
+
+"All," asserted Keith.
+
+Now suddenly the sun was blotted out. They looked back: a white bank of fog
+was rolling in from the sea. It flowed over the hills like a flood,
+reaching long wisps down into the hollows, setting inertly in the flats and
+valleys, the upper part rolling on and over in a cascade. Beneath its
+shadow the warmth and brightness of the world had died.
+
+"It strikes me we're going to be cold," remarked Keith, urging forward the
+horse.
+
+The roadbed became more solid, and they trotted along freely. The horse,
+also, was anxious to get home. Signs of habitations thickened. The wide
+waste hills of the ranchos had been left behind. Here and there were
+outlying dwellings, or road houses, the objectives of pleasure excursions
+of various sorts and degrees of respectability from the city. From one of
+the latter came a hail.
+
+"Oh, Keith! I say, Keith!"
+
+From a group of people preparing to enter a number of vehicles two men came
+running. Ben Sansome and Morrell, somewhat out of breath, came alongside.
+They were a little flushed and elevated, but very cordial, and full of
+reproaches that Keith had so entirely dropped out of sight during the past
+week.
+
+"I tell you, you must come over to our house for supper," said Morrell
+finally. "Everybody comes."
+
+"The Morrells' Sunday night suppers are an institution," supplemented
+Sansome.
+
+"I wish I could persuade you," urged Morrell. "I wonder where Mimi is. I
+know Mrs. Morrell ought to call, and all that sort of thing, but this is
+not a conventional place. We live next door, y'know. Do be delightful and
+neighbourly, and come!"
+
+Nan hesitated; but the lure of the well-dressed company, so thoroughly at
+ease with one another, was irresistible in the reaction. She accepted.
+
+
+
+
+XI
+
+
+The Keiths arrived to find the Morrells' informal party in full blast. The
+front parlour was filled with a number of people making a great noise. Out
+of the confusion Mrs. Morrell arose and came to them, as they stood where
+the China-man had abandoned them.
+
+"Mimi" Morrell was a tall woman, not fat, but amply built, with a full bust
+and hips. Her hair was of the peculiar metallic golden blond that might or
+might not have been natural; her skin smooth and white, but coarse in
+grain, would look better at night than by daylight. Her handsome, regular
+features were rather hard and set in their expression when in absolute
+repose, but absolute repose was rare to them. In action they softened to a
+very considerable feminine allurement. She moved with decision, and
+possibly her general attitude smacked the least bit of running things. She
+gave the impression of keeping an eye open for everything going on about
+her. To Nan she seemed tremendous, overwhelming, and a little magnificent.
+
+Immediately, without introductions, the whole party moved through the
+double doors into the dining-room. There they took their places at a table
+set out lavishly with food and drink in great quantity. Mrs. Morrell
+explained in her high level voice that servants and service were always
+dispensed with at her Sunday nights. She rather carelessly indicated a seat
+to Mrs. Keith, and remarked to Keith that he was to sit next herself.
+Otherwise the party distributed itself. Ben Sansome promptly annexed the
+chair next to Nan, and started in to make himself agreeable.
+
+A complete freemasonry obtained among all the party. There was a great deal
+of shouting back and forth, from one end of the table to the other. Each
+seemed to have a nickname. One young man was known exclusively as "Popsy,"
+another answered as "Zou-zou," a third was called "Billy Goat"; a very
+vivid, flashing young woman was "Teeny," and so on. They conversed, or
+rather shouted, to a great extent by means of catch words or phrases,
+alluding evidently to events the purport of which the Keiths could by no
+possibility guess. There were a great many private jokes, the points of
+which were obvious to only one or two. Every once in a while some one would
+say "Number Seven!" and everybody would go off into convulsions of
+laughter. The vivid young woman called Teeny suddenly shrieked, "How about
+Friday, the twenty-third?" at Popsy, to Popsy's obvious consternation and
+confusion. Immediately every one turned on either Popsy or Teeny, demanding
+the true inwardness of the remark. Popsy defended himself, rather pink and
+embarrassed. The young woman, a devilish knowing glint in her eyes, her red
+underlip caught between her teeth, refused to answer.
+
+Keith warmed to this free and easy atmosphere. He was friendly and
+sympathetic with the lively crowd. But in vain he tried for a point of
+contact. All this badinage depended on a previous knowledge and intimacy,
+and that, of course, he lacked. Mrs. Morrell, sitting beside him very
+straight and commanding, delivered her general remarks in a high, clear
+voice, turning her attention impartially now to one part of the noisy
+table, now to another.
+
+Suddenly she abandoned the company to its own devices, and leaning her left
+elbow on the table, she turned squarely to Keith, enveloping him with a
+magnetic all-for-you look.
+
+"Do you know," she said abruptly, "something tells me you are musical."
+
+"Why, I am, a little," admitted Keith, surprised. "But how could you tell?"
+
+"La, now, I was sure you had a voice the first time I heard you speak. I
+adore music, and I can always tell."
+
+"Do you sing, too?" asked Keith.
+
+"I? No, unfortunately. I have no more voice than a crow. I strum a bit, but
+even that has been a good deal neglected lately. There's no temptation to
+keep up one's music here. I don't know a single soul in all this city who
+cares a snap of their finger for it."
+
+"We'll have to have some music together," suggested Keith.
+
+"I'd adore it. Isn't it lucky we're neighbours? I've been so interested"--
+she said it as though she had almost intended to say "amused"--"in watching
+you this past week. You are the most domestic man I know. I never saw a man
+work so singlemindedly at his house and home. Domesticity is a rare outworn
+virtue here, I assure you. It is really quite touching to see a man so
+devoted these days."
+
+She said these things idly, a little disjointedly, looking at him steadily
+all the while. Her manner was detached, and yet somehow it impelled him
+strongly to protest that he was really not a bit domestic.
+
+"Have you met any of the people of the place?" she shifted suddenly,
+
+"Well--I really haven't had much chance yet--a few of the men."
+
+"Well--you'll find things pretty mixed. Don't expect much; one has to take
+things pretty much as one finds them."
+
+To this simple speech was appended one gesture only--a slight raising of
+the eyebrows. Yet the effect was to sweep Keith into the intimacy of an
+inner circle, to suggest that she, too, found society mixed, and to imply--
+very remotely--that at least certain members of the present company itself
+were not quite what he--or she--would choose in another environment. In
+unconscious response to this unspoken thought, Keith glanced about the
+table. There was a good deal of drinking going on; and the fun was becoming
+even more obvious and noisy. Mrs. Morrell occasionally sipped at her
+champagne. She emitted a slight but rather disturbing perfume.
+
+"Why did you come out here, anyway?" she asked him. "I can't make out. I'm
+curious."
+
+"Why shouldn't I?" demanded Keith.
+
+"Well, men come here either for money, for adventure, or to make a career."
+She marked each on the tablecloth with the end of a fork. "Which is it?"
+
+"Guess," laughed Keith.
+
+"You don't need money--or else you have a wonderful nerve to take the Boyle
+house. I believe you have the nerve, all right. Men with your sort of close
+curly hair are never--bashful!" she laughed shortly.
+
+"Boyle's rent is safe--for a while," admitted Keith.
+
+"Career?" she went on, looking him in the eyes speculatively, and allowing
+her gaze to sink deep into his. He noticed that her eyes were a gray green,
+like semi-precious stones of some sorts, with surface lights, but also with
+grayer radiations that seemed to go below the surface to smouldering
+depths--disturbing eyes, like the perfume. "Career?" she repeated. "I think
+you hold yourself better--a career in the riff-raff of this town." She
+shook her head archly. "But adventure! Oh, la! There's plenty of that--all
+sorts!" She gave the impression of meaning a great deal more than she said.
+"I wish I were a man!" she exclaimed, and laughed.
+
+"I'm glad you're not," rejoined Keith sincerely.
+
+She tapped him lightly on the arm with her fan.
+
+"Oh, la!" she cried.
+
+Keith laughed meaningly and mischievously. He was feeling entirely at home
+--in his mental shirtsleeves--thoroughly at ease.
+
+"You're a lawyer, are you not?" she asked him.
+
+"Try to be."
+
+"Going to practise?"
+
+"If any practice comes my way."
+
+She looked at him, smiling slowly.
+
+"Oh, it'll come fast enough." She seized her glass and held it to him.
+"Here's to your career!" she cried. "Bottoms up!"
+
+They clinked glasses and drank.
+
+"You must meet people--influential people," she told him. "We must see what
+we can do; I'll have some of them in."
+
+"You're simply fine to take all this trouble for me!"
+
+She tapped him again on the arm.
+
+"Silly! We take care of our own people, of _course!_ Let's plan it. Have
+you any connections in town at all?"
+
+"Well, I've met quite a few people about town, and I have some letters."
+
+"Casual acquaintances are well enough, but your letters?"
+
+"I have one to Calhoun Bennett, and to Mr. Dempster, and Mr. Farwell, and
+Truett--"
+
+But she was making a wry face.
+
+"What's the matter with, them?" he demanded.
+
+"Cal Bennett's all right--but the others--oh, I suppose they're all right
+in a business way--but--"
+
+"But, what?"
+
+She made a helpless little gesture.
+
+"I can't describe it--you know--the sort that are always so keen on doing
+their _duty!_"
+
+She laughed; and to his subconscious surprise Keith found himself saying
+sympathetically:
+
+"I know the sort of people who always pay their debts!"
+
+They looked into each other's eyes and laughed in comradeship. In sober
+life Keith did his duty reasonably well, and was never far behind
+financially.
+
+She fell silent for a moment; then with a muttered "excuse me," she leaned
+directly across his shoulder to impart something low-voiced and giggly to
+the woman on his right. To do this she leaned her breast against his arm
+and shoulder. The conversation lasted some seconds. Keith could not hear a
+word of it; but he was disturbingly aware of her perfume, the softness of
+her body, and the warmth that struck even through the intervening clothing.
+She drew back with a half apology.
+
+"Feminine nonsense," she told him. "Mere man couldn't be expected to
+understand." She was herself a little flushed from leaning over, but she
+appeared not to notice Keith's rather breathless state. He muttered
+something, and gulped at his champagne.
+
+"Do you know Mrs. Sherwood?" he asked, merely to say something,
+
+But to his surprise Mrs, Morrell answered him shortly, her manner changing:
+
+"No, I don't. We draw the line _somewhere_!"
+
+Again she addressed the woman on the right, but this time without leaning
+across:
+
+"Oh, Amy, the fair Patricia has another victim!" and laughed rather
+shrilly. Suddenly she rapped the table with the handle of a knife. "Stop
+it!" she cried to the company at large. "You're making too much noise!"
+
+They all turned to her except one youth who was too noisily busy with his
+partner to have heard her. Failing in another attempt to get his attention,
+Mrs. Morrell picked up a chunk of French bread and hurled it at him.
+
+"Good shot!" "Bravo!" "Encore!" came a burst of applause, as the bread,
+largely by accident, took him squarely between the eyes.
+
+The youth, though astonished, was game. He retaliated in kind. Keith
+whipped up an empty plate and intercepted it. The youth's partner came to
+his assistance. Keith, a plate in either hand, deftly protected Mrs.
+Morrell from the flying missiles. The implied challenge was instantly
+accepted by all. The air was full of bread. Keith's dexterity was tested to
+the utmost, but he came through the battle with flying colours. Everybody
+threw bread. There was much explosive laughter, that soon became fairly
+exhausting. The battle ceased, both because the combatants were out of
+ammunition, and because they were too weak from mirth to proceed. Keith
+with elaborate mock gallantry turned and presented Mrs. Morrell with the
+two plates.
+
+"The spoils of war!" he told her.
+
+"He should be decorated for conspicuous gallantry on the field of battle!"
+cried some one.
+
+The idea took. But they could find nothing appropriate until Teeny
+McFarlane deliberately stepped up on the table and broke from the glass
+chandelier one of its numerous dangling prisms. This called forth a mild
+protest from Morrell--"Oh, I say!"--which was drowned in a wild shriek of
+delight. The process of stepping down from the table tilted Teeny's wide
+skirts so that for an instant a slim silken leg was plainly visible as far
+as the knee. "Oh! oh!" cried every one. Some pretended to be shocked, and
+covered their faces with spread fingers; others feigned to try for another
+look. Teeny was quite unperturbed.
+
+Keith was the centre of attention and a great success. But there were no
+more tete-a-tetes. Mrs. Morrell managed to convey the idea that she was
+displeased, and Keith was of a sufficiently generous and ingenuous
+disposition to be intrigued by the fact. He had no chance to probe the
+matter. In a moment or so Mrs. Morrell rose and strolled toward the
+drawing-room. The others straggled after her. She rather liked thus to
+emphasize her lack of convention as a hostess, making a pose of never
+remembering the proper thing to do. Now she moved here and there, laughing
+her shrill rather mirthless laugh, calling everybody "dearie," uttering
+abrupt little platitudes. Keith found himself left behind, and rather out
+in the cold. The company had quite frankly segregated itself into couples.
+The room was well adapted to this, filled as it was with comfortable chairs
+arranged with apparent carelessness two by two. The men lighted cigars.
+Keith saw Nan's eyes widen at this. She was sitting near the fire, and
+Sansome had penned her in beyond the possibility of invasion by a third. At
+this date smoking was a more or less doubtfully considered habit, and in
+the best society men smoked only in certain rigidly specified
+circumstances. In a drawing-room such an action might be considered the
+fair equivalent to powdering the feminine nose.
+
+In such a condition, Keith was left rather awkwardly alone, and was fairly
+thrust upon a fictitious interest in a photograph album, at which he
+glowered for some moments. Then by a well-planned and skilfully executed
+flank movement he caught Mrs. Morrell.
+
+"Look here," he demanded; "what has the standing army done to deserve
+abandonment in a hostile country?"
+
+But she looked at him directly, without response to his playful manner.
+
+"My friend," she said, "this is a pretty free and easy town, as no doubt
+you have observed, and society is very mixed. But we haven't yet come to
+receiving women like Mrs. Sherwood, or relishing their being mentioned to
+us."
+
+"Why, what's the matter with her?" demanded Keith, astonished. "Is she as
+far from respectability as all that?"
+
+"Respectable! That word isn't understood in San Francisco." She appeared
+suddenly to soften. "You're a dear innocent boy, so you are, and you've got
+a dear innocent little wife, and I'll have to look out for you."
+
+Before the deliberate and superior mockery in her eyes as well as in her
+voice, Keith felt somehow like a small boy. He was stung to a momentary
+astonishing fury.
+
+"By God--" he began, and checked himself with difficulty.
+
+She smiled at him slowly.
+
+"Perhaps I didn't mean all of that," she said; "perhaps only half of it,"
+she added with significance. "My personal opinion is that you are likely to
+be a curly haired little devil; and when you look at me like that, I'm glad
+we're not alone."
+
+She looked at him an enigmatic moment, then turned away from the table near
+which they had been standing. "Come, help me break up some of this
+'twosing,'" she said.
+
+Shortly after this the party dispersed. Mrs. Morrell said good-bye to them
+carelessly, or not at all, according as it happened.
+
+"You must come again, come often," she told the Keiths. "It's pretty dull
+unless you make your own fun." She was half sleepily conventional, her lids
+heavy. "Perhaps we can have some music soon," she added. The words were
+careless, but she shot Keith an especial gleam.
+
+The Keiths walked sociably home together, almost in silence. Keith, after
+his habit, super-excited with all the fun, the row, and the half-guilty
+boyish feeling of having done a little something he ought not to have done,
+did not want to seem too enthusiastic.
+
+"Jolly crowd," he remarked.
+
+"They were certainly noisy enough," said Nan indifferently; then after a
+moment, "Where _do_ you suppose some of them get their clothes?"
+
+Keith's mind was full of the excitement of the evening. He found himself
+reviewing the company, appraising it, wondering about it. Was Teeny
+McFarlane as gay as she appeared? He had never seen women smoke before; but
+that dark girl with the red thing in her hair puffed a cigarette. Perhaps
+she was Spanish--he had not met her. And Mrs. Morrell--hanged if he quite
+dared make her out--it wouldn't do to jump to conclusions nor too hastily
+to apply Eastern standards; this was a new country, fatal to make a fool
+mistake; well-built creature, by gad--
+
+Nan interrupted his thoughts. He came to with a start.
+
+"I think we'd better put the big armchair in the front room, after all,"
+she was saying.
+
+
+
+
+XII
+
+
+Next morning Keith allayed what little uneasiness his conscience might
+harbour by remarking, as he adjusted his collar:
+
+"Mrs. Morrell is an amusing type, don't you think? She's a bit vulgar, but
+she seems good hearted. Wonder what colour her hair used to be?"
+
+"I suppose they are all right," said Nan. "They are a little rowdy. They
+gave me a headache."
+
+Illogically rehabilitated in his own self-esteem, Keith went on dressing.
+He was "on" to Mrs. Morrell; her methods were pretty obvious. Wonder if she
+thought she had really fooled him? Next time he would be on guard and beat
+her at her own game. She was not a woman to his taste, anyway--he glanced
+admiringly at Nan's clean profile against the light--but she was full of
+vitality, she was keen, she was brimming with the joy of life.
+
+The long drive over the Peninsula to the sea and back, the episode of the
+Spanish people, the rowdy supper party, had one effect, however: it had
+made so decided a break in the routine that Keith found himself thrust
+quite outside it. He had worked feverishly all the week, at about double
+speed; and in ordinary course would have gone on working feverishly at
+double speed for another week. Now, suddenly, the thought was irksome. He
+did not analyze this; but, characteristically, discovered an irrefutable
+reason for not going on with it. They rescued Gringo from Sam's care, and
+drove up to the house. On the way Keith said:
+
+"Look here, Nan; do you suppose you and Wing can get on all right this
+morning? All the heavy work is done. I really ought to be settling the
+office and getting some lines laid for business."
+
+"Why, of course we can get on, silly!" she rejoined. "This isn't your job,
+anyway. Of course you ought to attend to your business."
+
+Keith again consulted Palmer, Cook & Co. The same clerk showed him offices.
+He was appalled at the rents. Even a miserable little back room in the
+obscurer blocks commanded a sum higher than he had anticipated paying.
+After looking at a dozen, he finally decided on a front room in the
+Merchants' Exchange Building. This was one of the most expensive, but Keith
+was tired of looking. The best is the greatest economy in the long run, he
+told himself, and with a lawyer, new-come, appearances count for much in
+getting clients. Must get the clients, though, to support this sort of
+thing! The rest of the morning he spent buying furniture.
+
+About noon he walked back to the Bella Union. His horse and buggy were not
+hitched to the rail, so he concluded Nan had not yet returned for lunch.
+Mrs. Sherwood, however, was seated in a rocker at the sunny end of the long
+veranda. She looked most attractive, her small smooth head bent over some
+sort of fancywork. Before she looked up Keith had leisure to note the poise
+of her head and shoulders, the fine long lines of her figure, and the
+arched-browed serenity of her eyes. Different type this from the full-
+breasted Morrell, more--more patrician! Rather absurd in view of their
+respective places in society, but a fact. Keith found himself swiftly
+speculating on Mrs. Sherwood's origin and experience. She was endowed with
+a new glamour because of Mrs. Morrell's enigmatic remark the evening
+before, and also--for Keith was very human--with a new attraction. Feeling
+vaguely and boyishly devilish, Keith. stopped.
+
+She nodded at him, laying her work aside.
+
+"You are practically invisible." she told him.
+
+"Making ourselves a habitation. Seen Mrs. Keith?"
+
+"No. I don't think she's come in."
+
+Keith hesitated, then:
+
+"I think I'll go up to the house for her."
+
+Mrs. Sherwood nodded, and resumed her work calmly, without further remark.
+
+At the house Keith found Nan, her apron on, her hair done up under a dust
+cap, very busy.
+
+"Noon?" she cried, astonished. "It can't be! But I can't stop now. I think
+I'll have Wing pick me up a lunch. There's plenty in the house. It's too
+much bother to clean up."
+
+Keith demurred; then wanted to stay for the pick-up lunch himself. Nan
+would have none of it. She was full of repressed enthusiasm and eagerness,
+but she wanted to get rid of him.
+
+"There's not enough. I wouldn't have you around. Go away, that's a good
+boy! If you'll leave Wing and me entirely alone we'll be ready to move in
+to-morrow."
+
+"Where's Gringo?" asked Keith by way of indirect yielding--he had really no
+desire for a picked-up lunch.
+
+"The little rascal! He started to chew everything in the place, so I tied
+him in the backyard. He pulls and flops dreadfully. Do you think he'll
+strangle himself?"
+
+Keith looked out the window. Gringo, all four feet planted, was
+determinedly straining back against his tether. The collar had pulled
+forward all the loose skin of his neck, so that his eyes and features were
+lost in wrinkles.
+
+"He doesn't yap," volunteered Nan.
+
+Keith gave it as his opinion that Gringo would stop short of suicide,
+commended Gringo's taciturnity and evident perseverance, and departed for
+the hotel. In the dining-room he saw Mrs. Sherwood in a riding habit,
+eating alone. Keith hesitated, then took the vacant seat opposite. She
+accorded this permission cordially, but without coquetry, remarking that
+Sherwood often did not get in at noon. Immediately she turned the
+conversation to Keith's affairs, inquiring in detail as to how the settling
+was getting on, when they expected to get in, how they liked the house,
+whether they had bought all the furniture.
+
+"You remember I directed you to the auctions?" she said.
+
+She asked all these questions directly, as a man would, and listened to his
+replies.
+
+"I suppose you have an office picked out?" she surmised.
+
+At his mention of the Merchants' Exchange Building she raised her arched
+eyebrows half humorously.
+
+"You picked out an expensive place."
+
+Keith went over his reasoning, to which she listened with a half smile.
+
+"You may be right," she commented; "the reasoning is perfectly sound. But
+that means you must get the business in order to make it pay. What are your
+plans?"
+
+He confessed that as yet they were rather vague; there had not been time to
+do much--too busy settling.
+
+"The usual thing, I suppose," he added: "get acquainted, hang out a
+shingle, mix with people, sit down and starve in the traditional manner of
+young lawyers."
+
+He laughed lightly, but she refused to joke.
+
+"There are a good many lawyers here--and most of them poor ones," she told
+him. "The difficulty is to stand out above the ruck, to become noticed. You
+must get to know all classes, of course; but especially those of your own
+profession, men on the bench. Yes, especially men on the bench, they may
+help you more than any others--"
+
+He seemed to catch a little cynicism in her implied meaning, and
+experienced a sense of shock on his professional side.
+
+"You don't mean that judges are--"
+
+"Susceptible to influence?" She finished the sentence for him with an
+amused little laugh. She studied him for an instant with new interest,
+"They're human--more human here than anywhere else--like the rest of us--
+they respond to kind treatment--" She laughed again, but at the sight of
+his face her own became grave. She checked herself. "Everything is so new
+out here. In older countries the precedents have all been established. Out
+here there are practically none. They are being made now, every day, by the
+present judges. Naturally personal influence might get a hearing for one
+point of view or the other--"
+
+"I see what you mean," he agreed, his face clearing.
+
+"Join a good fire company," she advised him. "That is the first thing to
+do. Each company represents something different, a different class of men."
+
+"Which would you advise?" asked Keith seriously.
+
+"That is a matter for your own judgment. Only, investigate well. Meet all
+the people you can. Know the newspaper men, and the big merchants. In your
+profession you must cultivate men like Terry, Girvin, Shattuck, Gwin. Keep
+your eyes open. Be bold and use your wits. Above all, make friends; that's
+it, _make friends_--everybody, everywhere. Don't despise anybody. You will
+get plenty of chances." She was sitting erect, and her eyes were flashing.
+Her usual slow indolent grace had fallen from her; she radiated energy. Her
+slender figure took on a new appearance of knit strength. "Such chances! My
+heavens! if I were a man!"
+
+"You'd make a bully man!" cried Keith. Mrs. Morrell, uttering the same
+wish, had received from him a different reply, but he had forgotten that.
+
+She laughed again, the tension broke, and she sank back into her usual
+relaxed poise.
+
+"But, thank heavens, I'm not," said she.
+
+
+
+
+XIII
+
+
+Affairs for the Keiths passed through another week of what might be called
+the transition stage. It took them that long to settle down in their new
+house and into some semblance of a routine--two days to the actual
+installation, and the evenings full of small matters to arrange. Nan was
+busy all day long playing with her new toy. The housekeeping was
+fascinating, and Wing Sam a mixture of delight and despair. Like most women
+who have led the sheltered life, she had not realized as yet that the
+customs of her own fraction of one per cent, were not immutable. Therefore,
+she tried to model the household exactly in the pattern of those to which
+she had been accustomed. Wing Sam blandly refused to be moulded.
+
+Thus Nan spent all one morning drilling him in the proper etiquette of
+answering doors. Mindful of John McGlynn's advice, she did this by precept,
+ringing her own door bell, presenting a card as though calling on herself.
+Wing Sam's placid exterior changed not. A half hour later the door bell
+rang, but no Wing Sam appeared to answer it. It rang again, and again,
+until Nan herself opened the door. On the doorstep stood Wing Sam himself.
+
+"I foolee you, too," he announced with huge delight.
+
+Painstakingly Nan conveyed to him that this was neither an amusing game nor
+a practical joke. Later in the day the door bell rang again. Nan, hovering
+near to gauge the result of her training, saw Wing Sam plant himself firmly
+in the opening.
+
+"You got ticket?" he demanded sternly of the deliveryman outside. "You no
+got ticket, you no get in!"
+
+Which, Nan rather hysterically gathered, was what Wing Sam had gained of
+the calling-card idea. After that, temporarily as she thought, Nan
+permitted him to go back to his own method, which, had she known it, was
+the method of every Chinese servant in California. The visitor found his
+bell answered by a blandly smiling Wing Sam, who cheerfully remarked:
+"Hullo!" It was friendly, and it didn't matter; but at that stage of her
+development Nan was more or less scandalized.
+
+Nan's sense of humour always came to her assistance by evening, and she had
+many amusing anecdotes to tell Keith, over which both of them laughed
+merrily. Gringo added somewhat to the complications in life. He was a fat,
+roly-poly, soft-boned, ingratiating puppy, with a tail that waved
+energetically but uncontrolledly. Gringo at times was very naughty, and
+very much in the way. But when exasperation turned to vengeance he had a
+way of keeling over on his back, spreading his hind legs apart in a manner
+to expose his stomach freely to brutal assault, and casting one calm china-
+blue eye upward.
+
+"Can there anywhere exist any one so hard-hearted as to injure a poor,
+absolutely defenceless dog?" he inquired, with full confidence in the
+answer.
+
+The iniquities of Gringo and the eccentricities of Wing Sam Nan detailed at
+length, and also her experiences with the natives. She as yet looked on
+every one as natives. Only later could she expand to the point of including
+them in her cosmos of people. Nan was transplanted, and her roots had not
+yet struck down into the soil. In her shopping peregrinations she was
+making casual acquaintance, and she had not yet become accustomed to it.
+
+"I bought some darling little casseroles at Phelan's to-day," she said.
+"The whole Phelan family waited on me. Where do you suppose the women get
+their perfectly awful clothes? Mrs. Phelan offered to take me to her
+milliner!" or "You know Wilkins--the furniture man where we got the big
+armchair? I was in there to-day, and he apologized because his wife hadn't
+called!"
+
+They went to bed early, because they were both very tired.
+
+Keith also had generally passed an interesting day. Immediately after
+breakfast he went to his office, and conscientiously sat a while. Sometimes
+he wrote letters or cast up accounts; but there could not be much of this
+to do. About ten or eleven o'clock his impatient temperament had had enough
+of this, so he drifted over to the Monumental engine house. After
+considerable thought he had decided to join this company. It represented
+about the class of men with whom he wanted to affiliate himself--the
+influential men of the lawyer, Southern-politician, large business men
+type. There were many of these volunteer organizations. Their main purpose
+was to fight fire; but they subserved other objects as well--political,
+social, and financial. David Broderick, for example, already hated and
+feared, partly owned and financed a company of ward-heelers who were
+introducing and establishing the Tammany type of spoils politics. Casey,
+later in serious trouble, practically manipulated another.
+
+Among the Monumentals, Keith delighted especially in Bert Taylor. Bert
+Taylor likewise delighted in Keith. The little chubby man's enthusiasm for
+the company, while recognized as most valuable to the company's welfare,
+had ended by boring most of the company's members. But Keith was a new
+listener and avid for information. He had had no notion of how complicated
+the whole matter could be. Bert Taylor dissertated sometimes on one phase
+of the subject, sometimes on another.
+
+"It's drills we need, and the fellows won't drill enough!" was Bert
+Taylor's constant complaint. "What do they know about hose? They run it out
+any way it comes; and roll it up anyhow, instead of doing a proper job."
+
+"How should you do it?" asked Keith.
+
+"It ought to be laid right--so there's no bends or sharp angles in it; it
+should never be laid over heaps of stones, or any kind of uneven surface--
+it all increases the water resistance. If there are any bends or curves
+they should be regular and even. The hose ought never to rest against a
+sharp edge or angle. And when you coil it up you ought to reverse the sides
+every time, so it will wear even and stretch even. Do they do it? Not
+unless I stand over them with a club!"
+
+He showed Keith the hose, made of India rubber, a comparatively new thing,
+for heretofore hose had been made of riveted leather. Bert Taylor made him
+feel the inside of this hose with his forefinger to test its superlative
+smoothness.
+
+"Mighty little resistance there!" he cried triumphantly.
+
+The nozzles, all in racks, he handled with almost reverent care.
+
+"These are the boys that cost the money," said Taylor. "If the inside isn't
+polished like a mirror the water doesn't come smooth. And the least little
+dent makes the stream ragged and broken. Nothing looks worse--and it isn't
+as effective on the fire. It ought to be thrown like a solid rod of water.
+I can't get the boys to realize that the slightest bruise, dent, or burr
+throws the stream in a ragged feathery foam. The result of that is that a
+lot of water is dissipated and lost."
+
+Keith, who had taken hold of the nozzle rather negligently, returned it
+with the reverent care due crown jewels.
+
+"How long a stream will it throw?" he asked.
+
+"With thirty men on a side she's done a hundred and twelve feet high, and
+two hundred and eighteen for distance," said Bert with simple pride.
+
+He picked up the nozzle again.
+
+"See here. Here's an invention of my own. Cost money to put it in, too,
+because every other nozzle on earth is made wrong."
+
+He explained that other nozzles are made so that the thread of the hose
+screwed into the nozzle; while in his, the thread of the nozzle screwed
+into the hose.
+
+"If there's a leak or a bad connection," explained Bert, "with the old
+type, the water is blown back into the fireman's face, and he is blinded.
+His whole efficiency depends on a close joint. But with my scheme the leak
+is blown forward, away from the lineman. It's a perfectly sound scheme, but
+I can't make them see it."
+
+"Sounds reasonable," observed Keith, examining perfunctorily a device to
+which later he was to owe his life.
+
+Item by item they went over the details of equipment--the scaling ladders,
+the jumping sheets, the branch pipes, the suction pipes, the flat roses,
+standcocks, goose necks, the dogtails, dam boards, shovels, saws, poleaxes,
+hooks, and ropes. From a consideration of them the two branched off to the
+generalities of fire fighting. Keith learned that the combating of a fire,
+the driving it into a corner, outflanking it, was a fine art.
+
+"I say always, _get in close_," said Taylor. "A fire can be _put_ out as
+well as just drowned out."
+
+It struck Keith as interesting that in a room a stream should always be
+directed at the top of a fire, so that the water running down helps
+extinguish the flames below, whereas in attack at the bottom or centre
+merely puts out the immediate blaze, leaving the rest to spread upward or
+sideways. Taylor put himself on record against fighting fire from the
+street.
+
+"Don't want a whole lot of water and row," he maintained. "Get in close
+quarters and make every drop count."
+
+When Bert's enthusiasm palled, Keith always found men in the reading-room.
+The engine house was a sort of clearing house for politics, business
+schemes, personal affairs, or differences.
+
+Once a day, also, as part of his job in his profession, Keith went to the
+courthouse. There he sat in the enclosure reserved for lawyers and listened
+to the proceedings, his legal mind alert and interested in the technical
+battles. At no time in the world's history has sheer technicality
+unleavened by common sense been carried further than in the early
+California courts. Even in the most law-ridden times elsewhere a certain
+check has been exercised by public opinion or the presence of business
+interests. But here was as yet no public opinion; and business interests,
+their energies fully taxed by the necessities of a new country, were
+willing to pay heavily to be let alone. Consequently, lawyers were
+permitted to play out their fascinating game to their hearts' content, and
+totally without reference to expedience or to the justice of the case. The
+battles were indeed intensely technical and shadowy. Points within points
+were fought bitterly. Often for days the real case at issue was forgotten.
+
+Only one of the more obvious instances of technical triumph need be cited.
+One man killed another, on a public street, before many witnesses. The
+indictment was, however, thrown out and he released because it stated only
+that the victim was killed by a pistol, and failed to specify that his
+death was due to the discharge of said pistol. The lawyer who evolved this
+brilliant idea was greatly admired and warmly congratulated.
+
+The wheels of the law ground very slowly. One of the simplest and most
+effective expedients of defence was delay. A case could be postponed and
+remanded, often until the witnesses were scattered or influenced. But there
+were infinite numbers of legal expedients, all most interesting to a man of
+Keith's profession. His sense of justice was naturally strong and warm, and
+an appeal to it outside a courtroom or a law office always got an immediate
+and commonsense response. But inside the law his mind automatically closed,
+and a "case" could have only legal aspects. Which is true of the majority
+of lawyers to-day.
+
+On the adjournment of court Keith generally drifted over to the El Dorado
+or the Empire, where he spent an hour or so loafing with some of his
+numerous acquaintances. He was of the temperament that makes itself quickly
+popular, the laughing, hearty sort, full of badinage, and genuinely liking
+most men with whom he came in contact. There was always much joking in the
+air, but back of it was a certain reserve, a certain wariness, for every
+second man was a professed "fire-eater," given to feeling insulted on the
+slightest grounds, and flying to the duel or the street fight instanter.
+
+This hour was always most pleasant to Keith; nevertheless, he went home
+about five o'clock in order to enjoy an hour or so of daylight about the
+place. He performed prodigies of digging in the new garden: constructing
+terraces, flower beds, walks, and the like. While the actual construction
+work was under way he was greatly interested, but cared nothing for the
+finished product or the mere growing of the flowers.
+
+Gringo received his share of training, at first to his intense disgust.
+Twice he refused obedience, and the matter being pressed, resorted to the
+simple expedient of retiring from the scene. Keith dropped everything and
+pursued. Gringo crawled under things, but was followed even to the dustiest
+and cob-webbiest farthest corner under the porch; he tried swiftness and
+dodging, but was trailed in all his doublings and twistings at top speed;
+he tried running straight away over the sand hills, and at first left his
+horrible master behind, but the horrible master possessed a horrible
+persistence. Finally he shut his eyes and squatted, expecting instant
+annihilation, but instead was haled back to the exact scene of his
+disobedience, and the command repeated. Nan laughed until the tears came,
+over the large, warm, red-faced man after the small, obstinate, scared pup,
+but Keith refused to joke.
+
+"If he finds he can't get away, no matter what happens, I'll never have to
+do it again," he panted. "But if he wins out, even once, it'll be an awful
+job."
+
+Gringo tried twice. Then, his faith in his ability to escape completely
+shattered, he gave up. After that he adored Keith and was always under his
+feet.
+
+Keith saw nothing of any of the women. Mrs. Sherwood seemed to have dropped
+from their ken when they left the hotel. Once Keith inquired casually about
+Mrs. Morrell.
+
+"She's been over twice to see the place," replied Nan.
+
+"We ought to go over there to call," proffered Keith vaguely; but there the
+matter rested.
+
+
+
+
+XIV
+
+
+One night Keith was awakened by Nan's suddenly sitting up in bed. There
+came to his struggling consciousness the persistent steady clangour of many
+deep bells. Slowly recognition filtered into his mind--the fire bells!
+
+He hastily pulled on some clothes and ran down the front stairs, stumbling
+over Gringo, who uttered an outraged yelp. From the street he could see a
+red glow in the sky. At top speed he ran down the street in the direction
+of the Monumental. In the half darkness he could make out other figures
+running. The deep tones of the bells continued to smite his ear, but now in
+addition he heard the tinkling and clinking of innumerable smaller bells--
+those on the machines. He dashed around a corner to encounter a double line
+of men, running at full speed, hauling on a long rope attached to an
+engine. Their mouths were open, and they were all yelling. The light engine
+careened and swayed and bumped. Two men clung to the short steering tongue,
+trying to guide it. They were thrown violently from side to side, dragged
+here and there, tripping, hauling, falling across the tongue, but managing
+to keep the machine from dashing off at a tangent. Above them, high and
+precarious, swayed the short stout figure of Bert Taylor. He was in full
+regalia--leather helmet, heavy leather belt, long-tailed coat, and in his
+free hand the chased silver speaking trumpet with the red tassels that
+usually hung on the wall. He was in his glory, dominating the horde. His
+keen eye, roving everywhere, seeing everything, saw Keith.
+
+"Catch hold!" he roared through the trumpet.
+
+Keith made a flying grab at a vacant place on the line, caught it, was
+almost jerked from his feet, recovered himself, and charged on, yelling
+like the rest.
+
+But now Bert Taylor began to shriek something excitedly. It became evident,
+from glimpses caught down the side streets, but especially through the many
+vacant lots, that another engine was paralleling their own course a block
+away.
+
+"Jump her, boys, jump her!" shrieked Bert Taylor. "For God's sake, don't
+let those Eurekas beat you!"
+
+He danced about on top of the waterbox of the engine, in imminent peril of
+being jerked from his place, battering his silver trumpet insanely against
+the brake rods, beseeching, threatening profanely. And profanity at that
+time was a fine art. Men studied its alliteration, the gorgeousness of its
+imagery, the blast of its fire. The art has been lost, existing still, in a
+debased form, only among mule drivers, sailors, and the owners of certain
+makes of automobiles. The men on the rope responded nobly. The roar of
+their going over the plank road was like hollow thunder. A man dropped out.
+Next day it was discovered he had broken his leg in a hole. At tremendous
+speed they charged through the ring of spectators, and drew up, proud and
+panting, victors by a hundred feet, to receive the plaudits of the
+multitude. A handsome man on a handsome horse rode up.
+
+"Monumentals on the fire! Eurekas on cistern number twenty!" he commanded
+briefly.
+
+This was Charles Duane, the unpaid fire chief; a likable, efficient man,
+but too fond of the wrong sort of friends.
+
+Now it became evident to Keith why Bert Taylor had urged them so strongly
+in the race. The fire was too distant from the water supply to be carried
+in one length of hose. Therefore, one engine was required to relay to
+another, pumping the water from the cistern, through the hose, and into the
+waterbox of the other engine. The other engine pumped it from its own
+waterbox on to the fire. The latter, of course, was the position of honour.
+
+The Eurekas fell back grumbling, and uttering open threats to wash their
+rivals. By this they meant that they would pump water into the Monumentals
+faster than the latter could pump it out, thus overflowing and eternally
+disgracing them. They dropped their suction hose into the cistern, and one
+of their number held the end of the main hose over a little trapdoor in the
+Monumental's box. The crews sprang to the long brake handles on either
+side, and at once the regular _thud, thud, thud_ of the pumps took up its
+rhythm. The hose writhed and swelled; the light engines quivered. Bert
+Taylor and the Eureka foreman, Carter by name, walked back and forth as on
+their quarterdecks, exhorting their men. Relays, in uniform assumed on the
+spot, stood ready at hand. Nobody in either crew knew or cared anything
+whatsoever about the fire. As the race became closer, the foremen got more
+excited, begging their crews to increase the stroke, beating their speaking
+trumpets into shapeless battered relics. An astute observer would now have
+understood one reason why the jewellery stores carried such a variety of
+fancy speaking trumpets. They were for presentation by grateful owners
+after the fire had been extinguished, and it was generally necessary to get
+a new one for each fire.
+
+Keith, acting under previous instructions, promptly seized a helmet and
+poleaxe and made his way to the front. The fire had started in one of many
+flimsy wooden buildings, and had rapidly spread to threaten a whole
+district. Men from the hook and ladder companies were already at work on
+some of the hopeless cases. A fireman or two mounted ladders to the eaves,
+dragging with them a heavy hook on the end of a long pole. Cutting a small
+hole with their axes, they hooked on this apparatus and descended. As many
+firemen and volunteers as could get hold of the pole and the rope attached
+to it, now began to pull.
+
+"Yo, heave ho!" they cried.
+
+The timbers cracked, broke, the whole side of the house came out with a
+grand and satisfying crash. An inferno of flame was thereby laid open to
+the streams from the hose lines. It was grand destructive fun for
+everybody, especially for the boys of all ages, which included in spirit
+about every male person present.
+
+This sort of work was intended, of course, to confine or check the fire
+within the area already affected, and could accomplish nothing toward
+saving the structures already alight. The roar of the flames, the hissing
+of firebrands sucked upward, the crash of timbers, the shrieks of the
+foremen through their trumpets, the yells of applause or of sarcasm from
+the crowd, and the _thud, thud, thud, thud_ of numerous brake bars made a
+fine pandemonium. Everybody except the owners or tenants of the buildings
+was delighted.
+
+Keith, with two others, was instructed to carry the Monumental nozzle to
+the roof of a house not afire. Proudly they proceeded to use their scaling
+ladders. These were a series of short sections, each about six feet long,
+the tops slightly narrower than the bottoms. By means of slots these could
+be fitted together. First, Keith erected one of them against the wall of
+the building, at an angle, and ascended it, carrying another section across
+his shoulder. When he reached a certain rung, which was painted red, he
+thrust his foot through the ladder and against the wall, pushed the ladder
+away from the wall, and fitted the section he was carrying to the top of
+the section on which he was standing. He then hauled up another section and
+repeated. When the ladder had reached to the eaves, he and his companions
+dragged the squirting, writhing hose up with them, chopped footholds in the
+roof, and lay flat to look over the ridgepole as over a breastwork. All
+this to the tune of admiring plaudits and with a pleasing glow of heroism.
+There was a skylight, but either they overlooked or scorned that prosaic
+expedient.
+
+At the other end of the ridgepole Keith made out the dark forms of two men
+from another company. His own companions, acting under orders, now
+descended the ladder, leaving him alone.
+
+The next building was a raging furnace, and on it Keith directed the heavy
+stream from his nozzle. It was great fun. At first the water seemed to have
+no effect whatever, but after a little it began to win. The flames were
+beaten back, broken into detachments. Finally, Keith got to the point of
+chasing down small individual outbreaks, driving them into their lairs,
+drowning them as they crouched. He was wholly interested, and the boy in
+him, with a shamefaced half apology to the man in him, pretended that he
+was a soldier directing a battery against an enemy.
+
+Along the ridgepole cautiously sidled the two men of the other company,
+dragging their hose. Keith now recognized them. One was a vivid, debonair,
+all-confident, magnetic individual named Talbot Ward, a merchant, promoter,
+speculator, whom everybody liked and trusted; the other a fair Hercules of
+a man, slow and powerful in everything, called Frank Munro.
+
+"Look here," said Ward, "does it strike you this roof's getting hot?"
+
+Recalled to himself, Keith immediately became aware of the fact.
+
+"The house is afire beneath us," said Ward; "we've got to get out."
+
+"What's the matter with your ladder?" asked Keith.
+
+"They took it away."
+
+"We'll use mine."
+
+They let themselves cautiously down the footholds that had been chopped in
+the roof, and looked over. A blast of smoke and flame met them in the face.
+
+"Good Lord, she's all afire!" cried Keith, aghast.
+
+The flames were licking around the scaling ladder, which was already
+blazing. Keith directed the stream from his hose straight down, but with no
+other result than to break the charred ladder.
+
+They crawled back to the ridgepole, and worked their hose lines around to
+the end of the building, out of the flames. Here a two-story drop
+confronted them.
+
+"This thing is going to fall under us if we don't do something," muttered
+Ward.
+
+"Duane's forgotten us, and those crazy idiots at the engines are too busy
+trying to keep from being washed," surmised Keith.
+
+"Look here," said Munro suddenly; "I'll brace against a chimney and hang on
+to the hose, and you can slide down it like a rope."
+
+"How about you?" demanded Ward crisply.
+
+"You can run for more ladders, once you're on the ground."
+
+At this moment the water failed in Keith's hose. He stared at the nozzle,
+then rapidly began to unscrew it.
+
+"Cistern empty or hose burst," surmised Munro.
+
+But Talbot Ward, cocking his ear toward a distant pandemonium of cheering,
+guessed the true cause.
+
+"Sucked," said he. By this he meant that the Monumental crew had succeeded
+in emptying their water box in spite of the Eureka's best efforts.
+
+"Get off your nozzle quick!" urged Keith.
+
+Munro, without stopping to ask why, bent his great strength to the task;
+and it was a task, for in his hose the pressure of the water was
+tremendous. It spurted back all over him, and at the last the nozzle was
+fairly blown away from him.
+
+"Now couple my hose to yours quick, quick, before my hose fills!" cried
+Keith.
+
+"They won't go--" Munro began to object.
+
+"Yes, they will, mine's a special thread," urged Keith, who had remembered
+Bert Taylor's reversed nozzle.
+
+All three bent their energies to catching the threads. It was a fearful
+job, for the strength of the water had first to be overcome. Keith was
+terribly excited. Time was precious, for not only might the roof give way
+beneath them, but at any moment the water might come again in Keith's hose.
+Then it would be physically impossible to make the coupling. All three men
+concentrated their efforts on it, their feet gripping the irregularities of
+the roof or slipping on the shingles. Frank Munro bent his enormous back to
+the task, the veins standing out in his temples, his face turning purple
+with the effort. Keith helped him as well as he was able. Talbot Ward,
+coolly, deliberately, delicately, as though he had all the time in the
+world, manipulated the coupling, feeling gingerly for the thread. The water
+spurted, fanned, sprayed, escaping with violence, first at one point, then
+at another, drenching and blinding them.
+
+"There!" breathed Ward at last, and with a few twists, of his sinewy hands
+brought the couplings into close connection. Munro relaxed, drawing two or
+three deep breaths. Without the aid of his great strength the task could
+not have been accomplished.
+
+"Hook her over the chimney," gasped Keith.
+
+With some difficulty they lifted the loop of the throbbing hose over the
+chimney.
+
+"Down we go!" cried Keith, and slid hand over hand down the way thus made
+for them. The others immediately followed, and all three stood looking
+back. It was a wonder the building had stood so long, for in both stories
+it was afire, and the walls had apparently burned quite through. Indeed, a
+moment later the whole structure collapsed. A fountain of sparks and brands
+sprang upward in the mighty suction.
+
+"There goes our good hose!" said Keith.
+
+The remark brought them to wrath and a desire for vengeance.
+
+"I'm going to lick somebody!" cried Keith, starting determinedly in the
+direction of the engine.
+
+"We'll help," growled Munro.
+
+But when they came in sight of the engine their anger evaporated, and they
+clung to each other, weak with mirth.
+
+For the Monumental was "washed," and washed aplenty. This was natural, for
+now the water was pouring into her box from _both_ directions, and would
+continue so to pour until the hose coupled to Ward's engine had burned
+through. The water was fairly spouting up from the box, not merely
+overflowing. Her crew were still working, but raggedly and dispiritedly.
+Bert Taylor, his trumpet battered beyond all recognition, was fairly
+voiceless with rage. An interested and ribaldry facetious crowd spared not
+its sarcasm.
+
+"My crowd must be in the same fix!" gurgled Ward; "the back pressure has
+'washed' them, too." Then the full splendour of the situation burst on him,
+and he fell again on Munro for support.
+
+"Don't you see," he gasped. "They'll never know! The hose will burn
+through. Unless we tell, they'll never know! We've got even, all right."
+
+At this moment Duane rode up, foaming at the mouth, and desiring to know
+what the assorted adjectives they were doing there. The crews awoke to
+their isolation and general uselessness. Bert Taylor, still simmering,
+descended from his perch. They followed the hose lines to glowing coals!
+
+"Here, this won't do," said Talbot; so they reported themselves before the
+news of a tragedy had had time to spread.
+
+The fire was now practically under control. It had swept a city block
+pretty clean, but had been confined to that area. An hour later they
+dragged their engine rather dispiritedly back to the house. Ordinarily they
+would have been in high spirits. Fires were to these men a good deal of a
+lark. The crews were very effective and well drilled, and the saving of
+property was as well done as possible, but that was all secondary to the
+game of it. But to-night they had been "washed," they had lost the game,
+and the fact that they had put out the fire cut very little figure. There
+was much bickering. It seemed that Bert Taylor, in his enthusiasm, had, out
+of his own pocket, hired extra men who appeared at the critical moment to
+relieve the tired men at the brakes; and it was under their fresh impetus
+that the Monumental had so triumphantly "sucked." Now Bert Taylor was
+freely blamed. The regular men stoutly maintained that if they had been
+left alone this would never have happened.
+
+"These whiskey bummers never can last!" they said. Everybody trooped
+upstairs to the main rooms, where refreshments were served. After some
+consideration Keith decided to tell his story in explanation of how it was
+that the Monumentals were washed. Instantly the company cheered up, A
+clamour broke out. This was great! With Talbot Ward and Munro to
+corroborate, no one could doubt the story. Taylor ran about jubilantly,
+returning every few moments to pat Keith on the shoulder.
+
+"Fine! fine!" he cried. "We've got those _Eurekas_! I can't wait for
+morning!"
+
+
+
+
+XV
+
+
+Keith got home about daylight to find Nan, terribly anxious, waiting up for
+him. He brushed away her anxiety with the usual masculine impatience at
+being made a fuss over, gave a brief account of the fire--omitting mention
+of his narrow escape--and insisted that she go to bed. After a few moments
+she obeyed, and immediately fell asleep. Keith bathed himself and changed,
+made a cup of coffee, and wandered about rather impatiently waiting for
+time to go downtown. Wing Sam appeared, the morning paper came. The sun
+gained strength, and finally tempted him outside.
+
+For some time he prowled around, examining Nan's efforts at gardening.
+There was not much to show as yet, but Keith had already the eye of faith
+so essential to the Californian, and saw plainly trees, shrubs, and flowers
+where now only spears of green were visible. The Morrells' garden next door
+was already well grown, and he cast on it an appraising eye. No sign of
+life showed about the place except a thread of smoke from the kitchen
+chimney. It was still early.
+
+Nevertheless, five minutes later Mrs. Morrell opened the side door and
+stepped forth. She had on a wide leghorn hat, and carried a basket and
+scissors as though to gather flowers. Immediately she caught sight of Keith
+and waved him a gay greeting. He vaulted the fence and joined her.
+
+"Aren't these early morning hours perfect? Isn't this glorious sunshine?"
+she greeted him.
+
+As a matter of fact Mrs. Morrell seldom rose before noon, and detested
+early morning hours and glorious sunshine. She was inclined to consider the
+usual remarks in their praise as sheer affectation. But she adored fires,
+and often went to them when they promised well enough. Sometimes she
+attended in company with certain of her men friends; and sometimes alone,
+cloaked as a man. She liked the destruction and stimulation of them. She
+had been to the fire just extinguished, and seeing Keith in the garden, had
+put on her fluffiest and gone out to him. It was time this most attractive
+young man next door paid her more attention.
+
+"How does the hero of the fire survive?" she asked him archly.
+
+"Hero?"
+
+"Don't pretend ignorance. Charles told me all about it. He heard your tale
+at the Monumental."
+
+"It's hardly heroism to get out of a scrape the best way possible."
+
+"It's heroic to save lives, I think; but especially heroic to keep your
+head in an emergency."
+
+"Mr. Morrell all right?" asked Keith, to change the subject.
+
+"He is sleeping off the fire--and the after effects. You men need watching
+every minute--even when we think you must be in danger of your lives."
+
+She laughed and clipped a few flowers at random.
+
+"Have you been moving furniture all these days? We've seen nothing of you.
+I thought we were going to have some music. I do my little five-finger
+exercises all by myself and nobody knows but I am playing Beethoven. You
+ought in Christian charity to help me out--whether you want to or not. What
+do you think of our garden? Don't you adore flowers?"
+
+"No, I don't believe I do," replied Keith bluntly. "I like to see a pretty
+woman amongst 'em," he went on gallantly, "they set her off. It's like
+dresses. No good to show me pretty frocks--unless they're filled."
+
+"La! You are so clever; at times I'm really afraid of you," said she.
+
+She went on tossing a few blooms into her basket. Under the stimulus of the
+fire she had acted on impulse in going out into the garden. She realized it
+as perhaps a mistake. Keith's early morning freshness and fitness made her
+feel less sure of herself than usual. She had an uneasy impression that she
+was not at her best, and this reacted on her ability to exercise her usual
+magnetism. In fact, Keith, the least observant of men in such things, could
+not avoid noticing her rather second-hand looking skin, and that her
+features were more pronounced than he had thought.
+
+"Do come over this evening for some music," she begged. "You can take a nap
+this afternoon, and you can go home early."
+
+Keith had been just a little uneasy over this second interview with Mrs.
+Morrell. His straightforward nature was inclined to look back on the
+impression she had made on him at the supper party with a half-guilty sense
+of some sort of vague disloyalty he could not formulate. Now he felt much
+satisfied with himself, and quite relieved. Therefore, he accepted.
+
+"I shall be very glad to," said he.
+
+At breakfast, which was rather late, he told Nan of the meeting and the
+invitation. Nan's clear lines, fresh creamy skin, bright young eyes, looked
+more than usually attractive to him.
+
+"Perhaps she _can_ play," he said. "Let's go find out. And you must wear
+your prettiest gown; I'm proud of my wife, and I want her to look her very
+best."
+
+A little later he remarked:
+
+"I wonder if she isn't considerably older than Morrell."
+
+
+
+
+XVI
+
+
+When he had at last reached downtown after his late breakfast, Keith found
+it in a fair turmoil. Knots of men stood everywhere arguing, sometimes very
+heatedly. Eureka members were openly expressing their anger over what they
+called Taylor's "dirty trick" in putting hirelings on the brakes, men who
+did not belong to the Monumental organization at all. If it had not been
+for that the Monumentals could never have "sucked" at all. On the other
+hand, the Monumentals and their friends were vehemently asserting that they
+were well within their rights. Fists were brandished. Several fights
+started, but were stopped before they had become serious.
+
+Keith avoided these storm centres, waving a friendly hand, but smilingly
+refusing to be drawn in. Near the Merchants' Exchange, however, he came on
+a quieter, attentive group, in the centre of which stood Calhoun Bennett.
+The Southerner's head was thrown back haughtily, but he was listening with
+entire courtesy to a violent harangue from a burly, red-faced man in rough
+clothes.
+
+"And I tell you that sort of a trick won't go down with nobody, and the
+story of why you were washed won't wash itself. It's too thin."
+
+"I have the honah, suh," said Bennett formally, "to info'm yo' that yo' do
+not know what yo' are talkin' about."
+
+His silken tones apparently enraged the man.
+
+"You silk-stockinged----of a----!" said he.
+
+Without haste Calhoun Bennett rapped the man across the face with his light
+rattan cane. Venting a howl of rage, the Eureka partisan leaped forward.
+Calhoun Bennett, quick as a flash, drew a small derringer and fired; and
+the man went down in a heap. Superbly nonchalant, Bennett, without a glance
+at his victim, turned away, the ring of spectators parting to let him
+through. He saw Keith, and at once joined him, drawing the young man's arm
+through his own. Keith, looking back, saw the man already sitting up,
+feeling his shoulder and cursing vigorously.
+
+Bennett was fairly radiating rage, which, however, he managed to suppress
+beneath a well-bred exterior calm.
+
+"These hounds, suh," he told Keith, "profess not to believe us, suh! They
+profess, suh, that our explanation of how we were washed is a fabrication.
+You will oblige me, suh, by profferin' yo' personal testimony in the case."
+
+He faced Keith resolutely toward the Eureka engine house. Keith spared a
+thought to wonder what he was being let in for by this handsome young fire-
+eater, but he went along unprotesting.
+
+Around the Eureka engine house was a big crowd of men. These fell silent as
+Bennett and Keith approached. The Eurekas represented quite a different
+social order from the Monumentals. Its membership was recruited from those
+who in the East had been small farmers, artisans, or workingmen in the more
+skilled trades; independent, plain, rather rough, thoroughly democratic, a
+trifle contemptuous of "silk stockings," outspoken, with little heed for
+niceties of etiquette or conduct. Bennett pushed his way through them to
+where stood Carter, the chief, and several of the more influential. Keith,
+looking at them, met their eyes directed squarely into his. They were
+steady, clear-looking, solid, rather coarse-grained, grave men.
+
+"I have brought Mr. Keith here, who was an eyewitness, to give his
+testimony as to the events of last evenin'," said Bennett formally.
+
+Keith told his story. It was received in a blank noncommittal silence. The
+men all looked at him steadily, and said nothing. Somehow, he was
+impressed. This silence seemed to him, fancifully, more than mere lack of
+words--it conveyed a sense of reserve force, of quiet appraisal of himself
+and his words, of the experiences of men who have been close to realities,
+who have _done_ things in the world. Keith felt himself to be better
+educated, to own a better brain, to have a wider outlook, to be possessed,
+in short, of all the advantages of superiority. He had never mingled with
+rough men, and he had always looked down on them. In this attitude was no
+condescension and no priggishness, Now he felt, somehow, that the best of
+these men had something that he had not suspected, some force of character
+that raised them above his previous conception. They might be more than
+mere "filling" in a city's population; they might well come to be an
+element to be reckoned with.
+
+When he had quite finished his story, there ensued a slight pause. Then
+said Carter:
+
+"We believe Mr. Keith. If Mr. Ward and Frank Munro were there, of course
+there can be no doubt." Somehow Keith could not resent the implication; it
+was too impersonally delivered. Carter went on with cold formality and
+emphasis; "Mr. Keith had a very narrow escape. It was lucky for him that
+your hired men had 'sucked' your waterbox. In view of that we can, of
+course, no longer regret the fact."
+
+"It was a dirty trick just the same!" growled a voice out of the crowd.
+
+Carter turned a deliberate look in that direction, and nothing more was
+said. Bennett ignored the interruption, bowed frigidly, and turned away.
+The Eureka leaders nodded. In dead silence Keith and Bennett withdrew.
+
+"That settles _that_!" observed Bennett, when at a little distance. "A lot
+of cheap shopkeepers! It makes me disgusted every time I have anythin' to
+do with them!"
+
+As they walked away, one of the hangers-on of the police court approached,
+touching his hat.
+
+"For you, Mr. Bennett," he said most respectfully, proffering a paper.
+
+"Me?" observed Bennett, surprised. He unfolded the paper, glanced at it,
+and laughed. "I'm arrested for wingin' that 'shoulder-striker' up the
+street a while back," he told Keith.
+
+"Anything I can do?" asked Keith anxiously.
+
+"Not a thing, thank you. There'll be no trouble at all--just a little
+nuisance. May call you for a witness later."
+
+He went away with the officer, but shortly after Keith saw him on the
+street again. The matter had been easily arranged.
+
+Keith went to his office. In spite of himself he could not entirely take
+Bennett's point of view. Several of the men at Eureka headquarters looked
+interesting--he would like to know them--perhaps more than interesting, the
+potentiality of a reasoning and directed power.
+
+
+
+
+XVII
+
+
+The afternoon nap suggested by Mrs. Morrell was not enjoyed, and Keith
+returned home feeling pretty tired and inclined to a quiet evening. Nan had
+to remind him of his engagement.
+
+"Oh, let's send a note over by Wing," he said, a little crossly. "I don't
+feel like making an effort to-night."
+
+But Nan's convention could not approve of anything quite so radically a
+last-minute decision.
+
+"It's a little late in the day for that," she pointed out. "She may have
+stayed in just to see us. We can leave early."
+
+Keith went, grumbling. They found Mrs. Morrell in full evening dress,
+showing her neck and shoulders, which were her best points, for she was
+full bosomed and rounded without losing firmness of flesh. Nan was a trifle
+taken back at this gorgeousness, for she had not dressed. Keith, with his
+usual directness, made no secret of pretending to be utterly overwhelmed.
+
+"I didn't know we were expected to dress for a real concert with flowers!"
+he cried, laughing.
+
+Mrs. Morrell shrugged her fine shoulders indifferently.
+
+"This old rag!" she said. "Don't let that bother you. I always like to put
+on something cool for the evening. It's such a relief."
+
+It developed that Morrell had an engagement, and could not stay.
+
+"He was so disappointed," purred Mrs. Morrell.
+
+She was all eager for the music, brushing aside this and other
+preliminaries.
+
+"You play, sing?" she asked Nan. "What a pity! I'm afraid you're going to
+be terribly bored."
+
+She turned instantly to Keith, hurrying him to the piano, giving the
+impression of being too eager to wait--almost the eagerness of a drunkard
+in the presence of drink. And this in turn conveyed a vibrating feeling of
+magnetism, of temperament under restraint, of possibilities veiled. The
+impact struck Keith's responsive nature full. He waked up, approached the
+piano with reviving interest. She struck idle chords and flashed at him
+over her shoulder a brilliant smile.
+
+"What shall it be?" she demanded, still with the undercurrent of eagerness.
+"You choose--a man's song--something soulful. I'm just in the mood."
+
+"Do you know the 'Bedouin Love Song?'" he inquired.
+
+"The 'Bedouin Love Song?' No--I'm afraid not. We are so far out of the
+world."
+
+"It's a new thing. It goes like this."
+
+He hummed the air, and she followed it hesitatingly, feeling out the
+accompaniment. Mrs. Morrell knew her instrument and had a quick ear.
+Occasionally Keith leaned over her shoulder to strike for her an elusive
+chord or modulation. In so doing he had to press close, and for all his
+honest absorption in the matter at hand, could not help becoming aware of
+her subtle perfume, the shine of her flesh, and the brightness of her crown
+of hair.
+
+"You play it," she said suddenly.
+
+But he disclaimed the ability.
+
+"I don't know it any better than you do, and you improvise wonderfully."
+
+They became entirely absorbed in this most fascinating of tasks, the
+working out little by little of a complicated accompaniment.
+
+"There!" she cried gayly at last. "I believe I have it. Let's try."
+
+Keith had a strong smooth baritone, not too well trained, but free from
+glaring faults and mannerisms. It filled the little drawing-room ringingly.
+He liked the song, and he sang it with fire and a certain defiance that
+suited it. At its conclusion Mrs. Morrell sprang to her feet, breathing
+quickly, her usual hard, quick artificiality of manner quite melted.
+
+"It's wonderful!" she cried. "It lifts one right up! It makes me feel I'd
+run away----" She checked herself abruptly, and turned to where Nan sat in
+an armchair outside the circle of light, "Don't you just _adore_ it?" she
+asked in a more restrained manner, and turned back to Keith, who was
+standing a little flushed and excited by the song, "You have just the voice
+for it--with that vibrating deep quality." She reseated herself at the
+piano and struck several loud chords. Under cover of them she added, half
+under her breath, as though to herself, but distinctly audible to the man
+at her shoulder; "Luck for us all that you are already taken."
+
+Keith would have been no more than human if he had not followed this cue
+with a look. She did not lower her eyes, but gave him back his gaze
+directly. It was as though some secret understanding sprang up between
+them, though Keith,--in half-angry confusion, could not have analyzed it.
+
+After this they compared notes until they found several songs they both
+knew. Mrs. Morrell brushed aside Keith's suggestion that she herself should
+sing, but she did it in a way that left the implication that he was the
+important one vocally.
+
+"No, no! I've been starved too long. I'm as tired of my little reed of a
+voice as of the tinkle of a musical box."
+
+The close of the evening was brought about only by the return of Morrell
+from his engagement. Keith had utterly forgotten his fatigue, and was
+tingling with the enthusiasm to which his nature always rose under
+stimulus. The Englishman, very self-contained, clean-cut, incisive, brought
+a new atmosphere. He was cordial and polite, but not expansive. Keith came
+down from the clouds. He remembered, with compunction, Nan sitting in the
+armchair, the lateness of the hour, his own fatigue.
+
+"You should hear Mr. Keith's new song, Charley," said Mrs, Morrell. "It's
+the most wonderful thing! The 'Bedouin Love Song,' You must surely sing it
+at the Firemen's Ball. It will make a great hit. No, you surely must. With
+a voice like yours it is selfish not to use it for the benefit of all.
+Don't you agree with me, Mrs. Keith?"
+
+"I'll sing it, if you will play my accompaniment," said Keith.
+
+On their way home Keith's enthusiasm bubbled up again.
+
+"Isn't it great luck to find somebody to practise with?" he cried--
+"Unexpected luck in a place like this! I wish you cared for music."
+
+"Oh, I do," said Nan. "I love it. But I just can't do it, that's all."
+
+"Did you like it to-night?"
+
+"I liked it when you really _sang_" replied Nan with a little yawn, "but it
+always took you such a time to get at it."
+
+A short silence fell.
+
+"Are you really going to sing at the Firemen's Ball?" she asked curiously.
+
+"I haven't been asked yet," he reminded her. "Don't you think it a good
+idea?"
+
+"Oh, I don't know," said Nan, but her voice had a little edge. Keith felt
+it, and made the usual masculine blunder. He stopped short, thunderstruck
+at a new idea.
+
+"Why, Nan," he cried reproachfully, "I don't believe you like her!"
+
+"Like her!" she flashed back, her anger leaping to unreasonable
+proportions--"that old frump!"
+
+No sooner had the door closed after them than Morrell's conventional smile
+faded, and his countenance fell into its usual hard, cold impassivity.
+
+"Well, what is the game there?" he demanded.
+
+"There is no game," she replied indifferently.
+
+"There is very little money there, I warn you," he persisted.
+
+She turned on him with sudden fury.
+
+"Oh, shut up!" she cried. "I know my own business!"
+
+"And I know mine," he told her, slowly and dangerously. "And I warn you to
+go slow unless I give the word."
+
+She stared at him a moment, and he stared back. Then, quite deliberately,
+she walked over to him until her breast almost touched him. Her eyes were
+half closed, and a little smile parted her full lips.
+
+"Charley," she drawled wickedly, "I warn _you_ to go slow. And I warn you
+not to interfere with me--or I might interfere with you!"
+
+Morrell shrugged his shoulders, and turned away with an assumption of
+indifference.
+
+"Please yourself. But I can't afford a scandal just now."
+
+"_You_ can't afford a _scandal!_" she cried, and laughed hardly.
+
+"Not just now," he repeated.
+
+
+
+
+XVIII
+
+
+Perhaps this unwise antagonizing by her husband, perhaps the idleness with
+which the well-to-do woman was afflicted, perhaps a genuine liking for
+Keith, gave Mrs. Morrell just the impulse needed. At any rate, she used the
+common bond of music to bring him much into her company. This was not a
+difficult matter. Keith was extravagantly fond of just this sort of
+experimental amateur excursions into lighter music, and he liked Mrs.
+Morrell. She was a good sort, straightforward and honest and direct, no
+nonsense in her, but she knew her way about, and a man could have a sort of
+pleasing, harmless flirtation to which she knew how to play up. There was
+not, nor could there be--in Keith's mind--any harm in their relations. Nan
+was the woman for him; but that didn't mean that he was never to see
+anybody else, or that other women might not--of course in unessential and
+superficial ways--answer some of his varied needs.
+
+Mrs. Morrell was skilful at keeping up his interest, and she was equally
+skilful in gradually excluding Nan. This was not difficult, for Nan was
+secretly bored by the eternal practising, and repelled by Mrs. Morrell's
+efforts to be fascinating. She saw them plainly enough, but was at first
+merely amused and faintly disgusted, for she was proud enough to believe
+absolutely that such crude methods could have no effect on Milton,
+overlooking the fact that the crudities of women never appear as plainly to
+a man as they do to another woman. For a woman is in the know. At first she
+offered one excuse or another, in an attempt to be both polite and
+plausible. She much preferred a book at home, or a whole free evening to
+work at making her house attractive. Later, Keith got into the habit of
+taking her attitude for granted.
+
+"I promised to run over to the Morrells' this evening," he would say, "More
+music. Of course you won't care to come. You won't be lonely? I won't be
+gone late."
+
+"Of course not," she laughed. "I'm thankful for the chance to get through
+with the blue room."
+
+Nevertheless, after a time she began to experience a faint, unreasonable
+resentment; and Keith an equally faint, equally unreasonable feeling of
+guilt.
+
+Left to itself this situation would, therefore, have righted itself, but
+Mrs. Morrell was keen enough to give it the required directing touches:
+
+"Too bad we can't tear your wife away from her house and garden."
+
+"If you only had some one to practise with regularly at home! Your voice
+ought to be systematically cultivated. It is wonderful!"
+
+And later:
+
+"You ought not to come here so much, I suppose--" rather doubtfully, "Any
+sort of practice and accompaniment--even my poor efforts--does you so much
+good! You or I would understand perfectly, but it is sometimes so difficult
+for the inexperienced domestic type to comprehend! An older woman who
+understands men knows--but come, we must sing that once more."
+
+The effect of these and a thousand similar speeches injected apparently at
+random here and there in the tide of other things was at once to intensify
+Keith's vague feeling of guilt, and to put it in the light somehow of an
+injustice to himself. He had an unformulated notion that if Nan would or
+could only understand the situation and be a good fellow that every one
+would be happy; but as she was a mere woman, with a woman's prejudices,
+this was impossible. It was absurd to expect him to give up his music just
+because she wanted to be different! He had really nothing whatever to
+conceal; and yet it actually seemed that difficulty and concealment would
+be necessary if this sort of unspoken reproach were kept up. Women were so
+confoundedly single-minded!
+
+And as the normal, healthy, non-introspective male tends to avoid
+discomfort, even of his own making, it thus came about that Keith spent
+less and less time at home. He did not explain to himself why. It was
+certainly no lessening of his affection for Nan. Only he felt absolutely
+sure of her, and the mental situation sketched above left him more open to
+the lure of downtown, which to any live man was in those days especially
+great. Every evening the "fellows" got together, jawed things over, played
+pool, had a drink or so, wandered from one place to another, looked with
+the vivid interest of the young and able-bodied on the seething, colourful,
+vital life of the new community. It was all harmless and mighty pleasant.
+Keith argued that he was "establishing connections" and meeting men who
+could do his profession good, which was more or less true; but it took him
+from home evenings.
+
+Nan, at first, quite innocently played into his hands. She really preferred
+to stay at home rather than be bored at the Morrells'. Later, when this
+tradition had been established, she began to be disturbed, not by any
+suspicion that Milton's interest was straying, but by a feeling of neglect.
+She was hurt. And little by little, in spite of herself, a jealousy of the
+woman next door began to tinge her solitude. Her nature was too noble and
+generous to harbour such a sentiment without a struggle. She blamed herself
+for unworthy and wretched jealousy, and yet she could not help herself.
+Often, especially at first, Keith in an impulse would throw over his plans,
+and ask her to go to the theatre or a concert, of which there were many and
+excellent. She generally declined, not because she did not want to go, but
+because of that impelling desire, universal in the feminine soul, to be a
+little wooed to it, to be compelled by gentle persuasion that should at
+once make up for the past and be an earnest for the future. Only Keith took
+her refusal at its face value. Nan was lonely and hurt.
+
+Her refusals to respond to his rather spasmodic attempts to be nice to her
+were adopted by Keith's subconscious needs for comfort. If she didn't want
+to see anything of life, she shouldn't expect him to bury himself. His
+restless mind gradually adopted the fiction persistently held before him by
+Mrs. Morrell that his wife was indeed a domestic little body, fond only of
+her home and garden. As soon as he had hypnotized himself into the full
+acceptance of this, he felt much happier, His uneasiness fell from him, and
+he continued life with zest. If any one had told him that he was neglecting
+Nan, he probably would have been surprised. They were busy; they met
+amicably; there were no reproaches; they managed to get about and enjoy
+things together quite a lot.
+
+The basis for the latter illusion rested on the Sunday excursions and
+picnics. Both the Keiths always attended them. There was invariably the
+same crowd--the Morrells; Dick Blatchford, the contractor, and his fat,
+coarse-grained, good-natured Irish wife; Calhoun Bennett; Ben Sansome:
+Sally Warner, a dashing grass widow, whose unknown elderly husband seemed
+to be always away "at the mines"; Teeny McFarlane, small, dainty, precise,
+blond, exquisite, cool, with very self-possessed manners and decided ways,
+but with the capacity for occasionally and with deliberation outdoing the
+worst of them, about whom were whispered furtive things the rumour of which
+died before her armoured front; her husband, a fat, jolly, round-faced,
+somewhat pop-eyed man who adored her and was absolutely ignorant of one
+side of her. These and a sprinkling of "fast" youths made the party.
+Sometimes the celebrated Sam Brannan went along, loud, coarse, shrewd, bull
+voiced, kindly when not crossed, unscrupulous, dictatorial, and
+overbearing, They all got to know each other very well and to be very free
+in one another's society,
+
+The usual procedure was to drive in buggies, sometimes to the beach,
+sometimes down the peninsula, starting rather early, and staying out all
+day. Occasionally rather elaborate lunches were brought, with servants to
+spread them; but the usual custom was to stop at one of the numerous road
+houses. No man drove, walked, or talked with his own wife; nevertheless,
+these affairs though rowdy, noisy, and "fast" enough, were essentially
+harmless. The respectable members of the community were sufficiently
+shocked, however. Gay dresses, gay laughter, gay behaviour, gay scorn of
+convention, above all, the resort to the mysterious naughty road houses
+were enough. It must be confessed that at times things seemed to go a bit
+far; but Nan, who was at first bewildered and shocked, noticed that the
+women did many things in public and nothing in private. As already her mind
+and tolerance were adapting themselves to new things, she was able to
+accept it all philosophically as part of a new phase of life.
+
+These people had no misgivings about themselves, and they passed judgment
+on others with entire assurance. In their slang all with whom they came
+into contact were either "hearses" or "live Mollies." There was nothing
+racial, local, or social in this division. A family might be divided, one
+member being a live Molly, and all the rest the most dismal of hearses.
+Occasionally a stranger might be brought along. He did not know it, but
+always he was very carefully watched and appraised: his status discussed
+and decided at the supper to which the same people--minus all strangers--
+gathered later. At one of these discussions a third estate came into being.
+
+Teeny McFarlane had that day brought with her a young man of about twenty-
+four or twenty-five, well dressed, of pleasant features, agreeable in
+manner, well spoken, but quiet.
+
+"He isn't a live Molly," stated Sally positively.
+
+"Well, Sally took a walk with him," observed Sam Brannan dryly; "she ought
+to know!"
+
+"Don't need to take a walk with him," countered Sally; "just take a talk
+with him--or try to.".
+
+"I did try to," interpolated Mrs. Morrell.
+
+"May as well make it unanimous, looks like," said Sam. "He goes for a
+hearse."
+
+But Teeny McFarlane interposed in her positive, precise little way.
+
+"I object," she drawled. "He certainly isn't as bad as all that. He's a
+nice boy, and he never bored anybody in his life. Did he bore you, Sally?"
+
+"I can't say he did, now you mention it. He's one of those nice doggy
+people you don't mind having around."
+
+They discussed the matter animatedly. Teeny McFarlane developed an
+unexpected obstinacy. She did not suggest that the young man was to be
+included in any of the future parties; indeed, she answered the direct
+question decidedly in the negative; no, there was no use trying to include
+anybody unless they decidedly "belonged."
+
+"You wouldn't call him a live Molly, now would you, Teeny?" implored Cal
+Bennett.
+
+"No," she answered slowly, "I suppose not. But he is _not_ a hearse."
+
+The men, all but Popsy McFarlane, were inspecting Teeny's cool, unrevealing
+exterior with covert curiosity. She was always an enigma to them. Each man
+was asking himself why her interest in the mere labelling of this stranger.
+
+"He isn't a live Molly and she objects to his being a hearse," laughed
+Sally. "He must be something between them. What," she inquired, with the
+air of propounding a conundrum, "is between a live Molly and a hearse?"
+
+"Give it up!" they cried unanimously.
+
+Sally looked nonplussed, then shrieked: "Why, the pallbearers, of course!"
+
+The silly phrase caught. Thereafter, those who were acknowledged to be all
+right enough but not of their feather were known as "pallbearers."
+
+The Keiths were live Mollies. He was decidedly one. His appearance alone
+inspired good nature and high spirits, he looked so clean, vividly
+coloured, enthusiastic, alive to his finger tips. He was always game for
+anything, no matter how ridiculous it made him, or in what sort of a so-
+called false position it might place him. When he had reached a certain
+state of dancing-eyed joyous recklessness, Nan was always athrill as to
+what he might do next. And Nan, spite of her quieter ways and the reserves
+imposed on her by her breeding, was altogether too pretty and too much of a
+real person ever to be classed as a hearse. With her ravishing Eastern
+toilettes, her clear, creamy complexion, and the clean-cut lines of her
+throat, chin, and cheeks, she always made the other women look a little too
+vividly accented. The men all admired her on sight, and at first did their
+best to interest her. They succeeded, for in general they were of vital
+stuff, but not in the intimately personal way they desired. Her nature
+found no thrill in experiment. One by one they gave her up in the favour of
+less attractive but livelier or more complaisant companions; but they
+continued to like her and to pay her much general attention. She never, in
+any nuance of manner, even tried to make a difference; nevertheless, their
+attitude toward her was always more deferential than to the other women.
+
+Ben Sansome was the one exception to the first part of the above statement.
+Her gentle but obvious withdrawals from his advances piqued his conceit.
+Ben was a spoiled youth, with plenty of money; and he had always been a
+spoiled youth, with plenty of money. Why he had come to San Francisco no
+one knew. Possibly he did not know himself; for as his affairs had always
+been idle, he had drifted much, and might have drifted here. Whatever the
+reason, the fact remained that in this busy, new, and ambitious community
+he was the one example professionally of the gilded youth. His waistcoats,
+gloves, varnished boots, jewellery, handkerchiefs were always patterns to
+the other amateur, gilded youths who had also other things to do. His
+social tact was enormous, and a recognized institution. If there had been
+cotillons, he would have led them; but as there were no cotillons, he
+contented himself with being an _arbiter elegantiarum_. He rather prided
+himself on his knowledge of such things as jades, old prints, and obscure
+poets of whom nobody else had ever heard. Naturally he had always been a
+great success with women, both as harmless parlour ornaments, and in more
+dangerous ways. In San Francisco he had probably carried farther than he
+would have carried anywhere else. He had sustained no serious reverses,
+because difficult game had not heretofore interested him. Entering half
+interestedly with Nan into what he vaguely intended as one of his numerous,
+harmless, artistic, perfumed flirtationlets, he had found himself
+unexpectedly held at arm's length. Just this was needed to fillip his
+fancy. He went into the game as a game. Sansome made himself useful. By
+dint of being on hand whenever Keith's carelessness had left her in need of
+an escort, and only then, he managed to establish himself on a recognized
+footing as a sort of privileged, charming, useful, harmless family friend.
+
+Outside this small, rather lively coterie the Keiths had very few friends.
+It must be confessed that the mothers of the future leaders of San
+Francisco society, and the bearers of what were to be her proudest names,
+were mostly "hearses." Their husbands were the forceful, able men of the
+city, but they themselves were conventional as only conventional women can
+be when goaded into it by a general free-and-easy, unconventional
+atmosphere. That was their only method of showing disapproval. The effect
+was worthy but dull. It was a pity, for among them were many intelligent,
+charming women who needed only a different atmosphere, to expand. The
+Keiths never saw them, and gained their ideas of them only from the
+merciless raillery of the "live Mollies."
+
+All this implied more or less entertaining, and entertaining was expensive.
+The Boyle house was expensive for that matter; and about everything else,
+save Chinese servants, and, temporarily, whatever the latest clipper ship
+had glutted the market with. Keith had brought with him a fair sum of money
+with which to make his start; but under this constant drainage, it dwindled
+to what was for those times a comparatively small sum. Clients did not
+come. There were more men practising law than all the other professions. In
+spite of wide acquaintance and an attractive popular personality, Keith had
+not as yet made a start. He did not worry--that was not his nature--but he
+began to realize that he must do one of two things: either make some money,
+somehow, or give up his present mode of living. The latter course was
+unthinkable!
+
+
+
+
+XIX
+
+
+One morning Keith was sitting in his office cogitating these things. His
+door opened and a meek, mild little wisp of a man sidled in. He held his
+hat in his hand, revealing clearly sandy hair and a narrow forehead. His
+eyebrows and lashes were sandy, his eyes pale blue, his mouth weak but
+obstinate. On invitation he seated himself on the edge of the chair, and
+laid his hat carefully beside him on the floor.
+
+"I am Dr. Jacob Jones," he said, blinking at Keith. "You have heard of me?"
+
+"I am afraid I have not," said Keith pleasantly.
+
+The little man sighed.
+
+"I have held the City Hospital contract for three years," he explained,
+"and they owe me a lot of money. I thought you might collect some of it."
+
+"I think if you'd put in a claim through the usual channels you'd receive
+your dues," advised Keith, somewhat puzzled. He had not heard that the city
+was refusing to pay legitimate claims.
+
+"I've done that, and they've given me these," said Doctor Jones, handing
+Keith a bundle of papers.
+
+Keith glanced at them.
+
+"This is 'scrip,'" he said. "It's perfectly good. When the city is without
+current funds it issues this scrip, bearing interest at 3 per cent. a
+month. It's all right."
+
+"Yes, I know," said the little man ineffectually, "but I don't want scrip."
+
+Keith ran it over. It amounted to something like eleven thousand dollars.
+
+"What do you want done about it?" he asked,
+
+"I want you to collect the money for me."
+
+But Keith, had recollected something.
+
+"Just wait a minute, please," he begged, and darted across the hall to a
+friend's office, returning after a moment with a file of legislative
+reports. "I thought I'd heard something about it; here it is. The State
+Legislature has voted an issue of 10 per cent. bonds to take up the scrip."
+
+"I don't understand," said Doctor Jones.
+
+"Why, you take your scrip to the proper official and exchange it for an
+equal value of State bonds."
+
+"But what good does that do me?" cried Jones excitedly. "It doesn't get me
+my money. They don't guarantee I can sell the bonds at par, do they? And
+answer me this: isn't it just a scheme to cheat me of my interest? As I
+understand it, instead of 3 per cent. a month I'm to get 10 per cent. a
+year?"
+
+"That's the effect," corroborated Keith.
+
+"Well, I don't want bonds, I want money, as is my due."
+
+"Wait a minute," said Keith. He read the report again slowly. "This says
+that holders of scrip _may_ exchange, for bonds; it does not say they
+_must_ exchange," he said finally. "If that interpretation is made of the
+law, suit and judgment would lie against the city. Do you want to try
+that?"
+
+"Of course I want to try it!" cried Jones.
+
+"Well, bring me your contract and vouchers, and any other papers to do with
+the case, and I'll see what can be done."
+
+"I have them right here," said Doctor Jones.
+
+This, as Keith's first case, interested him more than its intrinsic worth
+warranted. It amused him to bring all his powers to bear, fighting strongly
+for the technical point, and finally establishing it in court. In spite of
+the evident intention of the Legislature that city scrip should be retired
+in favour of bonds, it was ruled that the word _may_ in place of the word
+_must_ practically nullified that intention. Judgment was obtained against
+the city for eleven thousand dollars, and the sheriff was formally
+instructed to sell certain water-front lots in order to satisfy that
+judgment. The sale was duly advertised in the papers.
+
+Next morning, after the first insertion of this advertisement, Keith had
+three more callers. These were men of importance: namely, John Geary, the
+first postmaster and last _alcalde_ of the new city; William Hooper, and
+James King of William, at that time still a banker. These were grave,
+solid, and weighty citizens, plainly dressed, earnest, and forceful. They
+responded politely but formally to Keith's salute, and seated themselves.
+
+"You were, I understand, counsel for Doctor Jones in obtaining judgment on
+the hospital scrip?" inquired Geary.
+
+"That is correct," acknowledged Keith.
+
+"We have called to inform you of a fact that perhaps escaped your notice:
+namely, that these gentlemen and myself have been appointed by the
+Legislature as commissioners to manage the funded debt of the city; that,
+for that purpose, title of all city lands has been put in our hands."
+
+"No, I did not know that," said Keith.
+
+"Therefore, you see," went on Geary, "the sheriff cannot pass title to any
+lots that might be sold to satisfy Doctor Jones's judgment."
+
+Keith pondered, his alert mind seizing with avidity on this new and
+interesting situation.
+
+"No, I cannot quite see that," he said at last; "the actual title is in the
+city. It owns its property. You gentlemen do not claim to own it, as
+individuals. You have delegated to you the power to pass title, just as the
+sheriff and one or two others have that power; but you have not the _sole_
+power."
+
+"We have advice that title conveyed under this judgment will be invalid."
+
+"That is a matter for the courts to settle."
+
+"The courts----" began Hooper explosively, but Geary overrode him.
+
+"If all the creditors of the city were to adopt the course pursued by
+Doctor Jones, the city would soon be bankrupt of resources."
+
+"That is true," agreed Keith.
+
+"Then cannot I appeal to your sense of civic patriotism?"
+
+"Gentlemen," replied Keith, "you seem to forget that in this matter I am
+not acting for myself, but for a client. If it were my affair, I might feel
+inclined to discuss the matter with you more in detail. But I am only an
+agent."
+
+"But----" interrupted Hooper again.
+
+"That is quite true," interjected James King of William.
+
+"Well, we shall see your client," went on Geary, "But I might state that on
+the side of his own best interests he would do well to go slow. There is at
+least a considerable doubt as to the legality of this sale. It is unlikely
+that people will care to bid."
+
+After some further polite conversation they took their leave. Keith quickly
+discovered that the opinion held by the commissioners was shared by most of
+his friends. They acknowledged the brilliance of his legal victory, admired
+it heartily, and congratulated him; but they considered that victory
+barren.
+
+"Nobody will buy; you won't get two bits a lot bid," they all told him.
+
+Little Doctor Jones came to him much depressed. The commissioners had
+talked with him.
+
+"Do you want my advice?" asked Keith, "Then do this: stick to your guns."
+
+But little Jones was scared.
+
+"I want my money," said he; "perhaps I'd better take those bonds after
+all."
+
+"Look here," suddenly said Keith, who had been making up his mind. "I'll
+guarantee you the full amount in cash, within, say, two weeks, but only on
+this condition: that you go out now, and spread it about everywhere that
+you are going to stand pat. Tell 'em all you are going to push through this
+sale."
+
+"How do I know----"
+
+"Take a chance," interrupted Keith. "If at the end of two weeks I don't pay
+you cash, you can do what you please. Call off the sheriff's sale at the
+last minute; I'll pay the costs myself. Come, that's fair enough. You can't
+lose a cent."
+
+"All right," agreed Jones after a minute.
+
+"Remember: it's part of the bargain that you state everywhere that you're
+going to force this sale, and that you don't let anybody bluff you."
+
+The affair made quite a little stir. Men like Sam Brannan, Dick Blatchford,
+the contractor, and Jim Polk discussed Keith and his ability.
+
+"Got a pretty wife, too," added Brannan. "--never heard of the fall of
+man."
+
+"Well, she's going to, if the Morrell woman has her way," observed Ben
+Sansome dryly.
+
+Polk stretched his long legs, and smiled his desiccated little smile.
+
+"He's a pretty enterprising youngster--more ways than one," said he.
+
+
+
+
+XX
+
+
+On the evening of the third day after his latest interview with Doctor
+Jones, Keith threw down his paper with a cry of triumph. He had been
+scanning the columns of every issue with minute care, combing even the fine
+print for the auctioneer's advertisements. Here was what he wanted: top of
+column, third page, where every one would be sure to see it. The
+commissioners issued a signed statement, calling public attention to the
+details of their appointment, and warning that titles issued under
+sheriff's sale would be considered invalid.
+
+Keith read this with great attention, then drew his personal check against
+Palmer, Cook & Co. for eleven thousand dollars in favour of Doctor Jones.
+After some search he unearthed the little man in a downtown rookery, and
+from him obtained an assignment of his judgment against the city. Doctor
+Jones lost no time spreading the news, with the additional statement that
+he considered himself well out of the mess. He proceeded to order himself a
+long-coveted microscope, and was thenceforth lost to sight among low-tide
+rocks and marine algae. The sheriff's sale came off at the advertised date.
+There were no bidders; the commissioners' warning had had its effect. Keith
+himself bought in the lots for $5,000. This check about exhausted his
+resources. This, less costs, was, of course, paid back to himself as holder
+of the judgment. He had title, such as it was, for about what he had given
+Jones.
+
+The bargain amused Keith's acquaintance hugely. Whenever he appeared he was
+deluged with chaff, all of which he took, good naturedly. He was
+considered, in a moment of aberration, to have bought an exceedingly
+doubtful equity. Some thought, he must have a great deal of money, arguing
+that only the owner of a fat bank account could afford to take such fliers;
+others considered that he must have very little sense. Keith was apparently
+unperturbed. He at once began to look about him, considering the next step
+in his scheme. Since this investment had taken nearly every cent he had
+left, it was incumbent to raise more money at once.
+
+He called on John Sherwood at the Empire. The gambler listened to him
+attentively.
+
+"I can't go into it," he said, when Keith had finished. A slight smile
+sketched itself on his strong, impassive face. "Not that I do not believe
+it will work; I think it will. But I have long made it a rule never to try
+to make money outside my own business--which is gambling. I never adopt
+ordinary honest methods."
+
+Keith's honest but legally trained mind failed to notice the quiet sarcasm
+of this. "Well, you know everybody in town. Where can I go?"
+
+Sherwood thought a moment.
+
+"I'll take you to Malcolm Neil," he said at last. It was Keith's turn to
+look thoughtful.
+
+"All right," he said at last. "But not just right away. Give me a couple of
+days to get ready."
+
+At the appointed time Sherwood escorted Keith to Malcolm Neil's office,
+introduced and left him. Keith took the proffered wooden chair, examining
+his man with the keenest attention.
+
+Malcolm Neil, spite of his Scotch name, was a New Englander by birth. He
+had come out in '49, intending, like everybody else, to go to the mines,
+but had never gone farther than San Francisco. The new city offered ample
+scope for his talents, and he speedily became, not only rich, but a
+dominating personality among financial circles. He accomplished this by
+supplementing his natural ability with absolute singleness of purpose. It
+was known that his sole idea was the making of money. He was reputed to be
+hard, devoid of sentiment, unscrupulous. Naturally he enjoyed no
+popularity, but a vast respect. More people had heard of him, or felt his
+power, than had seen him; for he went little abroad, and preferred to work
+through agents. John Sherwood's service in obtaining for Keith a personal
+interview was a very real one. Neil's offices were small, dingy, and ill
+lighted, at the back of one of the older and cheaper buildings. In the
+outer of the two were three bookkeepers; the other contained only a desk,
+two chairs, and an engraving of Daniel Webster addressing the Senate.
+
+The man himself sat humped over slightly, his head thrust a little forward
+as though on the point of launching a truculent challenge. He was lean,
+gray, with bushy, overhanging brows, eyes with glinting metallic surfaces,
+had long sinewy hands, and a carved granite and inscrutable face, His few
+words of greeting revealed his voice as harsh, grating and domineering.
+
+Keith, reading his man, wasted no time in preliminaries.
+
+"Mr. Neil," he said, "I have a scheme by which a great deal of money can be
+made."
+
+Neil grunted. If it had not been for the fact that John Sherwood had
+introduced the maker of that speech, the interview would have here
+terminated. Malcolm Neil deeply distrusted men with schemes to make large
+sums of money. After a time, as Keith still waited, he growled;
+
+"What is it?"
+
+"That," said Keith, "I shall not disclose until my standing in the matter
+is assured."
+
+"What do you want?" growled Neil.
+
+"Fifty per cent of the profits, if you go in."
+
+"What do you want of me?"
+
+"The capital."
+
+"What is the scheme?"
+
+"That I cannot tell you without some assurance of your good intention."
+
+"What do you expect?" rasped Neil, "that I go into this blind?"
+
+"I have prepared this paper," said Keith, handing him a document.
+
+Neil glanced over the paper, then read it through slowly, with great care.
+When he had finished, he looked up at Keith, and there was a gleam of
+admiration in his frosty eye.
+
+"You are a lawyer, I take it?" he surmised.
+
+Keith nodded. Neil went over the document for the third time.
+
+"And a good one," added Neil. "This is watertight. It seems to be a
+contract agreeing to the division you suggest, _providing_ I go into the
+scheme. Very well, I'll sign this." He raised his voice. "Samuels, come in
+and witness this. Now, what is the scheme?"
+
+Keith produced another paper.
+
+"It is written out in detail here."
+
+Neil reached for it, but Keith drew it back.
+
+"One moment."
+
+He turned it over on the blank side and wrote:
+
+"This is in full the financial deal referred to in contract entered into
+this 7th of June, 1852, by Malcolm Neil and Milton Keith."
+
+To this he appended his signature, then handed the pen to Neil.
+
+"Sign," he requested.
+
+Neil took the pen, but hesitated for some moments, his alert brain seeking
+some way out. Finally and grudgingly he signed. Then he leaned back in his
+chair, eying Keith with rather a wintry humour, though he made no comment.
+He reached again for the paper, but Keith put his hand on it.
+
+"What more do you want?" inquired Neil in amused tones. His sense of humour
+had been touched on its only vulnerable point. He appreciated keen and
+subtle practice when he saw it,
+
+"Not a thing," laughed Keith, "but a few words of explanation before you
+read that will make it more easily understood. Can you tell me how much
+water lots are worth?"
+
+"Five to eight thousand for fifty varas."
+
+"All right. I've bought ten fifty vara lots at sheriff's sale for five
+thousand dollars."
+
+Neil's eye went cold.
+
+"I've heard of that. Your title is no good. The reason you got them so
+cheaply was that nobody would bid because of that."
+
+"That's for the courts to decide. The fact remains that I've a title, even
+though clouded, at $500 per lot."
+
+"Proceed."
+
+"Well, the commissioners are now advertising a sale of these same lots at
+auction on the 15th."
+
+"So I see."
+
+"Well," said Keith softly, "it strikes me that whoever buys these lots then
+is due for a heap of trouble."
+
+"How so?"
+
+"My title from the sheriff may be clouded, but it will be contested against
+the title given at that sale. The purchaser will have to defend himself up
+to the highest court. I can promise him a good fight."
+
+Neil was now watching him steadily,
+
+"If that fact could be widely advertised," went on Keith slowly, "by way of
+a threat, so to speak, it strikes me it would be very apt to discourage
+bidding at the commissioners' sale. Nobody wants to buy a lot of lawsuits,
+at any price. In absence of competition, a fifty vara lot might be sold for
+as low as--say $500."
+
+Neil nodded, Keith leaned forward.
+
+"Now here's my real idea: suppose _I_ buy in against this timid bidding.
+Suppose _I_ am the one who gets the commissioners' title for $500. Then I
+have both titles. And I am not likely to contest against myself. It's cost
+me $1,000 per lot--$500 at each sale--a profit of from $4,000 to $7,000 on
+each lot."
+
+He leaned back. Malcolm Neil sat like a graven image, no expression showing
+on his flintlike face nor in his eyes. At length he chuckled harshly. Then,
+and not until then, Keith proceeded:
+
+"But that isn't all. There's plenty more scrip afloat. If you can buy up as
+much of it as you can scrape together, I'll get judgment for it in the
+courts, and we can enlarge the deal until somebody smells a rat. We need
+several things."
+
+"What?"
+
+"Secrecy."
+
+Neil made no reply, but the lines of his mouth straightened.
+
+"Influence to push matters along in official circles."
+
+"Matters will be pushed along."
+
+"A newspaper."
+
+"Leave that to me."
+
+"Agents--not known to be connected with us."
+
+Neil nodded.
+
+"Working capital--but that is provided for in the contract. And"--he
+hesitated--"it will not harm to have these matters brought before a court
+whose judge is not unfriendly."
+
+"I can arrange for that, Mr. Keith."
+
+Keith arose.
+
+"Then that is settled." He picked up the duplicate copy of the contract.
+"There remains only one other formality."
+
+"Yes? What?"
+
+"Your check for $12,000."
+
+"What for?"
+
+"For my expenses in this matter up to date."
+
+"What!" cried Neil.
+
+"The contract specifies that you are to furnish the working capital," Keith
+pointed out.
+
+"But that means the future--"
+
+"It doesn't say so."
+
+Neil paused a moment.
+
+"This contract would not hold in law, and you know it," he asserted boldly.
+"It would be held to be an illegal conspiracy."
+
+"I would be pleased to have you point out the illegality in court," said
+Keith coldly, his manner as frosty as Neil's. "And if conspiracy exists,
+your name is affixed to it."
+
+Neil pondered this point a moment, then drew his checkbook toward him with
+a grim little smile.
+
+"Young man, you win," said he.
+
+Keith thawed to sunniness at once.
+
+"Oh, we'll work together all right, once we understand each other," he
+laughed. "Send your man out after scrip. Let him report to me."
+
+Neil arose rather stiffly, and extended his hand.
+
+"All right, all right!" he muttered, as though impatient. "Keep In touch.
+Good-day. Good-day."
+
+
+
+
+
+XXI
+
+
+The time for the annual Firemen's Ball was now at hand. At this period the
+Firemen's Ball was an institution of the first social importance. As has
+been shown, the various organizations were voluntary associations, and in
+their ranks birds of a feather flocked together. On the common meeting
+ground of the big annual function all elements met, even--if they did not
+mingle as freely as they might.
+
+In any case, the affair was very elaborate and very gorgeous. Preparations
+were in the hands of special committees months in advance. One company had
+charge of the refreshments, another of the music, a third of the floor
+arrangements, and so on. There was much jealous anxiety that each should do
+its part thoroughly and lavishly, for the honour of its organization. The
+members of each committee were distinguished by coloured ribbons, which
+they wore importantly everywhere. An air of preoccupied business was the
+proper thing for days before the event.
+
+It was held this year in one of the armouries. The decoration committee had
+done its most desperate. Flags of all nations and strips of coloured
+bunting draped the rafters; greens from the Sausalito Hills framed the
+windows and doors; huge oiled Chinese lanterns swayed from the roofs. The
+floor shone like glass. At either end bowers of green half concealed the
+orchestras--two of them, that the music might never cease. The side rooms
+were set for refreshments. Many chairs lined the walls. Hundreds of lamps
+and reflectors had been nailed up in every conceivable place. It took a
+negro over an hour to light them all. Near the door stood a wide, flat
+table piled high with programs for the dancers. These were elaborate
+affairs, and had cost a mint of money--vellum folders, emblazoned in colour
+outside, with a sort of fireman heraldry and the motto: "We strive to
+save." Gilded pencils on short silken tasselled cords dangled from their
+corners.
+
+At eight o'clock the lights were all blazing, the orchestras were tuning,
+and the floor fluttered with anxious labelled committeemen dashing to and
+fro. There was nothing for them to do, but they were nervous. By half-past
+eight the first arrivals could be seen hesitating at the outer door, as
+though reluctant to make a plunge; herded finally to the right and left of
+men's and women's dressing-rooms. After a long, chattering interval,
+encouraged by the slow accumulation of numbers, a little group debouched on
+the main, floor. Its members all talked and laughed feverishly, and tried
+with varying success to assume an accustomed ease they did not feel. Most
+of the women, somehow, seemed all white gloves and dancing slippers, and
+bore themselves rather like affable, slightly scared rabbits. The men
+suddenly became very facetious, swapping jokes in loud tones.
+
+The orchestra at the far end immediately struck up, but nobody ventured on
+the huge and empty floor. Masters of ceremonies, much bebadged, rather
+conscious of white gloves, strove earnestly with hurried, ingratiating
+smiles to induce the younger members to break the ice. Ben Sansome,
+remarkable among them for his social ease and the unobtrusive correctness
+of his appointments, responsible head of the reception committee,
+masterfully seized a blushing, protesting damsel and whirled her away.
+This, however, was merely an informal sort of opening. The real bail could
+start only with the grand march; and the grand march was a pompous and
+intricate affair, possible only after the arrival of the city's elite.
+Partners for the grand march had been bespoken months before.
+
+The Keiths arrived about half-past nine. Nan was looking particularly well
+in her girlish fashion. Her usual delicate colour was heightened by
+anticipation, for she intended ardently to "have a good time." For this
+occasion, too, she had put on the best of her new Eastern clothes, and was
+confident of the sensation they would create in the feminine breast. The
+gown was of silk the colour of pomegranate blossoms, light and filmy, with
+the wide skirts of the day, the short sleeves, the low neck. Over bodice
+and skirt had been gracefully trailed long sprays of blossoms. Similar
+flowers wreathed her head, on which the hair was done low and smooth, with
+a golden arrow securing it. A fine golden chain spanned her waist. From it
+dangled smaller chains at the ends of which depended little golden hands.
+These held up the front of the skirt artistically, at just the right height
+for dancing and to show flounces and ravishing petticoats beneath. It was
+an innovation of the sort the feminine heart delights in, a brand-new thing
+straight from Paris. Nan's gloves were of half length, the backs of the
+hands embroidered and displaying each several small sparkling jewels. The
+broad golden bracelets had been clasped outside the gloves. Around her
+little finger was a ring from which depended, on the end of a chain, a
+larger ring, and through this larger ring hung her dainty lace
+handkerchief. This was innovation number two. The men all stared at her
+proud, delicate, flowerlike effect of fresh beauty; but every woman
+present, and Nan knew it, noted first, the cut of her gown, second, the
+dangling little golden hands, and third, the handkerchief ring. She knew
+that not later than to-morrow at least a half-dozen urgent orders would be
+booked at Palmerston's; but she knew, also, that at least six months must
+elapse before those orders could be filled. As for the rest, her stockings
+were white, her slippers ribboned with cross-ties up the ankles, she
+carried a stiff and formal bouquet, as big around as a plate, composed of
+wired flowers ornamented with a "cape" of lace paper; but those things were
+common.
+
+Altogether, Nan looked extraordinarily well, made a sensation. Keith was
+pleased and proud of her. He picked one of the blazoned vellum cards from
+the table and scrawled his initials opposite half a dozen dances.
+
+"I'm going to hold you to those, you know," he said.
+
+They proceeded, leisurely across the floor, and Keith established her in
+one of the chairs.
+
+"I'll go get some of the men I want you to meet," said he. When he returned
+with Bernard Black he found Nan already surrounded, Ben Sansome was there,
+and Calhoun Bennett, and a half-dozen others, either acquaintances made on
+some of the Sundays, or young men brought up by Sansome in his capacity of
+Master of Ceremonies. She was having a good time laughing, her colour high,
+Keith looked about him with the intention of filling his own card.
+
+Mrs, Morrell, surrounded by a hilarious group of the younger fry, was just
+entering the room. She was dressed in flame colour, and her gown was cut
+very low, plainly to reveal the swell of her ample bosom. Her evening
+gloves and slippers were golden, as was a broad metallic woven band around
+her waist. Altogether, striking, rather a conspicuous effort than an
+artistic success, any woman would have said; but there could be no doubt
+that she had provided a glittering bait for the attentions of the men.
+
+Keith immediately made his way across to her.
+
+"You are ravishing this evening," he said, reaching for her card. It was
+full. Keith was chopfallen.
+
+"Take me to Mrs. Keith," asked Mrs. Morrell, taking the card again, "She
+looks charming to-night; that simple style just suits her wide-eyed
+innocence."
+
+She placed her fingers lightly on Keith's arm and moved away, nodding over
+her shoulder at the rather nonplussed young men who had come in with her.
+Thus rid of them, she turned again to Keith.
+
+"You didn't think I'd forget you!" she said, as though, reproachfully.
+"See, I kept you four dances. I put down those initials myself. Now don't
+you think I'm a pretty good sort?"
+
+"Indeed I do! Which ones are they?" asked Keith, opening his own card.
+
+"The third, seventh, ninth, and eleventh."
+
+Keith hesitated for an appreciable instant. The seventh and eleventh he had
+put down for Nan. But somehow in the face of this smiling, cynical-looking,
+vivid creature, he rather shrank from saying that he had them with his
+wife. He swiftly reflected that, after all, he had four others with Nan,
+that she was so surrounded with admirers that she could not go partnerless,
+and that he would explain.
+
+"Delightful!" he cried, pencilling his program.
+
+Mrs. Morrell fluttered down alongside Mrs. Keith with much small talk.
+After a moment the music started for the grand march. Everybody took the
+floor.
+
+"Where can Charley be!" cried Mrs. Morrell in apparent distress. "Don't
+wait here with me. I assure you I do not in the least mind sitting alone."
+
+But she said it in a fashion that made it impossible, and in this manner
+Nan lost her first engagement with her husband. Not that it mattered
+particularly, she told herself, grand marches were rather silly things, and
+yet she could not avoid a feeling of thwarted pique at being so tied to the
+wall.
+
+At the close of the march, and after the couples had pretty well resumed
+their seats, Mrs. Sherwood entered, unattended and very leisurely. She
+made, in her quieter manner, a greater sensation than had Mrs. Morrell.
+Quite self-possessed, carrying herself with her customary poise, dressed
+unobtrusively in black and gold, but with the distinction of an indubitable
+Parisian model, moving without self-consciousness in contrast to many of
+the other women, her small head high, her direct gaze a-smoulder with lazy
+amusement, she glided across the middle of the floor. The eyes of every
+woman in the ballroom were upon her. The "respectable" element stared
+shamelessly, making comments aside. Those a little _declasse_, on the
+fringe of society, or the "faster" women like Mrs. Morrell--who might in a
+way be considered her rivals--were apparently quite unaware of her. She
+made her unhasting way to a vacant chair, sat down, and looked calmly about
+her.
+
+Immediately she was surrounded by a swarm of the unattached men. The
+attached men became very attentive to their partners.
+
+"Hullo," remarked Keith cheerfully. "There's Mrs. Sherwood. I must go over
+and say good-evening to her."
+
+On sudden impulse Nan rose with him. She instinctively disliked her present
+company and the situation; and a sudden pang of conscience had told her
+that not once since she had left the Bella Union had she laid eyes on the
+woman who had received her with so much kindness.
+
+"Take me with you," she said to Keith.
+
+"My dear!" cried Mrs. Morrell. "You wouldn't! Take my advice--you're young
+and innocent!"
+
+She sought one of those exclusive, private-joke glances at Keith, but
+failed to catch his eye.
+
+"She was very kind to me when I arrived," said Nan serenely. Keith,
+hesitated; then his impulsive, warm-hearted loyalty spoke.
+
+"Good for you, Nan!" he cried.
+
+They moved away, leaving Mrs. Morrell alone, biting her lip and planning
+revenges.
+
+The group around Mrs. Sherwood fell away at their approach. Nan sat down
+next her, leaning forward with a pretty and girlish, impulsiveness.
+
+"It's ages since I have seen you, and I have no excuse to offer," she said.
+"The days slip by."
+
+"I know," said Mrs. Sherwood. "New house, new Chinaman, even new dog--
+enough to drive the most important thoughts out of one's head. But you've
+come out to-night like a flower, my dear. Your gown is charming, and it
+suits you so well!"
+
+She chatted on, speaking of the floor, the music, the decorations, the
+crowd.
+
+"I love this sort of thing," she remarked. "People in the mass amuse me.
+Jack couldn't get away until midnight, but I wouldn't wait for him. I told
+him it didn't worry me a bit to come without an escort," smoothing away
+what little embarrassment might linger. The music started up again. The
+Keiths arose and made their adieux. Mrs, Sherwood looked after them, her
+bright eyes tender. Mrs. Keith was the only woman who had yet spoken to
+her.
+
+"Isn't she simply stunning?" cried Keith. "She has something about her that
+makes most of these others look cheap."
+
+"She's really wonderfully attractive and distinguished looking," agreed
+Nan.
+
+"If she were only a little less practical--a little softer; more feminine--
+she'd be a sure-enough man killer. As it is, she needs a little more--you
+know what I mean--"
+
+"More after Mrs. Morrell's fashion," suggested Nan a trifle wickedly. It
+popped out on the impulse, and the next instant Nan would have given
+anything if the words had not been said. Keith was arrested in mid-
+enthusiasm as though by cold water. He checked himself, looked at her
+sharply, then accepted the pseudo-challenge.
+
+"Well, Mrs. Morrell, for all her little vulgarities, impresses you as being
+a very human sort of person."
+
+He felt a sudden and unreasoning anger, possibly because the shot had hit a
+tender place.
+
+"Shall we dance?" he suggested formally.
+
+"I'm sorry," replied Nan, "I have this with Mr. Sansome; there he comes."
+
+For the first time Keith felt a little irritated at the ubiquitous Sansome;
+but his sense of justice, while it could not smooth his ruffled feelings,
+nevertheless made itself heard.
+
+"What I need is a drink," he told himself.
+
+At the buffet he found a crowd of the non-dancing men, or those who had
+failed to get the early numbers. Here were many of his acquaintances; among
+them, to his surprise, he recognized the grim features of Malcolm Neil. All
+were drinking champagne. Keith joined them. They chaffed him unmercifully
+about his purchases of clouded titles in water lots, and he answered them
+in kind, aware of Neil's sardonically humorous eye fixed on him. But at the
+first bars of the next dance he bolted in search of Mrs. Morrell, with
+whom, he remembered, he had this number.
+
+Mrs. Morrell danced smoothly and lightly for a woman of her size, but was
+inclined to snuggle up too close, to permit undistracted guidance to her
+partner. It was almost impossible to avoid collisions with other couples,
+unless one possessed a Spartan mind and an iron will. In spite of himself,
+Keith became increasingly aware of her breast pressing against his chest;
+her smooth arm against his shoulder; the occasional passing contact of her,
+scarcely veiled from the sense of touch by the thin flame-coloured silk;
+the perfume she affected; the faint odour of her bright blond hair. In an
+attempt to break the spell he made some banal remark, but she shook her
+head impatiently. She danced with her eyes half closed. When the music
+stopped she drew a deep sighing breath.
+
+"You dance--oh, divinely!" she cried. "I might have known it."
+
+She moved away, and Keith followed her, a trifle intoxicated.
+
+"Let me see your card," she demanded abruptly. "Why, you haven't done your
+duty; this is hardly a third filled!"
+
+"I hadn't started to fill it--and then you came in," breathed Keith.
+
+They were opposite the door leading into one of the numerous small rooms
+off the main floor of the armoury.
+
+"Let's sit here--and you can get me a punch," she suggested.
+
+He brought the punch, and she drank it slowly, leaning back in an easy
+chair. The place was dimly lighted, and her blond, full beauty was more
+effective than in the more brilliantly lighted ballroom. Mrs. Morrell
+exerted all her fascination. The next dance was half over before either
+Keith or--apparently--Mrs. Morrell became aware of the fact.
+
+"Oh, you must run!" she cried, apparently greatly exercised. "Don't mind
+me; go and find your partner."
+
+Keith replied, that he had this dance free, a fact of which her inspection
+of his card had perfectly informed her. In answer to his return
+solicitation as to her own partner, she shrugged her shoulders.
+
+"Oh, he'll find me," she said indifferently. "This is very cozy here."
+
+They resumed what had become an ardent flirtation. Toward the end of the
+dance Mrs. Morrell's partner came in, looking very flurried. Before he
+could say a word, Mrs. Morrell began reproachfully to chide him with lack
+of diligence.
+
+"I've been waiting just _rooted_ to this spot!" she said truthfully.
+
+"Shall we dance?" suggested the unfortunate young man.
+
+"It's nearly over," replied Mrs. Morrell carelessly. "Do sit down with us.
+Get yourself something to drink. _Don't go!_" she commanded Keith fiercely
+under her breath.
+
+At the beginning of the fourth dance, however, her next partner found her
+and led her away. She "made a face" over her shoulder at Keith.
+
+When a woman makes up her mind to monopolize a man who has not acquired the
+fine arts of rudeness and escape she generally succeeds. Keith's cordial
+nature was incapable of rudeness. Besides, being a perfectly normal man,
+and Mrs. Morrell experienced and attractive, he liked being monopolized. It
+crossed his mind once or twice that he might be in for a scolding when he
+got home. Nan might be absurd. But he was so secure in his essential
+loyalty to Nan that his present conduct was more in the nature of a
+delightfully naughty escapade than anything else. He stole the apples now,
+and later would go dutifully for his licking. Men of Keith's nature are
+easily held and managed by a wise woman, but the woman must be very wise.
+Keith loved celebrations. On the wings of an occasion he rose joyfully and
+readily to incredible altitudes of high-spirited but harmless recklessness.
+Birthdays, anniversaries, New Years, Christmas, arrivals, departures, he
+seized upon with rapture. Each had its appropriate ceremonial, its
+traditional drink, the painstaking brewing of which was a sacred rite. On
+such occasions he tossed aside the cloak of the everyday. A "celebration"
+meant that you were different. Humdrum life and habits must be relegated to
+the background. It was permitted that, unabashed, you be as silly, as
+frivolous, as inconsequential, as boisterous, as lighthearted, as
+delightfully irresponsible as your ordinary concealed boyishness pleased.
+Customary repressions had nothing to do here. This was a celebration! And
+in the aforementioned our very wise woman would have seen--a safety valve.
+
+Keith was off on a celebration to-night: an unpremeditated, freakish,
+impish, essentially harmless celebration, with a faint flavour of mischief
+in it because he had Nan in the back of his head all the time. He played up
+to Mrs. Morrell with exuberance, with honestly no thought except that he
+was having a whacking good time, and that old Nan was being teased. It was
+characteristic that for the time being he fell completely under Mrs.
+Morrell's fascination. They were together fully half the time, appearing on
+the floor only occasionally, then disappearing in one or the other of the
+many nooks. Mrs. Morrell "bolted" her dances shamelessly. Keith thought her
+awfully amusing and ingenious in the way she managed this. Sometimes they
+hid in out-of-the-way places. Sometimes she pretended to have mistaken the
+dance. "The sixth, are you very _sure_? I'm convinced it is only the
+fifth." Keith's conscience troubled him a little concerning the few names
+on his own card.
+
+"I have this with Mrs. Wilkins," said he. "I really ought to go and look
+her up."
+
+She took his card from him and deliberately tore it to small bits which she
+blew from the palm of her gloved hand. He protested in real dismay, but she
+looked him challengingly, recklessly, in the eye, until he laughed, too.
+
+All this was, of course, well noticed. Keith, again characteristically, had
+not taken into consideration the great public. Nan might have remained
+comparatively indifferent to Keith's philandering about for an evening with
+the Morrell creature--she had by now a dim but growing understanding of
+"celebrations"--but that he should deliberately neglect and insult her in
+the face of all San Francisco was too much. Her high, young enjoyment of
+the evening fell to ashes. She was furiously angry, but she was a
+thoroughbred. Only a heightened colour and a sparkling eye might have
+betrayed her to an astute woman. Observing her, Ben Sansome took heart. It
+was evident to him that the Keiths had long since reached an absolute
+indifference in their relations, that they lived the conventional,
+tolerant, separate lives of the majority of married couples in Ben
+Sansome's smart acquaintance. He ventured to apply himself more
+assiduously, and was by no means badly received.
+
+Keith remembered the next dance with his wife. He could not find her,
+although, a trifle conscience stricken, he searched everywhere. After the
+music had finished, she emerged from the dressing-room; the next time she
+could not be found at all. Evidently she was avoiding him with intention.
+
+Mrs. Sherwood, after each dance, returned invariably to the same chair near
+the middle of one wall. There, owing to the fact that the "respectables"
+withdrew from the chairs on either side, withdrew gradually and without
+open rudeness, she held centre of a little court of her own. This made of
+it a sort of post of observation from which she could review all that was
+going on. She had no lack of partners, for she danced wonderfully, and in
+looks was quite the most distinguished woman there. Keith's dance with her
+came and went, but no Keith appeared to claim it. Mrs. Sherwood smiled a
+little grimly, and her glance strayed down the wall opposite until it
+rested on Nan. She examined the girl speculatively. Nan was apparently
+completely absorbed in Ben Sansome; but there was in her manner something
+feverish, hectic, a mere nothing, which did not escape Mrs. Sherwood's keen
+eye.
+
+About midnight Sherwood appeared, and at once made his way to his wife's
+side. He was punctiliously dressed in the mode: a "swallowtail," bright,
+soft silk tie of ample proportions, frilled linen, and sparkling studs. He
+bent with an old-world formality over his wife's hand. She swept away her
+skirts from the chair at her side, her eyes sparkling softly with pleasure.
+
+"You won't mind," she said carelessly to the young men surrounding her, "I
+want to talk to Jack for a minute."
+
+They arose, laughing a little.
+
+"That is your one fault, Mrs. Sherwood," said one, "you are altogether too
+fond of your husband."
+
+"Well, how are things going?" asked Sherwood, as they moved away.
+
+"I'm having a good time. But you're very late, Jack,"
+
+"I know--I wanted to come earlier. Everything all right?"
+
+At the question a little frown sketched itself on her clear brow.
+
+"In general, yes," she said. "But they've got that Lewis boy out in the bar
+filling him up on champagne."
+
+"That's a pity."
+
+"It's a burning shame!" said she, "And I'd like to shake young Keith. He's
+dangled after the Morrell woman from start to finish in a manner scandalous
+to behold."
+
+Sherwood laughed.
+
+"The 'Morrell woman' will do his education good," he remarked.
+
+"Well, she isn't doing that poor little Mrs. Keith's education any good,"
+returned Mrs. Sherwood rather tartly.
+
+Sherwood surveyed Nan and Ben Sansome leisurely.
+
+"I must say she doesn't look crushed," he said, after a moment.
+
+"Do you expect her to weep violently?" asked Mrs. Sherwood.
+
+He accepted good naturedly the customary feminine scorn for the customary
+masculine obtuseness.
+
+"Well, I don't know that we can help it," said he, philosophically.
+
+Mrs. Sherwood appeared to come to a sudden resolution. She arose.
+
+"You go get that Lewis boy away from the bar," she commanded.
+
+Deliberately she shook and arranged her full skirts. The man with whom she
+had this dance, and who had been waiting dutifully for the conference to
+close, darted forward. She shook her head at him smilingly.
+
+"I'm going to let you off," she told him. "You won't mind. I have something
+extra special to do."
+
+She swept quite alone across the middle of the ballroom, serene, self-
+possessed; and walked directly toward Keith and Mrs.
+
+Morrell, who were seated together at the other end. A perceptible pause
+seemed to descend. The music kept on playing, couples kept on dancing, but,
+nevertheless, suddenly the air was charged with attention. Sherwood looked
+after her with mingled astonishment and fond pride.
+
+"A frontal attack, egad!" said he to himself.
+
+Keith and Mrs. Morrell pretended, as long as they decently could, not to
+see her. She swam leisurely toward them. Finally Keith arose hastily; Mrs.
+Morrell stared straight ahead.
+
+"Young man," accused Mrs. Sherwood, with a faint amusement in her rich, low
+voice, "do you know that this is our dance?"
+
+Keith excused his apparent lapse volubly, telling several times over that
+his program had been destroyed, that he was abject when he thought of the
+light this put him in.
+
+"It is only when angels like yourself condescend to reach me a helping hand
+that I have even a chance to right myself," he added. He thought this
+rather a good touch.
+
+Mrs. Sherwood stood before him easily, in perfect repose of manner, the
+half smile still sketching her lips. She said just nothing at all in
+response to his glib excuses; but when he had quite finished she laid her
+hand in his arm. Mrs. Morrell, her colour high, continued to stare straight
+ahead, immobile except for the tapping of one foot. To Keith's request to
+be excused she vouchsafed a stiff half nod, partly in his direction.
+
+They danced. Mrs. Sherwood, like most people who have command enough of
+their muscles to be able to keep them in graceful repose, danced
+marvellously well. When she stopped after a single turn of the room, Keith
+expostulated vigorously.
+
+"You are a perfect partner," he told her.
+
+"Take me in here and get me a sherbet," she commanded, without replying to
+his protests. "That's good," she said, when she had tasted it. "Now sit
+down and listen to me. You are making a perfect spectacle of yourself.
+Don't you know it?"
+
+Keith stiffened to an extreme formality.
+
+"I beg your pardon!" said he freezingly.
+
+"That may be your personal individual right"--went on Mrs. Sherwood's low,
+rich voice evenly. She was not even looking at him, but rather idly toward
+the open door into the ballroom. Her fan swung from one finger; every line
+of her body was relaxed. She might have been tossing him ordinary
+commonplaces from the surface of a detached mind--"making a spectacle of
+yourself," she explained; "but you're making a perfect spectacle of your
+wife as well--and in public. That is not your right at all."
+
+Keith sprang to his feet, furious.
+
+"You are meddling with what is really my own business, madam," said he.
+
+For the first time she looked up at him, dearly and steadily. In the eyes.
+
+"Very well. That is true. Stop a moment and think. Are you attending to
+your business yourself, even decently? Yes, I understand; you are angry
+with me. If I were a man, you would challenge me to a duel and all that
+sort of thing." She smiled indifferently. "Let's take that for granted and
+get on. Sweep it aside. You are man enough to do it, or I mistake you
+greatly. Look down into yourself for even one second. Are you playing fair
+all around? _Aren't you a little ashamed?_"
+
+She held him with, her clear, level gaze. His own did not fall before it,
+and his head went back, but slowly his face and neck turned red. Thus they
+stared at each other for a full half minute, she smiling slightly,
+perfectly cool; he seething with a suppressed emotion of some sort. Then
+she turned indolently away.
+
+"You're too fine to do things like that," she said, with a new softness in
+her voice; "we all have too much faith in you. The common tricks would not
+appeal to you, except in idleness; is it not so?"
+
+She smiled up at him, a little sidewise. Keith caught his breath. For a
+fleeting instant this extraordinary woman deigned to exert her feminine
+charms for the first time the coquette looked from her eyes; for the first
+time he saw mysteriously deep in her veiled nature a depth of possibility,
+of rich possibility--he could not grasp it--it was gone. But in spite of
+himself his pulses leaped like a flame. But now she was gazing again at the
+ballroom door, cool, indolent, aloof, unapproachable. Yet just at that
+instant, somehow, the other woman looked shallow, superficial, cold. His
+glance fell on Mrs. Morrell still sitting where he had left her. Something
+was wrong with her effect----
+
+Analysis was submerged in a blaze of anger. This anger was not now against
+the woman before him; his instinct prevented that. Nor against Mrs. Morrell
+nor his wife; reluctant justice prevented that. Nor against himself--where
+it really belonged. Things were out of joint; he felt cross-grained and
+ugly. Mrs. Sherwood rose.
+
+"You may take me back now," said she.
+
+As they glided across the floor together, her small sleek head came just
+above his shoulder. No embarrassment disturbed her manner. Keith could not
+find in him a spark of resentment against her. She moved by his side with
+an air of poise and detachment as a woman whose mind had long since weighed
+and settled the affairs of her own cosmos so that trifles could not disturb
+her.
+
+Leaving her in her accustomed chair, where Sherwood waited, Keith loyally
+returned to Mrs. Morrell, who still sat alone. Subconsciously he noticed
+something wrong with Mrs. Morrell. Her gowning was indeed rather a
+conspicuous effort than an artistic success. She had badly torn her dress--
+perhaps that was it.
+
+Mrs. Morrell received him with every appearance of sympathy.
+
+"You poor thing!" she cried. "What a fearful situation! Of course I know
+you couldn't help it."
+
+But Keith was grumpy and monosyllabic. He refused to discuss the situation
+or Mrs. Sherwood, returning with an obvious effort to commonplaces. Mrs.
+Morrell exerted all her fascination to get him back to the former level. A
+little cold imp sat in the back of Keith's brain and criticised
+sardonically; Why will big women persist in being kittenish? Why doesn't
+she mend that awful rent, it's fairly sloppy! Suppose she thinks that kind
+of talk is funny! I _do_ wish she wouldn't laugh in that shrill, cackling
+fashion! In short, the very tricks that an hour ago were jolly and amusing
+were now tiresome. Having been distrait, ungallant, masculinely put out for
+another fifteen minutes, he abruptly excused himself, sought out Nan, and
+went home.
+
+From her point of observation, Mrs. Sherwood watched them go. Nan looked
+very tired, and every line of Keith's figure expressed a grumpy moroseness.
+
+"Congratulations," said Sherwood.
+
+"He certainly is a child of nature," returned his wife. "Look at him! He is
+cross, so he _looks_ cross. That this is a ballroom and that all San
+Francisco is present is a mere detail."
+
+"How did you break it up?" asked Sherwood curiously.
+
+"Men are so utterly ridiculous! He had built up a lot of illusions for
+himself, but his instincts are true and good. It needed only a touch. It
+was absurdly simple."
+
+"He'll go back to the Morrell to-morrow," asserted Sherwood confidently.
+
+She shook her head.
+
+"Not to her. He _sees_ her now. And not to-morrow. But eventually to
+somebody, perhaps. He has curly hair."
+
+Sherwood laughed.
+
+"Shear him, like Sampson," he suggested. "But it strikes me he has about
+the most attractive woman--bar one--in town right at home."
+
+"She'd have no trouble in holding him if she were only _awake_. But she's
+only a dear little child--and about as helpless. She has very little
+subtlety. I'm afraid she'll follow the instincts of her training. She'll be
+too proud to do anything herself to attract her husband, once his
+attentions to her seem to drop off. She'll just become cold and proud--and
+perhaps eventually turn elsewhere."
+
+"I don't believe she's a bit that kind," asserted Sherwood positively.
+
+"Nor do I. But, Jack, a woman lonely enough has fancies, that in the long
+run may become convictions."
+
+
+
+
+XXII
+
+
+Mrs. Sherwood was completely right. Keith had _seen_ Mrs. Morrell. The
+glamour had fallen from her at a touch. He did not in the least understand
+how this had happened, and considered that it was his own fault. Mrs.
+Morrell had not changed in the least, but he had, somehow. He looked upon
+himself as fickle, disloyal, altogether despicable. Yet for the life of him
+he could not get up the slightest spark of enthusiasm for musical evenings,
+Sunday night suppers, or week-end excursions into the country. They had
+fallen dead to his taste; and with the sudden revolt to which such
+temperaments as his are subject, he could not bear even the thought of them
+without a feeling of incipient boredom. The blow administered to his self-
+respect put him quite out of conceit with himself and the world in general.
+If he had followed his natural instinct, he would instanter have thrown,
+overboard all the Morrell episode, bag and baggage.
+
+But that was, of course, impossible. Keith felt his obligations; he was a
+man of honour; he had respect for the feelings of others; he could not make
+friendly people the victims of his own outrageous freaks. That was out of
+the question!
+
+Mrs. Morrell sent for him. She had been puzzled by the episode of the
+evening before. It would have been absolutely incredible to her that a
+hundred words from a woman who was not her rival could have destroyed her
+influence over this man. She had considerable knowledge of men, and she had
+played her cards carefully. But she realized that something was the matter;
+and she thought that the time had come to use the power she had gained. A
+note dispatched by the Chinaman would do.
+
+Keith obeyed the summons. He knew himself well enough to realize that the
+intimacy, such as it was, must come to a pretty abrupt termination.
+Otherwise, he would shortly get very bored; and when he got very bored he
+became, in spite of himself, reserved and self-contained to the point of
+rudeness. For the exact reason that he saw thus clearly, his conscience was
+smiting him hard. Mrs. Morrell had done nothing to deserve this treatment.
+He was a dastard, a coward, ashamed of himself. If she wanted to see him,
+it was her due that he obey her summons promptly. He went with the vague
+idea of making amends by doing whatever she seemed to require--for this
+once.
+
+She entered the dim sitting-room clad in a flowing silken negligee, which
+she excused on the ground of laziness.
+
+"I'm still a little tired from last night," she said, with a laugh.
+
+The soft material and informal cut clung to and defined the lines of her
+figure, showing to especial advantage the long sweep of her hips, the
+pliancy of her waist, the swell of her fine bust. A soft lilac colour set
+off the glint of her fair hair. She was, in fact, feeling a little languid
+from the reaction of the ball and in a sudden rush of emotion she admired
+Keith's crisp freshness. Her eyes swam a little and her breast heaved.
+
+But the preliminary conversation went by jerks. Keith answered her advances
+with an effort toward ease and cordiality, but with a guarded, unnatural
+manner that sent a sudden premonitory chill to the woman's heart. Her
+instinct warned her. As the minutes passed, her uneasiness grew to the
+point of fear. Was she losing him? Why? This was no time for ordinary
+methods.
+
+She arose and went to sit by his side.
+
+"What's the matter, dear?" she asked.
+
+"Nothing."
+
+"Why are you acting in this manner? What have I done?"
+
+"I'm not; you haven't done anything--of course."
+
+She suddenly leaned forward, looking into his eyes, projecting all the
+force of her magnetism. She had before seen him respond, felt him quiver to
+her tentative, mischievous advances,
+
+"Kiss me," she breathed.
+
+Poor Keith was having a miserable enough time. He clung to his first
+thought--that this evening was her due, that he was in some way bound, in
+ending everything, to pay whatever coin he had left. He obeyed her,
+touching her lips lightly and coldly with his own. Never was chaster caress
+bestowed on melting mood!
+
+She flung him violently aside, her face writhing and contorted with fury.
+She was enlightened, completely, as she could have been enlightened in no
+other manner.
+
+"You can go!" she cried hoarsely. "Get out! Don't dare enter this house
+again!"
+
+He made some sort of spiritless, feeble protest, trying his best to put
+some convincing quality into it. But she did not even listen. The
+ungoverned tiger-cat part of her nature was in the ascendant, the fierce
+pride of the woman living near the edge of the half-world. She would gladly
+have killed him. At length he went, very confused, bewildered, miserable--
+and relieved! He left behind him a bitter enemy.
+
+
+
+
+XXIII
+
+
+In complete revulsion, Keith scuttled the frivolous world of women. As he
+expressed it, he was sick of women. They made him tired. Too much fuss
+trying to keep even with their vagaries. A man liked something he could
+bite on. He plunged with all the enthusiasm and energy of his vivid
+personality into his business deal of the water lots and into the
+fascinating downtown life of the pioneer city. The mere fact that he had
+ended that asinine Morrell affair somehow made him think he had made it all
+up to Nan, and he settled back tacitly and without further preliminaries
+into what his mood considered a most satisfactory domestic basis. That is,
+he took his home and his home life for granted. It was there when he needed
+it. He admired Nan greatly, and supplied her with plenty of money, and took
+her to places when he could get the time. Some day, when things were not
+quite so lively, they would go somewhere together. In the meantime he never
+failed to ask her every evening if she had enjoyed herself that day; and
+she never failed to reply that she had. Everything was most comfortable.
+
+After the Firemen's Ball Nan, somehow relieved of any definite uneasiness,
+felt that she should be made much of, should be a little wooed, that Keith
+should make up a little for having been somewhat of a naughty boy. When,
+instead, she was left more alone than before, she was hurt and depressed.
+Of course, Milton did not realize--but what was there for her? Wing Sam ran
+the house; she worked a good deal in the garden, assisted by Gringo.
+Probably at no time in modern history have wives been left so much alone
+and so free as during this period. The man's world was so absorbing; the
+woman's so empty.
+
+Ben Sansome dropped in quite often. He was always amusing, always
+agreeable, interested in all sorts of things, ready to give his undivided
+attention to any sort of a problem, no matter how trivial, to consider it
+attentively, and to find for it a fair and square deliberate solution. This
+is exceedingly comforting to the feminine mind. He taught Gringo not to
+"jump up"; he found out what was the matter with the _Gold of Ophir_
+cutting; he discovered and took her to see just the shade of hangings she
+had long sought for the blue room. Within a very short time he had
+established himself on the footing of the casual old-time caller, happening
+by, dropping in, commenting and advising detachedly, drifting on again
+before his little visit had assumed rememberable proportions. He had always
+the air of just leaning over the fence for a moment's chat; yet he
+contrived to spend the most of an afternoon. He spoke of Keith often,
+always in affectionate terms, as of a sort of pal, much as though he and
+Nan _both_ owned him, he, of course, in a lesser degree.
+
+One afternoon, after he had actually been digging away at a bulb bed for
+half an hour, Nan suggested that he come in for refreshment. Gradually this
+became a habit. Sansome and Nan sat cozily either side the little Chinese
+tea table. He visibly luxuriated.
+
+"You don't know what a privilege this is for me--for any lonesome bachelor
+in this crude city--to have a home like this to come to occasionally."
+
+He hinted at his situation, but made of its details a dark mystery. The
+final impression was one of surface lightness and gayety, but of inner
+sadness.
+
+"It is a terrible city for a man without an anchor!" he said. "Keith is a
+lucky fellow! If I only had some one, as he has, I might amount to
+something." A gesture implied what a discouraged butterfly sort of person
+he really was.
+
+"You ought to marry," said Nan gently.
+
+"Marry!" he cried. "Dear lady, whom? Where in this awful mixture they call
+society could one find a woman to marry?"
+
+"There are plenty of nice women here," chided Nan.
+
+"Yes--and all of them taken by luckier fellows! You wouldn't have me marry
+Sally Warner, would you--or any of the other half-dozen Sally Warners? I
+might as well marry a gas chandelier, a grand piano, and a code of
+immorals--but the standard of such women is so different from the standard
+of women like yourself."
+
+Nan might pertinently have inquired what Ben Sansome did in this gallery,
+anyhow; but so cold-blooded and direct an attack would have required a cool
+detachment incompatible with his dark, good looks, his winning, appealing
+manners, his thoughtfulness in little things, his almost helpless reliance
+on her sympathy; in other words, it presupposed a rather cynical, elderly
+person. And Nan was young, romantic, easily stirred.
+
+"All you need is to believe in yourself a little more," she said earnestly
+and prettily. "Why don't you undertake something instead of drifting? Some
+of the people you go with are not especially good for you--do you think
+so?"
+
+"Good for me?" he laughed bitterly. "Who cares if I go to the dogs? They'd
+rather like me to; it would keep them company! And I don't know that I care
+much myself!" he muttered in a lower tone.
+
+She leaned forward, distressed, her eyes shining with expostulation.
+
+"You mustn't hold yourself so low," she told him vehemently. "You mustn't!
+There are a great many people who believe in you. For their sake you should
+try. If you would only be just a little bit serious--in regard to yourself,
+I mean. A gay life is all very well----"
+
+"Gay?" he interrupted, then caught himself. "Yes, I suppose I do seem gay--
+God knows I try not to cry out--but, really, sometimes I'm near to ending
+it all----"
+
+She was excited to a panic of negation.
+
+"Oh, no! no!" she expostulated vehemently. ("Egad, she's stunning when
+she's aroused!" thought Sansome.) "You mustn't talk like that! It isn't
+fair to yourself; it isn't fair to your manhood! Oh, how you do need some
+one to pull you up! If I could only help!"
+
+He raised his head and looked directly at her, his dark, melancholy eyes
+lighting slowly.
+
+"You have helped; you are helping," he murmured. "I suppose I have been
+weak and a coward, I will try."
+
+"That's right. I am so glad," she said, glowing with sweetness and a desire
+to aid. "Now you must turn over a new leaf," she hesitated. "Every way, I
+mean," she added with a little blush.
+
+"I know I drink more than I ought," he supplied in accents of regret.
+
+"Don't you suppose you could do without?" she begged very gently.
+
+"Will you help me?" He turned on her quickly; then, his delicate instincts
+perceiving a faint, instinctive recoil at his advance, he added: "Just let
+me come here occasionally, into this quiet atmosphere, when it gets too
+hard and I can see no light; just to get your help, the strength I shall
+need to tide me over."
+
+He looked very handsome and romantic and young. He was apparently very,
+deeply in earnest. Nan experienced a rash of pity, of protective maternal
+emotion.
+
+"Yes, do come," she assented softly.
+
+
+
+
+XXIV
+
+
+All this time Keith was busy every minute of the day. The water-lot matter
+was absorbing all his attention. Through skilful and secret agents Neil had
+acquired a great deal of scrip issued by the city for various public works
+and services which the holders had not yet exchanged for the new bonds.
+These he turned over to Keith. Very quietly, by prearrangement, the latter
+sued and obtained judgments. When all this had been fully accomplished--and
+not before then--the veil of secrecy was rent. Rowlee's paper advertised a
+forthcoming sale of water lots to satisfy the judgments.
+
+Then followed, for Keith, an anxious period of three days. But at the end
+of that time the commissioners issued a signed warning that the titles
+conveyed by this sale would not be considered legal. On seeing this, Keith
+at once rushed around to Neil's office.
+
+"Here it is," he announced jubilantly. "They held off so long that I began
+to be afraid they did not intend to play our game for us. But it's all
+right."
+
+The matter was widely discussed; but next morning placards, bearing the
+text of the commissioners' warning, were posted on every blank wall in town
+and distributed as dodgers. These were attributed by the public to zeal on
+the part of those officials; but the commissioners knew nothing about it.
+
+"Some anonymous friend of the city must have done it," Hooper told his
+friends, and added, "We are delighted!"
+
+The unknown friend was Malcolm Neil himself.
+
+This warning had its effect. As Keith had predicted, nobody cared to put
+good money into what was officially and authoritatively announced as a bad
+title. At the sheriff's sale there were no bona fide bidders except the
+secret agents of Malcolm Neil. The sheriff's titles--such as they were--
+went for a song. Immediately the ostensible purchasers were personally
+warned by the commission; but they seemed satisfied.
+
+So matters rested until, a little later, the commissioners inserted in all
+the papers the customary legal advertisements setting forth a sale by them,
+under the State law, of these same water lots to satisfy the interest and
+fill the sinking fund for the bonds. The next morning appeared a statement
+signed by all the ostensible purchasers under the sheriff's sale. This
+stated dearly and succinctly the intention to contest any titles given by
+the commissioners, even to the highest courts. This was marked _advt_, to
+indicate the newspaper's neutrality in the matter. Rowlee commented on the
+situation editorially, He took the righteous and indignant attitude,
+expressing extreme journalistic horror that such a hold-up should be
+possible in a modern, civilized community, hurling editorial contempt on
+the dastardly robbers who were thus intending to shake down the innocent
+purchasers, etc. In fact, he laid it on thick, But he managed to insinuate
+a doubt. Between the lines the least astute reader could read Rowlee's
+belief that perhaps these first purchasers might have a case, iniquitous
+but legal. He hammered away at this for a week. By the end of that time he
+had, by the most effective, indirect methods--purporting all the time to be
+attacking the signers of the warning--succeeded in instilling into the
+public mind a substantial distrust of the stability of the titles to be
+conveyed at the commissioners' sale. Malcolm Neil complimented him highly
+at their final and secret interview.
+
+Again Keith's predictions were fulfilled to the letter. Nobody wanted to
+buy a lawsuit. There were a few bidders, it is true, but they were faint
+hearted. Another set of Malcolm's secret agents bid all the lots in at a
+nominal figure. That very afternoon they all met in Neil's stuffy little
+back office. Keith had the deeds prepared. All that was necessary was to
+affix the signatures. The purchasers under both sales conveyed their rights
+to Neil and Keith. The latter now possessed uncontested and incontestable
+title.
+
+
+
+
+XXV
+
+
+Having personally delivered the deeds to the recorder's office, Keith went
+home. In the relief from pressure, the triumph, and the exaltation, his
+instinct carried him to the actual background of his life--his genuine but
+preoccupied affection for Nan. The constraint, that had been so real to
+her, had never been anything but nebulous to him.
+
+He burst into the house, capered around the room boyishly, seized her, and
+waltzed her gayly about. Quite taken by surprise, Nan's first thought was
+that he had been drinking too much; so naturally she failed to rise
+instantly to the occasion.
+
+"Stop it, Milton!" she cried. "What has got into you! You're tearing me to
+ribbons!"
+
+He laughed heartily.
+
+"You must think I'm crazy," he acknowledged. "Sit down here, and learn what
+a great man your husband is." He poured out the story of the transaction,
+omitting no details of the clever schemes by which it had been worked. He
+was, above all, proud of his legal address and acumen--there was something
+in Eastern training, after all; this lay right under their noses, but none
+of them saw it until he came along and picked it up. "And there are some
+pretty smart men out here, too, let me tell you that," he added. "They're
+from all parts of the world, and they've had a hard practical education,
+their eye teeth are cut!" His egotism over being keener than the
+acknowledged big men was very fresh and charming. The money gained he
+mentioned as an afterthought, only when the other aspect of the situation
+had been exhausted. "The cold hard dollars are pretty welcome just now," he
+told her. "There's about a quarter million in those lots--and we can
+realize on all or part of them at any time. All came out of here!" He
+tapped his forehead, and paused in his rapid pacing to and fro to look down
+at her In the easy chair, "We are well off now. We needn't scrimp and
+save"--it did not for the moment occur to him that they had not been doing
+so--"I'm going to get you eight new gowns, and twelve new hats, and a
+bushel of diamonds----"
+
+"I'm glad, very glad!" she cried, catching his enthusiasm, her mind for the
+first time occupying itself seriously with the mechanism of the deal. At
+first, when he had been explaining, she had not thrown off the impression
+that he had been drinking, and so had paid little attention to his
+explanations. "It sounds like magic. Tell me again--how you did it,"
+
+Nothing loath, he went over it again, making clear the double clouding of
+the titles.
+
+But Nan, being much alone, had the habit, shared with few women of that
+time, of reading the newspapers. She had followed Rowlee's campaign, and
+she had taken seriously the editor's diatribes, Rowlee had been talking for
+effect. The ideals of ultimate civic honesty were yet fifty years in the
+future, but he had stumbled on their principle. Nan's mind, untrained in
+any business ethics, caught them; and her sure natural instincts had
+accepted their essential justice. In recognizing Milton's connection as
+promoter with just this deal, she was suddenly called upon to make
+adjustments for which there was no time. She knew Milton would do nothing
+wrong, and yet--he was waiting in triumph for her response.
+
+"It was very clever. And yet, somehow, it doesn't sound right--" she
+puzzled, "Are you sure it's honest?"
+
+"Honest?" he snorted, halted in mid-career, "Of course it's honest! Why
+isn't it honest?"
+
+Confronted with the direct question, she really did not know. She groped,
+proffering tentatively some of the arguments half remembered from Rowlee's
+editorial columns. But she confronted now a lawyer, sure of himself. Keith
+explosively, and contemptuously demolished her contentions. Everything was
+absolutely legal, every step of it. If a man hadn't a right to buy in
+property at any sale and sell it again where he wanted, where in thunder
+was our boasted liberty? Just the kind of fool notion women get! Keith in
+his honest pride and triumph had come for sympathy and admiration. Turned
+back on himself, he became vaguely resentful, and shortly left the house.
+
+Hardly had the front door closed after him when Nan burst into tears. She
+had not meant it to come out that way at all. Of course she had had no real
+thought that Milton would do anything dishonest; how absurd of him to take
+it that way! She had simply expressed a queer instinctive thought that had
+flashed across her mind; and now she could not for the life of her guess
+how she had come to do so. Miserably and passionately she realized that she
+had bungled it.
+
+
+
+
+XXVI
+
+
+But if Keith missed the appreciation of his triumph at home, he received
+full meed of it downtown. In a corner of the Empire a dozen of the biggest
+men in town were gathered. They were Sam Brannan; Palmer, of Palmer, Cook &
+Co.; Colonel E. D. Baker, the original "silver-tongued orator"; Dick
+Blatchford, the contractor; Judge Terry, of the Supreme Court; oily, coarse
+Ned McGowan; Nugent and Rowlee, editors, and some others. They were doing
+an exceedingly important part of their daily business: sipping their late
+afternoon cocktails. Calhoun Bennett joined them.
+
+"Little item of news to interest you-all," drawled the Southerner. "I've
+just come down from the recorder's office. The deeds for the water lots
+have just been recorded." He paused.
+
+"Have a drink, Cal," urged Dick Blatchford, "and sit down. What of it?"
+
+"They were recorded in the names of Malcolm Neil and young Keith. I'll have
+a cocktail."
+
+"That so? Pretty shaky title. Which sale did they record under?"
+
+"Both!" said Bennett.
+
+He stood until he saw that the significance of this had soaked in; then he
+drew out a chair and sat down. Ned McGowan chuckled hoarsely.
+
+"Pretty slick!" said he. "Wonder some of us didn't think of that! I suppose
+they went around and scared the purchasers until they got them, pretty
+cheap. Trust old Neil to drive a bargain!"
+
+But Palmer, the banker, who had been thinking, here spoke up:
+
+"The purchasers were undoubtedly their agents," he surmised quietly.
+
+"By God, you're right!" cried Terry. "Old Malcolm is certainly the devil
+without a tail!"
+
+"Speak of him and you get him," remarked Colonel Baker, pointing out Neil,
+who had just entered.
+
+They raised a shout at him, until finally the old man, reluctantly and
+crabbedly, sidled over to join them.
+
+"You're discovered, old fox!" cried Terry; "and the outraged dignity of the
+law demands a drink."
+
+They plied him with half-facetious, half-envious congratulations. But Neil
+would have none of them.
+
+"Not my scheme," he growled. "Entirely Keith's. I'm a sleeping partner
+only. He engineered it all, thought of it all, dragged me in."
+
+"You must have made a good thing out of it, Mr. Neil," suggested Palmer
+respectfully.
+
+The formidable old man eyed the speaker grumpily for a moment.
+
+"About a quarter million, cool, between us," he vouchsafed finally. He was,
+for some reason, willing to brag a bit.
+
+This statement was received in admiring silence by all but Terry. Everybody
+but that devil-may-care and lawless pillar of the law was afraid of Neil.
+But Terry would joke with anybody.
+
+"I hope you're going to let him have a little of it, Neil," he laughed.
+
+The old man shifted his eyes from Palmer to Terry with much the air of
+restraining heavy guns. Terry met the impact untroubled.
+
+"Judge," grunted the financier at last, "that young man will get his due
+share. He has tied me up in a contract that even your honoured court would
+find difficulty in breaking."
+
+With this parting shot he arose and stumped out.
+
+"If Malcolm Neil acknowledges he is tied up," observed Terry, who had not
+been in the slightest degree disturbed, "he is certainly tied up!"
+
+"Consider the man who tied him," begged Colonel Baker. "He must, in the
+language of the poets, be a lallapaloozer."
+
+"He's worth getting hold of," said Dick Blatchford.
+
+Therefore, when, a little later, Keith appeared, he was hailed jovially,
+and invited to drink. Everybody was very cordial. Within five minutes he
+was hail fellow with them all, joking with the most august of them on terms
+of equality. Judge Terry, in whose court he had stood abashed, plied him
+with cocktails; Colonel Baker told several stories, one of which was new;
+Sam Brannan, with the mixture of coarseness, overbearing manners, and
+fascination that made him personally attractive to men and some women,
+called him "my boy"; and the rest of the party had whole-heartedly taken
+him in and were treating him as one of themselves. Keith had known all
+these men, of course, but they had been several cuts above him in
+importance, and his relations with most of them had been formal. His whole
+being glowed and expanded. After the first cocktail or two, and after a
+little of this grateful petting, he had some difficulty in keeping himself
+from getting too expansive, in holding himself down to becoming modesty, in
+not talking too much. He quite realized the meaning of this sudden
+cordiality; but he welcomed it as another endorsement, from the highest,
+most unimpeachable sources, of his cleverness and legal acumen.
+
+They drank and talked until twilight. Then Keith began to make his excuses.
+They shouted him down.
+
+"You're going to dinner with us, my son," stated Brannan. "They've opened
+an oyster palace down the street, and we're going to sample it."
+
+"But my wife--" began Keith.
+
+"Permit me," interrupted Terry, bending his tall form in courtesy. "I am
+about to dispatch a messenger to Mrs. Terry, and shall be pleased to
+instruct him to call at your mansion also."
+
+It was so arranged. Immediately they adjourned to the new "Oyster Palace,"
+a very gaudy white and gilt monstrosity with mirrors and negro minstrels.
+There were small private rooms, it seemed, and one of these was bespoken
+from the smiling manager, flattered at the patronage of these substantial
+men.
+
+San Francisco lived high in those days. It could pay, and for pay the best
+will go anywhere. The dinner was quite perfect. There were more cocktails
+and champagne. Under the influence of good fellowship and drinks, Keith was
+finally prevailed upon to give the details of the whole transaction.
+Perhaps this was a little indiscreet, but he was carried away by the
+occasion. The noisy crowd suddenly became quiet, and listened with the
+deepest attention. When Keith had finished, there ensued a short silence.
+Then Judge Terry delivered his opinion.
+
+"Sound as a dollar," he pronounced at last. "Not a hole in it. Is that your
+opinion, Colonel Baker?"
+
+"Clever piece of work," nodded the orator gravely. After this interim of
+sobriety the dinner proceeded more and more noisily. The drink affected the
+different men in different ways. A flush appeared high on the cheek bones
+of Terry's lean face and an added dignity in his courtly manner. Brannan
+became louder and more positive. On Blatchford his potations had no
+appreciable effect except that his round face grew redder. Ned McGowan
+dropped even his veneer of good breeding, became foul mouthed and profane,
+full of unpublishable reminiscence to which nobody paid any particular
+attention. Calhoun Bennett's speech became softer, more deliberate, more
+consciously Southern. Keith, who was really most unaccustomed to the heavy
+drinking then in vogue, was filled with a warm and friendly feeling toward
+everybody. His thoughts were a bit vague, and he had difficulty in
+focussing his mind sharply. The lights were very bright, and the room warm.
+
+Suddenly they were all in the open air under the stars. There seemed to
+have been an unexplained interim. Everybody was smoking cigars. Keith was
+tugging at his pocket and expostulating something about payment--something
+to do with the dinner. Evidently some part of him had gone on talking and
+thinking. The fresh air brought him back to the command. Various
+suggestions were being proffered. Blatchford was for hiring rigs and
+driving out to the Mission; Calhoun Bennett suggested the El Dorado; but
+Sam Brannan's bull voice decided them.
+
+"I'm going to Belle's!" he roared, and at once started off up the street.
+The idea was received with acclamation. They straggled up the street toward
+the residential portion of town.
+
+Keith followed. The delayed action of the drink had thrown him into a
+delicious whirling haze. He felt that he could be completely master of
+himself at any moment merely by making the effort; only it did not at
+present seem worth while. He knew where Belle's was: it was the ornate
+house diagonally across the street from his own, the one concerning which
+the clerk had been so evasive when they were house hunting.
+
+Belle's was a three-story frame building, differing in no outward essential
+from the fashionable residences around it. On warm evenings there sometimes
+came through the opened windows the sound of a piano, the clink of glasses,
+loud laughter or singing. The chance bystander might have heard identically
+the same from any other house in the neighbourhood. Only Belle's
+occasionally--rarely occasionally--contributed a crash or an oath. Such
+things were, however, quickly hushed. Belle's was run on respectable lines.
+Men went in and out quite openly, with the tolerance of most, but to the
+scandal of a few. Those curious, consulting the yellowed files of the
+newspapers, can read little protests--signed with _nom de plumes_--from
+young women, complaining that young men of their acquaintance, after
+calling decorously on them, would cross quite openly to the house over the
+way. Yet they were powerless, for a year or so at least, to break up the
+custom.
+
+For Belle's was a carry-over from the 49-51 days when of social life there
+was none at all. It differed from the merely disreputable house. Belle
+prided herself on quiet conduct and many friends. In person she was a
+middle-aged, still attractive Frenchwoman. She had furnished her parlours
+very elaborately, and she insisted that both her employees and clients
+should behave in the public rooms with the greatest circumspection.
+
+Indeed, a casual visitor, unacquainted with the character of the place,
+might well have been deceived. The women sitting about were made up and
+very decollete, to be sure, but their conduct, while not always of the
+highest tone, was nevertheless quite devoid of freedom. Belle permitted no
+overt word or action; nor was any visitor subjected to another expectation
+than the occasional opening of a bottle of wine "for the good of the
+house."
+
+But outside of the one fundamental rule of decency, the caller could make
+himself comfortable in his own way. He could lounge, pound the piano, joke,
+play games, smoke where he pleased, and enjoy what was then a rarity--the
+company and conversation of nimble-witted, well-dressed, beautiful women
+whose ideas were not narrow. Ultimate possibilities were always kept very
+much in the background, but that there were possibilities made for present
+relaxation or freedom.
+
+Twice a year Belle was in the habit of giving a grand party. The
+invitations were engraved. Entertainment was on a sumptuous scale. There
+were dancing, all sorts of card games, an elaborate supper, the best of
+music, often professional entertainers of great merit. Everything was free
+except wine. Nearly the whole masculine population turned out for Belle's
+big party--judges, legislators, bankers, merchants, as well as the
+professional politicians and the gamblers. The most prominent men of the
+city frequented Belle's at other times openly, without fear of public
+opinion--many of them merely for the sense of freedom and relaxation they
+there enjoyed. Everybody was welcome.
+
+Keith, however, knowing the character of the place, had never been inside
+its doors. Now, enveloped in his rosy haze, exceedingly contented with his
+company, he followed where they led. At the door a neat coloured maid
+relieved him of his hat and coat, and smiled a welcome. His dazzled vision
+took in a long drawing-room, soft red carpets, red brocade curtains of
+heavy material, with edges of gold fringe and with gold cords, chandeliers
+of many dangling prisms, a white marble mantel, a grand piano, a few
+pictures of the nude, and many chairs. Ravishingly beautiful, wonderfully
+dressed women sat about in indolent attitudes.
+
+The hilarious party at once scattered through the room, Calhoun Bennett
+went to the piano and began to play sentimental airs. Ned McGowan, his face
+very red, enthroned himself in an easy chair, clasping girls who perched on
+either arm. He talked to them in a low voice. They leaned over to hear, and
+every moment or so they burst into shrieks of laughter. Judge Terry was
+listening intently to some serious communication Belle herself was making
+to him. Sam Brannan was roaring for champagne. The others were circulating
+here and there, talking, playing practical jokes. Altogether, to Keith's
+rosy vision, a colourful and delightful scene. Nobody paid him the least
+attention.
+
+How long he stood there he did not know. The groups before him shifted and
+changed confusedly. The lights seemed to blaze and to dim, and then to
+blaze again. After a long interval he became aware of a touch on his arm.
+He looked down. A piquant, dark-eyed, tilt-nosed girl was smiling up at
+him.
+
+"Wat you do?" she was begging. "You come wiz me?"
+
+He focussed his attention on the room. It was almost empty. He saw the back
+of Judge Terry disappearing into the street. He passed his hand across his
+eyes.
+
+"Where are the others?" he asked confusedly.
+
+She laughed with significance. He looked down at her again. Her complexion
+was a sort of dead white, her lips were red and glistening, her eyes were
+darkened. He turned suddenly and left the house. The coloured maid,
+disappointed in a tip, stood in the doorway, his hat and coat in her hands,
+staring after him. The cool air a little cleared his brain. He stopped
+short in the middle of the street, trying to collect himself.
+
+"I'm drunk," he solved finally, and proceeded very carefully toward his own
+house. After each dozen steps he paused to collect his thoughts before
+proceeding. In one of these pauses he distinctly heard a window slam shut;
+there were plenty of louder things, he heard only the window. He hadn't the
+least idea of the time of night, except that it must be very late. As a
+matter of fact, it was not more than half-past ten. Near his own gate he
+nearly ran into a woman strolling. With some instinct of apology, he turned
+in her direction. As his bare head was revealed in the dim light, the woman
+uttered a low laugh.
+
+"And was Belle as charming as ever?" demanded Mrs. Morrell sweetly but
+icily. "Go in carefully now, so dear little wifey won't know."
+
+She laughed again and moved past him. He stared after her with a vague
+sense of injustice, somehow; then went on.
+
+
+
+
+XXVII
+
+
+Keith was sorry next morning, but he was not repentant, in the sense of
+feeling that he had done anything fatally wrong. He was disgusted with
+himself. He wasted no regrets, but did register a very definite intention
+not to let _that_ happen again! It was all harmless enough, once in a way,
+but it was not his sort of thing. Nan would not understand it a bit--why
+should she? His head ached, and he was feeling a little conscience-stricken
+about Nan, anyway. He must take her around more, see more of her. Business
+had been very absorbing lately, but now that this deal had been brought off
+successfully, it was only due her and himself that he take a little time
+off. In his present mood he convinced himself, as do most American business
+or professional men, that he was being driven in his work, and that he
+wanted nothing better than a let-up from the grind. As a matter of fact,
+he--and they--love their work.
+
+In this frame of mind he started downtown, rather late. On the street he
+met a number of his friends. A good many of them chaffed him good-naturedly
+about the night before. By the time he reached his office he was feeling
+much better. Things were assuming more of an everyday comfortable aspect.
+He had not been seated ten minutes before Dick Blatchford drifted in,
+smoking a black cigar that gave Keith a slight qualmish feeling. Dick
+seemed quite unaffected by the evening before.
+
+"Hullo, Milt!" he boomed, rolling his heavy form into a chair, his round,
+red face beaming. "How's the wild Injin this morning? Say, you're a wonder
+when you get started! You needn't deny it; wasn't I there?" He shook his
+head, chuckling fatly. "Look here," he went on, "I'm busy this morning--got
+to get down to North Beach to see Harry Meigs--and I guess you are." He
+tossed over a package of papers that he produced from an inside pocket.
+"Look those over at your leisure. I think we better sue the sons of guns.
+Let me know what you think." He fished about in a tight-drawn waistcoat
+pocket with a chubby thumb and forefinger, pulled out a strip of paper, and
+flipped it to Keith as casually as though it were a cigarette paper.
+"There's a little something as a retainer," said he. "Well, be good!"
+
+After he had lumbered out, Keith examined the check. It was for one
+thousand dollars. If anything were needed to restore his entire confidence
+in himself, this retainer would have sufficed. The little spree was
+regrettable, of course, but it had brought him a client--and a good one!
+
+Two days later Keith, who now had reason to spend more time in his office,
+received another and less welcome visitor: this was Morrell. The young
+Englishman, his clean-cut face composed to wooden immobility, his too-
+close-set eyes squinting watchfully, came in as though on a social call.
+
+"Just dropped around to look at your diggin's," he told the surprised
+Keith. "Not badly fixed here; good light and all.".
+
+He accepted a cigar, and sat for some moments, his hat and stick carefully
+disposed on his knees.
+
+"Look here, Keith," he broke into a desultory chat after a few minutes.
+"Deucedly awkward, and all that, of course; but I've been wondering whether
+you would, be willing to tide me over--remittances late, and all that sort
+of thing. Stony for the moment. Everything lovely when the mails arrive.
+Neighbours, see a lot of each other, and that sort, you know."
+
+Keith was totally unprepared for this, and floundered. Morrell, watching
+him calmly, went on:
+
+"Of course I wouldn't think of coming to you, old chap--plenty of people
+glad to bank for me temporarily--but I wanted you to know just how we
+stand--Mrs. Morrell and I--that we feel friendly to you, and all that sort
+of thing, you know! You can rely on us--no uneasiness, you know."
+
+"Why, that's very kind of you," returned Keith, puzzled.
+
+"Not a bit! The way I looked at it was that a chap wouldn't borrow from a
+man he wasn't friendly with, it isn't done." He laughed his high, cackling
+laugh, "So I said to Mimi, 'the dear man must be worryin' his head off.' It
+was lucky for you, old top, that a woman of the world with some sense saw
+you the other night instead of some feather-headed gossipin' fool. But
+Mimi's not that."
+
+Keith was slowly beginning to suspect, but as yet he considered his
+suspicion unjust.
+
+"How much do you need?" he asked,
+
+"Five hundred dollars," replied Morrell coolly.
+
+"I doubt I have that sum free in ready cash."
+
+Morrell looked him in the eye.
+
+"I fancy you will be able to raise it," he said very deliberately.
+
+The men looked at each other.
+
+"This is blackmail, then," said Keith without excitement.
+
+Morrell became very stiff and English in manner.
+
+"Words do not frighten me, sir. This is a personal loan. It is an action
+between friends, just as my silence on the subject of your peccadillo is a
+friendly action. I mention that silence, not as a threat, but as an
+evidence of my own friendly feeling. I see I have made a mistake."
+
+He arose, his bearing very frigid. Keith was naturally not in the least
+deceived by this assumption of injured innocence, but he had been thinking.
+
+"Hold on!" he said. "You must forgive my being startled; and you must admit
+you were a little unfortunate in your presentation. For this loan, what
+security?"
+
+"My personal note," replied Morrell calmly.
+
+"I must look into my resources. I will let you know to-morrow."
+
+"Not later than to-morrow. I'll call at this hour," said Morrell with
+meaning.
+
+After the Englishman had gone Keith considered the matter at leisure.
+Although of a sanguine and excitable temperament When only little things
+were involved, he was clear headed and uninfluenced by personal feeling in
+real emergencies.
+
+First, would the Morrells carry out the implied threat? His instinct
+supplied that answer. Of Morrell himself he had never had any trust. Now he
+remembered what had never really struck him before: that Morrell, even in
+this fast and loose society, had never been more than tolerated, and that,
+apparently, only because of the liveliness of his wife. He had the
+indefinable air of a bad 'un. And Keith's knowledge of women was broad
+enough to tell him that Mrs. Morrell would be relentless.
+
+Second, would a denial avail against their story? His commonsense told him
+that if the Morrells started this thing they would carry it through to a
+finish. There was no sense in it otherwise, for such an attack would mean
+the burning of most of their social bridges. Morrell could get witnesses
+from Belle's--say, the coloured maid whom he had not tipped--and there were
+his hat and coat.
+
+Third, could he afford to let them tell the tale? As far as his position in
+the city, either professionally or socially, most decidedly yes. But at
+home, as decidedly no. In her calmest, most judicial, trusting, loving
+mood, Nan could never understand. Her breeding and upbringing were against
+it. She could never comprehend the difference between such a place as
+Belle's and any disreputable house--if there was a difference. This point
+needed little argument.
+
+Then he must pay.
+
+Having definitely decided this, he repressed his natural inclinations
+toward anger, drew the money, laid it aside in his drawer, and went on with
+his work. When Morrell came, in next morning, very easy and debonair, he
+handed out the gold pieces and took in return the man's note, without
+relaxing the extreme gravity and formality of his manner.
+
+"Thanks, old chap!" cried Morrell. "You've saved my life. I won't forget."
+He paused; then cackled harshly: "Good joke that! No, _I won't_ forget!"
+
+Keith bowed coldly, waiting. Morrell, with, a final cackle, made leisurely
+for the door. As he laid his hand on the knob, Keith spoke:
+
+"By the way, Morrell."
+
+Morrell turned.
+
+"Take care you don't overdo this," advised Keith, very deliberately.
+
+Morrell examined him. Keith's face was grim. He smiled enigmatically.
+
+"Tact is a blessed gift, old top," said he, and went out.
+
+
+
+
+XXVIII
+
+
+This whole episode proved to be a turning-point in Keith's career. His
+revulsion against the feminine--hence society--side of life brought about
+by the affair of Mrs. Morrell, might soon have passed, and he might soon
+have returned to the old round of picnics, excursions, dinners, and
+parties, were it not that coincidentally a new and absorbing occupation was
+thrust upon him. Dick Blatchford's case was only one of many that came to
+him. He became completely immersed in the fascinating intricacies of the
+law.
+
+As has been previously pointed out, nowhere before nor since has pure
+legality been made such a fetish. It was a game played by lawyers, not an
+attempt to get justice done. Since, in all criminal cases at least, the
+prosecution was carried on by one man and his associates, poorly paid and
+hence of mediocre ability, and the defence conducted by the keenest brains
+in the profession, it followed that convictions were rare. Homicide in
+various forms was little frowned upon. Duels were of frequent occurrence,
+and, in several instances, regular excursions, with tickets, were organized
+to see them. Street shootings of a more informal nature were too numerous
+to count. Invariably an attempt, generally successful, was made to arrest
+the homicide. If he had money, he hired the best lawyers, and rested
+secure. If he had no money, he disappeared for a time. Almost everybody had
+enough money, or enough friends with money, to adopt the former course. Of
+1,200 murders--or "killings"--committed in the San Francisco of those days,
+there was just _one_ legal conviction!
+
+It was a point of professional pride with a lawyer to get his client free.
+Indeed, to fail would be equivalent to losing a very easy game. The whole
+battery of technical delays, demurrers, etc., was at his command; a much
+larger battery than even the absurd criminal courts of our present day can
+muster. Delays to allow the dispersal of witnesses were easily arranged
+for, as were changes of venue to courts either prejudiced in favour of the
+strict interpretation of "law" or frankly venal. Of shadier expedients,
+such as packing juries, there seemed no end.
+
+Your honourable, high-minded lawyers--which meant the well-dressed and
+prosperous--had nothing to do with such dirty work; that is, directly.
+There were plenty of lawyers not so honourable and high minded called in as
+"counsel." These little lawyers, shoulder strikers, bribe givers and
+takers, were held in good-humoured contempt by the legal stars--who
+employed them! Actual dishonesty was diluted through a number of men.
+Packing a jury was a fine art. Initially was needed connivance at the
+sheriff's office. Hence lawyers, as a class, were in politics. Neither the
+stellar lawyer nor the sheriff knew any of the details of the transaction.
+A sum of money went to the former's "counsel" as expenses, and emerged,
+considerably diminished, in the sheriff's office as "perquisites." It had
+gone from the counsel to somebody like Mex Ryan, from him to various plug-
+uglies, ward heelers, shoulder strikers, from them to one or another of the
+professional jurymen, and then on the upward curve through the sheriff's
+underlings who made out the jury lists to Webb himself. The thing was done.
+
+In this tortuous way many influences were needed. The most honest lawyer's
+limit as to the queer things he would do depended on his individual
+conscience. It is extraordinary what long training and the moral support of
+a whole profession will do toward educating a conscience. Do not despise
+unduly the lawyers of that day. We have all of us good friends in the legal
+profession who will defend in court a criminal they know to be guilty as
+charged. They will urge that no man should go undefended; and will argue
+themselves into a belief that in such a case "defence" means not merely
+fair play, but a desperate effort to get him off anyhow--trained
+conscience. If such sophistries are sincerely believed by honest men
+nowadays, it cannot be wondered at that queerer sophistries passed current
+in a community not five years old. It was difficult to draw the line
+between the men who mistakenly believed themselves honest and those who
+knew themselves dishonest.
+
+But once in politics there could be no end. In this field the law rubbed
+shoulders with big contracts, big operations. A city was being built, in a
+few years, out of nothing, by a busy, careless, and shifting population.
+The opportunities for making money on public works--either honestly or by
+jobbery--were almost unlimited. The mood of the times was extravagant. From
+the still unexhausted placers poured a flood of gold, hard money, tangible
+wealth; and a large percentage of it paused in San Francisco, changed hands
+before continuing its journey. Immigrants brought with them a lesser but
+still significant sum. Money was easy. People could and would pay high
+taxes without a thought, for they would rather pay well to be let alone
+than bother with public affairs. The city treasury should have been full to
+bursting. In addition, the municipality was rich in its real estate. The
+value of all land had gone up immensely; any time more cash was needed it
+could quickly be raised by the sale of public lots. The supply seemed
+inexhaustible.
+
+Like hyenas to a kill the public contractors gathered. Immense public works
+were undertaken at enormous prices. Paving, sewers, grading, filling,
+lighting, wharves, buildings Were all voted; and the work completed in the
+quickest, flimsiest, most slipshod fashion; and at terrible prices. The
+Graham House, a pretentious frail structure that had failed as a hotel
+because a swamp lay between it and the city, was bought at a huge price to
+serve as city hall. It was a veritable white elephant, and even the busy
+populace spared time to grumble at the flagrant steal. Nobody knew what it
+would cost to make the thing habitable even. Soon, to every one's relief,
+it burned down. The property was then swindled over to Peter Smith. The
+Jenny Lind Theatre, an impossible, ramshackle structure, was purchased over
+the vigorous protest of every decent citizen, for the enormous sum of
+$300,000. Another $100,000 was alleged to have been spent in remodelling
+and furnishing it. Then it was solemnly declared "unsuited to the purpose."
+It also burned down in one of the numerous fires. But the money was safe!
+
+To get such deals as these through "legally" it was of course necessary
+that officials, councilmen, engineers, etc., should be sympathetic.
+Naturally the big operators, as well as the big lawyers, had to go into
+politics. Elections came soon to be so many farces. In some wards no decent
+citizen dared show his face. "Shoulder strikers" were openly hired for
+purposes of intimidation. Bribery was scarcely concealed. And if things
+looked doubtful, there were always the election inspectors and judges in
+reserve who could be relied upon to make things come out right in the final
+count. The proper men were always returned as elected. If violence or fraud
+were alleged, lawyers always got the accused off in a strictly legal
+manner.
+
+In these matters, it must be repeated, no opprobrium ever rested on either
+the big lawyers or the big operators. "Expenses" went to the underlings,
+and after some mysterious subterranean manipulation, of which the big
+fellows remained blandly unconscious, results came back.
+
+In the world of public works Keith rapidly made himself a position. He was
+leading counsel for Dick Blatchford and one or two others. His job was to
+know all the rules of the game so well that there were no comebacks; to set
+the machinery in motion by which the contracts were procured; and to
+straighten out any irregularities that might arise afterward. His position
+was almost academic. The matters he fought and decided were so detached
+from actuality, as far as he was concerned, that they might have been
+hypothetical cases. When Dick wanted anything specific, Keith instructed
+Patsy Corrigan to see that the proper officials awarded the contract. If
+the matter ever came to the courts, Keith furnished the brains and Patsy
+somehow "saw" the sheriff and whoever was necessary from the mysterious
+underworld. Everybody was doing the same thing. In the minds of men profits
+of any sort were legitimate provided they were "legal," but especially
+against so vague an entity as a community. Civic consciousness had not been
+born in them, for the simple reason that the city was constituted perfectly
+to suit them. Only when men are dissatisfied with their government do they
+seek to become responsible for it. There was no active public opinion
+against them. Men were too busy to bother with such things. Occasionally a
+fairly vigorous protest against some peculiarly outrageous steal made
+itself heard, but the men who made it were either cranks or it was
+suspected they had been pinched in some way. They merely represented the
+opposition any active man expects.
+
+And every last one of these merry, jovial pirates was inordinately proud of
+the ship he was helping to scuttle! That one fact, attentively considered,
+explains much.
+
+The city was growing, it was taking on a permanent character. In spite of
+waste, shoddy work, and frequent fires, its vitality was triumphant. The
+sand hills had all been graded flat, and the material from them had filled
+in the water lots of the bay; miles of fireproof brick structures had been
+built on four or five streets; there were now a half score of long wharves
+instead of one; omnibuses ran everywhere; fine steamers plied to
+fashionable watering places about the bay; the planks in the streets were
+being replaced by cobblestones; telegraph service had been inaugurated to
+San Jose and Sacramento; several new theatres had been built; gas lamps
+were being placed about the streets; huge wooden palaces with much
+scrollwork ornamentation were being built on Stockton Street and the Rincon
+Hill. All these things, as well as the climate, the mines, the agricultural
+resources, the commerce, the scenery, were fully appreciated and
+enthusiastically made the most of by every mother's son. Any man among them
+was ready at a moment's notice to wax enthusiastic about the resources and
+the future of the place. They were "boosters" in the modern acceptation of
+the term.
+
+
+
+
+XXIX
+
+
+In this eager, fast-living, nervous, high-strung man's world Keith took to
+himself a prominent part. He was so fully-occupied in other directions that
+his practice did not lead him into criminal law, so he missed an influence
+that must have either ended by blunting or repelling him. He corresponded
+to what nowadays would be called a corporation lawyer. His clients were
+few, but wealthy, powerful, and remunerative; his cases were subtle and
+hard fought, He enjoyed the intricate game for its own sake, and he enjoyed
+his success in it. In the inevitable give and take of a complicated world
+he knew, of course, of shady doings beneath; but he was not personally
+involved; he accepted them as part of the make-up of society, human nature,
+the medium--of work.
+
+But Nan was necessarily left more and more to her own devices. And,
+further, she was left alone without even the preoccupation furnished her
+domestic side by such an affair as that with Mrs. Morrell. She knew that
+Keith was wholly absorbed in his business. She was loyal to his unexpressed
+idea that in these propitious beginnings he must devote all his energies to
+his career. She was loyal to his preoccupation. It was the only way in
+which she could help. And yet, without being given cause for grievance, she
+was temporarily thrust outside his life, put in cold storage, as it were,
+until she should be wanted. He bolted immediately after breakfast; often he
+did not come home to lunch; was quite likely to go out again in the
+evening.
+
+It followed that Nan had to make her own life out of the materials at hand.
+This was at first difficult, for all the materials were novel to her.
+Gradually, however, she fitted herself into the social transformation that
+was taking place.
+
+Heretofore, society had not existed. Now, vaguely, it was beginning to take
+coherence and form. A transition period was on. The "nobs" were evolving
+from chaos. People of the fast Morrell type were losing their influence and
+ascendency, were being pushed aside to the fringes by the more "solid"
+elements. Wealth and arrogant dignity were coming into their innings.
+Formal functions, often on an elaborate scale, were taking the place of the
+harum-scarum informal parties. There came up some questions of social
+leadership. In short, social life was developing into the usual game.
+Lacking other interests, Nan found it amused her to play at it, to contend
+with the leaders, to form alliances, to declare war, to assume by right and
+talent her place among the best.
+
+This pleased Keith. Social standing helped him in business; and he enjoyed
+the sight of his beautiful young wife queening it serenely over the city's
+best. He was always eager to advance money for new gowns or expensive
+parties. At first he went out with her, but soon found that three o'clock
+in the morning meant a next day's brain dulled of its keenest edge. But he
+would not hear of her staying at home on his account.
+
+"I'm tired, and I'm going to bed right away," he told her. "You go and
+uphold the splendour of the family. Get Ben to take you."
+
+Ben Sansome was to Keith a tremendous convenience. He was the only idle man
+in town, always on tap, ready to stay out any and every night until the
+cocks crowed. Why shouldn't he? He had nothing to do all next day, except,
+perhaps, to decide which stick he should carry! With a busy man's good-
+humoured contempt for the mere idler, Keith looked upon Sansome as a
+harmless household-pet sort of person; good natured, accommodating,
+pleasant to talk to, good looking, foppish in dress, but beneath any
+serious human being's notice. Sansome was on easy terms of intimacy with
+the Keiths. It was mighty good of him to look out for Nan. If he did not,
+Keith would have to.
+
+In this formative period Ben Sansome was, however, a very important figure
+in the woman's world. Social construction was a ticklish matter. There were
+so many things to be decided; small items of etiquette, the "proper thing"
+--procedure, decorations, good form, larger matters as to whether so-and-so
+should be received, and if so, how extensively. Ben Sansome was past master
+of such things. He was the only man in town who knew--or cared--how to
+"draw lines." He became truly a modern _arbiter elegantiarum_. For San
+Francisco had begun in real earnest to "draw lines."
+
+They were rather strange lines at times. Of course such people as the
+Brannans, Montgomerys, Terrys, Bushs, Bakers, Caldwells, and other "old
+families" (three or four years old), went without saying. Also were
+included the greater merchants and their feminine representatives, such as
+Palmer, Cook, Adams, Wilkins, and the like. Also there seemed to be a solid
+foundation of those respectable and powerful with plenty of wealth--"but
+hopeless, my dear, absolutely hopeless!" groaned some of the livelier
+members.
+
+Lightning struck capriciously at those on whom this new society might
+frown, on those who as lately as last year had ridden the crest of the
+wave. For example, it spared Sally Warner, with her spotted veils drawn
+close around her face, her red belts, and her red tufts on her small
+toques, but it blasted the Morrells. Mrs. Morrell clung tenaciously to the
+outskirts, but she knew only too well that she did not "belong." In her
+heart she ascribed this fact to Mrs. Keith. This was unjust, but it added
+to her bitterness against her neighbours.
+
+Perhaps her suspicions were not unnatural, for Nan won easily in this game.
+She was undoubtedly the social leader. It seemed eminently fitting that,
+lacking her husband, she should go out much with Ben Sansome. Most women
+thought her lucky to have acquired so valuable a social acquisition. Some
+people, like fat, coarse, sensible Mrs. Dick Blatchford, were a little
+doubtful.
+
+"Shucks!" snorted Sally Warner, slapping her little riding boot dashingly
+with her latest novelty, an English hunting crop, "Nan Keith impresses me
+as one who knows her way about. And, anyway, as long as Mr. Keith is
+satisfied, I'm sure we should be!"
+
+
+
+
+XXX
+
+
+To his surprise Ben Sansome found himself warming to what he considered a
+real passion. At least it was as real a passion as he was capable of
+feeling. Sansome had always been spoiled. Accustomed as he was to easy
+conquests, especially of late among the faster San Francisco women of the
+early days, Nan Keith's very aloofness attracted him. She dwelt in a serene
+atmosphere of unsuspicion, going about freely with him, taking their right
+relations for granted, and not thinking about them. Contemplating this,
+Sansome was clever enough to see that, a false move at the wrong time would
+do for him. Therefore, he occupied himself at first merely in making
+himself useful. He accepted Keith's role for him, becoming the friend of
+the family, dropping in often and informally, happening on the spot at just
+the right time to relieve Keith of the necessity of escorting Nan to this
+or that tea or ball. So well did he play his part that at last there came a
+time when Keith said:
+
+"I'm dead tired to-night, Nan. Seems as if I couldn't stand chatter. Can't
+you send a note around to Ben and see if he can't get you there and back?"
+
+This came to be a regular thing. If Sansome did not happen to be there, he
+was sent for. And his engagements were never such that he failed to accept.
+
+He and Keith called each other by their given names; but even after a close
+intimacy had been established, he never addressed Nan by hers.
+
+"You sound very formal," she hinted to him at last.
+
+"To me the privilege of calling you by your 'little name' is so great an
+evidence of friendship, that it actually seems like flaunting that
+friendship to call you so before others" he replied.
+
+Always after that he called her "Nan" when they were alone together, but
+"Mrs. Keith" when a third, even Keith himself, was present. In that way
+their tete-a-tetes were marked off a little. When alone with her he
+maintained the pose of one struggling manfully against tremendous
+temptations held back only by her sweet influence. But he never overdid it.
+As they came to know each other better, he talked ever the more freely of
+men's mysterious temptations. Nan could not define to herself exactly what
+they might be.
+
+"Yesterday I couldn't see you," he told her. "I struggled with myself all
+day. Good God, what does a woman like you know of a man's weaknesses and
+temptations--But I conquered."
+
+Nan was uneasy. She did not know quite what it was all about, but her
+instincts warned her.
+
+"I am glad," she replied; and went on hastily, "but you must tell me what
+you think about having the tea served in the arbour on the seventh, I've
+been dying to ask you."
+
+With an obvious effort to be cheerful about this fresh subject, he wrenched
+himself into a new mood. They consulted on the party for the seventh. He
+broke off abruptly to say: "Do you know you're an extraordinary person--but
+you are!" he overrode her protests. "Don't I know the ordinary kind? Women
+have a deep strength of their own that men cannot understand."
+
+He stayed only a few minutes after that. On parting he for the first time
+permitted himself a lingering gaze into her eyes as he reluctantly
+relinquished her hand. She turned away, distinctly uneasy. Yet so skilfully
+had he woven, his illusion of dependence on her that she shook it off with
+a tender and maternal smile.
+
+"Poor boy," she murmured. "He is so unhappy and alone!"
+
+Sansome was an accomplished equestrian. Finding that Nan knew nothing
+whatever about riding, he procured her a gentle horse, and took the
+greatest trouble and pleasure in teaching her. She proved apt, for she had
+good natural control of her body. After the first uncertainty and the first
+stiffness had worn off, she delighted in long rides toward different parts
+of the peninsula. Gringo, now a full-grown dog inclining toward the
+shepherd more than anything else, delighted in them, too. He ranged far and
+wide in front of the horses, exploring every ditch and thicket, wallowing
+happily in every mudhole, returning occasionally to roll his comical eyes
+at them as though to say, "Aren't we having a good time?" for Gringo was a
+dog with a sense of humour. On these excursions she renewed acquaintance
+with the sand dunes, and the little canons with birds, and the broad beach
+at low tide on which it was glorious to gallop. Once or twice they even
+stopped at the little rancho where the Keiths had lunched. There Nan,
+through Sansome, who talked Spanish, was able to communicate with her
+kindly hosts; and Gringo met his honoured but rather snappy mother. The
+mother disowned him utterly. As the days grew shorter they often rode on
+the Presidio hills, watching the sun set beyond the Golden Gate.
+
+One such evening they had reined up their horses atop one of the hills next
+the Gate. The sun had set somewhere beyond the headlands. Tamalpais was
+deep pink with the glow; the water in the Gate was pale lilac; the sky
+close to the horizon burned orange, but above turned to a pale green that
+made with its lucent colour alone infinite depths and spaces. Below, the
+darker waters twisted and turned with the tide. The western headlands were
+black silhouettes.
+
+"Oh, but it is beautiful!" she said at last.
+
+"Yes, it is beautiful," he agreed somberly; "but when one is lonely,
+somehow it hurts."
+
+There ensued a short, tense silence, broken only by the soft rolling of the
+bit wheels in the horses' mouths.
+
+"Yes," she agreed softly, after a moment, "I feel that, too. Yet sometimes
+I wonder if one doesn't see and feel more keenly when one is not too
+happy--" She hesitated.
+
+"Yes, yes! Go on!" he urged in a low voice. His tone, his attitude,
+suddenly seemed to envelop her with understanding. He appeared to offer her
+aid, chivalrous aid, although no word was spoken. She had not quite meant
+it that way; in fact, her thought was to offer _him_ sympathy. But somehow
+it was grateful. It would do no harm to enjoy it, secretly, for a moment.
+His unexpressed sympathy--for what she would have been unable to say--was
+attractive to her isolation.
+
+Often on returning from these rides she asked him in for a cup of tea.
+Occasionally, when she was overheated, or damp from the fog, she would
+excuse herself and slip into a soft negligee. With lamp and fire lit they
+made a very cozy tete-a-tete. He smoked contemplatively; she stitched at
+the inevitable embroidery of the period. Occasionally they talked
+animatedly; quite as frequently they sat in sociable silence. Gringo slept
+by the fire dreaming of rabbits and things, his hind legs twitching as he
+triumphantly ran them down. One evening she caught sight of a rip in the
+sewing of his tobacco pouch. In spite of his protests, she insisted on
+sewing it up for him. She was conscious of his eyes on her while she plied
+the needle, and felt somehow very feminine and sure of her power.
+
+"There!" she cried, when she had finished. "You certainly do need somebody
+to take care of you!"
+
+He took it without spoken thanks, and put it slowly away in his pocket--as
+though, he would have kissed it. A pregnant silence followed, he sitting
+staring at her, she jabbing the needle idly into the arm of her chair.
+Suddenly, as though taking a tremendous resolution, he spoke:
+
+"Nan, I am going to ask you a question. You must not be offended. Do you
+really love your husband?" At her hasty movement he hurried on: "I imagine
+I feel something unsatisfied about you--besides, lots of women don't."
+
+As he probably expected, her indignation was thoroughly aroused. He took
+his castigation and dismissal meekly, and found some interest in the
+ensuing negotiations toward reconciliation. No one knew better than he how
+to sue for forgiveness. But he was quite satisfied to have implanted the
+idea, for Ben Sansome was content with slow coral-insect progress. A busy
+man, engaged in men's occupations, would never have had the patience for
+this leisurely establishment of atmosphere and influence; his impatience or
+passion would have betrayed him to an early outbreak. But with Sansome it
+was the practice of a fine art. He knew just how far to go. No one could
+more skilfully ingratiate himself in small ways. He always knew what gown
+she should wear or had worn, and always commented appreciatively on what
+she had on. Keith merely knew vaguely whether she looked well or ill.
+Sansome noticed and praised little things--her well-shod feet, the red
+lights in her hair, an unusual flower in her belt. He knew every hat she
+owned, and he had his well-marked preferences. He never made direct love,
+nor attempted to touch her. She felt the growing attraction, enjoyed it,
+but did not analyze it. She merely considered Ben Sansome as "nice," as
+needing guidance, as romantic----
+
+Occasionally, after seeing more than usual of him, some feeling of reaction
+or some faint stirring of conscience would impel her--perhaps to convince
+herself of the harmlessness of it all--to make an especial effort to draw
+her husband out of his preoccupation into more human relations. She dressed
+with great care, earlier than usual; she gathered flowers for the vases,
+she fussed about lighting lamps, placing ash trays and chairs, generally
+arranging the setting for his welcome home. The preparations kindled her
+own enthusiasm. She became herself quite worked up in anticipation. When
+she heard his step, she ran to meet him in the hall. Keith happened to be
+tired to the point of exhaustion.
+
+"Good heavens!" was his comment; "are we having company to-night? Why all
+the clothes and illumination?"
+
+His relaxed, dispirited manner of removing and hanging up his coat reacted
+upon her instantly. Her high spirits sank to the depths. They ate their
+meal in almost complete silence. Nan could not help visualizing Sansome's
+appreciation of such an occasion.
+
+
+
+
+XXXI
+
+
+The new coherence in society began to manifest itself in one important way:
+public gambling declined. In the "old days" it was said that everybody but
+clergymen frequented the big gambling halls. They were a sort of club. But
+now the most influential citizens began to stay away. Probably they gambled
+as much as ever, but they took such pleasures in private. Two or three only
+of the larger places remained in business. Save for them, open gambling was
+confined to the low dives near the water front. There was no definite
+movement against the practice. It merely fell off gradually.
+
+During these busy years the Sherwoods had quite methodically continued to
+lead their customary lives. He read his morning paper on the veranda of the
+Bella Union, talked his leisurely politics, drove his horses, and in the
+evening attended to his business. She drove abroad, received her men
+friends, gave them impartial advice and help in their difficulties, dressed
+well, and carried on a life of many small activities. The Sherwoods were
+always an attractive looking and imposing couple, whenever they appeared.
+About three or four times a year they drove into the residential part of
+town and made a half-dozen formal calls--on the Keiths among others.
+Probably their lives were more nearly ordered on a routine than those of
+any other people in the new city.
+
+One afternoon Sherwood came in at the usual hour, deposited his high hat
+carefully on the table, flicked the dust off his boots, and remarked
+casually:
+
+"Patsy, I've sold the business."
+
+Mrs. Sherwood was pinning on her hat. She stopped short, her hand halfway
+to her head, as though turned to marble. After a moment she asked in a
+quick, stifled voice:
+
+"What do you mean?"
+
+"Well," replied Sherwood, continuing methodically to readjust his dress,
+"I've been thinking for some time that times were changing. The gambling
+business is losing tone. I don't see the same class of people I used to
+see. Public sentiment--of the very best people, I mean--is drifting away
+from it. In the future, in my judgment, it's not going to pay as it ought.
+I've been thinking these things for some time. So when a bona fide
+purchaser came along----"
+
+But he got no further. With a smothered cry she let her arms drop. Her
+customary poise had vanished. She flung herself on him, laughing, crying,
+gasping.
+
+"Why, Patsy! Patsy!" he cried, patting her small, sleek head as it pressed
+against his shoulder. "What is it, dearie? Tell me? What's wrong?"
+
+He was vastly perturbed and anxious, for she was not at all the type that
+loses control readily.
+
+"Nothing! nothing!" she gasped. "I'll be all right in a minute. Don't mind
+me. Just let me alone. Only you told me so suddenly----"
+
+"Don't you want me to sell?" he asked, utterly bewildered.
+
+Gradually he gathered from her disjointed exclamations that this was just
+the one thing she had wanted, secretly, for years; the thing she had
+schooled herself not to hope for; the last thing in the world she had
+expected. And to his astonishment he gathered further that now she was free
+she could take her place with the other women----
+
+"But I hadn't the slightest idea you wanted to!" he interrupted at this
+point. "You've never showed any signs of paying the slightest attention to
+them before!"
+
+She was drying her eyes, and looking a little happily foolish.
+
+"I knew better than to give them a chance to snub me," she told him. "Now
+I'm respectable."
+
+But at this Sherwood reared his crest.
+
+"Respectable!" he snorted, "What do you mean? Haven't you always been
+respectable? I'd like to see anybody who would hint--"
+
+"You're a dear, but you're a man," she broke in more calmly. "Don't you
+know that a gambler's wife isn't respectable--in their sense of the word?"
+
+"But every mother's son of them gambles!" cried Sherwood. "It's a perfectly
+legal and legitimate occupation!"
+
+"The men do; we'd always get along if it was only a question of the men.
+But the women make distinctions--"
+
+"Look here!" he broke out wrathfully. "There's Dick Blatchford mixed up in
+dirty work for dirty money I wouldn't lay my fingers on; and Terry, or
+Brannan, or McGowan, or all the rest of the boodling, land-grabbing,
+pettifogging crew! Why, if I made my living or spare cash the way that gang
+of pirates and cutthroats do I'd carry a pair of handcuffs for myself.
+Honest! Respectable! I've got no kick on their methods; it's, none of my
+business. But their wives are all right. I don't see it!"
+
+"It's all names, I acknowledge," she soothed, "just names, I attach no more
+weight to them than you do. Don't you suppose I'd have said something if I
+had thought you were doing anything wrong? But that's the way they play the
+game, and it is their game. If we play it we've got to accept their rules.
+Don't you see?"
+
+"Well, it's a mighty poor game," grumbled Sherwood, "and they strike me as
+an exceptionally stupid lot of women. They'd drive me to drink. I don't see
+what you want to bother with them for."
+
+"They are," she agreed. "They won't amuse me much--you couldn't understand
+--it's just the _idea_ of it--But I won't be looked down on, even by my
+inferiors! Tell me, Jack, when we sell the business are we going to be
+wealthy, will we have plenty of money?"
+
+A hurt look came into his fine, straightforward eyes.
+
+"Haven't you always had all you wanted, Patsy?" he inquired.
+
+"Of course I have, you old goose! But I want to know what our resources are
+before I plan my campaign."
+
+"Going in up to your neck, are you?" he commented ruefully.
+
+She nodded. Her eyes were bright, and a spot of colour glowed in either
+cheek.
+
+"Course I am. What can I spend?"
+
+"You can have whatever you want."
+
+"That's too vague, too indefinite. How rich--or poor--are we going to be?"
+
+"We'll be rich enough."
+
+"Very?"
+
+"Well--yes, very. The business has paid, investments have panned out. I got
+a good cash purchase price."
+
+"How much can I spend a year?" she persisted. "It doesn't matter whether
+it's much or little, but I want to know."
+
+"What a mercenary little creature!" he cried facetiously, then sobered as
+he saw by the expression of her face that this, apparently trivial thing
+meant a great deal to her. "Oh, fifty thousand or so won't cripple us."
+
+"A year?" she breathed, awed.
+
+He nodded.
+
+"Oh!" she cried rapidly. "Then we'll have a house--a house built for our
+very own selves, our very own plans!"
+
+"Why, I thought we were very comfortable here!" he protested, a little
+dismayed. "Haven't we room enough? I'll make Rebinot cut a door----"
+
+"No! no! no! a house of my own!" She was on fire with excitement, walking
+restlessly up and down. He watched her a moment or so. His slower
+imagination was kindling. He was beginning to grasp the symbolism of it,
+what it meant to her, the release of long-pent secret desires. As she
+passed him, he seized her and drew her gently to his knee.
+
+"Patsy!" he cried contritely, "I didn't realize! I didn't guess you weren't
+perfectly contented here!"
+
+She brushed his cheek with hers.
+
+"Of course you didn't," she reassured him.
+
+"If you'd the slightest----"
+
+She threw her head back proudly, her breast swelled.
+
+"I married you to lead your life. Jack, whatever it was," she told him, "to
+be your _help_mate."
+
+"You're the game little sportsman in this town!" he cried. "And if you want
+to make those flub-dubs crawl, by God you sail in! I'll back you!"
+
+Ten minutes later she asked him:
+
+"What are you going to do, yourself, Jack? Somehow, I can't imagine you
+idle."
+
+"Well," said Sherwood, "the boys are organizing a stock exchange, and it
+struck me that it might be a good idea if I went into that."
+
+She began to laugh softly, in affectionate amusement.
+
+"Stop it!" he commanded indignantly. "I know that laugh, What have I done
+now?"
+
+"I was just thinking what a nice, _respectable_ gambler you are going to be
+now," she said, "It's in your blood, Jack, and I love it--but it's funny!"
+
+
+
+
+XXXII
+
+
+But now, at the very sources, the full flood of the somewhat turbid tide of
+prosperity was beginning to fail. The ebb had not yet reached the civic
+consciousness. It would have required a philosopher, and a detached
+philosopher at that, to have connected cause and effect, to have forecast
+the inevitable trend of events. If there were any philosophers they were
+not detached! Nobody had discovered the simple truth that extravagance,
+graft, waste, cost money; and that the money must come from somewhere.
+Realization on its property and taxes were the twin sources of the city's
+revenues. The property was now about all sold or swindled away. Remained
+the taxes. And it is a self-evident truth that people will pay high taxes
+cheerfully only so long as they themselves are making plenty of money
+easily.
+
+Up to this period such had been the case. Prices had been high, wages had
+been high, opportunities had been many. Enormous profits had been the rule.
+Everybody had invariably made money. These conditions upset the mental
+balance of the shipping merchants back East. A madness seemed to obsess
+them for sending goods to California. The mere rumour of a want or a lack
+was answered by immense shipments of that particular commodity. The first
+cargo to arrive supplied the want; all the rest simply broke the market. It
+was a gamble as to who should get there first. The immediate and
+picturesque consequence was a fleet of beautiful clipper ships, built like
+racing yachts, with long clean lines and snowy sails. They made
+extraordinarily fast voyages, and they promptly condemned to death the old-
+fashioned, slow freight carriers. Indeed, four-hundred odd of these
+actually rotted at anchor in the bay; it had not paid to move them! Some of
+these clippers gained vast reputations: the _Flying Cloud_, the _White
+Squall_, the _Typhoon_, the _Trade Wind_. The markets were continually in a
+state of glut with goods sold at auction. This condition tightened the
+money market, which in turn reacted on other branches of industry. Again,
+the great fires of '49-'53 resulted in the erection of too many fireproof
+buildings. Storage was needed, and rentals were high, so everybody plunged
+on storehouses. By '54 many hundreds of them stood vacant, representing
+loss. At that period the first abundance of the placers began to fall off.
+
+Agriculture was beginning to be undertaken seriously; and while this would
+be an ultimate source of wealth, its immediate effect was to diminish the
+demand for imported foodstuffs--another blow to a purely mercantile city.
+
+All this made for excitement, some immediate gain, but a sure ultimate
+loss. Markets fluctuated wildly. A ship in sight threw operators into a
+fever. No one knew what she might be carrying, or how she would, affect
+prices. It was, therefore, positively unsafe to keep-many goods is stock.
+Quick, immediate sales were the rule. And failures were many.
+
+Now in these middle fifties the pinch was beginning at last to itself felt.
+Everybody was a little vague about it all, and nobody had gone so far as to
+formulate his dissatisfactions or his remedies. The tangible result was the
+formation of two as yet inchoate elements, representing the extremes of
+ideas and of interests.
+
+The first of these elements--that can with equal justice be called the
+parasitic or the middleman class--consisted in itself of several sorts of
+people. The nucleus was a small, intellectually honest set of men who
+believed, in the law _per se_, in the sacredness of formal institutions in
+the constitution, and in the subservience of the individual to the
+institution. This was temperamental. Behind them were many much larger
+groups of those needed either the interpretation or the protection of the
+law for their private interests. These were of all sorts from honest
+literal-minded dealers, through shady contractors and operators, down to
+grafters and the very lowest type of strong-arm bullies. The tone and
+respectability came from the first, the practical results from the second.
+The first class had a genuine intellectual contempt for men whose minds
+could not see--or at least would not accept--the same subtleties that it
+did. Its members were fond of such phrases as the "lawless mob," or the
+"subversion of time-honoured institutions." This small, subjectively
+honest, conservative, specially trained element must not be forgotten in
+the final estimate of what later came to be known as the "Law and Order"
+party.
+
+On the other hand was first of all an equally small nucleus of thinking men
+whose respect for the law, merely as law, was not so profound; men who
+were, reluctantly, willing to admit that when law completely broke down in
+encompassing justice, individualism was justified in stepping in. Behind
+them was a vast body of more or less unthinking men who recognized the
+indubitable facts that the law had become a farce, that justice had
+degenerated to tricks, and who were, therefore, instinctively against law,
+lawyers, and everybody who had anything to do with them.
+
+Strangely enough this made for lawlessness on both sides. Those who
+believed in "law and order" committed crime or misdemeanour or mere
+injustice, sure of escape through some technicality. Those who distrusted
+courts administered justice illegally with their own hands! Nor was this
+merely in theory. San Francisco at that time was undoubtedly the most
+corrupt and lawless city in the world. Street shootings, duels, robberies,
+ballot-box stuffing, bribery, all the crimes traceable to a supine police
+and venal or technical courts were actually so commonplace as to command
+but two or three lines in the daily papers. Justice was completely
+smothered under technicalities and delays.
+
+The situation would have been intolerable to any people less busy than the
+people of that time. For political corruption in a vigorous body politic is
+not, as pessimists would have us believer an indication of incipient decay,
+but only an indication that a busy people are willing to pay that price to
+be left alone, to be relieved of the administration of their public
+affairs, When they get less busy, or the price in corruption becomes too
+high, then they refuse to pay. The price Francisco was paying becoming very
+high, not only in money, but in other and spiritual things. She could still
+afford to pay it; but at the least pressure she would no longer afford it.
+Then she would act.
+
+
+
+
+XXXIII
+
+
+In the second year of his residence Keith had a minor adventure that
+shifted a portion of his activities to other fields. He was in attendance
+at a council meeting, following the interests of certain clients. The
+evening was warm, the proceedings dull. Opened windows let in the sounds
+from the Plaza and a night air that occasionally flared the smoky lamps.
+The clerk's voice was droning away at some routine when the outer door
+opened and a most extraordinary quartette entered the chamber. Three of
+these were the ordinary, ragged, discouraged, emaciated, diseased "bums,"
+only too common in that city. In early California a man either succeeded or
+he failed into a dark abyss of complete discouragement; the new
+civilization had little use for weaklings. The fourth man can be no better
+described than in the words of a chronicler of the period. Says the worthy
+diarist:
+
+"He was a man of medium stature, slender but very graceful, with almost
+effeminate hands and feet--the former scrupulously kept, the latter neatly
+shod--and with a certain air of fragility; very soft blue eyes with sleepy
+lids; a classically correct nose; short upper lip; rosy, moist lips. His
+clothes: a claret-coloured coat, neither dress nor frock, but mixed of both
+fashions, with a velvet collar and brass buttons; a black vest, double
+breasted; iron-gray pantaloons; fresh, well-starched, and very fine linen;
+plain black cravat, negligently tied; a cambric handkerchief; and dark kid
+gloves. He wore gold spectacles, and carried a malacca cane."
+
+Instead of slipping into the seats provided for spectators, this striking
+individual marched boldly to the open space before the mayor's chair,
+followed, shamefaced and shambling, by the three bums.
+
+"Your honours and gentlemen," he cried in a clear, ringing voice, to the
+scandal of the interrupted legislators, "we are very sick and hungry and
+helpless and wretched. If somebody does not do something for us, we shall
+die; and that would be bad, considering how far we have come, and how hard
+it was to get here, and how short a time we have been here, and that we
+have not had a fair chance. All we ask is a fair chance, and we say again,
+upon our honour, gentlemen, if somebody does not do something for us, we
+shall die, or we shall be setting fire to the town first and cutting all
+our throats."
+
+He stood leaning lightly against his malacca cane, surveying them through
+his sleepy blue eyes. The first astonishment over, they took up a
+collection, after the customary careless, generous fashion. The young man
+saluted with his cane, and herded his three exhibits out.
+
+Keith, much struck, followed them, overtaking the quartette on the street.
+
+"My name is Keith," he said, "I should like to make your acquaintance."
+
+"Mine is Krafft," replied the unknown, "and I am delighted to accept your
+proffer."
+
+He said nothing more until he had marshalled his charges, into a cheap
+eating-house, ordered and paid for a supper, and divided the remainder of
+the amount collected. Then he dusted his fingers daintily with a fine
+handkerchief, and sauntered out into the street, swinging his malacca cane.
+
+"Incidents of that sort restore one's faith in the generosity of our
+people," Keith remarked, in order to say something.
+
+"Nobody has been generous," denied Krafft categorically, "and no particular
+good has been accomplished. Filled their bellies for this evening; given
+them a place to sleep for this night; that's all."
+
+"That's something," ventured Keith. "It helps."
+
+"The only way to help we have not undertaken. We have done nothing toward
+finding out why there are such creatures--in a place like this. That's the
+only way to help them: find out why they are, and then remove the why."
+
+This commonplace of modern charity was then a brand-new thought. Keith had
+never heard it expressed, and he was much interested.
+
+"I suppose there are always the weak and the useless," he said vaguely.
+
+"If those men were wholly weak and useless, how did they get out here?"
+countered Krafft. "To compass such a journey takes a certain energy, a
+certain sum of money, a certain fund of hope. The money goes, the energy
+drains, the hope fades. Why?"
+
+They stopped at a corner.
+
+"I live just near here," said Krafft. "If you will honour me."
+
+He led the way down a narrow dark alley, along which they had fairly to
+grope their way. It debouched, however, into the forgotten centre of the
+square. All the edges had been built close with brick stores, warehouses,
+and office buildings. But in the very middle had been left a waste piece of
+ground, occupied only by a garden and a low one-room abode, with a veranda
+and a red-tiled roof. Under the moonlight and the black shadows from the
+modern buildings it slept amid its bright flowers with the ancient air of
+another world. Krafft turned a key and lighted a lamp. Keith found himself
+in a small, neat room, with heavy beams, fireplace, and deep embrasured
+windows. An iron bed, two chairs, a table, a screen, a shelf of books, and
+a wardrobe were its sole furnishings. In the fireplace had been laid, but
+not lighted, a fire of sagebrush roots.
+
+Krafft touched a match to the roots, which instantly leaped into eager and
+aromatic flames. From a shelf he took a new clay pipe which he handed to
+Keith.
+
+"Tobacco is in that jar," he said.
+
+He himself filled and lighted a big porcelain pipe with wexelwood stem.
+
+"What would you do about it?" asked Keith, continuing the discussion.
+
+"What would you most want, if you were those poor men?" retorted Krafft,
+blowing a huge cloud.
+
+Keith laughed.
+
+"Drink, food, clothes, bed," he stated succinctly.
+
+"And work wherewith to get them," supplemented Krafft.
+
+Keith laughed again.
+
+"Not if I know their sort! Work is the one thing they _don't_ want."
+
+Krafft leaned forward, and tapped the table with one of his long
+forefingers,
+
+"The lazy part of them, the earthen part of them, the dross of them--yes,
+perhaps. But let us concede to them a spark that smoulders, way down deep
+within them--a spark of which they think they are ashamed, which they do
+not themselves realize the existence of except occasionally. What is the
+deep need of them? It is to feel that they are still of use, that they
+amount to something, that they are men. That more than mere food and
+warmth. Is it not so?"
+
+"I believe you're right," said Keith, impressed.
+
+"Then," said Krafft triumphantly, "it _is_ work they want, work that is
+useful and worth paying for."
+
+"But there's plenty of work to be had," objected Keith, after a moment. "In
+fact, there's more work in this town than there are men to do it."
+
+"True, But it is the hard work these men have failed at. It is too hard.
+They try; they are discouraged; they fall again, and perhaps they never get
+up. Such men must be led, must be watched, must be stopped within their
+strength."
+
+"Who's there to do that sort of dry nursing of bums?" demanded Keith with a
+half laugh.
+
+"He who would help," said Krafft quietly.
+
+They smoked for some time in silence; then Keith arose to go.
+
+"It is a big idea; it requires thought," said he ruminativeiy. "You are a
+recent arrival, Mr. Krafft? What is your line of activity?"
+
+The slight, elegant little man smiled.
+
+"I am one of the--what is it you called, them--bums of whom we talk. I try
+to do what is within my power, within my strength-lest I, too, become
+discouraged, lest I, too, fall again--and not get up."
+
+"I have not seen you about anywhere," said Keith, puzzled by this speech.
+
+"I do not go anywhere; I should be eaten. You do not understand me, and I
+am a poor host to talk in riddles. I am a philosopher, not a man of action;
+egotist, not an egoist; one who cannot swim in your strong waters. As I
+said, one of that same class whom your bounty helped this evening."
+
+"Good Lord, man!" cried Keith, looking about the little room. "You're not
+in want?"
+
+Krafft laughed gently.
+
+"In your sense, no. I have my meals. Enough of me. Go, and think of what I
+say."
+
+Keith did so, and the result was the first organized charity in San
+Francisco. Since 1849 men had always been exceptionally generous in
+responding to appeals for money. Huge sums could easily be raised at any
+time. Hospitals and almshouses dated from the first. But having given,
+these pioneers invariably forgot. The erection of the buildings cost more
+than they should, and management being venal, conditions soon became
+disgraceful. Alms reached the professional pauper. The miner or immigrant,
+diseased, discouraged, out of luck, more often died--either actually or
+morally.
+
+So much had this first interview caught his interest that Keith dropped in
+on his new acquaintance quite often. It soon became evident that Krafft
+lived in what might be called decent poverty. The one fine rig-out in which
+he made his public appearances was most carefully preserved. Indoors he
+always promptly assumed a dressing-gown, a skull cap with a gold tassel,
+and his great porcelain pipe. His meals he cooked for himself. Never did he
+leave his house until about three o'clock. Then, spick and span,
+exquisitely appointed, he sauntered forth swinging his malacca cane. After
+a promenade of several hours he returned again to his dressing-gown, his
+porcelain pipe, and his books. Keith enjoyed hugely his detached,
+reflective, philosophical, spectator-of-life conversation. They talked on
+many subjects besides sociology. At his fourth visit Krafft made a
+suggestion.
+
+"You shall come with me and see," said he.
+
+He led the way to the water front under Telegraph Hill, the newest and the
+most squalid part of town. The shallow water was in slow process of being
+filled in by sand from the grading uptown and with all sorts of
+miscellaneous debris, Pending solidity, this sketchy real estate swarmed
+with squatters. There were lots sunken below the street level, filled with
+stagnant water, discarded garments, old boxes, ashes, and rubbish; houses
+huddled closely together with stale water beneath; there were muddy alleys;
+murderous cheap saloons; cheaper gambling joints; rickety, sagging
+tenements. The people corresponded to their habitations. All the low
+elements lurked here, the thugs, strong-arm men, the hold-ups, the heelers,
+the weaklings, the bums, the diseased. In ordinary times they here dwelt in
+a twilight existence; but at periods of excitement--as when the city
+burned--they swarmed out like rats for plunder.
+
+Krafft held his way steadily to the wharves. There he left the causeway and
+descended to the level of the beach. Beneath the pilings, and above the
+high-water mark, was a little hut. It was not over six feet square,
+constructed of all sorts of old pieces of boxes, scraps of tin, or remnants
+of canvas. Overhead rumbled continuously the heavy drays, shaking down,
+through the cracks the dust of the roadway. Against one outside wall of
+this crazy structure an old man sat, chair tilted in the sun. Even the
+chair was a curiosity, miraculously held together by wires. The man was
+very old, and very feeble, his knotted hands clasping a short, black clay
+pipe. Inside the hut Keith, saw a rough bunk on which lay jumbled a quilt
+and a piece of canvas.
+
+"Well, John," greeted Krafft cheerfully, "I've brought a friend to see
+you."
+
+The old man turned on Keith a twinkling blue eye.
+
+"Glad to see you," he said briefly.
+
+"Getting on?" pursued Krafft.
+
+"Fine."
+
+"Here's a new kind of tobacco I want you to try. I should value your
+opinion."
+
+Keith's hand wandered toward his pocket, but stopped at a sharp look from
+Krafft. After a moment's chat they withdrew.
+
+"What a pathetic old figure! What utter misery!" cried Keith.
+
+"No!" said Krafft positively. "There you are wrong. Old John is in no need
+of us. He has his house and his bed, and he gets his food. How, I do not
+know, but he gets it. The spark is burning clear and steady. He has not
+lost his grip. He gets his living with confidence. Let him alone."
+
+"But he must be very miserable--especially when it rains," persisted Keith.
+
+Krafft shrugged his shoulders.
+
+"As to that, I know not," he returned indifferently. "That does not matter
+to the soul. I will now show you another man."
+
+They retraced their steps. On a corner of Montgomery Street Krafft stopped
+before a one-armed beggar, the stump exposed, a placard around his neck.
+
+"Now here's another John," said Krafft. "What he wants is work, and
+somebody to see that he does it."
+
+The one-armed beggar, who was fat, with a good-natured countenance,
+evidently considered this a joke. He grinned cheerfully.
+
+"Don't have to, guvenor," said he.
+
+"How much did you take in yesterday, John?" asked Krafft; then, catching
+the beggar's look of suspicion, he added, "This is a friend of mine; he's
+all right."
+
+"Twenty-two dollars," replied the beggar proudly. "Pretty good day's
+wages!"
+
+"I'm afraid the spark is about out with you, John," said Krafft
+thoughtfully. He walked on a few steps, then turned back. "John," he asked,
+"what is your contribution to society?"
+
+The beggar stared, uncertain of this new chaff.
+
+"The true theory of business, John, is that traffic which does not result
+In reciprocal advantages to buyer and seller is illegitimate, or at least
+abnormal."
+
+They walked on, Keith laughing at the expression on the beggar's face.
+
+"That was considerably over his head," he observed.
+
+Nothing more was said for half a block.
+
+"I wonder if it was over yours," then said Krafft, unexpectedly.
+
+"Eh?" ejaculated Keith, bewildered.
+
+These walks with Krafft finally resulted in the institution of a fund which
+Keith raised and put into Krafft's hands for intelligent use. The effects
+were so interesting that Keith, thoroughly fascinated, began to pester his
+friends for positions for some of his proteges. As he was well-liked and in
+earnest, these efforts were taken good-humourediy.
+
+"Here comes Milt Keith," said John Webb to Bert Taylor. "Bet you a beaver
+hat he's got a highly educated college professor that he wants a job for."
+
+"'A light job, not beyond his powers,'" quoted Taylor.
+
+"Like cleaning genteel spittoons," supplemented Webb.
+
+"The engine house is full of 'em polishing brass," complained Taylor.
+
+"Well, he's a young felly, and I like him," concluded Webb heartily.
+
+Of course many of the experiments failed, but fewer than might have been
+anticipated. Part of Krafft's task was to keep in touch with the men. His
+detached, philosophical method of encouragement and analysis of the
+situation seemed just the thing they needed.
+
+
+
+
+XXXIV
+
+
+These activities gave Keith just the required door out into a world other
+than his own. Were it not for something of the sort he might, like many
+modern corporation lawyers, have confined himself entirely to his own
+class. And this, of course, would eventually have meant narrowness.
+
+But through Krafft, and especially through his desire to help Krafft's
+work, he came in contact with all sorts of people; and, what was more
+important, he found that he liked a great many of them. So it happened that
+when it seemed expedient to the ruling caste to put him in as Assistant
+District Attorney, his inevitable election met with wider approval than
+such elections usually enjoy.
+
+For it must be understood that in the fifties any candidate selected by the
+ruling caste was absolutely sure of election. The machinery was thoroughly
+in their hands. Diplomacy in party caucuses, delicate manipulation at
+primaries, were backed by cruder methods if need be. Associations were
+semi-publically formed for the sale of votes; gangs of men were driven from
+one precinct to another, voting in all; intimidation, and, indeed, open
+violence, was freely used. Only the most adventurous or the most determined
+thought it worth while even to try to vote in the rough precincts. And if
+the first and second lines of defence failed, there was still the third to
+fall back on when the booths were dosed and the ballots counted: the boxes
+could still be "stuffed," the count could still be scientifically juggled
+to bring about any desired result.
+
+This particular election was one of the worst in the history of the place.
+All day fighting was kept up, and the rowdies swaggered everywhere. Whiskey
+was to be had for the asking; and the roughs who surrounded the polls fired
+shots, and in some places started what might fairly be called riots. Yankee
+Sullivan returned James Casey as elected supervisor, which was probably a
+mistake, for Casey was not a candidate, his name was on none of the
+official ballots, and nobody could be found who had voted for him.
+Everybody was surprised, Casey most of all! The sixth ward count was
+delayed unconscionably, its returns being withheld until nearly morning. It
+was more than hinted that this delay was prolonged until the returns had
+been received from all other precincts, so that any deficiencies might be
+made up by the sixth. The "slate" went through unbroken.
+
+Of all the candidates, Keith received the most votes, for the simple reason
+that his total included both the honest and dishonest ballots. Blanchford,
+Neil, Palmer, Adams, all the political overlords of the city were
+satisfied, as well they might be, for they had issued the fiat that he be
+chosen.
+
+"He's one of us," said they.
+
+But what was more unusual, the rank and file of decent, busy, hard-working
+citizens approved, too.
+
+"Keith is not stuck up," they told each other. "He is the _commonest_ man
+in that bunch. And he's square."
+
+The position carried some social as well as political significance. Society
+made another effort to take him up. His rare appearances were rather in the
+nature of concessions. They served to make him more regretted, for he had
+an easy, jolly way of moving from one group or one woman to another, of
+paying flattering, monopolizing, brief attention to each in turn, and then
+disappearing, very early! His bold rather florid countenance radiated
+energy and quizzical good humour; his tight, closely curled hair crisped
+with virile alertness; he carried himself taut and eager--altogether a
+figure to engage the curiosities of women or the interest of men.
+
+Mrs. Sherwood alone was shrewd enough to penetrate to his true feelings.
+She had experienced no difficulty in pushing to a social leadership shared
+--indolently and indifferently--with Nan Keith. Already her past was
+growing dim in a tradition kept alive only by a few whisperers. Her wealth,
+her natural tact and poise, her calm assumption of the right to rule, her
+great personal charm, beauty, and taste were more than sufficient to get
+her what she wanted. The game was almost too easy, when one held the cards.
+
+"Yes, he's very charming," she told her husband, "but that manner of his
+does not impress me. As a matter of fact, he doesn't care a snap of his
+finger about any of them. He does it too well. It's a stencil. Only the
+outside of him does it. He's just as bad as you are; only _he_ doesn't hold
+up a corner of the doorway all the evening, and beam vaguely in general,
+like a good-natured, dear old owl."
+
+
+
+
+XXXV
+
+
+A few clear-headed men--not the "chivalry," as the fire-eating professional
+politicians and lawyers from the South were almost uniformly designated--
+were able to see exactly the problem that must eventually demand Keith's
+solution. Some of them talked it over while lounging and smoking in the
+Fire Queen reading-room. There were present Talbot Ward and his huge
+satellite, Munro; Coleman, quiet, grim, complacent, but looking, with his
+sweeping, inky moustache and his florid, complexion, like a flashy "sport";
+Hossfros, soon to become an historic character; and the banker, James King
+of William.
+
+The latter had recently come in for considerable public discussion. He had
+for some time conducted a banking business, but becoming involved in
+difficulties, he had turned over all his assets, all his personal fortune,
+even his dwelling-house, to another bank as trustee to take care of his
+debts. Almost immediately after, that bank had failed. Opinion in the
+community divided according to the interests involved. The majority
+considered that King had been almost quixotically conscientious in
+stripping himself; but there did not lack those who accused him of sharp
+practice. In the course of ensuing discussions and recriminations King was
+challenged to a duel. He declined to fight, basing his refusal on
+principle. As may be imagined, such an action at such a time was even more
+widely commented upon than even his refusal to take advantage of the
+bankruptcy laws. It was, as far as known, the first time any one had had
+the moral courage to refuse a duel. King had gone quietly about his
+business, taking an ordinary clerkship with Palmer, Cook & Co. In the eyes
+of the discriminating few he had gained prestige, but most people thought
+him down and out.
+
+"What do you think of our new Assistant District Attorney?" Ward had begun
+the conversation.
+
+"He's a lawyer," growled Hossfros.
+
+"A pretty fairly honest one, I think," ventured King. "His training may be
+wrong, but his instincts are right."
+
+"Fat chance anything's got when it mixes up with legalities," supplemented
+Frank Munro.
+
+"Nevertheless," remarked Coleman seriously, "I believe plain justice has
+more of a chance with him in charge than with another."
+
+"What sort of justice?" queried King. "Commercial?" He laughed in answer to
+his own question. "Criminal? I'd like to think it, gentlemen, but I cannot.
+You know as well as I do that any of us could this evening go into the
+streets, select our victim, and shoot him down secure in the knowledge that
+inconvenience is all the punishment we need expect--if we have money or
+friends. Am I not right, Coleman?"
+
+Coleman smiled sardonically, lifting his blue-black moustache.
+
+"Were Herod for the slaughter of the Innocents brought before a jury of
+this town, he would be acquitted," he said half-seriously. "Judas Iscariot
+would pass unscathed so long as any portion of his thirty pieces of silver
+remained with him."
+
+They laughed at this remarkable pronouncement, but with an undernote of
+seriousness.
+
+"No man, even exceptionally equipped as this young man seems to be," went
+on Coleman after a moment, "can accomplish _that_"--he snapped his fingers
+--"against organized forces such as those of 'Law and Order.'"
+
+"We can't stand this sort of thing forever!" cried Hossfros hotly. "It's
+getting worse and worse!"
+
+"We probably shall not stand it forever," agreed Coleman equably, "but we
+are powerless--at present."
+
+They looked toward him for explanation of this last.
+
+"When the people at large find that _they_ cannot stand it either, then we
+shall be no longer powerless. A single man can do something then--a single
+child!"
+
+"What will happen then?" asked Munro. "Vigilantes? '51 again?"
+
+Coleman, the leader of the Vigilantes of '51, turned on him a grave eye.
+
+"God forbid! We were then a frontier community. We are now an organized,
+civilized city. We have rights and powers through the regular channels--at
+the ballot box for example."
+
+Hossfros laughed skeptically.
+
+"It must wait," continued Coleman; "it must wait on public opinion."
+
+"Well," spoke up King, "it's all very well to wait, but public opinion left
+to itself is a mighty slow growth. It should be fostered. The newspapers--"
+
+"Don't let's lose our sense of humour," cut in Talbot Ward. "Can you see
+Charley Nugent or Mike Rowlee crusading for the right?"
+
+"But my point is good," insisted King. "An honest, fearless editor, not
+afraid to call a spade a spade--"
+
+"Would be shot," said Coleman briefly.
+
+"The chances of war," replied King.
+
+"They don't grow that kind around here," grinned Ward.
+
+"Well," concluded Coleman, "this young Keith probably won't help any, but
+he's going to be interesting to watch, just the same, to see what he'll do
+the first time they crack the whip over him. That's the vital point as far
+as he is concerned."
+
+
+
+
+XXXVI
+
+
+Keith's activities did not immediately confront him with anything in the
+nature of a test, however. His superiors confined him to the drawing of
+briefs and the carrying through of carefully selected cases. It was
+considered well to "work him in" a little before putting responsibility on
+him.
+
+He enjoyed it, for now he had at his call all the civil and police
+resources of the city. This gave him a pleasant feeling of power. He was at
+the centre of things. And through his office he came into contact with
+ever-widening circles of people, all of whom were disposed, even anxious,
+to treat him well, to get in his good graces. Possibly most of these were
+what we would call the worst elements; and by that we would mean not only
+the roughnecks of the police or sheriff's offices, but also the
+punctilious, smooth-mannered Southerners who practically monopolized the
+political offices. These men would have been little considered in the
+South; in fact, in many cases, they had left their native states under a
+cloud or even with prison records; but their natural charm, their audacity,
+and their great punctilio as to "honour" deeply impressed the ordinary
+citizen. As one chronicler of the times puts it, they had "fluency in
+harangue, vigour in invective, ostentatious courage, absolute confidence
+about all matters of morals, politics, and propriety"--which is an
+excellent thumbnail sketch. Many of these ex-jailbirds rose to wealth and
+influence, so that to this day the sound of their names means aristocracy
+and birth to those ignorant of local history. Their descendants may be seen
+to-day ruffling it proudly on the strength of their "birth!"
+
+They, and the classes they directly and indirectly encouraged, had at last
+brought the city fairly on the financial rocks. There was no more revenue.
+Everything taxable had been taxed. The poll tax was out of all reason;
+property paid 4 per cent. on an actual valuation; theatres, bankers,
+brokers, freight, miners, merchants, hotel, keepers, incorporations, every
+form of industry was levied upon heavily. Still that was not enough. Even
+labour was paid now in scrip so depreciated that the cost of the simplest
+public works was terrible.
+
+And to heap up the measure, the year of 1855 was one of financial
+stringency. The season of '54-'55 had been one of drought. For lack of
+water most of the mining had ceased. The miners wanted to be trusted for
+their daily needs; the country stores had to have credit because the miners
+could not pay; and so on up to the wholesalers in the city. Goods were
+therefore sold cheap at auction, and the gold went East to pay at the
+source. Money, actual physical money, became scarce. The gold was gone, and
+there existed no institution legally entitled to issue the paper money that
+might have taken its place. All the banking was done by private firms.
+These took deposits, made loans, issued exchange, but could not issue
+banknotes.
+
+Still, things had looked a bit squally many times before, but nothing had
+happened. Men had the habit of optimism. No one stopped to analyze the
+situation, to realize that the very good reason nothing had happened was
+that the city had always had behind it the strength of the mines, and that
+now the mines had withdrawn.
+
+Out of a clear sky came the announcement that Adams & Co. had failed!
+
+At first nobody believed it. Adams & Co. had occupied in men's minds from
+the start much the same position as the Bank of England. The confirmation
+of the news caused the wildest panic and excitement. If Adams & Co. were
+vulnerable, nobody was secure. Small merchants began to call in their
+credits. The city caught up eagerly every item of news. All the assets of
+the bankrupt firm were turned over to Alfred Cohen as receiver. Some
+interested people did not trust Cohen. They made enough of a fuss to get H.
+M. Naglee appointed in Cohen's place. Naglee, demanding the assets, was
+told they had been deposited with Palmer, Cook & Co. The latter refused to
+give them up, denying Naglee's jurisdiction in the matter. The case was
+brought into court. Then suddenly it was found that Palmer, Cook & Co. had
+mysteriously lost their paramount interest in the courts. They had counted
+on the case being brought before their own judges; but it was cited before
+Judges Hazen and Park, both of whom, while ultra-technical, were honest.
+The truth of the matter was that the rats suspected Palmer, Cook & Co. of
+sinking, too, and had deserted. Judges Hazen and Park called upon the firm
+to turn over to Naglee the assets of Adams & Co. They still refused. One of
+the partners, named Jones, and Cohen were imprisoned. Some where $269,000
+was missing. Nobody knew anything about it. The books having to do with the
+transaction had mysteriously disappeared. Two days later an Irishman found
+them floating in the bay, and brought them to the court. But the crucial
+pages were missing. And then suddenly, while both Judge Hazen and Judge
+Park were out of town, application was made to the Supreme Court--of which
+Judge Terry was head--for the release of Jones and Cohen. The application
+was granted.
+
+So an immense sum of money disappeared; nobody was punished; it was all
+strictly legal; and yet the dullest labourer could see that the whole
+transaction amounted to robbery under arms. Failures resulted right and
+left. Wells Fargo & Co. closed their doors, but resumed within a few days.
+A great many pocketbooks were hit. There was much talk and excitement.
+
+
+
+
+XXXVII
+
+
+On an evening in October, returning home at an early hour, Keith found Nan
+indignant and excited. She held in her hand a tiny newspaper, not half the
+usual size, consisting only of a single sheet folded.
+
+"Have you seen this?" she burst out as Keith entered. "Isn't it
+outrageous!"
+
+Keith was tired, and sank into an easy chair with a sigh of relaxation.
+
+"No, what is it?" he asked, reaching his hand for the paper. "Oh, the new
+paper. I saw them selling it on the street yesterday."
+
+It was the _Bulletin_, Vol. 1, No. 2. Like all papers of that day, and like
+some of the English papers now, its first page was completely covered with
+small advertisements. A thin driblet of short local items occupied a column
+on the third and fourth pages, a single column of editorial on the second.
+
+"Seems a piffling little sheet," he observed, "to be read in about eight
+seconds by any one not interested in advertisements. What is it that
+agitates you, Nan?"
+
+"Read that." She pointed to the editorial.
+
+The article in question proved to be an attack on Palmer, Cook & Co. It
+said nothing whatever about the Cohen-Naglee robbery. Its subject was the
+excessive rentals charged the public by Palmer, Cook & Co. for postal
+boxes. But it mentioned names, recorded specific instances, avoided
+generalities, and stated plainly that this was merely beginning at the
+beginning in an expose of the methods of these "Uriah Heeps."
+
+"Why do they permit such things?" cried Nan, scarcely waiting for Keith to
+finish his reading, "What is Mr. Palmer going to do about it?"
+
+"Survive, I guess," replied Keith, with a grin. "I take back my opinion of
+the paper. It certainly has life." He turned to the head of the page.
+"Hullo!" he cried in surprise. "James King of William running this, eh?" He
+whistled, then laughed. "That promises to be interesting, sure. He was in
+business with that crowd for some time. He ought to have information from
+the inside!"
+
+"Mrs. Palmer is simply furious," said Nan.
+
+"I'll bet she is. Are we invited out this evening?"
+
+"The Thurstons' musicale. I thought you'd be interested in that."
+
+"Let me off, Nan, that's a good fellow," pleaded Keith, whose weariness had
+vanished. "I'd be delighted to go at any other time. But this is too rich.
+I must see what the gang has to say."
+
+"I suppose I could drop Ben Sansome a note," assented Nan doubtfully.
+
+"Do! Send the Chink around with it," urged Keith, rising. "I'll get a bite
+downtown and not bother you."
+
+The gang--as indeed the whole city--took it as a great joke. Of those Keith
+met, only Jones, the junior partner, failed to see the humour, and he
+passed the affair off in cavalier fashion. That did not save him from the
+obligation of setting up the drinks.
+
+"I'm going to fix this thing up in the morning," he stated confidently.
+"Between you and me, there's evidently been a slip somewhere. Of course it
+ought never to have been allowed to go so far. I'll see this man King first
+thing in the morning, and buy him off. Undoubtedly that's about the only
+reason his paper exists. Wonder where he got the money to start it? He's
+busted. It can't last long."
+
+"If it keeps up the present gait, it'll last," said Judge Caldwell
+shrewdly. "Me--I'm going to send in a subscription tomorrow. Wouldn't miss
+it for anything."
+
+"It'll last as long as he does," growled Terry, "and that'll be about as
+long as a snowball in hell. What you ought to do, Jones, is what any man of
+spirit ought to do--call him out!"
+
+"He announces definitely that he won't fight duels," said Calhoun Bennett.
+
+"Then treat him like the cowardly hound he is," flared the uncompromising
+Terry. "Take the whip to him; and if that isn't effective, shoot him down
+as you would any other mad dog!"
+
+"Surely, that's a little extreme, Judge," expostulated Caldwell. "He hasn't
+done anything worse than stir up Jonesy a little."
+
+"But he will, sir," insisted Terry, "you mark my words. If you give him
+line, he'll not only hang himself, but he'll rope in a lot of bystanders as
+well."
+
+"I'll bet he sells a lot of papers to-morrow, anyhow," predicted Keith.
+
+"I hope so," bragged Jones. "There'll be the more to read his apology."
+
+Evidently Jones fulfilled his promise, and quite as evidently Keith's
+prediction was verified. Every man on the street had a copy of the next
+day's _Bulletin_ within twenty minutes of issue.
+
+A roar of delight went up. Jones's visit was reported simply as an item of
+news, faithfully, sarcastically, and pompously. There was no comment. Even
+the most faithful partisans of Palmer, Cook & Co. had to grin at the
+effectiveness of this new way of meeting the impact of such a visit,
+
+"It's clever journalism," Terry admitted, "but it's blackguardly; and I
+blame Jones for passing it over."
+
+The fourth number--eagerly purchased--proved more interesting because of
+its hints of future disclosures rather than for its actual information.
+Broderick was mentioned by name. The attention of the city marshal was
+succinctly called to the disorderly houses and the statutes concerning
+them; and it was added, "for his information," that at a certain address a
+structure was actually building at a cost of $30,000 for improper purposes.
+Then followed a list of personal bonds and sureties for which Palmer, Cook
+& Co. were standing voucher, amounting to over two millions.
+
+The expectations of disclosures, thus aroused, were not immediately
+gratified, except in the case of Broderick. His swindles in the matters of
+the Jenny Lind Theatre and the City Hall were traced out in detail. Every
+one knew these things were done, but nobody knew just how; so these
+disclosures made interesting reading if only as food for natural curiosity.
+However, the tension somewhat relaxed. It was generally considered that the
+coarse fibre of the ex-stone-cutter, the old Tammany heeler, and the thick
+skins of his political adherents could stand this sort of thing. Nobody
+with a sensitive honour to protect was assailed.
+
+The position of the new paper was by now firmly established. It had a large
+subscription list; it was eagerly bought on the streets; and its
+advertising was increasing. King again turned his attention to Palmer, Cook
+& Co. Each day he treated succinctly, clearly, without rhetoric, some
+branch of their business. By the time he had finished with them he had not
+only exposed their iniquities, he had educated the public to an
+understanding of the financial methods of the times. His tilting at this
+banking firm had inevitably led him to criticism of certain of their
+subterfuges to avoid or take advantage of the law; and that as inevitably
+brought him to analysis and condemnation of the firm's legal advisers,
+James, Doyle, Barber & Boyd, a firm which had heretofore enjoyed a good
+reputation. Incidentally he called attention to duelling, venal newspapers,
+city sales, gambling, Billy Mulligan, Wooley Kearney, Casey, Cora, Yankee
+Sullivan, Martin Gallagher, Tom Cunningham, Ned McGowan, Charles Duane, and
+many other worthies, both of high and low degree. Never did he fear to name
+names and cite specific instances plainly. James King of William dealt in
+no innuendoes. He had found in himself the editor he had wished for, the
+man who would call a spade a spade.
+
+The _Bulletin_ twice enlarged its form. It sold by the thousand. Its weapon
+of defence was the same as its weapon of offence--pitiless and complete
+publicity. Measures of reprisal, either direct or underhand, undertaken
+against him, King published often without comment.
+
+At the first some of the cooler heads thought it might be well to reason
+with him.
+
+"The man has run a muck," said old Judge Girvin, "and while I am far from
+denying that In many--perhaps in most--cases his facts are correct, still
+his methods make for lawlessness among the masses. It might be well to meet
+him reasonably, and to expostulate."
+
+"I'd expostulate--with a blacksnake," growled the fiery Terry.
+
+A number waited on King. Keith was among them. They found his office in a
+small ramshackle frame building, situated in the middle instead of
+alongside one of the back streets. It had probably been one of the early
+small dwelling-houses, marooned by a resurvey of the streets, and never
+since moved. King sat in his shirtsleeves before a small flat table. He
+looked up at them uncompromisingly from his wide-apart steady eyes.
+
+"Gentlemen," he greeted them tentatively.
+
+Judge Girvin seated himself impressively, his fat legs well apart, his
+beaver hat and cane poised in his left hand; the others, grouped themselves
+back of him. The judge stated the moderate case well. "We do not deny any
+man the right to his opinion," he concluded, "but have you reflected on the
+effect such an expression often has on the minds of those not trained to
+control?"
+
+King listened to him in silence.
+
+"It seems to me, sir," he answered, when Judge Girvin had quite finished,
+"that if abuses exist they should be exposed until they are remedied; and
+that the remedy should come from the law."
+
+"What is your impelling motive?" asked the judge. "Why have you so suddenly
+taken up this form of activity? Do you feel aggrieved in any way--
+personally?"
+
+"My motive in starting a newspaper, if that is what you mean, is the plain
+one of making an honest if modest living. And, incidentally, while doing
+so, I have some small idea of being of public use. I have no personal
+grievance; but I am aggrieved, as every decent man must be, at the way the
+lawyers, the big financial operators, and the other blackguards have robbed
+the city," stated King plainly.
+
+Judge Girvin, flushing, arose with dignity,
+
+"I wish you good-day, sir," he said coldly, and at once withdrew.
+
+Keith had been watching King with the keenly critical, detached, analytical
+speculation of the lawyer. He carried away with him the impression of a man
+inspired.
+
+At the engine house, to which the discomfited delegation withdrew, there
+was more discussion.
+
+"The man is within his legal rights so far," stated Judge Girvin. "If any
+of his statements are libellous, it is the duty of the man so libelled to
+institute action in the courts."
+
+"He's too smooth for that," growled Jones.
+
+"He'll bite off more than he can chew, if he keeps on," said Dick
+Blatchford comfortably. "He's stirring up hornets' nests when he monkeys
+with men like Yankee Sullivan. He's about due for an awful scare, one of
+these days, and then he'll be good."
+
+"Do you know, I don't believe he'll scare," said Keith suddenly, with
+conviction.
+
+
+
+
+XXXVIII
+
+
+As Keith surmised, intimidation had no effect. In such a city of fire-
+eaters it was promptly tried. A dozen publically announced that they
+thirsted for his blood, and intended to have it; and the records of the
+dozen were of determination and courage in such matters. In the gambling
+resorts and on the streets bets were made and pools formed on the probable
+duration of King's life. He took prompt notice of this fact. Said the
+_Bulletin's_ editorial column:
+
+ Bets are now being offered, we are told, that the editor of the
+ _Bulletin_ will not be in existence twenty days longer, and the case
+ of Doctor Hogan, of the Vicksburg paper, who was murdered by gamblers
+ of that place, is cited as a warning. Pah! War, then, is the cry, is
+ it? War between the prostitutes and gamblers on one side, and the
+ virtuous and respectable on the other! Be it so, then! Gamblers of San
+ Francisco, you have made your election, and we are ready on our side
+ for the issue!
+
+Keith read this over John Sherwood's shoulder at the
+Monumental. The ex-gambler, his famous benign spectacles atop his nose,
+chuckled over it.
+
+"He doesn't scare for a cent, does he?" was his comment. "Strikes me I got
+out of the ranks of the ungodly just in time. If I were still gambling, I
+believe I'd take some of those bets he speaks of. He won't last--in this
+town. But I like his pluck--kind of. Only he's damn bad for business!"
+
+Saying which, John Sherwood, late gambler but now sincerely believing
+himself a sound and conservative business man, passed the sheet over to
+Keith.
+
+From vague threats the situation developed rapidly to the definite and
+personal. One Selover sent a challenge to King, which was refused. Selover
+then announced his intention of killing King on sight. The _Bulletin_
+published this:
+
+  Mr. Selover, it is said, carries a knife. We carry a pistol. We hope
+  neither will be required, but if this encounter cannot be avoided, why
+  will Mr. Selover insist on imperilling the lives of others? We pass
+  every afternoon, about half-past four to five o'clock, along Market
+  Street from Fourth to Fifth streets. The road is wide, and not so much
+  frequented as those streets farther in town. If we are to be shot or
+  cut to pieces, for heaven's sake let it be done there. Others will not
+  be injured, and in case we fall, our house is but a few hundred yards
+  beyond, and the cemetery not much farther.
+
+These detailed attacks and bold defiances had the effect of greatly
+angering those who were the specific objects of attention; of making very
+uneasy the class to which these victims belonged; of focussing on public
+matters a public sentiment that was just becoming conscious of itself
+because of the pinch of hard times; and of rendering contemptuously
+indignant all of "higher" society.
+
+To this latter category Keith would undoubtedly have belonged--as did his
+wife and practically all his friends--had it not been for his association
+with Krafft. Through him the young lawyer came into intimate personal touch
+with a large class of people who would otherwise have been remote from him.
+He heard of their difficulties and problems at first hand, saw the actual
+effect of abuses that, looked at from above, were abstract or academic.
+Police brutality as a phrase carried little significance; police brutality
+as a clubbing of Malachi Hogan, who was brought in with his skull crushed,
+and whose blood stained Keith's new coat, meant something. Waste of public
+funds, translated before his eyes into eviction for nonpayment of taxes,
+took on a new significance. Keith saw plainly that a reform was needed. He
+was not, on that account, in the least sympathetic with King's methods.
+Like Judge Girvin, he felt them revolutionary and subversive. But he could
+not share the contempt of his class; rather he respected the editor as a
+sincere but mistaken man. When his name came up for discussion or bitter
+vituperation, Keith was silent. He read the _Bulletin_ editorials; and
+while he in no way endorsed their conclusions or recommendations, he could
+not but acknowledge their general accuracy. Without his knowing it, he was
+being educated. He came to realize the need for better administration by
+the city's officers and a better enforcement of the laws. Very quietly,
+deep down within himself, he made up his mind that in the Assistant
+District Attorney's office, at least, the old order of things should cease.
+
+
+
+
+XXXIX
+
+
+One afternoon Keith walked down Kearney Street deep in discussion of an
+important Federal case with his friend, Billy Richardson, the United States
+Marshal. Although both just and an official, Richardson was popular with
+all classes save those with whom his duty brought him into conflict. They
+found their way deliberately blocked, and came out of the absorption of
+their discussion to recognize before them Charles Cora, an Italian gambler
+of considerable prominence and wealth. Cora was a small, dark man,
+nervously built, dressed neatly and carefully in the height of gambler
+fashion. He seemed to be terribly excited, and at once launched a stream of
+oaths at Richardson.
+
+"What's the matter with you, Charley?" asked the latter, as soon as he had
+recovered from his surprise.
+
+Cora, evidently too incoherent to speak, leaped at the marshal, his fist
+drawn back. Keith seized him around the body, holding his arms to his
+sides.
+
+"Hold on; take it easy!" he panted. "What's up, anyway?"
+
+Cora, struggling violently, gritted out:
+
+"He knows damn well what's up."
+
+"I'll swear I don't!" denied Richardson.
+
+"Then what do you mean telling every one that my Belle insulted your wife
+last night at the opera house?" demanded Cora, ceasing to struggle.
+
+"Belle?" repeated Richardson equably. "I don't know what you're talking
+about. Be reasonable. Explain yourself."
+
+"Yes, I got it straight," insisted the Italian. "Your wife says it insults
+her to sit next to my Belle, and you go everywhere telling it. What right
+you got to do that? Answer me that!"
+
+"Now look here," said Richardson. "I was with Jim Scott all last evening.
+My wife wasn't with me. If you don't believe me, go ask Scotty."
+
+Cora had apparently cooled off, so Keith released him. He shook his head,
+grumbling, only half convinced. After a moment he moved away. The two men
+watched him go, half vexed, half amused.
+
+"He's crazy as a pup about that woman," observed Richardson.
+
+"Who is she?" inquired Keith.
+
+"Why, Belle--you know Belle, the one who keeps that, crib up your way."
+
+"That woman!" marvelled Keith.
+
+He spent the afternoon in court and in his office. About half-past six, on
+his way home, he saw Cora and Richardson come out of the Blue Wing saloon
+together. They were talking earnestly, and stopped in the square of light
+from the window. Richardson was explaining, and Cora was listening
+sullenly. As Keith passed them he heard, the marshal say, "Well, is it all
+right?" and Cora reply, "Yes." Something caused him to look back after he
+had gone a dozen yards. He saw Cora suddenly seize Richardson's collar with
+his left hand, at the same time drawing a derringer with his right.
+
+"What are you going to do?" cried Richardson loudly and steadily, without
+straggling, "Don't shoot; I am unarmed!"
+
+Without reply Cora fired into his breast. The marshal wilted, but with iron
+strength Cora continued for several moments to hold up his victim by the
+collar. Then he let the body drop, and moved away at a fast walk, the
+derringer still in his right hand.
+
+Keith ran to his friend, and with others carried him into a nearby drug
+store. The sound of the shot almost immediately brought out a crowd. Keith,
+bending over the body of the murdered man, could see them pressing about
+the windows outside, their faces showing white from the lamps in the drug-
+store window or fading into the darkness  beyond. They crowded through the
+doorway until driven out again by some of the cooler heads. Conjectures and
+inquiries flew thick. All sorts of reports were current of the details, but
+the crowd had the main facts--Cora had shot Richardson, Richardson was
+dead, Cora had been taken to jail.
+
+"Then he's safe!" they sneered savagely.
+
+Men had been shot on the streets before, many men, some of them as well
+known and liked as Richardson; but not after public sentiment had been
+aroused as the _Bulletin_ had aroused it. The crowds continued to gather.
+Several men made violent street-corner speeches. There was some talk of
+lynching. A storm of yes and no burst forth when the question was put.
+Bells rang. A great mob surged to the jail, were firmly met by a strong
+armed guard, and fell back muttering.
+
+"Who will be the next victim?" men asked. "What a farce!" cried some, in
+deep disgust. "Why, the jailer is Cora's especial crony!" stated others,
+who seemed to know. "If the jury is packed, hang the jury!" advised certain
+far-seeing ones. A grim, quiet, black-bearded man expressed the
+undercurrent of opinion: "Mark my words," said he, "if Charles Cora is left
+for trial, he will be let loose on the community to assassinate his third
+victim!" It seemed that Cora had been involved in a previous shooting
+scrape. But to swing a mob to action there must be determined men at its
+head, and this mob had no leaders. Sam Brannan started to say something in
+his coarse, roaring voice, and was promptly arrested for inciting a riot.
+Nobody cared enough seriously for the redoubtable Sam to object to this.
+The situation was ticklish, but the police handled it tactfully for once,
+opposing only a passive opposition, leaving the crowd to fritter its
+energies in purposeless cursing, surging to and fro, and in harmless
+threats.
+
+Keith did not join the throngs on the streets. Having determined that
+Richardson was dead, he accompanied the body home. He was deeply stirred,
+not only by the circumstances of the murder, but also by the scene at which
+he had to assist when the news must be broken to Mrs. Richardson. From the
+house he went directly to King's residence, where he was told that the
+editor had gone downtown. After considerable search and inquiry he at last
+got sight of his man standing atop a wooden awning overlooking the Plaza in
+front of the jail. King nodded to him as he climbed out of the second-story
+window to take his position at the newspaper man's side.
+
+The square was a wild sight, filled, packed with men, a crowd of men tossed
+in constant motion. A mumbling growl came from them continuously, and
+occasionally a shout. Many hands were upraised, and in some of them were
+weapons. Opposite, the blank front of the jail.
+
+King's eyes were shining with interest and a certain quiet exultation, but
+he seemed not at all excited.
+
+"Will they storm the jail?" asked Keith.
+
+King shook his head.
+
+"No, these people will do nothing. But they show the spirit of the time.
+All it needs now is organization, cool, deliberate organization--to-
+morrow."
+
+"That's just what I've hunted you out to talk about," said Keith earnestly.
+"There is much talk of a Vigilance Committee. As you say, all it needs is
+the call. That means lawlessness, bloodshed."
+
+"Conditions at present are intolerable," said King briefly.
+
+"I agree with you," replied Keith. King stared. "But in this case I assure
+you the law will do its duty. It is an absolutely open and shut case.
+Acquittal is impossible. Why, I myself was witness of the affair."
+
+King looked skeptical.
+
+"Hundreds of such cases have been acquitted, or the indictment quashed."
+
+"But this is entirely different. In the first place, the case will come
+before Judge Norton and Judge Hazen, both of whom you will acknowledge are
+honest. In the second place, this case will be in my hands as Assistant
+District Attorney. I myself shall do the prosecuting, and I promise you on
+my honour that every effort will be made for a deserved and speedy
+conviction. I acknowledge justice has sometimes gone wrong in the past; but
+that has not been the fault of the law, but of the administration of the
+law. If you have the least confidence in Judge Norton and Judge Hazen, and
+if you can be brought to believe me, you will see that this one case of all
+cases should not be taken from the constituted authorities or made the
+basis for a movement outside the law."
+
+"Well?" said King, half convinced.
+
+"The _Bulletin_ has the greatest influence with these people. Use it. Give
+the law, the honest law, a chance. Do not get back of any Vigilante
+movement. In that way, I am convinced, you will be of the greatest public
+service."
+
+Next day the _Bulletin_ came out vigorously counselling dependence on the
+law, expressing confidence in the integrity of Hazen and Norton, and
+enunciating a personal belief that the day had passed when it would be
+necessary to resort to arbitrary measures. The mob's anger had possessed
+vitality enough to keep it up all night; but the attitude of the
+_Bulletin_, backed by responsible men like Ward, Coleman, Hossiros,
+Bluxome, and others, averted a crisis. Nevertheless, King added a paragraph
+of warning:
+
+Hang Billy Mulligan! That's the word! If Mr. Sheriff Scannell does not
+remove Billy Mulligan from his present post as keeper of the county jail,
+and Mulligan lets Cora escape, hang Billy Mulligan, and if necessary to get
+rid of the sheriff, hang him--hang the sheriff!
+
+
+
+
+XL
+
+
+The popular excitement gradually died. It had no leaders. Coleman and men
+of his stamp, who had taken command of similar crises in former times,
+counselled moderation. They were influenced, partly by the fact that
+Richardson had been a public official and a popular one. Conviction seemed
+certain.
+
+Keith applied himself heart and soul to the case. Its preparation seemed to
+him, at first an easy matter. It was open and shut. Although at the moment
+of the murder the street had not been crowded, a half-dozen eye-witnesses
+of the actual shooting were easily found, willing to testify to the
+essential facts. No defence seemed possible, but Cora remained undisturbed.
+He had retained one of the most brilliant lawyers of the time, James
+McDougall. This fact in itself might have warned Keith, for McDougall had
+the reputation of avoiding lost causes and empty purses. The lawyer
+promptly took as counsel the most brilliant of the younger men, Jimmy Ware,
+Allyn Lane, and Keith's friend, Calhoun Bennett. This meant money, and
+plenty of it, for all of these were expensive men. The exact source of the
+money was uncertain; but it was known that Belle was advancing liberally
+for her lover, and that James Casey, bound by some mysterious obligation,
+was active in taking up collections. Cora lived in great luxury at the
+jail. He had long been a personal friend of Sheriff Webb and his first
+deputy, Billy Mulligan.
+
+Several months passed before the case could be forced to trial. All sorts
+of legal and technical expedients were used to defer action. McDougall and
+his legal assistants were skilful players at the game, and the points they
+advanced had to be fought out according to the rules, each a separate
+little case with plenty of its own technicalities. Some of Keith's
+witnesses were difficult to hold; they had business elsewhere, and
+naturally resented being compelled, through no fault of their own, to
+remain. Keith had always looked on this play of legal rapiers as a part--an
+interesting part--of the game; but heretofore he had always been on the
+obstructing side. He worried a great deal. At length, by superhuman
+efforts, he broke through the thicket of technicalities and brought the
+matter to an issue. The day was set. He returned home so relieved in spirit
+that Nan could not but remark on his buoyancy.
+
+"Yes," he responded, "I've managed to drive that old rascal, McDougall,
+into the open at last."
+
+Nan caught at the epithet.
+
+"But you don't mean that--quite--do you?" she asked. "The McDougalls are
+such delightful people."
+
+"No, of course not. Just law talk," said Keith, quite sincerely. "He's
+handled his case well up to now. I'm just exasperated on that account,
+that's all."
+
+But setting the day irrevocably was only a beginning. The jury had to be
+selected. Sheriff Webb had in his hands the calling of the venire. While it
+was true that the old-time, "professional jurymen"--men who hung around the
+courthouse for no other purpose--were no longer in existence, it can be
+readily seen that Webb was able, if it were worth while, to exercise a
+judicious eye in the selection of "amenables." The early exhaustion of
+Keith's quota of peremptory challenges was significant, for McDougall
+rarely found it desirable to challenge at all! Keith displayed tremendous
+resource in last-moment detective work concerning the records of the panel.
+In this way he was enabled to challenge several for cause, after all his
+peremptory challenges had been used. At first he had great difficulty in
+getting results, for the police detectives proved supine. It was only after
+he had hired private agents, paying for them from his own pocket, that he
+obtained information on which he could act. The final result was a jury
+better than he had dared hope for, but worse than he desired. He had gone
+through a tremendous labour, and realized fully the difference between
+being for or against the powers.
+
+The case came to trial, Keith presented six witnesses--respectable, one of
+them well-known. These testified to the same simple facts, and their
+testimony remained unshaken under cross-examination. McDougall offered the
+plea of self-defence. He brought a cloud of witnesses to swear that Cora
+had drawn his weapon only after Richardson had produced and cocked a
+pistol. By skilful technical delays Keith gained time for his detectives,
+and succeeded in showing that two of these witnesses had been elsewhere at
+the time of the killing, and therefore had perjured themselves. He recalled
+his own witnesses, and found two willing to swear that Richardson's hands
+had been empty and hanging at his sides, The defence did not trouble to
+cross-examine this statement.
+
+At last, with a perfunctory judicial charge, the case went to the jury.
+Keith, weary to the bone, sat back in grateful relaxation. He had worked
+hard, against odds, and had done a good job. He was willing now to spare a
+little professional admiration for McDougall's skilful legal manoeuvring.
+There could be no earthly doubt of the result. He idly watched the big
+bland-faced clock, with its long second hand moving forward by spaced
+jerks. The jury was out a very long time for so simple a verdict, but that
+was a habit of California juries. It did not worry Keith. He was glad to
+rest. The judge stared at the ceiling, his hands clasped over his stomach.
+Cora's lawyers talked together in a low voice. Flies buzzed against dusty
+window-panes. The spectators watched apathetically. Belle, in a ravishing
+toilet, was there.
+
+The opening of the door broke the spell almost rudely. Keith sat up,
+listening to the formal questions and answers. They had disagreed!
+
+For a moment the import of this did not penetrate to Keith's understanding.
+Then he half rose, shouted "What!" and sank back stunned. His brain was in
+confusion. Only dimly did he hear the judge dismissing the jury, remanding
+Cora for retrial, adjourning court. Instantly Cora was surrounded by a
+congratulatory crowd. Keith sat alone. McDougall, gathering up his papers
+from the table assigned to counsel, made some facetious remark. Keith did
+not reply. McDougall looked at him sharply, and as he went out he remarked
+to Casey:
+
+"Keith takes this hard."
+
+"He does!" cried Casey, genuinely astonished. "They were trying to tell me
+he was altogether too active in this matter; but I told them he was young
+and had his way to make, and was playing to the gallery."
+
+He sauntered across the room.
+
+"Well, Milt," he cried in a jovial voice, but watching the young lawyer
+narrowly, "the Lord's on the side of true virtue, as usual."
+
+Keith came to himself, scowled, started to say something, but refrained
+with an obvious effort.
+
+Casey wandered back to McDougall.
+
+"You're right, Mac," he said. "I guess he's got the swell head. We'll have
+to call him off gently, or he'll make a nuisance of himself at the next
+trial. He makes altogether too much trouble."
+
+But McDougall was tolerant.
+
+"Oh, let him alone, Jim. He's got his way to make. Let him alone. We can
+handle the situation."
+
+
+
+
+XLI
+
+
+Keith left the courtroom in a daze of incredulity. This was his first
+serious defeat; and he could not understand it. The case was absolutely
+open and shut, a mere question of fact to which there were sufficient and
+competent witnesses. For the moment he was completely routed.
+
+As he emerged to the busy crowds on Kearney Street a sudden repugnance to
+meeting acquaintances overcame him. He turned off toward the bay, making
+his way by the back streets, alleys, and slums of that unsavoury quarter.
+But even here he was not to escape. He had not gone two blocks before he
+descried Krafft's slight and elegant figure sauntering toward him. Keith
+braced himself for the inevitable question.
+
+"Well," it came, "how goes the trial?"
+
+The words released Keith's pent flood of bitterness. Here was an outlet;
+Krafft was "safe." He poured out his disappointment, his suspicion, his
+indignation. The little man listened to him in silence, a slight smile,
+sketching his full, red lips. When Keith had somewhat run down, Krafft,
+without a word, took him by the arm and led him by devious ways down to the
+water-front portion of the city. There he planted him near the entrance of
+a dark alley.
+
+"Now you wait here," Keith was told.
+
+Keith obeyed. The interval was long, but he had much to occupy his mind.
+After a time Krafft returned in company with a slouching, drink-sodden
+bummer of powerful build and lowering mien, the remains of a forceful
+personality. This individual shambled along in the wake of the dapper
+little Krafft quite meekly and submissively.
+
+"Here you are," said the latter briskly, and with a sort of nonchalant
+authority. "Come, now, Mex, tell Mr, Keith what you know about the Cora
+trial. Go on!" he urged, as the man hesitated. "He's not going to 'use'
+you--he doesn't even know who you are or where you're to be found, and I'm
+not going to tell him. Speak up, Mex! I tell you I want him to know how
+things stand."
+
+Keith by now was acquainted with many of Krafft's proteges, but he had
+never met the delectable Mex. Evidently the latter had long known Krafft,
+however, for he acknowledged his authority unquestioningly.
+
+"It's like this, boss," he began in a hoarse voice. "You don't know me,
+like Mr. Krafft says, but there's plenty that do. I got a lot of infloonce
+down here, and when anybody wants anything they know where to come to get
+it, which is right to headquarters--here," he slapped his great chest.
+
+"Get on," interrupted Krafft impatiently. "We'll take it for granted that
+you are a great man."
+
+Mex looked at him reproachfully, but went on:
+
+"About this Cora trial: they come to me for good, reliable witnesses, and I
+got 'em, and drilled 'em. There ain't nobody in it with me for making any
+witness watertight."
+
+"How many witnesses?" prompted Krafft.
+
+"Eight," replied Mex promptly.
+
+"How much?"
+
+"Well, they give me five thousand fer to git the job done," admitted Mex,
+with some reluctance.
+
+"Hope they got some of it," commented Krafft.
+
+"Who gave you the money?" demanded Keith.
+
+But Krafft interposed.
+
+"Hold on, my son, that isn't ethics at all! You mustn't ask questions like
+that, must he, Mex? Very bad form!" He turned to Keith with a crisp air of
+decision. "That's what was the matter with your trial; I just thought I'd
+show you. Go on, Mex, get out," he commanded that individual, good-
+humouredly. "I'm not particularly proud of you, but I suppose I've got to
+stand you. Only remember this: Mr. Keith is my friend. Swear him out of the
+high seats of heaven--if you can--because that's the nature of you; but let
+him walk safely. In other words, no strong-arm work; do you understand?"
+
+The man mumbled and growled something.
+
+"Nonsense, Mex," interrupted Krafft sharply. "Do as I say.
+
+"It's a matter of a tidy sum," blurted out Mex at last.
+
+Krafft laughed.
+
+"You see, you were already marked for the slaughter," he told Keith; then
+to Mex:
+
+"Well, you let him alone; he's my friend."
+
+"All right, if you say so," growled the man.
+
+"You're safe--as far as Mex and all his people are concerned," said Krafft
+to Keith. "Our word is always good, when given to a friend; isn't it, Mex?"
+
+The man nodded, awkwardly and slouched away.
+
+Keith's depression had given place to anger. He had been beaten by unfair
+means; his opponent had cheated at the game, and his opponent enjoyed the
+respect of the community as a high-minded, able, dignified member of the
+bar. It was unthinkable! A man caught cheating at cards would most
+certainly be expelled from any decent club.
+
+"I'll disbar that man if it's the last act of my life!" He cried, "He's not
+fit to practise among decent men!"
+
+He left Krafft standing on the corner and smiling quietly, and hurried back
+to his office.
+
+
+
+
+XLII
+
+
+It was unfortunate for everybody that Morrell should have chosen that
+particular afternoon to pay one of his periodical calls. Morrell had been
+tactful and judicious in his demands. Keith was not particularly afraid of
+his story or the effect of it if told, but he disliked intensely the fuss
+and bother of explanations and readjustments. It had seemed easier to let
+things drift along. The transactions were skilfully veiled, notes were
+always given, Morrell was shrewd enough to take care that it did not cost
+too much. There existed not the slightest cordiality between the men, but a
+tacit assumption of civil relations.
+
+But this afternoon the sight of Morrell, seated with what seemed to Keith a
+smug, superior, supercilious confidence in the best of the office chairs,
+was more than Keith could stand. He was bursting with anger at the world in
+general.
+
+"You here?" he barked at Morrell, without waiting for a greeting. "Well,
+I'm sick of you! Get out!"
+
+Morrell stared at him dumbfounded.
+
+"I don't believe I understand," he objected.
+
+"Get out! Get out! Get out! Is that plain enough?" shouted Keith.
+
+Morrell arose with cold dignity.
+
+"I cannot permit--" he began.
+
+Keith turned on him abruptly.
+
+"Look here, don't try to come that rot. I said, get out--and I mean it!"
+
+So menacing was his aspect that Morrell drew back toward the door.
+
+"I suppose you know what this means?" he threatened, an ugly note in his
+quiet voice.
+
+"I don't give a damn what it means," rejoined Keith with deadly
+earnestness, "and if you don't get out of here I'll throw you out!"
+
+Morrell went hastily.
+
+Keith slammed his papers into a drawer, locked it and his office door, and
+went directly to the office of the _Bulletin_. There, seated in all the
+chairs, perched on the tables and window ledges, he found a representative
+group. He recognized most of them, including James King of William,
+Coleman, Hossfros, Isaac Bluxome, Talbot Ward, and others. A dead silence
+greeted his appearance. He stopped by the door.
+
+"You have, of course, heard the news," he said. "I have come here to state
+unequivocally, and for publication, that the Cora trial will be pushed as
+rapidly and as strongly as is in the power of the District Attorney's
+office. And if legal evidence of corruption can be obtained, proceedings
+will at once be inaugurated to indict the bribe givers."
+
+A short silence followed this speech. Several men looked toward one
+another. The tension appeared to relax a trifle.
+
+"I am glad to hear this, sir, from your own lips," at last said Coleman
+formally, "and I wish you every success."
+
+Another short and rather embarrassed silence fell.
+
+"I should like to state privately to you gentlemen, and not for
+publication"--Keith, paused and glanced toward King, who nodded
+reassuringly--"that I have evidence, but unfortunately not legal, that
+James McDougall has been guilty, either personally or through agents, of
+bribery and corruption; and it is my intention to undertake his disbarment
+if I can possibly get proper evidence."
+
+"Whether he bribed or didn't bribe, he knew perfectly well that Cora was
+guilty," stated King positively. "And he had no right to take the case."
+
+But at that period this was an extreme view, as it still is in the legal
+mind.
+
+"I suppose every man has a moral right to a defence," said Coleman
+doubtfully. "If every lawyer should refuse to take Cora's case, as you say
+McDougall should have refused, why the man would have gone undefended!"
+
+"That's all right," returned King, undaunted, "He ought to have a lawyer--
+appointed by the court--to see merely that he gets a fair trial; not a
+lawyer--hired, prostituted, at a great price--to try by every technical
+means to get him off."
+
+"A lawyer must, by the ethics of his profession, take every case brought
+him, I suppose," some one enunciated the ancient doctrine.
+
+"Well, if that is the case," rejoined King hotly, "the law warps the
+thinking and the morals of any man who professes it. And if I had a son to
+place in life, I most certainly should not put him in a calling that
+deliberately trains his mind to see things that way!"
+
+"I am sorry you have so low an opinion," spoke up Keith from the doorway.
+"I am afraid I must hold the contrary as to the nobility of my chosen
+profession. It can be disgraced, I admit. That it has been disgraced, I
+agree. That it can be redeemed, I am going to prove."
+
+He bowed and left the office.
+
+
+
+
+XLIII
+
+
+Morrell went directly from Keith's office to Keith's house. He was not
+particularly angry; for some time he had expected just this result, but
+since he had threatened, he intended to accomplish. Finding Nan Keith at
+home, he plunged directly at the subject in his most direct and English
+fashion. She listened to him steadily until he had finished.
+
+"Is that all?" she then asked him quietly,
+
+"That's all," he acknowledged.
+
+She arose.
+
+"Then I will say, Mr. Morrell, that I do not believe you. I know my husband
+thoroughly, and I am beginning to know you. I believe that is my only
+comment. Good afternoon."
+
+He made a half attempt to point to her the way to corroborative evidence,
+but she swept this superbly aside, Finally he took his correct leave, half
+angry, half amused, wholly cynical, for to his mind the reason for her
+indifference to the news he brought lay in what he supposed to be her
+relations with Ben Sansome.
+
+"Bally ass!" he apostrophized himself. "Might have known how she'd take
+it."
+
+His reading of Nan's motives was, of course, incorrect. Her first feeling
+was merely a white heat of anger against Morrell, whom she had never liked.
+Perhaps after a little this emotion might have carried over into, not
+distrust, but an uneasiness as to the main issue; but before she had
+arrived at this point Keith came in to deliver an ill-timed warning. As ill
+luck would have it, and as such coincidences often come about in the most
+perverse fashion, Keith had, down the street, met some malicious fool who
+had dropped a laughing remark about Sansome. It was nothing in itself.
+Ordinarily, Keith would have paid no attention to it. To-day it clashed
+with his mood. Even now his jealousy was not stirred in the least, but his
+sense of appearances was irritated. By the time he had reached home he had
+worked up a proper indignation.
+
+"Look here, Nan," he blurted out as soon as he had closed the door behind
+him, "you're seeing too much of Sansome. Everybody's talking."
+
+"Who is everybody?" she asked very quietly.
+
+"Of course I know it's all right," he blundered ahead tactlessly--the gleam
+in her eye should have warned him that he might have omitted that
+reassurance--"but just the looks of the thing. And he's such a weak and
+wishy-washy little nonentity!"
+
+Her sense of justice aroused by this, she sprang to the defence of Sansome.
+
+"You are quite mistaken there," she said with dignity. "Men of that type
+are never understood by men of yours. He is my friend--and yours. And he
+has been very kind to both of us."
+
+"Well, just the same, you ought not to get yourself talked about," repeated
+Keith stubbornly.
+
+"Do you distrust me?" she demanded.
+
+"Heavens, no! But you don't realize how it looks to others. He's coming
+here morning, noon, and night."
+
+"It seems to me I may be the best judge of my own conduct."
+
+"Well," said Keith deliberately, "I don't know that you are. You must
+remember that you are my wife, and that you bear my name. I have something
+to say about it. I'm telling you; but if you cannot manage the matter
+properly, I'll just have to drop a hint to Sansome."
+
+At that she blazed out.
+
+"Do that and you will regret it to the last day of your life!" she flared.
+"If you'd be as careful with the name of Keith as I am, it would not
+suffer!"
+
+"What do you mean by that?" he asked? after a blank pause.
+
+She had not intended to use that weapon, but now she persisted placidly.
+
+"I mean that if our name has been talked about, it has not been because of
+any action of mine."
+
+His heart was beating wildly. In the multiplicity of fighting interests he
+had actually forgotten (for the moment) all about his office visitor. But
+he, too, had pluck.
+
+"I see you have had a call from our friend Morrell," he ventured.
+
+"Well!" she challenged.
+
+Her head was back, and her breath was short. This crisis had come upon them
+swiftly, unexpectedly, unwanted by either. Now it loomed over them in a
+terrible, because unknown, portent. Each realized that a misstep might mean
+irreparable consequences, but each felt constrained to go on. The situation
+must now be developed. Keith, faced with this new problem, lost his heat,
+and became cool, careful, wary, as when in court his faculties marshalled
+themselves. Nan, on the other hand, while well in control of her mind,
+poised on a brink.
+
+"I don't know what he told you," said Keith, the blood suffusing his face
+and spreading over his ears and neck, "but I'm going to tell you everything
+he would be justified in telling you. One evening a number of years ago, in
+company with a crowd, I went inside the doors of a disreputable place, and
+immediately came out again. It was part of a spree, and harmless. That was
+all there was to it. You believe me?" In spite of his iron control, a deep
+note of anxiety vibrated in his voice as he proffered the question.
+
+Her heart gave a leap for pride as he made this confession, his face very
+red, but his head back,  She knew he spoke the truth, the whole truth.
+
+"Of course I believe you," she said, trying to speak naturally, but with a
+mad impulse to laugh or cry. She swallowed, gripped her nerves, and went
+on. "But, naturally," she told him,
+
+"I consider myself as good a custodian of the family reputation as
+yourself."
+
+There the matter rested. By mutual but tacit consent they withdrew
+cautiously from the debated ground, each curiously haunted by a feeling
+that catastrophe had been fortunately and narrowly averted.
+
+
+
+
+XLIV
+
+
+Keith immediately moved for a retrial, and began anew his heartbreaking
+labours in forcing a way to definite action through the thorn thicket of
+technicalities. At the same time, on his own account, and very secretly, he
+commenced a search for evidence against the attorneys for the defence. By
+now he possessed certain private agents of his own whom he considered
+trustworthy.
+
+Early in his investigations he abandoned hope of getting direct evidence
+against McDougall himself. That astute lawyer had been careful to have
+nothing whatever to do with actual bribery or corruption, and he was crafty
+enough to disassociate himself from direct dealing with agents. Indeed,
+Keith himself was in some slight doubt as to whether McDougall had any
+actual detailed knowledge of the underground workings at all. But
+McDougall's. associates were a different matter. Here, little by little,
+real evidence began to accumulate, until Keith felt that he could, with
+reasonable excuse, move for an official investigation. To his genuine grief
+Calhoun Bennett seemed to be heavily involved. He could not forget that the
+young Southerner had been one of his earliest friends in the city, nor had
+he ever tried to forget the real liking he had felt for him. It was not
+difficult to recognize that according to his code Cal Bennett had merely
+played the game as the game was played, carrying out zealously the
+intentions of his superiors, availing himself of time-honoured methods,
+wholeheartedly fighting for his own side. Yet there could be no doubt that
+he had made himself criminally liable. Keith brooded much over the
+situation, but got nowhere, and so resolutely pushed it into the back of
+his mind in favour of the need of the moment.
+
+But quietly as he conducted his investigations, some rumour of them
+escaped. One afternoon he received a call from Bennett. The young man was
+evidently a little embarrassed, but intent on getting at the matter.
+
+"Look heah, Keith," he began, dropping into a chair, and leaning both arms
+on the table opposite Keith, "I don't want to say anything offensive, or
+make any disagreeable implications, or insult you by false suspicions, but
+there are various persistent rumours about, and I thought I'd better come
+to you direct."
+
+"Fire away, Cal," said Keith.
+
+"Well, it's just this: they do say yo're tryin' to fasten a criminal charge
+of bribery on me. You and I have been friends--and still are, I hope--but
+if yo're goin' gunnin' foh me, I want to know it."
+
+His face was slightly flushed, but his fine dark eyes looked hopefully to
+his friend for denial. Keith was genuinely distressed. He moved an inkwell
+to and fro, and did not look up; but his voice was steady and determined as
+he replied:
+
+"I'm not gunning for you, Cal, and I wish to heaven you weren't mixed up in
+this mess." He looked up. "But I _am_ gunning for crooked work in this Cora
+case!"
+
+Bennett took his arms from the table, and sat erect.
+
+"Do you mean to imply, suh, that I am guilty of crooked work?" he inquired,
+a new edge of formality in his voice.
+
+"No, no, of course not!" hastened Keith. "I hadn't thought of you in that
+connection! I am just looking the whole matter up----"
+
+"Well, suh, I strongly advise you to drop it," interrupted Bennett curtly.
+
+"But why?"
+
+"It isn't ethical. You will find great resentment among yo' colleagues of
+the bar at the implication conveyed by yo' so-called investigation, suh."
+
+Calhoun Bennett had become stiff and formal. Keith still tried desperately
+to be reasonable and conciliatory.
+
+"But if there proves to be nothing out of the way," he urged, "surely no
+one could have anything to fear or object to."
+
+"Nobody has anything to fear in any case," said Bennett, "but any
+gentleman--and I, most decidedly--would object to the implication."
+
+At this Keith, stiffened a little in his turn.
+
+"I am sorry we differ on that point, I have good reason to believe there
+has been crooked work somewhere in this Cora trial. I do not know who has
+done it; I accuse nobody; but in the public office I hold it seems my plain
+duty to investigate."
+
+"Yo' public duty is to prosecute, that is all," argued Bennett. "It is the
+duty of the grand jury to investigate or to order investigations."
+
+Here spoke the spirit of the law, for technically Bennett was correct.
+
+"Whatever the rigid interpretation"--Keith found himself uttering heresy--
+"I still feel it my duty to deal personally with whatever seems to me
+unjustly to interfere with, proper convictions." Then he stopped, aghast at
+the tremendous step he had taken. For to a man trained as was Keith, in a
+time when all men were created for the law, and not the law for men, in a
+society where the lawyer was considered the greatest citizen, and subtle
+technicality paramount to justice or commonsense, this was a tremendous
+step. At that moment, and by that spontaneous and unconsidered statement,
+Keith, unknown to himself, passed from one side to the other in the great
+social struggle that was impending.
+
+"I wa'n you, suh," Bennett was repeating, "yo' course will not meet with
+the approval of the members of the bar."
+
+"I am sorry, Cal," said Keith sadly.
+
+Bennett rose, bowed stiffly, and turned to the door. But suddenly he
+whirled back, his face alight with feeling,
+
+"Oh, see heah, Milt, be sensible!" he cried. "I know just how yo're feelin'
+now. Yo're sore, and I don't blame you. You put ap a hard fight, and though
+you got licked, I don't mind tellin' you that the whole bar appreciates
+yo're brilliant work. You must remember you had to play a lone hand against
+pretty big men--the biggest we've got! We all appreciate the odds. Cora has
+lots of friends. You'll never convict him, Milt; but go in again for
+another trial, if it will do yo're feelin's any good, with our best wishes.
+Only don't let gettin' licked make you so sore! Don't go buttin' yo're haid
+at yo're friends! Be a spo't!"
+
+A half hour ago this appeal might have gained a response if not a practical
+effect, but the spiritual transformation in Keith was complete.
+
+"I'm sorry," he replied simply, "but I must go ahead in my own way."
+
+Calhoun Bennett's face lost its glow, and his tall figure stiffened.
+
+"I must wa'n you not to bring my name into this," said he. "I do not intend
+to have my reputation sacrificed to yo' strait-laced Yankee conscience. If
+my name is ever mentioned, I shall hold you responsible, _personally_
+responsible. You understand, suh?"
+
+He stood stiff and straight, staring at Keith. Keith did not stir. After a
+moment Calhoun Bennett went out.
+
+
+
+
+XLV
+
+
+After this interview Keith experienced a marked and formal coldness from
+nearly all of his old associates, Those with whom he came into direct
+personal contact showed him scrupulous politeness, but confined their
+conversation to the briefest necessary words, and quit him as soon as
+possible. He found himself very much alone, for at this period he had lost
+the confidence of one faction and had not yet gained that of the other.
+
+His investigations encountered always increasing difficulties. In his own
+department he could obtain little assistance. A dead inertia opposed all
+his efforts. Nevertheless, he went ahead doggedly, using Krafft and some of
+Krafft's proteges to considerable effect.
+
+But soon pressure was brought on him from a new direction: his opponents
+struck at him through his home.
+
+For some days Nan had been aware of a changed atmosphere in the society she
+frequented and had heretofore led. The change was subtle, defied analysis,
+but was to the woman's sensitive instincts indubitable. At first she had
+been inclined to consider it subjective, to imagine that something wrong
+with herself must be projecting itself through her imagination; but finally
+she realized that the impression was well based. In people's attitude there
+was nothing overt; it was rather a withdrawl of intimacy, a puzzling touch
+of formality. She seemed overnight to have lost in popularity.
+
+Truth to tell, she paid little attention to this. By now she was
+experienced enough in human nature to understand and to be able to gauge
+the slight fluctuations, the ebbs and flows of esteem, the kaleidoscopic
+shiftings and realignments of the elements of frivolous and formal society.
+Mrs. Brown had hired away Mrs. Smith's best servant; for an hour they
+looked askance on Mrs. Brown; then, the episode forgotten, Mrs. Brown's
+cork bobbed to the surface company of all the other corks. It was very
+trivial. Besides, just at this moment, Nan was wholly occupied with
+preparations for her first "afternoon" of the year. She intended as usual
+to give three of these formal affairs, and from them the season took its
+tone. The list was necessarily far from exclusive, but Nan made up for that
+by the care she gave her most original arrangements. She prided herself on
+doing things simply, but with a difference, calling heavily on her
+resources of correspondence, her memory, and her very good imagination for
+some novelty of food or entertainment. At the first of these receptions,
+too, she wore always for the first time some new and marvellous toilet
+straight from Paris, the style of which had not been shown to even her most
+intimate friends. This year, for example, she had done the most obvious
+and, therefore, the most unlikely thing: she had turned to the
+contemporaneous Spanish for her theme. Nobody had thought of that. The
+Colonial, the Moorish, the German, the Russian, the Hungarian--all the rest
+of the individual or "picturesque"--but nobody had thought to look next
+door. Nan had decorated the rooms with yellow and red, hung the walls with
+riatas, strings of red peppers and the like, obtained Spanish guitar
+players, and added enough fiery Mexican dishes to the more digestible
+refreshments to emphasize the Spanish flavour. She wore a dress of golden
+satin, a wreath of coral flowers about her hair, and morocco slippers
+matched in hue.
+
+The afternoon was fine. People were slow in coming. A few of the
+nondescripts that must be invited on such occasions put in an appearance,
+responded hastily to their hostess's greeting, and wandered about furtively
+but interminably. Patricia Sherwood, who had come early, circulated nobly,
+trying to break up the frozen little groups, but in vain. The time passed.
+More non-descripts--and not a soul else! As five o'clock neared, a cold
+fear clutched at Nan's heart. No one was coming!
+
+She worked hard to cover with light graciousness the cold-hearted dismay
+that filled her breast as the party dragged its weary length away. All her
+elaborate preparations and decorations seemed to mock her. The Spanish
+orchestra tinkled away gayly until she felt she could throw something at
+them; the caterer's servants served solemnly the awed nondescripts. Nan's
+cheeks burned and her throat choked with unshed tears. She could not bear
+to look at Patsy Sherwood, who remained tactfully distant.
+
+About five-thirty the door opened to admit a little group, at the sight of
+whom Nan uttered a short, hysterical chuckle. Then she glided to meet them,
+both hands outstretched in welcome, Mrs. Sherwood watched her with
+admiration. Nan was game.
+
+There were three in the party: Mrs. Morrell, Sally Warner, and Mrs.
+Scattergood. Sally Warner was of the gushing type of tall, rather
+desiccated femininity who always knows you so much better than you know
+her, who cultivates you every moment for a week and forgets you for months
+on end, who is hard up and worldly and therefore calculating, whose job is
+to amuse people and who will therefore sacrifice her best, perhaps not most
+useful, friend to an epigram, whose wit is barbed, who has a fine nose for
+trouble, and who is always in at the death. Mrs. Scattergood was a small
+blond woman, high voiced, precise in manner, very positive in her
+statements which she delivered in a drawling tone, humourless, inquisitive
+about petty affairs, the sort of "good woman" with whom no fault can be
+found, but who drives men to crime. Mrs. Morrell we know.
+
+These three, after greeting their hostess gushingly, circulated compactly,
+talking to each other in low voices. Nan knew they were watching her, and
+that they had come for the sole purpose of getting first-hand details of
+her fiasco for later recounting in drawing-rooms where, undoubtedly, even
+now awaited eager auditors. She came to a decision. The matter could not be
+worse. When, the three came to make their farewells, she detained them.
+
+"No, I'm not going to let you go yet," she told them, perhaps a little
+imperiously. "I haven't had half a visit with you. Wait until this rabble
+clears out."
+
+She hesitated a moment over Mrs. Sherwood, but finally let her go without
+protest. When the last guest had departed she sank into a chair. As she was
+already on the verge of hysterics, she easily kept up an air of gayety.
+
+"Girls, what an awful party!" she cried. "I could tear my hair! It was a
+perfect nightmare." Struggling to control her voice and keep back her
+tears, she added abruptly: "Now tell me what it is all about."
+
+Mrs. Morrell and Sally Warner were plainly uneasy and at a loss how to meet
+this situation, but Mrs. Scattergood remained quite composed in her small,
+compact way.
+
+"What's what all about, Nan, dear?" asked Sally Warner in her most
+vivacious manner. She keenly felt the dramatic situation and was already
+visualizing herself in the role of raconteuse.
+
+"You know perfectly well. Why this funeral? Where are they all? Why did
+they stay away? I have a right to know."
+
+"I'm sure there's nothing _I_ can think of!" replied Sally artificially.
+"The idea!"
+
+But Mrs. Scattergood, with all the relish of performing a noble and
+disagreeable duty, broke in:
+
+"You know, dear," she said in her didactic, slow voice, "as well as we do,
+what the world is. Of course _we_ understand, but people will talk!"
+
+"In heaven's name what are you driving at? What are they talking about?"
+demanded Nan, as Mrs. Scattergood apparently came to a full stop.
+
+A pause ensued while Sally and Mrs, Scattergood exchanged glances with Mrs.
+Morrell.
+
+"Well," at last said Sally, judicially, buttoning her glove, her head on
+one side, "if I had a nice husband like yours, I wouldn't let him run
+around getting himself disliked for nothing."
+
+"You ought to use your influence with him before it is too late," added
+Mrs. Morrell.
+
+Nan looked helplessly from one to the other, too uncertain of her ground
+now to risk another step,
+
+"So that's it," she ventured at last. "Some one has been telling lies about
+us!"
+
+"Oh, dear no!" disclaimed Mrs. Scattergood, "It is only that your friends
+cannot understand your taking sides against them. Naturally they feel hurt.
+Forgive me, dear--you know I say it with all affection--but don't you think
+it a mistake?"
+
+Nan was thoroughly dazed and mystified, but afraid to press the matter
+further. She had a suspicion Mrs. Morrell was again responsible for her
+difficulties, but was too uncertain to urge them to stay for further
+elucidation. They arose. These were the days of hoop skirts, and the set of
+the outer skirt had to be carefully adjusted before going out. As they
+posed in turn before the hall pier glass they chattered. "How lovely the
+house looks." "You certainly have worked hard, and must be tired, poor
+dear!" "Well, we'll see you to-morrow at Mrs. Terry's. You're _not asked_?
+Surely there is some mistake! Well, those things always happen in a big
+affair, don't they?" "See you soon." "Good-bye." "Good-bye."
+
+Outside the house they paused at the head of the steps.
+
+"Well, what do you think of that?" said Sally. "I really believe the poor
+thing doesn't know, I believe I'll just drop in for a minute at Mrs.
+Caldwell's. Sorry you're not going my way."
+
+After a fashion Nan felt relieved by this interview, for she thought she
+discerned only Mrs. Morrell's influence, and this, she knew, she could
+easily overcome. While she waited for Keith's return from whatever
+inaccessible fastnesses he always occupied during these big afternoon
+receptions, she reviewed the situation, her indignation mounting.
+Downstairs, Wing Sam and his temporary assistants were clearing things
+away. Usually Nan superintended this, but to-day she did not care. When
+Keith finally entered the room, she burst out on him with a rapid and angry
+account of the whole situation as she saw it; but to her surprise he did
+not rise to it. His weary, spiritless, uninterested: acceptance of it
+astonished her to the last degree. To him her entanglement with the Cora
+affair--for at once he saw the trend of it all--seemed the last straw. Not
+even his own home was sacred. His spirit was so bruised and wearied that he
+actually could not rise to an explanation. He seemed to realize an utter
+hopelessness of making her see his point of view. This was not so strange
+when it is considered that this point of view, however firmly settled, was
+still a new and unexplained fact with himself. He contented himself with
+saying: "The Morrells had nothing whatever to do with it." It was the only
+thing that occurred to him as worth saying; but it was unfortunate, for it
+left Nan's irritation without logical support. Naturally that irritation
+was promptly transferred to him.
+
+"Then what, in heaven's name, is it?" she demanded. "My friends are all
+treating me as if I had the smallpox."
+
+"Cheerful lot of friends we've made in this town!" he said bitterly.
+
+"What is the matter with them?" she persisted.
+
+"The matter is they've taken me for a fool they could order around to suit
+themselves. They found they couldn't. Now they're through with me, even Cal
+Bennett," he added in a lower tone that revealed his hurt.
+
+She paused, biting her underlip.
+
+"Is the trouble anything to do with this Cora case?" she asked, suddenly
+enlightened by some vague, stray recollection.
+
+"Of course!" he replied crossly, exasperated at the nagging necessity of
+arousing himself to explanations. "There's no use arguing about it. I'm
+going to see it through in spite of that hound McDougall and his whole pack
+of curs!"
+
+"But why have you turned so against your friends?" she asked more gently,
+struck by his careworn look as he sprawled in the easy chair under the
+lamp. "I don't see! You'll get yourself disliked!"
+
+She did not press the matter further for the moment, but three days later
+she brought up the topic again. In the interim she had heard considerable
+direct and indirect opinion. She selected after dinner as the most
+propitious time for discussion. As a matter of fact, earlier in the day
+would have been better, before Keith's soul had been rubbed raw by downtown
+attrition.
+
+"I don't believe you quite realize how strongly people feel about the Cora
+case," she began. "Isn't it possible to drop it or compromise it or
+something, Milton?"
+
+In the reaction from argument and--coldness downtown he felt he could stand
+no more of it at home.
+
+"I wish you'd let that matter drop!" he said decidedly. "You couldn't
+understand it."
+
+She hesitated. A red spot appeared in either cheek.
+
+"I must say I _don't_ understand!" she countered. "It is inconceivable to
+me that a man like you should turn so easily against his class!"
+
+"My class?" he echoed wearily.
+
+"What do such creatures as Cora and Yankee Sullivan amount to?" she cried
+hotly, "I suppose you'll say _they_ are in your class next! How you can
+consider them of sufficient importance to go dead against your best friends
+on their account!"
+
+"It is because I am right and they are wrong."
+
+She was a little carried beyond herself.
+
+"Well, they all think the same way," she pointed out. "Aren't you a little
+--a little--"
+
+"Pig-headed," supplied Keith bitterly.
+
+"--to put your opinion against theirs?" she finished.
+
+Keith did not reply.
+
+This was Nan's last attempt. She did not bring up the subject again. But
+she withdrew proudly and completely from all participation in society. She
+refused herself to callers. Once the situation was thoroughly defined, she
+accepted it. If her husband decided to play the game in this way, she, too,
+would follow, whether she approved or not. Nan was loyal and a
+thoroughbred. And she was either too proud or too indifferent to fight it
+out with the other women, in the rough and tumble of social ambition.
+
+
+
+
+XLVI
+
+
+In this voluntary seclusion Nan saw laterally only two persons. One of
+these was Mrs. Sherwood. The ex-gambler's wife called frequently; and, for
+some reason, Nan never refused to see her, although she did not make her
+visitor particularly welcome. Often an almost overmastering impulse seized
+her to open her soul to this charming, sympathetic, tactful woman, but
+something always restrained her. Her heart was too sore. And since an
+inhibited impulse usually expresses itself by contraries, her attitude was
+of studied and aloof politeness. Mrs. Sherwood never seemed to notice this.
+She sat in the high-ceilinged "parlour," with its strange fresco of painted
+fish-nets, and chatted on in a cheerful monologue, detailing small gossipy
+items of news. She always said goodbye cordially, and went out with a
+wonderful assumption of ignorance that anything was wrong. Her visits did
+Nan good, although never could the latter break through the ice wall of
+reserve. Nan's conscience often hurt her that she could answer this genuine
+friendship with so little cordiality. She wondered dully how Mrs. Sherwood
+could bring herself to be so good to so cross-grained a creature as
+herself. As a matter of fact, the women were marking time in their
+relations--Mrs. Sherwood consciously, Nan unconsciously--until better days.
+
+The other regular caller was Ben Sansome. His attitude was in some sense
+detached. He was quietly, deeply sympathetic in his manner, never
+obtrusive, never even hinting in words at his knowledge of the state of
+affairs, but managing in some subtle manner to convey the impression that
+he alone fully understood. Nan found that, without her realization, almost
+in spite of herself, Sansome had managed to isolate her with himself on a
+little island of mutual understanding, apart from all the rest of the
+world.
+
+Her life was now becoming circumscribed. Household, books, some small
+individual charities, and long afternoon walks filled her days. At first
+Sansome had accompanied her on these tramps, but the unfailing, almost
+uncanny insight of the man told him that at such times her spirit really
+craved solitude, so he soon tactfully ceased all attempts to join her. Her
+usual walk was over the cliffs toward the bay, where, from some of the
+elevations near Russian Hill, she could look out to the Golden Gate, or
+across to Tamalpais or the Contra Costa shores. The crawl of the distant
+blue water, the flash of wing or sail, the taste of salt rime, the canon
+shadows of the hills, the flying murk, or the last majestic and magnificent
+blotting out of the world as the legions of sea fog overtoiled it, all
+answered or soothed moods in her spirit. Sometimes she forgot herself and
+overstayed the daylight. At such times she scuttled home half fearfully for
+the great city, like a jungle beast, was most dangerous at night.
+
+One evening, returning thus in haste, she was lured aside by the clang of
+bells and the glare of a fire. No child ever resisted that combination, and
+Nan was still a good deal of a child. Almost before she knew, it she was
+wedged fast in a crowd. The pressure was suffocating; and, to her alarm,
+she found herself surrounded by a rough-looking set of men. They were
+probably harmless workingmen, but Nan did not know that. She became
+frightened, and tried to escape, but her strength was not equal to it.
+Near the verge of panic, she was fairly on the point of struggling, when
+she felt an arm thrown around her shoulder. She looked up with a cry, to
+meet Ben Sansome's brown eyes.
+
+"Don't be afraid; I'm here," he said soothingly.
+
+In the revulsion Nan fairly thrilled under the touch of his manly,
+protection. This impulse was followed instantly, by an instinct of
+withdrawal from the embrace about her shoulder, which was in turn succeeded
+by a fierce scorn of being prudish in such circumstances. Sansome
+masterfully worked her out through the press. At the last tactful moment he
+withdrew his arm. She thanked him, still a little frightened.
+
+"It was certainly lucky you happened to be here!" she ended.
+
+"Lucky!" he laughed briefly. "I knew that sooner or later you'd need me."
+
+He stopped at that, but allowed her questions to elicit the fact that every
+afternoon he had followed her at a discreet distance, scrupulously
+respecting her privacy, but ready for the need that sooner or later must
+surely arrive. Nan was touched.
+
+"You have no right to endanger yourself this way!" he cried, as though
+carried away. "It is not just to those who care for you!" and by the tone
+of his voice, the look of his eye, the slight emphasizing pressure of his
+hand he managed to convey to her, but in a manner to which she could not
+possibly object, his belief that his last phrase referred more to himself
+than to any one else in the world.
+
+It was about this period that John Sherwood, dressing for dinner, remarked
+to his wife:
+
+"Patsy, the more I see of you the more I admire you. Do you remember that
+Firemen's Ball when you started in to break up that Keith-Morrell affair?
+He dropped her so far that I haven't heard her _plunk_ yet! I don't know
+what made me think of it--it was a long time ago."
+
+"Yes, that was all right," she replied thoughtfully, "but I'm not as
+pleased as I might be with the Keith situation."
+
+Sherwood stopped tying his cravat and turned to face her.
+
+"He's perfectly straight, I assure you," he said earnestly. "I don't
+believe he knows that any other woman but his wife exists. I _know_ that.
+But I wish he'd go a little easier with the men."
+
+"Oh, I wasn't thinking of him. She's the culprit now."
+
+"What!" cried Sherwood, astonished, "that little innocent baby!"
+
+"That 'little innocent baby' is seeing altogether too much of Ben Sansome."
+
+Sherwood uttered a snort of masculine scorn.
+
+"Ho! Ben Sansome?"
+
+"Yes, Ben Sansome."
+
+"Why, he's a notorious butterfly."
+
+"Well, it looks now as though he intended to alight."
+
+"Seriously?"
+
+She nodded. Sherwood slowly went on with his dressing.
+
+"I like that little creature," he said at last. "She's the sort that
+strikes me as born to be treated well and to be happy. Some people are that
+way, you know; just as others are born painters or plumbers." She nodded in
+appreciation. "And if you give the word, Patsy, I'll go around and have a
+word with Keith--or spoil Sansome--whichever you say----"
+
+She laughed.
+
+"You're a dear, Jack, but if you love me, keep your hands off here."
+
+"Are you bossing this job?" he asked gravely.
+
+"I'm bossing this job," she repeated, with equal gravity.
+
+He said nothing more for a time, but his eyes twinkled.
+
+
+
+
+XLVII
+
+
+Keith's investigations proceeded until at last he felt justified in
+preferring before the Bar Association charges of irregular practice against
+James Ware, Bernard Black, and--to his great regret--Calhoun Bennett. He
+conceived he had enough evidence to convict these men legally, but he as
+yet shrank from asking for an indictment against them, preferring at first
+to try for their discipline before their fellow lawyers. If the Bar
+Association failed, however, he had every intention of pressing the matter
+in the courts.
+
+Almost immediately after the filing of the complaint he was waited on in
+his office by a man only slightly known to him, Major Marmaduke Miles. The
+major's occupation in life was obscure. He was a red-faced, tightly
+buttoned, full-jowled, choleric Southerner of the ultra-punctilious brand,
+always well dressed in quaint and rather old-fashioned garments, with
+charming manners, and the reminiscence of good looks lost in a florid and
+apoplectic habit. This person entered Keith's office, greeted him formally,
+declined a chair. Standing very erect before Keith's desk, his beaver hat
+poised on his left forearm, he said:
+
+"I am requested, suh, to enquiah of yo' the name of a friend with whom I
+can confer."
+
+"If that means a challenge, Major, I must first ask the name of your
+principal," returned Keith.
+
+"I am actin' fo' Mr. Calhoun Bennett, suh," stated the major.
+
+"Tell Cal Bennett I will not fight him," said Keith quietly.
+
+The major was plainly flabbergasted, and for a moment puffed his red cheeks
+in and out rapidly.
+
+"You mean to tell me, suh, that yo' refuse the satisfaction due a gentleman
+after affrontin' him?"
+
+"I won't fight Cal Bennett," repeated Keith patiently.
+
+The major turned even redder, and swelled so visibly that Keith, in spite
+of his sad realization of the gravity of the affair, caught himself
+guiltily in a boyish anticipation that some of the major's strained buttons
+would pop.
+
+"I shall so repo't to my principal, suh. But I may add, suh, that in my
+opinion, suh, yo' are conductin' yo'self in a manner unbecomin' to a
+gentleman; and othuh gentlemen will say so, suh! They may go even farthah
+and stigmatize yo' conduct as cowardly, suh! And it might even be that I,
+suh, would agree with that expression, suh!"
+
+The major glowered. Keith smiled wearily. It did not to him at the moment
+that this would be so great a calamity.
+
+"I am sorry to have forfeited your good opinion, Major," he contented
+himself with saying.
+
+The major marched straight back to the Monumental, where Bennett and a
+number of friends were awaiting the result of his mission. The major's
+angry passions had been rising, every foot of the way.
+
+"He won't fight, suh!" he bellowed, slamming his cane across the table. "He
+won't fight! And I stigmatized him to his face as a white-livered hound!"
+
+Calhoun Bennett sank back pale, and speechless. His companions deluged him
+with advice.
+
+"Horsewhip the craven publicly." "Warn him to go heeled, and then force the
+issue!" "Shoot him down like the dog he is!"
+
+But the major's mighty bellow dominated everything.
+
+"I claim the privilege!" he roared. "Egad, I _demand_ the privilege! It is
+my right! I am insulted by such a rebuff! Now that I have acquitted myself
+of Cal's errand, I will call him out myself. Ain't that right, Cal? I'll
+make the hound fight!"
+
+The old major looked redder and fiercer than ever. There could be no doubt
+that he would make any one fight, once he started out to do so, and that he
+would carry the matter through. He was brave enough.
+
+But little Jimmy Ware, who had been doing some thinking, here spoke up. It
+seemed to him a good chance to get a reputation without any risk. Since
+James King of William had uncompromisingly refused to fight duels, his
+example had been followed. A strong party of those having conscientious
+scruples against the practice had come into being. Keith's refusal to fight
+Bennett, to Ware's mind, indicated that he belonged to this class. It
+looked safe.
+
+"Pardon me, Major," he broke in suavely; "but each in turn. I claim the
+right. Cal had first chance because he had personally warned the man of the
+consequences. But I am equally accused. You must admit my prior claim."
+
+The major came off the boil. Puffing his red cheeks in and out he
+considered.
+
+"Yo're right, suh," he conceded reluctantly.
+
+After considerable persuasion, and some flattery as to his familiarity with
+the niceties of the Code, the major consented to bear Jimmy's defiance. He
+entered Keith's office again, stiffer than a ramrod. Keith smiled at him.
+
+"There's no use, Major, I won't fight Cal Bennett," he greeted his visitor.
+
+"I am the bearer of a challenge from Mistah James Ware," he announced.
+
+"What!" yelled Keith, so suddenly and violently that Major Miles recoiled a
+step.
+
+"From Mistah James Ware," he repeated.
+
+Keith laughed savagely.
+
+"Oh, I'll fight him," he growled; "gladly; any time he wants it."
+
+The major's face lit up.
+
+"If you'll name yo' friend, suh," he suggested.
+
+"Friend? Friend? What for? I'm capable of arranging this. I haven't time to
+hunt up a friend."
+
+"It's customary," objected the major.
+
+"Look here," Keith swept on, "I'm the challenged party and I have the say-
+so, haven't I?"
+
+"Yo' can name the weapons," conceded Major Marmaduke Miles.
+
+"All right, we'll call this revolvers, navy revolvers--biggest there are,
+whatever that is. And close up. None of your half-mile shooting."
+
+"Ten yards," suggested Major Miles with unholy joy.
+
+"And right away--this afternoon," went on Keith. "If that little runt wants
+trouble, egad he's going to have all his little skin will hold."
+
+But the major would not have this. It was not done. He waived conducting
+his negotiations through a second, but that was as far as his conventional
+soul would go. He held out for three o'clock the following afternoon.
+
+"And I wish to apologize, Mistah Keith," he said, on parting, "fo' my ill-
+considered words of a short time ago. I misunderstood yo' reasons fo'
+refusin' to fight Mistah Bennett."
+
+He bowed his rotund, tightly buttoned little figure and departed, to strike
+Jimmy Ware with complete consternation.
+
+Duels in the fifties were almost an acknowledged public institution.
+Although technically illegal, no one was ever convicted of any of the
+consequences of such encounters. They were conducted quite openly. Indeed,
+some of the more famous were actively advertised by steamboat men, who
+carried excursions to the field. Keith's acceptance of Ware's challenge
+aroused the keenest interest. Outside the prominence of the men involved, a
+vague feeling was current that in their persons were symbolized opposing
+forces in the city's growth. As yet these forces had not segregated to that
+point where champions were demanded, or indeed would be recognized as such,
+but vague feelings of antagonism, of alignments, were abroad. Those who
+later would constitute the Law and Order class generally sympathized with
+Ware; those whom history was to know as the Vigilantes felt stirrings of
+partisanship for Keith. Therefore, the following afternoon a small flotilla
+set sail for the Contra Costa shore, and a crowd of several hundred
+spectators disembarked at the chosen duelling ground.
+
+Nan knew nothing of all this. Keith was now in such depths of low spirits
+that his wearied soul did not much care what became of him. He put his
+affairs in shape, shrugged his shoulders, and went to the encounter with
+absolute indifference.
+
+The preliminaries were soon over. Keith found himself facing Jimmy Ware at
+the distance he had himself chosen. A double line of spectators stood at a
+respectful space on either side. Major Miles and an acquaintance of Keith's
+who had volunteered to act for him were posted nearer at hand. Keith had
+listened attentively to the instructions. The word was to be given--_one,
+two, three. Fire!_ Between the first and last words the duellists were to
+discharge the first shot from their weapons. After that they were to fire
+at will. One shot would have sufficed Jimmy Ware; but Keith, without
+emotion, filed with a dead indifference to any possible danger and a savage
+contempt for the whole proceedings, had insisted on the full measure. He
+was totally unaccustomed to weapons. At the word of command he raised the
+revolver and fired, carelessly but coolly, and without result. One after
+the other he discharged the six chambers of his weapon, aiming as well as
+he knew how. It did not occur to him that Ware was firing at him. After the
+sixth miss he threw the revolver away in cold disgust.
+
+"This is a farce," said he, "and I'm not going to be fool enough to take
+part in it any longer."
+
+Jimmy Ware, delighted at finding himself unharmed, and confident now that
+bluff would go, started to say something lofty and disdainful. Keith
+whirled back on him.
+
+"If you want 'satisfaction,' as you call it, you'll get it, and you'll get
+it plenty! I'm sick of being made a fool of. Just open your ugly head to me
+again, and I'll knock it off your shoulders!" His eye smouldered
+dangerously, and Jimmy Ware, very uncertain in his mind, took refuge in a
+haughty look. Keith glared at him moment, then turned to the crowd: "I'll
+give all of you fair warning," said he. "I'm going to do my legal duty in
+all things; and I'm not going to fight duels. Anybody who interferes with
+me is going to get into trouble!"
+
+An uproar ensued. All this was most irregular, unprecedented, a disgrace to
+a gentlemen's meeting. The major roared like a bull. If a man would not
+fight, would not defend his actions, how could a gentleman get at him
+except by street brawling or assassination, and both of these were
+repugnant to finer feelings. A dozen fire-eaters felt themselves personally
+insulted. The crowd surrounded Keith, shouting at him, jostling him,
+threatening. A cool, somewhat amused voice broke in.
+
+"Gentlemen," said Talbot Ward, in so decided a tone that they turned to
+hear. "I am a neutral non-partisan in this little war, I am for neither
+party, for neither opinion, in the matter. I, like Mr, Keith, never fight
+duels. But may I suggest--merely in the interest of fair play--that for the
+moment you are forgetting yourselves? My opinion coincides with Mr. Keith's
+that duelling is a foolish sort of game, but it is a game, and recognized;
+and if you are going to play it, why not stick to its rules? Mr. Keith, and
+Mr. Ware have exchanged shots. Mr. Ware has therefore had 'satisfaction.'
+Now Mr. Keith and I going to walk--quietly--to the boat. We do not expect
+to be molested."
+
+"By God, Tal!" cried Major Miles in astonishment, "ye' don't mean to tell
+me yo're linin' yourself up on the side of that blackleg!"
+
+"Well," put in a new voice, a very cheerful voice, "I don't pretend to be
+neutral, and I'd just as lief fight duels as not, and I'm willing to state
+to you all that though I don't know a damn thing about this case nor its
+merits, I like this man's style. And I'm ready to state that I'll take his
+place and fight any--or all of you--right here and now. You, Major?"
+
+All eyes turned to him. He was a dark, eager youth, standing with his
+slouch hat in his hand, his head thrown back, his mop of shiny black hair
+tossed from his forehead, his eyes glowing. The major hummed and fussed.
+
+"I have absolutely no quarrel with you, suh!" he said.
+
+"Nor with my friend yonder?" insisted the newcomer.
+
+"I should esteem it beneath my dignity to fight with a craven and a coward,
+suh!" the major saved his face.
+
+The stranger glanced at Keith, an amused light in his eyes.
+
+"We'll let it go at that," he conceded. "Anybody else?" he challenged,
+eying them.
+
+Every one seemed busy getting ready to go home, and appeared not to hear
+him. After a moment he put on his felt hat and joined Keith and Ward, who
+were walking slowly toward the landing.
+
+"Well," remarked a rough-looking Yankee--our old friend Graves of the
+Eurekas to his friend Carter--"I didn't know anything would cool off the
+major like that!"
+
+"I reckon the major knew who he was talking to," replied Carter.
+
+"Who is the cuss? I never saw him before."
+
+"Don't you know him? I reckon you must have heard of him, anyway. He's just
+down from the Sierra. That's the express rider, Johnny Fairfax--Diamond
+Jack, they call him."
+
+Graves whistled an enlightened whistle.
+
+
+
+
+XLVIII
+
+
+Johnny Fairfax accompanied Keith all the way back to his office, although
+Talbot Ward said good-bye at the wharves. He bubbled over with conversation
+and enthusiasm, and seemed to have taken a great fancy to the lawyer. The
+theme of his glancing talk was the duel, over which he was immensely
+amused; but from it he diverged on the slightest occasion to comment on
+whatever for the moment struck his notice.
+
+"That was certainly the rottenest shooting I ever saw!" he exclaimed over
+and over, and then would go off into peals of laughter. "I don't see how
+twelve shots at that distance could miss! After the second exchange I
+concluded even the side line wasn't safe, and I got behind a tree. Pays to
+be prompt In your decision; there were a hundred applicants for that tree a
+moment later, The bloodless duel as a parlour amusement! You ought to have
+charged that large and respectable audience an admission fee! That's a good
+idea; I'll present it to you! If you ever have another due, you must have a
+good manager! There's money in it!"
+
+Keith laughed a trifle ruefully,
+
+"I suppose it was funny," he acknowledged.
+
+"Now don't get huffy," begged Johnny Fairfax. "What you ought to do is to
+learn to shoot. You'll probably need to know how if you keep on living
+around here," His eye fell on a shooting gallery. "Come in here," he urged
+impulsively.
+
+The proprietor was instructed to load his pistols and for a dozen shots
+Keith was coached vehemently in the elementals of shooting--taught at least
+the theory of pulling steadily, of coordinating various muscles and
+psychological processes that were not at all used to cooerdination. He
+learned that mere steady aiming was a small part of it.
+
+"Anybody can do wonderful shooting with an empty pistol," said Johnny
+contemptuously. "And anybody can hold as steady as a rock--until he pulls
+the trigger."
+
+"It's interesting," conceded Keith; "mighty interesting. I didn't know
+there was so much to it."
+
+"Of course it's interesting," said Johnny. "And you're only at the
+rudiments. Look here!"
+
+And, to the astonishment of Keith, the worshipful adoration of the
+shooting-gallery proprietor, and the awe of the usual audience that
+gathered at the sound of the reports, he proceeded to give an exhibition of
+the skill that had made him famous. The shooting galleries of those days
+used no puny twenty-twos. Derringers, pocket revolvers, and the huge
+"navies" were at hand--with reduced loads, naturally--for those who in
+habitual life affected these weapons. Johnny shot with all of them,
+displaying the tricks of the gunman with all the naive enthusiasm of youth.
+His manner throughout was that engaging mixture of modesty afraid of being
+thought conceited and eager pride in showing his skill so attractive to
+everybody. At first he shot deliberately, splitting cards, hitting marbles,
+and devastating whole rows of clay pipes. Then he took to secreting the
+weapons in various pockets from which he produced and discharged them in
+lightning time. His hand darted with the speed and precision of a snake's
+head.
+
+"I've just been fooling with shooting things tossed in the air," he said,
+exuberant with enthusiasm. "But I'm afraid we can't try that here."
+
+"I'm afraid not," agreed the proprietor regretfully.
+
+"It really isn't very hard, once you get the knack."
+
+"Oh, no," said the proprietor with elaborate sarcasm. "Say," he went on
+earnestly, "I suppose it ain't no use trying to hire you--"
+
+Johnny shook his head, smiling.
+
+"I was afraid not," observed the proprietor disappointedly. "You'd be the
+making of this place. Drop in any time you want practice. Won't cost you a
+cent. Would you mind telling me your name?"
+
+"Fairfax," replied Johnny, gruffly embarrassed.
+
+"Not Diamond Jack?" hesitated the proprietor.
+
+"I'm sometimes called that," conceded Johnny, still more gruffly. "How much
+is it?"
+
+"Not one gosh-danged continental red cent," cried the man, "and I'm pleased
+to meet you."
+
+Johnny shook his extended hand, mumbled something, and bolted for the
+street. Keith followed, laughing.
+
+"It seems you're quite a celebrity," he observed.
+
+But Johnny refused to pursue that subject.
+
+"You come with me and buy you a pistol," he growled. "You ought not to be
+allowed loose. You're as helpless as a baby."
+
+Johnny picked out a small .31 calibre revolver and a supply of ammunition.
+
+"Now you practise!" was his final warning and advice.
+
+Keith went home with a new glow at his heart. He was ripe for a friend.
+
+Johnny seemed to have little to do for the moment. He never volunteered
+information as to his business or his plans, and Keith never inquired. But
+the young express rider fell into the habit of dropping in at Keith's
+office. He was always very apologetic and solicitous as to whether or no he
+was interrupting, saying that he had stopped for only ten seconds; but he
+invariably ended in the swivel chair with a good cigar. Keith was at this
+time busy; but he was never too busy for Johnny Fairfax. The latter was a
+luxury to which he treated himself. Johnny was not only welcome because he
+was practically Keith's only friend, but also his frank and engaging
+comments on men and things were gradually giving the harassed lawyer a new
+point of view on the society in which he found himself. Keith, as a
+newcomer in a community already established, had naturally accepted the
+prominent figures in that community as he would have accepted prominent
+figures anywhere: that is, as respectable, formidable, admirable, solid,
+unquestioned pillars of society. He was of a modest disposition and
+disinclined to question. He respected them as any modest young man respects
+those older and more successful than himself. For the same reason he
+accepted their views and their authority; or, if he questioned them, he did
+so sadly, almost guiltily, with many heart-searchings.
+
+But Johnny Fairfax held no such attitude. Not he! The city's great names
+had scant respect from him! Not for an instant did he hesitate to criticise
+or analyze the most renowned. It was not long before he learned all about
+the Cora trial and Keith's subsequent efforts to discipline McDougall and
+his associates.
+
+"I hope you get 'em!" said he; "the whole lot! I don't know much about this
+McDougall; but I do know his friends, and most of 'em aren't worth thinkin'
+about. They're big people here, but back where I came from, in old
+Virginia, the best of 'em wouldn't be overseers on a plantation. That's why
+they like it so much out here. Look at that gang! Casey has been in the
+penitentiary, Rowlee ran some little blackleg sheet down South until they
+run him out---I tell you, sir, as a Southerner I'm not proud of the
+Southerners out here. They're a cheap lot, most of 'em. They were a cheap
+lot home. The only difference is that back there everybody knew it, and out
+here everybody thinks they're great people because they get up on their
+hind legs and say so out loud. That old bluff, Major Miles, he was put out
+of a Richmond club, sir, for cheatin' at cards--I know that for a fact!"
+
+Somehow, this frank criticism was like a breeze of fresh air to Keith: it
+put new courage into him. Johnny Fairfax had no interests in the city; he
+had no fear; his viewpoint was free from all sham; he was newly in from the
+outside. Through his eyes things fell into perspective. Suddenly San
+Francisco upper society became to Keith what it really was: a welter of
+cheap, bragging, venal, self-seeking men, with here and there an honest
+fine character standing high above. And he began, but dimly, to see that
+the real men of the place were not--as yet--well known. Probably one of the
+most impressive and typical figures of the time was Justice of the Supreme
+Court Terry. In the eyes of those too close to events to have a clear sense
+of proportion, he was one of the great men of his period. Courtly,
+handsome, with haughty manners, of aristocratic bearing, fiercely proud,
+touchily quarrelsome on "points of honour," generous but a bitter hater, he
+and his equally handsome, proud, and fiery wife were considered by many
+people of the time as embodying the ideal of Southern chivalry. But Johnny
+Fairfax would have none of it.
+
+"He a typical Southern gentleman!" he laughed, "As being born in the South
+myself, I repudiate that! I know too much about Terry. Why, look here: he's
+a good sport, and he's got ability, and he makes friends, and he isn't
+afraid of anything, But then you stop. He's not a gentleman! It shows most
+particularly when he gets mad. Then he'll throw over anything--anything--to
+have his own way. He's a big man now, but he won't be knee-high to a June
+bug before he gets done."
+
+Johnny's prediction was long in fulfilment, but a score of years later it
+came to pass, and Judge Terry's reputation has sunk almost to the level of
+that of his brother on the bench--Judge "Ned" McGowan.
+
+"They're all a bad lot," Johnny finished, "and I hope you lick them! You
+don't know all the good folks in this town yet!"
+
+
+
+
+XLIX
+
+
+Calhoun Bennett dropped the matter, and contented himself with cutting
+Keith dead whenever they happened to meet. Jimmy Ware and Black were men of
+a different sort; indeed McDougall had made them his associates mainly
+because of their knowledge of the city's darker phases and their
+unscrupulousness. In the admirable organization thus sketched Calhoun
+Bennett had acted as a sort of go-between.
+
+After the duel these two precious citizens held many anxious consultations.
+They could not tell just how much evidence Keith had succeeded in
+gathering, but they knew that plenty of it existed. If the matter came to
+an issue, they suspected the consequences might be serious. Either Keith or
+his evidence must in some way be got rid of. Black, who was inclined by
+instinct and training to be direct, was in favour of the simple expedient
+of hiring assassins.
+
+"Won't do," negatived the more astute Ware. "The thing will be traced back
+to us--not legally, of course, but to a moral certainty, and while they
+won't be able to prove anything on us, the state of the public mind is such
+that hell would pop."
+
+"He says he won't fight another duel," said Black doubtfully.
+
+"No."
+
+"We've got to kill him in a street quarrel, then."
+
+"He's got to be killed in a street quarrel," amended Ware, "that's certain;
+but nobody even remotely connected with this Cora trial must seem to have
+anything to do with it. It must have the appearance of a private quarrel
+from away outside. Otherwise----"
+
+"Got anybody in mind?" asked the practical Black.
+
+"Yes, and he ought to be here at any moment."
+
+As though Jimmy Ware's words had been the cue for which he waited, Morrell
+here entered the room.
+
+
+
+
+L
+
+
+
+At three o'clock in the afternoon of May 14, 1856, the current issue of the
+_Bulletin_ was placed on sale. A very few minutes later a copy found its
+way into the hands of James Casey. Casey at that time, in addition to his
+political cares, was editor of a small sheet he called the _Sunday Times_.
+With this he had strenuously supported the extreme wing of the Law party,
+which, as has been explained, comprised also the gambling and lawless
+element. It was suspected by some that his paper was more or less
+subsidized for the purpose, though the probability is that Casey found his
+reward merely in political support. This Casey it was who, to his own vast
+surprise, had at a previous election been returned as elected supervisor;
+although he was not a candidate, his name was not on the ticket, and no man
+could be found who had voted for him. Indeed, he was not even a resident of
+the district. However, Yankee Sullivan, who ran the election, said
+officially the votes had been cast for him; so elected he was proclaimed.
+Undoubtedly he proved useful; he had always proved useful at elections
+elsewhere, seldom appearing in person, but adept at selecting suitable
+agents. His methods were devious, dishonest, and rough. He was head of the
+Crescent Fire Engine Company, and was personally popular. In appearance he
+was a short, slight man, with a bright, keen face, a good forehead, a thin
+but florid countenance, dark curly hair, and light blue eyes, a type of
+unscrupulous Irish adventurer with a dash of romantic ideals. Like all the
+gentlemen rovers of his time, he was exceedingly touchy on the subject of
+"honour."
+
+In the _Bulletin_ of the date mentioned James Casey read these words,
+apropos of the threat of one Bagby to shoot Casey on sight:
+
+ It does not matter how bad a man Casey had been, or how much benefit
+ it might be to the public to have him out of the way, we cannot accord
+ to any one citizen the right to kill him, or even beat him, without
+ justifiable provocation. The fact that Casey has been an inmate of
+ Sing Sing prison in New York is no offence against the laws of this
+ State; nor is the fact of his having stuffed himself through the
+ ballot box, as elected to the Board of Supervisors from a district
+ where it is said he was not even a candidate, any justification for
+ Mr. Bagby to shoot Casey, however richly the latter may deserve to
+ have his neck stretched for such fraud on the public.
+
+Casey read this in the full knowledge that thousands of his fellow-citizens
+would also read it. His thin face turned white with anger. He crumpled the
+paper into a ball and hurled it violently into the gutter, settled his hat
+more firmly on his head, and proceeded at once to the _Bulletin_ office
+with the full intention of shooting King on sight. Probably he would have
+done so, save for the accidental circumstance that King happened to be busy
+at a table, his back squarely to the door. Casey could not shoot a man in
+the back without a word. He was breathless and stuttering with excitement.
+King was alone, but an open door into an adjoining office permitted two
+witnesses to see and hear.
+
+"What do you mean by that article?" cried Casey in a strangled voice.
+
+King turned slowly, and examined his visitor for a moment.
+
+"What article?" he inquired at last.
+
+"That which says I was formerly an inmate of Sing Sing!"
+
+King gazed at him with a depth of detached, patient sadness in his dark
+eyes.
+
+"Is it not true?" he asked finally.
+
+"That is not the question," retorted Casey, trying again to work himself up
+to the rage in which he had entered. "I do not wish my past acts rated up:
+on that point I am sensitive."
+
+A faint smile came and went on King's lips.
+
+"Are you done?" he asked still quietly;  then, receiving no reply, he
+turned in his chair and leaned forward with a sudden intensity. His next
+words hit with the impact of bullets: "There's the door! Go! Never show
+your face here again!" he commanded.
+
+Casey found himself moving toward the open door. He did not want to do
+this, he wanted to shoot King, or at least to provoke a quarrel, but he was
+for the moment overcome by a stronger personality. At the door he gathered
+himself together a little.
+
+"I'll say in my paper what I please!" he asserted, with a show of bravado.
+
+King was leaning back, watching him steadily.
+
+"You have a perfect right to do so," he rejoined. "I shall never notice
+your paper."
+
+Casey struck himself on the breast.
+
+"And if necessary I shall defend myself!" he cried.
+
+King's passivity broke. He bounded from his seat bristling with anger.
+
+"Go!" he commanded sharply, and Casey went.
+
+
+LI
+
+
+
+People had already read King's article in the _Bulletin_. People had seen
+Casey heading for the _Bulletin_ office with blood in his eye. The news had
+spread. When the Irishman emerged he found waiting for him a curious crowd.
+His friends crowded around asking eager questions. Casey answered with
+vague but bloodthirsty generalities: he wasn't a man to be trifled with,
+and egad some people had to find that out! blackmailing was not a healthy
+occupation when it was aimed at a gentleman! He left the impression that
+King had recanted, had apologized, had even begged--there would be no more
+trouble. Uttering brags of this sort, Casey led the way to the Bank
+Exchange, a fashionable bar near at hand. Here he set up the drinks, and
+was treated in turn. His bragging became more boastful. He made a fine
+impression, but within his breast the taste of his interview with King
+curdled into dangerous bitterness. Casey could never stand much alcohol.
+The well-meant admiration and sympathy of his friends served only to
+increase his hidden, smouldering rage. His eyes became bloodshot, and he
+talked even more at random.
+
+In the group that surrounded him was our old acquaintance, Judge Edward
+McGowan--Ned McGowan--jolly, hard drinking, oily, but not as noisy as
+usual. He was watching Casey closely. The Honourable Ned was himself a
+fugitive from Pennsylvania justice. By dint of a gay life, a happy
+combination of bullying and intrigue, he had made himself a place in the
+new city, and at last had "risen" to the bench. He was apparently all on
+the surface, but his schemes ran deep. Some historians claim that he had
+furnished King the documents proving Casey an ex-convict! Now, when he
+considered the moment opportune, he drew Casey from the noisy group at the
+bar.
+
+"All this talk is very well," he said contemptuously to the Irishman, "but
+I see through it. What are you going to do about it?"
+
+"I'll get even with the----, don't you worry about that!" promised Casey,
+still blustering.
+
+This McGowan brushed aside as irrelevant. "Are you armed?" he asked. "No,
+that little weapon is too uncertain. Take this." He glanced about him, and
+hastily passed to Casey a big "navy" revolver. "You can hide it under your
+cloak--so!" He fixed Casey's eyes with his own, and brought to bear on the
+little man all the force of his very vital personality, "Listen: King comes
+by here every evening. Everybody knows that, and everybody knows what has
+happened."
+
+He stared at Casey significantly for a moment, then turned abruptly away.
+Casey, become suddenly quiet, his blustering mood fallen from him, his face
+thoughtful and white, his eyes dilated, said nothing. He returned to the
+bar, took a solitary drink, and walked out the door, his right hand
+concealed beneath his long cloak. McGowan watched him intently, following
+to the door, and looking after the other's retreating form. Casey walked
+across the street, but stopped behind a wagon, where he stood, apparently
+waiting. McGowan, with a grunt of satisfaction, sauntered deliberately to
+the corner of the Bank Exchange. There he leaned against the wall, also
+waiting.
+
+For nearly an hoar the two thus remained: Casey shrouded in his cloak,
+apparently oblivious to everything except the corner of Merchant and
+Montgomery streets, on which he kept his eyes fixed; McGowan lounging
+easily, occasionally speaking a low word to a passerby. Invariably the
+person so addressed came to a stop. Soon a little group had formed, idling
+with Judge McGowan. A small boy happening by was commandeered with a
+message for Pete Wrightman, the deputy sheriff, and shortly Pete arrived
+out of breath to join the group.
+
+At just five o'clock the idlers stiffened to attention. King's figure was
+seen to turn the corner of Merchant Street into Montgomery. Head bent, he
+walked toward the corner of the Bankers' Exchange, the men on the corner
+watching him. When nearly at that point he turned to cross the street
+diagonally.
+
+At the same instant Casey stepped forward from behind the wagon, throwing
+back his cloak.
+
+
+LII
+
+The same afternoon Johnny Fairfax and Keith were sitting together in the
+Monumental's reading-room. They happened to be the only members in the
+building with the exception of Bert Taylor, who was never anywhere else. Of
+late Keith had acquired the habit of visiting the reading-room at this
+empty hour. He was beginning to shrink from meeting his fellowmen. Johnny
+Fairfax was a great comfort to him, for the express rider was never out of
+spirits, had a sane outlook, and entertained a genuine friendship for the
+young lawyer. Although yet under thirty years of age, he was already an
+"old-timer," for he had come out in '49, and knew the city's early history
+at first hand.
+
+"This old bell of yours is historical," he told Keith. "Its tolling called
+together the Vigilantes of '51."
+
+They sat gossiping for an hour, half sleepy with reaction from the fatigues
+of the day, smoking slowly, enjoying themselves. Everything was very
+peaceful--the long slant of a sunbeam through dust motes, the buzz of an
+early bluebottle, the half-heard activities of some of the servants in the
+pantry beyond, preparing for the rush of the cocktail hour. Suddenly Johnny
+raised his head and pricked up his ears.
+
+"What the deuce is that!" he exclaimed.
+
+They listened, then descended to the big open engine-room doors and
+listened again. From the direction of Market Street came the dull sounds of
+turmoil, shouting, the growl and roar of many people excited by something.
+Across the Plaza a man appeared, running. As he came nearer, both could see
+that his face had a very grim expression.
+
+
+"Here!" called Johnny, as the man neared them. "Stop a minute! Tell us
+what's the matter!"
+
+The man ceased running, but did not stop. He was panting but evidently very
+angry. His words came from between gritted teeth.
+
+"Fight," he said briefly. "Casey and James King of William. King's shot."
+
+At the words something seemed to be stilled in Keith's mind. Johnny seized
+the man by the sleeve.
+
+"Hold on," he begged. "I know that kind of a fight. Tell us."
+
+"Casey went up close to King, said 'come on,' and instantly shot him before
+King knew what he was saying."
+
+"Killed?"
+
+"Fatally wounded."
+
+"Where's Casey?"
+
+"In jail--of course--where he's safe--with his friends."
+
+"Where you headed for?"
+
+"I'm going to get my gun!" said the man grimly, and began again to run.
+
+They watched his receding figure until it swung around the corner and
+disappeared. Without warning a white-hot wave of anger swept over Keith.
+All the little baffling, annoying delays, enmities, technicalities,
+chicaneries, personal antagonisms, evasions that had made up the Cora trial
+were in it. He seemed to see clearly the inevitable outcome of this trial
+also. It would be another Cora-Richardson case over again. A brave spirit
+had been brutally blotted out by an outlaw who relied confidently on the
+usual exoneration. With an exclamation Keith darted into the engine house
+to where hung the rope ready for an alarm. An instant later the heavy
+booming of the Monumental's bell smote the air.
+
+
+LIII
+
+
+
+Having given this alarm. Keith, Johnny at his elbow, started toward the
+centre of disturbance, From it arose a dull, menacing roar, like the sound
+of breakers on a rocky coast. Many people, with much excitement, shouting,
+and vituperation, were converging toward the common centre. As this was
+approached, it became more difficult, at last impossible, to proceed. The
+streets were packed, jammed. All sorts of rumours were abroad--King, was
+dead--King was only slightly hurt--Casey was not in jail at all--Casey had
+escaped down the Peninsula--the United States warships had anchored off the
+foot of Market Street and were preparing to bombard the city. There was
+much rushing to and fro without cause. And over all the roar could be
+distinguished occasionally single cries, as one may catch fragments of
+conversation in a crowded room, and all of these were sinister: "Hang him!"
+"Where is he?" "Run him up on a lamp post!" "Bring him out!" "He'll get
+away if left to the officers!" And over all the cries, the shouts, the
+curses, the noise of shuffling feet, the very sound of heavy breathing--
+that--the numbers of the mob magnified to a muffled, formidable undernote,
+pealed louder and louder the Monumental bell, which now Bert Taylor--or
+some one else--was ringing like mad.
+
+Keith's eyes had become grim and inscrutable, and his mouth had settled
+into a hard, straight line. Johnny's interest had at first centred in the
+mob, but after a few curious glances at his companion he transferred it
+entirely to him, Johnny Fairfax was a judge of men and of crises; and now
+he was invaded with a great curiosity to see how the one and the other were
+here to work out. With a determination that would not be gainsaid, Keith
+thrust himself through the crowd until he had gained an elevated coping.
+Here he stood watching. Johnny, after a glance at his face, joined him.
+
+Suddenly in the entrance of Dunbar Alley, next the city jail, a compact
+group of men with drawn pistols appeared. They made their way rapidly to a
+carriage standing near, jumped in, and the driver whipped up his horses.
+With a yell of rage the crowd charged down, but recoiled instinctively
+before the presented pistols. The horses reared and plunged, and before
+anybody had gathered his wits sufficiently to seize the bridles, the whole
+equipage had disappeared around the corner of Kearney Street.
+
+"I must say that was well done," said Johnny.
+
+"North and Charles Duane, with Casey, inside," commented Keith, as
+dispassionately as though reading from a catalogue. "Billy Mulligan and his
+deputies outside. That is to be remembered."
+
+A great mob had surged after the disappearing vehicle, but at least fifty
+yards in the rear. The remainder were following at a more leisurely pace.
+Almost immediately the street was empty. Keith climbed slowly down from his
+coping.
+
+"What do you intend doing?" asked Johnny curiously.
+
+"Nothing yet."
+
+"But they're getting him away!"
+
+"No," said Keith, out of his local knowledge. "They're merely taking him to
+the county jail; it's stronger."
+
+They followed the crowd to the wide open space below the county jail. The
+latter was at that period a solidly built one-story building situated atop
+a low bluff. Below it the marshal had drawn up his officers. They stood
+coolly at ease. The mob, very excited, vociferated, surged back and forth.
+North and his men, busily and coolly, but emphatically, were warning them,
+over and over again, not to approach nearer. A single, concerted rush would
+have overwhelmed the few defenders; but the rush was not made.
+Nevertheless, it could not be doubted that this time the temper of the
+people was very determined. The excitement was growing with every minute.
+Cries again took coherence.
+
+"Hang him!" "Arrest the officers!" "Good, that's it!" "Let's take the
+jail!"
+
+A man burst through the front ranks, clambered up the low bluff on which
+stood the jail, turned, and attempted to harangue the crowd. He was
+instantly torn down by the officers. He fought like a wild cat, and the
+crowd, on the hair trigger as it was, howled and broke forward. But Marshal
+North, who really handled the situation intelligently, sharply commanded
+his men to desist, and instantly to release the orator. He knew better than
+to allow the matter to come to an issue of strength. Intensely excited, the
+man shouldered his way through the crowd, and, assisted by many hands,
+mounted the balcony of a two-story house. Thence he began to harangue, but
+so great was the confusion that he could not be heard.
+
+"Who is he?" "Who is that man?" voices cried from a dozen points.
+
+George Frank, a hotel keeper, possessed of a great voice, shouted back:
+
+"That is Thomas King--"
+
+An officer seized Frank hastily by the collar. "Stop or I'll arrest you!"
+he threatened.
+
+"--brother of James King of William!" bellowed Frank, undaunted.
+
+"Bully for you!" muttered Johnny Fairfax, whose eyes were shining.
+
+Keith was watching the whole scene from beneath the brim of his hat, his
+eyes sombre and expressionless. Johnny glanced at him from time to time,
+but said nothing.
+
+From the balcony Thomas King continued to harangue the crowd. Little of
+what he said could be heard, but he was at a white heat of excitement, and
+those nearest him were greatly aroused. An officer made a movement to
+arrest him, but a hasty message from the sapient North restrained that.
+
+At that moment a great cheer burst out from the lower end of the street.
+Over the heads of the crowd could be distinguished the glint of file after
+file of bayonets.
+
+"That's the ticket!" cried an enthusiast near Keith and Johnny. "Here come
+the militia boys! Now we'll soon have the jail!"
+
+The bayonets bobbed steadily through the crowd, deployed in front of the
+jail, and turned to face the mob. A great groan went up.
+
+"Sold!" cried the enthusiast.
+
+These were volunteers from the Law and Order party, hastily armed from the
+militia armouries, and thrown in front of the jail for its protection.
+
+Immediately they had taken position the jail door opened, and there
+appeared a rather short, carefully dressed man, with side whiskers,
+carrying his hat in his hand. He stood for a moment, appealing for
+attention, one arm upraised. Little by little the noise died down.
+
+"Who is that?" inquired Johnny.
+
+He received no reply from Keith, but the enthusiast informed him:
+
+"That's our beloved mayor--Van Ness," said he.
+
+When quiet had at length been restored, Van Ness addressed them:
+
+"You are here creating an excitement," he said, "which may lead to
+occurrences this night which will require years to wipe out. You are now
+labouring under great excitement, and I advise you quietly to disperse. I
+assure you the prisoner is safe. Let the law have its course and justice
+will be done."
+
+Up to this point Van Ness had been listened to with respect, but at the
+last word he received such a chorus of jeers and cat calls that he retired
+hastily.
+
+"How about Richardson?" they demanded of him. "Where's the law in Cora's
+case?" "To hell with such justice!"
+
+"Not the popular orator," observed Johnny Fairfax.
+
+More soldiers came, and then more, at short intervals, until the square was
+filled with shining bayonets. Johnny was frankly disgusted. As a man of
+action he too well understood that this particular crisis was practically
+over. From this mob the jail was safe.
+
+"They lost their chance talking," he said. "They ought to have rushed the
+jail first pop. Now the whole thing will fizzle out slowly. Let's go get
+supper."
+
+Without reply Keith descended from his perch. They hunted some time for a
+restaurant. All were closed for the sufficient reason that their staffs
+were on the streets. Finally they discovered a Chinese chop house prepared
+to serve them, and here they ate. Johnny was voluble in his scorn for the
+manner in which a golden opportunity had been allowed to slip by. Keith was
+very taciturn.
+
+"Let's get out of here," he said abruptly at last. "Let's get some news."
+
+They learned that King was still alive, though badly wounded in the left
+breast; that he could not be moved; that he was attended by Dr. Beverly
+Cole and a half score of the best surgeons of the city; that a mass meeting
+had been called at the Plaza. Indeed, there could be no doubt that the
+centre of excitement had been shifted to the Plaza. Men by thousands, all
+armed, were marching in that direction. Johnny and Keith found the square
+jammed, but the latter led the way by devious alleys to the rear of the
+Monumental headquarters, and so out to a little second-story balcony.
+
+Below them the faces of the packed mass of humanity showed white in the dim
+light from the street lamps and the buildings. Arms gleamed. Every roof
+top, every window, every balcony was crowded. From the latter vehement
+orators held forth. All wanted to talk at once. Some of these people were,
+as our chronicler of the time quaintly expresses it, "considerably tight."
+Keith looked them all over with an appraising eye, listening at the same
+time to incendiary speeches advising the battering down of the jail and the
+hanging of all its inmates. Occasionally one of the cooler headed would get
+in a few words, but invariably was interrupted by some well-meaning hot
+head.
+
+There seemed to be a great diversity of opinion both among the people on
+the balcony and those below. Keith listened attentively for a time, then,
+with the abruptness that had characterized his movements and decisions
+since the moment he had heard the news of King's assassination, he turned
+away.
+
+"Let's go," he said briefly.
+
+"Oh, hold on!" cried Johnny, aghast. "It's just the shank of the evening!
+We'll miss all the fun."
+
+"There'll be nothing done," said Keith with decision.
+
+"I'm more in hopes," persisted Johnny. "I'll bet there are ten thousand men
+here, armed and angry, and getting angrier every minute. They could fairly
+eat up that lot at the jail."
+
+"They won't," said Keith.
+
+"I'll bet one good man could turn them loose in a minute."
+
+Suddenly Keith's dour taciturnity broke. "You're perfectly right," he
+conceded; "but the point is that good men won't lead a rabble. If we're to
+have good leaders we must have something for them to lead. If we're to cure
+these conditions, we must do things in due order. This cannot be remedied
+by mere excitement nor by deeds done under excitement. I have not yet seen
+anything that promises either satisfaction or reform."
+
+"What do you propose doing, then?" asked Johnny, his intuitions again
+satisfying him that here was the man to tie to.
+
+"Walk about," replied Keith.
+
+They walked about. In the course of the evening they looked in on a dozen
+meetings of which they had news--in the Pioneer Club, in rooms over the old
+Bella Union, in a saloon off Montgomery Street, at the offices of various
+merchants. Keith looked carefully over the personnel of each of these
+various meetings, listened a minute or so, and went out. By some of the men
+so gathered Johnny was quite impressed, but Keith shook his head.
+
+"These meetings are being held by clubs or cliques," he explained his
+disbelief in them. "They influence a certain following, but not a general
+following. This must be a general movement or none at all. The right people
+haven't taken hold."
+
+About midnight he unexpectedly announced that he was going home and to
+bed. Johnny was frankly scandalized,
+
+"I think nothing will happen in this matter," said Keith,
+
+"The time for mob violence has passed. If an attack were now to be made, I
+should consider it unfortunate, and should not want to be mixed up in it,
+anyway. A mob attack is nothing but a manifestation of sheer lawlessness."
+
+"And you're keen for the dear law, of course," said Johnny with sarcasm.
+
+"There is a difference between mere laws and the law. There is a time--
+either here or coming soon--when laws may be broken that justice may be
+done. But no popular movement will succeed unless it has behind it the
+solemn, essential human law. Good-night."
+
+LIV
+
+
+
+On this same afternoon of King's assassination Nan Keith, was expecting
+Sansome in for tea. Afternoon tea was then an exotic institution,
+practically unknown in California society. Ben Sansome was about the only
+man of Nan's acquaintance who took it as a matter of course, without either
+awkwardness, embarrassment, or ill-timed jest. The day had been fine, and
+several times she had regretted her promise as she cast an eye at the glow
+over the gilt-edged tops of the western hills. The sunset through the
+Golden Gate must to-day be very fine.
+
+And Ben Sansome had failed her! She had made certain little especial
+preparations--picked flowers, herself cut the sandwiches thin, put on her
+most becoming tea gown. As time passed she became more and more annoyed.
+She was disappointed not so much at the absence of Ben Sansome as a person
+as at the waste of her efforts.
+
+But at six o'clock, when she had given him up, and was about to change from
+her tea gown, he came in, full of apologies, very flustered, and bursting
+with news.
+
+"King was shot on the street by Casey," he told her, trying not
+unsuccessfully for his habitual detached manner. "I stopped to get the news
+for you. King is not dead, but probably fatally wounded. Casey is in jail.
+There is a great public excitement--a mob is forming. I've been expecting
+something of the sort. King has been pretty free with his comments."
+
+At seven o'clock Nan jumped to her feet in a sudden panic.
+
+"Why, I wonder where Milton is!" she cried. "He's never been so late as
+this before!"
+
+"He's probably stayed downtown to follow the course of the excitement.
+Naturally he would. He may not get home to supper at all."
+
+Wing Sam announced supper. He was unheeded. Even Gringo, his ears cocked,
+watched the door, getting up uneasily, whining, sniffing inquiringly, and
+lying down again. At half-past seven Sansome firmly intervened.
+
+"You're going to make yourself ill," he insisted, "if you don't eat
+something. I am hungry, anyway, and I'm not going to leave you until he
+comes back."
+
+"Oh, you must be starved! How thoughtless I am!" she cried.
+
+Sansome, who, it must be confessed, had been somewhat chagrined at the
+apparent intensity of her anxiety, was, within the next two hours,
+considerably reassured. Nan never did things halfway. For the moment she
+had forgotten her guest. He was certainly very kind, very thoughtful--as
+always--to stay here with her. She must not oppress his spirits. But the
+inner tension was terrible. She felt that shortly something must snap. And
+after supper, when they had returned to the drawing-room, a queer, low,
+growling, distant roar, borne on a chance shift of wind, broke one of her
+sentences in the middle.
+
+"What's that?" she cried, but before Sansome had replied, she knew what It
+was, the roar of the mob! And Milton was somewhere there!
+
+Suddenly a wave of reaction swept her, of anger. Why was he there? Why
+wasn't he at home? Why had he made no attempt to relieve her cruel anxiety?
+A messenger--it would have been very simple! And Ben Sansome was so kind--
+as always. She turned to him with a new decision.
+
+"I know you are dying to go see what is going on," she said. "You simply
+must not stay here any longer on my account. I insist! Indeed, I think I'll
+go to bed." But Ben Sansome, his manner becoming almost caressingly
+protective, would not listen.
+
+"It isn't safe to leave you alone," he told her. "All the worst elements of
+the city will be out. No woman should be left alone in times of such
+danger. I should feel most uneasy at leaving you before your husband comes
+in."
+
+His words were correct enough, but he managed to convey his opinion that he
+was only fulfilling what should have been Keith's first and manifest duty.
+She made no reply. The conversation languished and died. They sat in the
+lamplight opposite each other, occasionally exchanging a word or so.
+Sansome was content and enjoying himself. He conceived that the stars were
+fighting for him, and he was enjoying the hour. Nan, a prey alternately to
+almost uncontrollable fits of anxiety and flaming resentment, could hardly
+sit still.
+
+About midnight Gringo pricked up his ears and barked sharply. A moment
+later Keith came in.
+
+He was evidently dead tired and wholly preoccupied. He hung up his hat
+absently. Nan had sprung to her feet.
+
+"Oh, how could you!" she cried, the pent exasperation in her voice. "I've
+been so anxious! I didn't know what might have happened!"
+
+"I'm all right," replied Keith briefly. "Sorry you were worried. No chance
+to send you word."
+
+His apparent indifference added fuel to Nan's irritation.
+
+"If it hadn't been for Ben, I should have been stark, staring crazy, here
+all alone!".
+
+Keith for the first time appeared to notice Sansome's presence. He nodded
+at him wearily.
+
+"Mighty good of you," said he. "I appreciate it."
+
+"I thought _some_ man ought to be in the house at a time of such public
+excitement," rejoined Sansome significantly.
+
+Keith failed to catch, or elected not to notice, the implication. Nan's
+cheeks turned red.
+
+Without further remark Keith walked across to lock the window; returning,
+he extinguished a small lamp on the side table. He was tired out, knew he
+must be up early, and wanted above everything to get to bed. The hint was
+sufficiently obvious. Sansome rose. Nan's flush deepened with
+mortification.
+
+"Well, I'll just run along," said Sansome cheerfully. He did not ask for
+news of the evening, nor did Keith volunteer it. Keith nodded at him
+briefly and indifferently. He did not mean to be rude, but his wearied mind
+was filled to the exclusion of everything else with the significance of
+this day.
+
+Nan, feeling that she must make amends, followed Sansome into the hall. Her
+anxiety for Keith's safety relieved, her whole reaction was indignantly
+toward Sansome.
+
+"I'm sorry to have you go," she said, with a feeling that other
+circumstances could not have called out, "I don't know what I'd have done
+without you!"
+
+Sansome's sensitive intuitions thrilled to the feeling.
+
+"Your husband is here to take care of you--now," he murmured. "I must be
+off." He took her hand, and bent over her, gazing into her eyes with the
+concentration of a professional hypnotist, "Good-night," he said, with a
+world of unexpressed meaning. "Try to get some sleep--Nan," He said her
+name in a lower tone, almost lingeringly, then turned abruptly and went
+out.
+
+Nan stood looking for a moment at the closed door. The effect of his
+personality was on her spirit, the mantle of his care for her, his
+consideration for her every mood, wrapped her about gratefully.
+
+She found the lights all out, and Keith already half undressed.
+
+"I must say, Milton," she said, "you might have been a little less rude to
+Mr. Sansome. It would have only been decent after he had sat up here until
+all hours."
+
+Keith, whose wide eyes would have showed him to be wholly preoccupied with
+some inner vision or problem, answered impatiently from the surface of his
+mind:
+
+"What in the world did I do to Sansome?"
+
+"You didn't do anything, that's the trouble. Do you realize he waited here
+over six hours for you to come in?"
+
+"Oh, I guess he'll pull through," said Keith a little contemptuously.
+
+Nan became indignant.
+
+"At least," she retorted, "you ought to be grateful that he stayed to
+protect the place!"
+
+"The place was in no danger," said Keith, yawning.
+
+She checked herself, and made a fresh start.
+
+"What's it all about? What's happened? Where have you been?" she asked.
+
+Keith roused himself with an effort.
+
+"I've been a little of everywhere. Lord, I'm tired! There's a mob about
+trying to get up nerve to hang Casey. I suppose you've heard that Casey
+shot King this afternoon?"
+
+"Yes, I heard that."
+
+"Well, when I saw nothing was going to happen, I came home, though I'm not
+sure the trouble is over."
+
+Having said this, Keith fell gratefully to his pillow. Nan was nervous,
+wide-awake, curious. She asked a number of questions. Keith answered with
+extreme brevity. He was temporarily exhausted. Shortly he fell asleep
+between two sentences.
+
+
+
+LV
+
+
+
+The following morning Keith woke early, slipped to the kitchen where he was
+fed by Wing Sam, and was downtown before Nan, who had not so promptly
+fallen asleep, had yet stirred. Even at that hour the streets were crowded.
+Many--and the majority of these were "considerably tight," or otherwise
+looking the worse for wear--had been up all night, unable to tear
+themselves away from the fascinating centres of excitement. The majority,
+however, had, like Keith, snatched some repose, and now were out eager to
+discover what a new day might bring forth.
+
+The morning newspapers had been issued. Each man held a copy of one of them
+open at the editorial column, and others tucked away under his arm. Never
+had there been such a circulation; and in the case of the _Herald_ never
+would so many be sold again. For that ill-starred sheet, mistaking utterly
+the times, held boldly along the way of its sympathies. It spoke of the
+assassination as an "affray"; held forth violently against the mob spirit
+of the evening before; and stated vehemently its opinion that, now that
+"Justice is regularly administered" there was no excuse for even the threat
+of public violence. If there had been any doubt as to the depth to which
+public opinion was at last stirred, the reception of the _Herald's_
+editorial would have settled it. Actually, for the moment, indignation
+seemed to run more strongly against that sheet than against Casey himself.
+
+Keith glanced over this editorial with a half smile, tossed the paper in
+the gutter, and opened the _Alta_ for news. King, still living, had been
+removed from the office of the Express Company to a room in the Montgomery
+Block. There, attended by his wife, Dr. Beverly Cole, and a whole corps of
+volunteer physicians, he was making a fight for life. The bullet had
+penetrated his left breast. That was all that was to be reported at
+present. Keith glanced at the third page. His eye was caught by this
+notice:
+
+THE VIGILANCE COMMITTEE
+
+The members of the Vigilance Committee in good standing will please meet at
+No. 105-1/2 Sacramento Street, this day, Thursday, 15th instant, at nine
+o'clock A.M.
+
+By order of the
+
+COMMITTEE OF THIRTEEN.
+
+While he was still gazing thoughtfully at this Johnny Fairfax, fresh as the
+morning, appeared at his elbow.
+
+"Hello, wise man," he greeted him cheerily. "You were a good prophet--and
+you got some sleep. I hung around all night, but nothing new was done."
+
+"Look here," said Keith, placing his finger on the notice, "do you suppose
+this genuine?"
+
+Johnny read the notice.
+
+"Couldn't say."
+
+"Because if this is actually the old Committee of '51, it means business."
+
+"There's one way to find out."
+
+"How's that?"
+
+"Go and see," advised Johnny.
+
+Number 105-1/2 Sacramento Street proved to be a big three-storied barnlike
+structure that had been built by a short-lived political party called the
+Know Nothings. Already the hall was packed to its full capacity, the
+entrance ways jammed, and a big crowd had gathered in the streets.
+
+"Fine chance we have here!" observed Johnny ruefully.
+
+They stood well free of the press for a few moments, watching. More men
+were coming from all directions. But Johnny was resourceful, and likewise
+restless.
+
+"Let's prowl around a little," he suggested to his companion.
+
+They prowled to such good purpose that they discovered, at the rear of the
+building, opening into a blind alley, a narrow wooden stairway. It was
+unguarded and untenanted.
+
+"Here we are," pronounced Johnny.
+
+They ascended it, and immediately found themselves In a small room back of
+the stage or speaker's platform, It contained about a score of men. Their
+aspect was earnest, serious, grave. Although there was a sufficiency of
+chairs, they were all afoot, gathered in a loose group, in whose centre
+stood William Coleman, his massive shoulders squared, his large bony, hands
+clenched at his side, his florid complexion even more flushed than usual,
+his steady eye travelling slowly from one face to another, Again the
+strange contradictions in, his appearance struck Keith with the impact of a
+distinct shock--the low smoothed hair, the sweeping blue-black moustache,
+the vivid colour, and high cheek bones of the typical gambler--the clear
+eye, firm mouth, incisive, deliberate speech, the emanation of personality
+that inspired confidence. Next him, talking earnestly, stood Clancey
+Dempster, a small man, mild of manner, blue eyed, with light, smooth hair,
+the last man in the room one would have picked for great firmness and
+courage, yet destined to play one of the leading roles in this crisis. The
+gigantic merchant, Truett, towered above him, he who had calmly held two
+fighting teamsters apart by their collars; and homely, stubborn, honest
+Farwell, direct, uncompromising, inspired with tremendous single-minded
+earnestness, but tender as a girl to any under dog; and James Dows, rough
+and ready, humorous, blasphemous, absolutely direct, endowed with "horse
+sense," eccentric, but of fundamentally good judgment: Hossfros of '51; Dr.
+Beverly Cole, high spirited, distinguished looking, courtly; the excitable,
+active, nervous, talkative, but staunch Tom Smiley, Isaac Blucome whose
+signature as "33, Secretary" was to become terrible; fiery little George
+Ward, willing--but unable--to whip his weight in wild cats. As Keith
+recognized these men, and others of their stamp, he nodded his head
+contentedly.
+
+Johnny Fairfax must have caught the same impression, for he leaned across
+to whisper to Keith, his eyes shining:
+
+"We've hit it!"
+
+Their entrance had passed unnoticed in the absorption of discussion.
+Coleman was speaking, evidently in final decision.
+
+"It is a serious business," said he. "It is no child's play. It may prove
+very serious. We may get through quickly, so safely, or we may so involve
+ourselves as never to get through."
+
+"The issue is not of choice, but of expediency," urged Dempster. "Shall we
+have vigilance with order or a mob with anarchy?"
+
+Coleman pondered a moment, then threw up his head.
+
+"On two conditions I will accept the responsibility--absolute obedience,
+absolute secrecy."
+
+Without waiting for a reply to this he threw open a door, and followed by
+the others, stepped out on the platform. A roar greeted their appearance.
+Johnny and Keith, remaining modestly in the background, lingered near the
+open door.
+
+The hall was filled to its utmost capacity. Every inch of floor space was
+occupied, and men perched on sills, clung to beams. Coleman raised his hand
+and obtained an immediate dead silence.
+
+"In view of the miscarriage of justice in the courts," he announced
+briefly, "it has been thought expedient to revive the Vigilance Committee.
+An Executive Council was chosen by a representative of the whole body. I
+have been asked to take charge. I will do so, but must stipulate that I am
+to be free to choose the first council myself. Is that agreed?"
+
+A roar of assent answered him.
+
+"Very well, gentlemen. I shall request you to vacate the hall. In a short
+time the books will be open for enrollment."
+
+He turned and reentered the anteroom followed by the others. In so doing he
+came face to face with the intruders.
+
+"This is not your place, gentlemen," he told them courteously.
+
+They retired down the narrow back stairs and joined the huge throng that
+filled the streets, waiting patiently and quietly, its eyes fixed on the
+closed doors of the hall. In a remarkably short time these doors were
+thrown open. Those nearest surged forward. Inside the passage were twelve
+men, later to be known as the Executive Committee. These held back the
+rush, admitting but one man at a time. The crowd immediately caught the
+idea. There was absolutely no excitement. Every man was grimly in earnest.
+Cries of "Order! Order! Line up!" came from different parts of the throng.
+A rough quadruple queue was formed extending down the street. There was no
+talk nor smiles, none of the usual rough joking. Each waited his turn
+without impatience.
+
+Johnny Fairfax and Keith, owing to the chance that they had, entered the
+crowd from the nearby alley and found themselves close to the head of the
+line. As they neared the entrance, and so could hear what was there going
+on, they found that each applicant was being closely scrutinized and
+interrogated. The great majority passed this ordeal, but several men were
+peremtorily turned back with a warning not to try again.
+
+Keith's turn came. He was conscious of the scrutiny of many eyes; he heard
+the word "pass" pronounced by some one in the background, and climbed the
+stairs. At the top he was directed to an anteroom at the left. Here behind
+a table sat Coleman, Dempster, and a third man unknown to him. To them he
+repeated the words of an oath of secrecy, and then was passed into another
+room where Isaac Bluxome sat behind a ledger. In this he wrote his name.
+
+"Your number is 178," said Bluxome to him, "By that number, and not by your
+name, you are henceforth to be known here. Never use names, always their
+numbers, in referring to other members."
+
+Thence Keith was directed to the main hall where were those already
+admitted. These were gathered in groups discussing the situation. In a
+moment Johnny Fairfax joined him.
+
+"179, I am," said Johnny. His eyes swept the hall. "Not much mob spirit
+about this; it looks like business."
+
+They hung around for an hour. The hall slowly filled. Finally, learning
+that nothing further was to be done until the enrollment had finished, they
+wandered out again into the street. The unbroken lines of applicants
+extended as far down the street as the eye could see.
+
+All that day the applicants, orderly and grim with purpose, were passed
+through in line. By mid-day it was seen that the Know-Nothing Hall was
+going to be too small for the meeting that would later take place.
+Therefore, a move was made to the Turnverein Hall. After enrolling, no man
+departed from the vicinity for long. Short absences for hastily snatched
+meals were followed by hurried returns lest something be missed. From time
+to time reports were circulated as to the activities of the Executive
+Committee, which had been in continuous session since its appointment. Thus
+it was said that an Examining Committee had been appointed to scrutinize
+the applicants; that the members of the Executive Committee had been raised
+to twenty-six, that Oscar Smith had been appointed chief of police. The
+latter rumour was immediately verified by the energetic activities of that
+able citizen. He, or his messengers, darted here and there searching for
+individuals wanted as doorkeepers, guards, or police officers. His
+regulations also began to be felt. By evening only registered members of
+the committee were allowed on the floor of the hall, even the expostulating
+reporters being gently but firmly ejected.
+
+Nobody manifested the least excitement or impatience. At eight o'clock
+Coleman came out of one of the side rooms, and, mounting a table, called
+for order.
+
+"A military organization is deemed necessary," he said crisply. "Numbers
+one to one hundred will please assemble in the southwest corner of the
+room; numbers one hundred and one to two hundred will take the first
+window; numbers two hundred and one to three hundred the second window, and
+so on." He hesitated and looked over the assembly. "_Que les Francais, se
+mettent au centre_," he ended.
+
+This command in a foreign language was made necessary by the extraordinary
+number of Frenchmen who had first answered the call of gold in the El
+Dorado of '49; and then with equal enthusiasm responded to this demand for
+essential justice.
+
+Coleman waited while the multitude shifted here and there. When the
+component parts had again come to rest he made his next announcement:
+
+"Now each company will elect its own officers, but those officers are
+subject to the orders of the Executive Committee."
+
+Numbers one hundred and one to two hundred inclusive, the company in which
+Keith and Johnny Fairfax found themselves, were for the most part strangers
+to one another, They exchanged glances, hesitating as to how to begin. Then
+a small, spectacled, man spoke up.
+
+"Gentlemen," said he, "we must get organized as rapidly as possible, Mr,
+Coleman is waiting. We need for a leader a man who is experienced in active
+life. I nominate John Fairfax as captain of this company."
+
+Johnny gasped and turned red.
+
+"Who's your little friend?" Keith whispered.
+
+"Never saw him before in my life," replied Johnny.
+
+The announcement was received with indecision. Nobody immediately replied
+or commented aloud on the nomination, but men were asking each other in
+undertones. The little spectacled man saw this, and spoke up again:
+
+"Perhaps I should say that Mr. Fairfax is better known as Diamond Jack."
+
+Faces cleared, heads nodded. A murmur of recognition replaced the puzzled
+frowning, "Good man," "The express rider," "Danny Randall's man," they told
+each other.
+
+"I do not know Mr. Fairfax," the spectacled man was saying, "but I saw his
+name just before mine on the register."
+
+"This is Fairfax," said Keith, thrusting the reluctant Johnny forward.
+
+He was elected to the post by acclamation.
+
+"Nominations for a lieutenant?" suggested the spectacled man, but Keith
+interrupted.
+
+"If you all have as much confidence in Mr. Fairfax as I have," said he,
+"perhaps you'll give him free hand and let him pick his own officers."
+
+This seemed a good idea, and was instantly adopted.
+
+"Well, I thank you, gentlemen," said Johnny, "and we'll do our best to
+become efficient. Report your names and addresses to this gentleman here--"
+
+"Willey," supplied the little man.
+
+"We shall drill to-morrow at eight sharp. Bring whatever weapons----"
+
+But Coleman was again speaking and on this very subject:
+
+"The committee have arranged with George Law," he was saying, "to supply or
+hire muskets to the number of several thousands. These weapons will be at
+this hall to-morrow morning early. Company captains can then make their
+requisitions."
+
+A murmur of inquiry swept the hall. "George Law? Where did _he_ get several
+thousand muskets?" And the counter current of information making its way
+slowly--they were only flintlocks, perfectly efficient though, had
+bayonets--superseded government arms--brought out some time ago by Law to
+arm some mysterious filibustering expedition that had fizzled.
+
+In this manner, without confusion, an organization of two thousand men was
+formed, sixteen military companies officered and armed.
+
+Shortly after Coleman dismissed the meeting. Its members dispersed to their
+homes. Absolute quiet descended on the city, which slept under the moon.
+
+
+
+
+
+LVI
+
+To the  thoughtful bystander all this preparation had its significance and
+its portent, which became the stronger when he contemplated the
+dispositions of the Law and Order party. The latter had been not less
+vigorous, and its strength could not be doubted. The same day that marked
+the organization of the Vigilantes saw the regular police force largely
+increased. In addition, the sheriff issued thousands of summonses to
+citizens, calling on them for service on a _posse_. These were in due form
+of the law. To refuse them meant to put one's self outside the law. A great
+many of them were responded to, for this reason only, by men not wholly in
+sympathy with either side. Once the oath was administered, these new
+deputies were confronted by the choice between perjury and service. To be
+sure the issuance of these summonses forced many of the neutral minded into
+the ranks of the Vigilantes. The refusal to act placed them on the wrong
+side of the law; and they felt that joining a party pledged to what
+practically amounted to civil war was only a short step farther. The
+various military companies were mustered, reminded of their oaths, called
+upon solemnly to fulfil their sworn duty, and marched to various strategic
+points about the jail and elsewhere. Parenthetically, their every
+appearance on the streets was well hissed by the populace. The governor was
+informally notified of a state of insurrection, and requested to send in
+the State militia. By evening all the forces of organized society were
+under arms. The leaders of the Law and Order party were jubilant. Their
+position appeared to be impregnable. They felt that back of them was all
+the weight of constituted authority, reaching, if need be, to the Federal
+Government at Washington. Opposed to them was lawlessness. Lawlessness had
+occasionally become dignified revolution, to be sure, but only when a race
+took its stand on a great issue; never when a handful espoused a local
+quarrel. Civil war it might be; but civil war, the wise politicians argued,
+must spread to become effective; and how could a civil war based on the
+shooting of an obscure editor in a three-year-old frontier town spread
+anywhere? Especially such an editor as James King of William.
+
+For King had made many bitter enemies. In attacking individual members of a
+class he had often unreasonably antagonized the whole class. Thus he had
+justly castigated the _Times_ and other venal newspapers; but in so doing
+had by his too general statements drawn the fire of every other journal in
+town. He had with entire reason attacked a certain scalawag of a Roman
+Catholic priest--a man the church itself must soon have taken in hand--but
+had somehow managed to offend all Roman Catholics in doing so; likewise,
+there could be no question that his bitter scorn for "the chivalry" was
+well justified, but the manner of its expression offended also the decent
+Southerners. And all these people saw the Vigilantes, not as a protest
+against a condition that had become intolerable, but as the personal
+champions of King. The enemies of King, many of them worthy citizens, quite
+out of sympathy with the present methods of administering the law, became
+the enemies of the Vigilantes.
+
+No wonder the Law and Order party felt no uneasiness. They did not
+underestimate the determination of their opponents. It was felt that
+fighting, severe fighting, was perhaps inevitable. The Law and Order party
+loved fighting. They had chosen as their commander William Tecumseh
+Sherman, later to gain his fame as a great soldier. His greatness in a
+military capacity seems to have been exceeded only by his inability to
+remember facts proved elsewhere by original historical documents. This is
+the only possible explanation for the hash of misstatements comprising
+those chapters in his "Memoirs" dealing with this time. In writing them the
+worthy general evidently forgot that original documents existed, or that
+statements concerning historical events can often be checked.
+
+And as a final source of satisfaction, the Vigilantes had placed themselves
+on record. Every man could be apprehended and made to feel the weight of
+the law. A mob is irresponsible and anonymous. These fools had written down
+their names in books!
+
+
+
+
+LVII
+
+Now a new element was injected into the situation in the person of the
+governor of the State, one J. Neely Johnson, a politician who would long
+since have been utterly forgotten had not his unlucky star risen just at
+this unlucky time. A more unfortunate man for a crisis it would have been
+difficult to find. His whole life had been one of trimming; he had made his
+way by trimming; he had gained the governor's chair by yielding to the
+opinions of others. This training combined perfectly with the natural
+disposition of a chameleon. He was, or became, a sincere trimmer, taking
+his colour and his temporary beliefs from those with whom he happened to
+be. His judgment often stuck at trifles, and his opinions were quickly
+heated but as quickly cooled. His private morals were none of the best,
+which gave certain men an added hold.
+
+On receipt of the message sent by the Law and Order party--but not, be it
+noted, by the proper authorities--requesting the State militia, Governor
+Johnson came down post-haste from Sacramento. Immediately on arriving in
+the city he sent word to Coleman requesting an interview. Coleman at once
+followed the messenger to the Continental Hotel. He was shown to a private
+room where he found Johnson pacing up and down alone. Coleman bowed gravely
+in response to the governor's airy greeting. Johnson sat down, offered
+cigars, made every effort to appear amiable and conciliatory.
+
+"This is bad; this is bad, Coleman," he began the interview. "What is it
+you want?"
+
+"Peace," replied Coleman, "and if possible without a struggle."
+
+"That's all very well," said Johnson pettishly, "to talk about peace with
+an army of insurrection newly raised. But what is it you actually wish to
+accomplish?"
+
+Coleman looked at him steadily, then leaned forward.
+
+"The law is crippled," he told the governor in measured tones. "We want
+merely to accomplish what the crippled law should do but cannot. This done,
+we will gladly retire. Now, Governor, you have been asked by the mayor, and
+certain others, to bring out the militia and crush this movement. I assure
+you, it cannot be done; and if you attempt it, it will cause you and us
+great trouble. Do as Governor McDougall did in '51. See in this movement
+what he saw in that: a local movement for a local reform, in which the
+State is not concerned. We are not a mob; we demand no overthrow of
+institutions. We ask not a single court to adjourn; we ask not a single
+officer to vacate his position; we demand only the enforcement of the law--
+which, after all, we have made!" He extended his strong fist and laid it on
+the table. "If you deem it the conscientious duty of your office to
+discountenance these proceedings--as perhaps you well may--then let your
+opposition be in appearance only. In your heart you must know the necessity
+of this measure; you know the standing of the men managing it, You know
+that this is no mob, no distempered faction. It is San Francisco herself
+who speaks! Let California stand aside; let her leave us to our shame and
+sorrow; for, as God lives, we will cleanse this city of her corruption or
+perish with her! So we have sworn!"
+
+This long speech, delivered with the solemnity of absolute conviction,
+profoundly impressed Johnson's volatile nature.
+
+"But," he objected uncertainly, "Coleman, you must understand! This is
+against the law--and I have sworn to uphold the law!"
+
+"That is a matter for your own conscience," rejoined Coleman a little
+impatiently. "Issue your proclamation, if you feel that the dignity of the
+law may be best maintained by frowning on justice--but confine yourself to
+that! Leave us alone in our righteous purposes!"
+
+Johnson, his chameleon soul aglow with enthusiasm, leaped to his feet and
+seized Coleman's two hands. In his eye stood a tear.
+
+"Sir," he cried, "go on with your work! Let it be done as speedily as
+possible! You have my best wishes!"
+
+Coleman did not relax his formal gravity.
+
+"I am glad you feel that way, and that we understand each other," he
+contented himself with saying.
+
+The heroic moment past, Johnson's restless mind began to glance among
+anxieties.
+
+"But hasten the undertaking as much as you can," he begged. "The opposition
+is stronger than you suppose. The pressure on me is going to be terrible.
+What about the prisoners in the jail?" asked Johnson anxiously. "What is
+your immediate plan?"
+
+"That is in the hands of the committee," evaded Coleman.
+
+He left the governor, again pacing up and down.
+
+
+
+
+LVIII
+
+
+Coleman returned at once to the hall to resume his interrupted labours with
+the committee. The results of his conference with the governor seemed very
+satisfactory,
+
+"We can now go ahead with free minds," said Clancey Dempster.
+
+The business was astonishingly varied in scope. Charles Doane--not to be
+confused with Duane, the ex-fire chief--was appointed military commander-
+in-chief; Colonel Johns, captain of artillery; Olney was given the task of
+guarding the jail from the outside "with a force numerous enough to prevent
+escape." After considerable discussion Aaron Burns was made head of a
+civilian committee to take charge of all prisoners. It was moved and
+carried that no city or county official should be admitted to membership, a
+striking commentary on the disesteem in which such men were held. Permanent
+headquarters were arranged for; committees appointed for the solicitation
+of funds. A dozen other matters of similar detail were taken up,
+intelligently discussed, and provided for with the celerity of men trained
+in crises of business or life. At length it was moved the "committee, as a
+body, shall visit the county jail at such time as the Executive Committee
+might direct; and take thence James P. Casey and Charles Cora, give them a
+fair trial, and administer such punishment as justice shall demand."
+
+This was the real business, for the transaction of which all these lesser
+businesses had been prepared. A slight pause followed its introduction, as
+though each member present were savouring the significance of the moment.
+
+"Are you ready for the question?" asked Coleman in grave tones. "Those in
+favour----"
+
+"Aye," came the instant response from every man present.
+
+A messenger opened the door to announce that Governor Johnson was in the
+anteroom requesting speech with Coleman. The latter, handing his gavel to
+Dempster, immediately answered the summons.
+
+He found Johnson, accompanied by Sherman, Garrison, and two strangers,
+lounging in the anteroom. The governor sprawled in a chair, his hat pulled
+over his eyes, a cigar in the corner of his mouth. His companions arose and
+bowed gravely as Coleman entered the room, but he remained seated, nodding
+at Coleman with an air of cavalier bravado that was plainly intended to
+conceal his nervousness. Without waiting for the exchange of spoken
+greetings, he burst out:
+
+"We have come to ask what you intend to do," he demanded truculently of
+Coleman, as though he had never seen or talked to him before.
+
+Coleman stared at him for an instant, completely surprised; read him; set
+his mouth grimly.
+
+"Outrages are of constant occurrence," he recited briefly; "our suffrages
+are profaned, our fellow-citizens shot down in the street, our courts
+afford us no redress, we will endure it no longer."
+
+"I agree with you as to the grievances," rejoined the governor, almost as
+though reciting a learned lesson; "but I think the courts are the proper
+remedy. The judges are good men, and there is no necessity for the people
+to turn themselves into a mob and obstruct the execution of the laws."
+
+A flush mounted Coleman's cheek.
+
+"Sir!" he cried indignantly, "this is no mob! You know this is no mob!"
+
+Johnson looked at him from between half-closed lids, as though from a great
+distance.
+
+"The opposition is stronger than you imagine," he said. "There is danger to
+the city--great danger of bloodshed--which should be prevented if
+possible." He paused, focussed his whole attention on Coleman, and went on
+with deliberate significance: _"It may be necessary to bring out all the
+force at my command._ I strongly advise you to leave the case of Casey to
+the courts; and I pledge myself to his fair and speedy trial."
+
+Although realizing fully what a formidable element this change of front
+threw into the situation, Coleman's expression did not change: Sherman,
+watching him closely, could not see that his eyes even flickered,
+
+"That will not satisfy the people," he told the governor, coldly and
+formally. "However they might consider your intention, they will doubt your
+ability to keep such a promise," He was going to say more, but checked,
+himself abruptly. The silent but intent attitude of the governor's four
+companions had struck his attention. "They are present as witnesses!" he
+told himself. Aloud he said, "Sir, I will report your remarks to my
+associates," Coleman wanted witnesses, too.
+
+He returned to the committee, interrupting the proceedings,
+
+"The governor has flopped over the fence." he informed them. "He is out
+there with Sherman and some others threatening to bring in the State troops
+unless we turn Casey over to the courts and disband. He personally
+guarantees a fair and speedy trial."
+
+"What did you tell him?" demanded Hossfros.
+
+"I haven't told him anything. It suddenly occurred to me that I ought to
+have witnesses for my side of the conversation, What do you think?"
+
+"Same as I've always thought," replied Ward.
+
+A murmur of assent greeted this.
+
+After a remarkably brief discussion, considering the delicacy of the
+crisis, Coleman with others returned to the anteroom.
+
+"Sorry to have kept you waiting," he said blandly, "but some consideration
+of the question was necessary. Let us understand each other clearly. As I
+understand your proposal, it is that, if we make no move, you guarantee no
+escape, immediate trial, and instant execution?"
+
+"That is it," agreed Johnson, after a moment's focussing of his mind. For
+the first time it became evident to Coleman that the man had a trifle too
+much aboard.
+
+"We doubt your ability to do this," went on Coleman, "but we are ready to
+meet you halfway. This is what we will promise: we will take no steps
+without first giving you notice. But in return we insist that ten men of
+our own selection shall be added to the sheriff's force within the jail."
+
+"And," added Isaac Bluxome, "that they be fed and kept and treated well.
+That's part of the bargain."
+
+"Why, that sounds fair and reasonable, gentlemen!" the governor cried
+heartily. "I see no objection to that! I was sure we could come to an
+agreement!"
+
+He was suddenly all cordiality, all smiles, shaking each man's hand in
+turn. His companions retained their manner of glacial formality, however.
+He shortly withdrew, full of spirits, very much relieved at the lifting of
+what seemed to him a cloud of unjust oppression for a poor official who
+merely wanted peace. The real situation, evident enough to the keener
+brains on either side, was veiled to him. For poor Johnson had thus far
+stepped from one blunder into another. If Coleman were completely outside
+the law, then he, as an executive of the law, had no business treating or
+making agreements with him at all. Furthermore, as executive of the State,
+he had no legal right to interfere with city affairs unless formally
+summoned by the authorities--a procedure that had not been adopted. And to
+cap it all, he had for the second time treated with "rebels" and to their
+advantage. For, as the astute Coleman well knew, the final agreement was
+all to the benefit of the committee. They gained the right to place a
+personal guard over the prisoners; they gave, practically, only a promise
+to withdraw that guard before attacking the jail--a procedure eminently
+sensible if they cared anything for the guard.
+
+This little weakness was immediately and vigorously pointed out to Johnson
+when he returned triumphantly to his hotel. Keen minds were plenty in the
+Law and Order party. Johnson was crestfallen. Like all men of little
+calibre elevated by expediency to high office, he wanted above everything
+to have peace, to leave things as they were, to avoid friction.
+
+"Upon my word, gentlemen!" cried the governor, dismayed, "I did it for the
+best; and I assure you I am still convinced that this agreement--entered
+into in all faith, and sincerity----"
+
+"Bosh!" boomed Judge Caldwell.
+
+"I beg your pardon!" said Johnson, flushing.
+
+"I said 'bosh,'" repeated the judge, bringing the point of his cane against
+the floor. "You've muddied it, as every sensible man can see. Best thing is
+to put a bold face on it. Take it for granted that the committee has
+promised to surrender all right of action, and that they have promised
+definitely to leave the case to the courts."
+
+"I hardly think they intended that," murmured Johnson.
+
+"Meant!" snorted the judge. "The words will bear that interpretation, won't
+they? Who cares what they meant!"
+
+The following morning this version was industriously passed about. When
+Coleman heard of it he pulled his long moustache,
+
+"The time has come," he said with decision. "After that, it is either
+ourselves or a mob."
+
+He went immediately to the hall.
+
+"Call Olney," he told a messenger. The head of the guard was soon before
+him.
+
+"Olney," said his chief, "will you accept the command of a picked company
+in an important but somewhat perilous movement?"
+
+Olney's tall form stiffened with pleasure.
+
+"I will--with thanks!"
+
+"Well, then, pick out from all the forces, of whatever companies, sixty
+men. Accept none but men--of the very highest bravery. Let them know that
+they are chosen for the post of danger, which is the post of honour, and
+permit none to serve who does not so esteem it."
+
+Olney saluted, and went at once to the main floor, which, for drilling
+purposes, was shared by four companies. He stood still until his eye fell
+on Johnny Fairfax--him he called aside.
+
+"You can get the whole sixty right here if you want to," Johnny told him.
+"But if you want to distribute things----"
+
+"I do," said Olney.
+
+"Then I'd take Keith, Carter, that teamster McGlynn, and Salisbury."
+
+Together they went the rounds of the impromptu armouries, going carefully
+over the rolls, picking a man here and there. By eight o'clock the sixty,
+informed, equipped, and ready, were gathered at the hall. Olney dismissed
+all others, and set himself to drilling his picked body.
+
+"I don't care whether you can do 'shoulder arms' or not," he said, "but
+you've got to learn simple evolutions so I can handle you. And you must
+learn one another's faces. Now, come on!"
+
+At two o'clock in the morning he expressed himself as satisfied. From the
+stock of blankets with which the headquarters were already provided they
+selected, bedding, and turned in on the floor. At six o'clock Olney began
+to send out detachments for breakfast.
+
+"Feed up," he advised them. "I don't know what this is all about, but it
+pays to eat well."
+
+By eight o'clock every man was in his place, lined up to rigid attention as
+Coleman entered the building.
+
+"There they are!" said Olney proudly. "Every man of them of good, tough
+courage, and you can handle them as well as any old soldiers!"
+
+Other men came into the hall, some of them in ranks, as they had fallen in
+at their own company headquarters outside, others singly or in groups.
+Doorkeepers prevented all exit; once a man was in, he was not permitted to
+go out. Some of the leaders and captains, among whom were Doane, Olney, and
+Talbot Ward, were summoned to Coleman's room. Shortly they emerged, and
+circulated through the hall giving to each captain of a company detailed
+and explicit directions. Each was instructed as to what hour he and his
+command were to start; from what given point; along exactly what route; and
+at exactly what time he was to arrive at another given point--not a moment
+sooner or later. Each was ignorant as to the instructions given the others.
+Never was a plan better laid out for concerted action, and probably never
+before had such a plan been so well carried out. Each captain listened
+attentively, returned to head his company, thoughtful with responsibility.
+
+Olney gave the orders to his picked, company in person. They were told to
+leave their muskets. Armed only with pistols, they were to make their way
+by different routes to the jail.
+
+Keith, and Johnny Fairfax started out together, "This is a mistake, as far
+as I am concerned," observed Keith to his companion. "I can't shoot a
+pistol. I ought to be in the rank and file, not with this picked lot. They
+chose me merely because I was your friend."
+
+"You can make a noise, anyway," replied Johnny, whose eyes were alight with
+excitement. "I wonder what's up? This looks like business! I wouldn't miss
+it for a million dollars!"
+
+Apparently the general populace had no inkling that anything was forward.
+The streets were much as usual except that an inordinate amount of street-
+corner discussion seemed to be going on; but that in view of the
+circumstances was normal. A broad-beamed Irish woman, under full sail alone
+accosted them. Her face Keith vaguely recognized, but he could not have
+told where he had seen it.
+
+"I hear Mr. King, God rest him, is better," she said. "And what are the men
+going to do with that villain, Casey? If the men don't hang him, the women
+will!".
+
+A little farther Keith stopped short at sight of two men hurrying by.
+
+"Hold on, Watkins!" he called.
+
+The four of them drew aside a little, out of the way.
+
+"Weren't you in the jail guard?" asked Keith.
+
+Watkins nodded.
+
+"How does it happen you're outside?"
+
+"The committee sent notice that the truce was over."
+
+Johnny uttered an exultant yell, which he cut short shamefacedly when a
+dozen passersby looked around.
+
+
+
+
+LIX
+
+
+It happened  on this day that Nan Keith had refused an invitation to ride
+with Ben Sansome, but had agreed as a compromise to give him a cup of tea
+late in the afternoon. Nan's mood was latterly becoming more and more
+restless. It was an unconscious reflection of the times, unconscious
+because she had no real conception of what was going on. In obedience to
+Keith's positively expressed request she had kept away from the downtown
+districts, leaving the necessary marketing to Wing Sam. For the moment, as
+has been explained, her points of touch with society were limited. It
+happened that before the trouble began the Keiths had been subscribers to
+the Bulletin and the Herald, and these two journals continued to be
+delivered. Neither of them gave her much idea of what was really going on.
+For a moment her imagination was touched by the blank space of white paper
+the Bulletin left where King's editorials had usually been printed, but
+Thomas King's subsequent violence had repelled her. The Herald, after
+rashly treating the "affray" as a street brawl, lost hundreds of
+subscribers and most of its advertising. It shrunk to a sheet a quarter of
+its usual size. Naturally, its editor, John Nugent, was the more solidly
+and bitterly aligned with the Law and Order party. The true importance of
+the revolt, either as an ethical movement or merely as regards its
+physical size, did not get to Nan at all. She knew the time was one of
+turmoils and excitements. She believed the city in danger of mobs. Her
+attitude might be described as a mixture of fastidious disapproval and a
+sympathetic restlessness.
+
+About the middle of the afternoon Mrs. Sherwood came up the front walk and
+rang the bell. Nan, sitting behind lace curtains, was impressed by her air
+of controlled excitement. Mrs. Sherwood hurried. She hurried gracefully,
+to be sure, and with a reminiscence of her usual feline indolence; but she
+hurried, nevertheless. Therefore, Nan herself answered the bell, instead
+of awaiting the deliberate Wing Sam.
+
+"My dear," cried Mrs. Sherwood, "get your mantle, and come with me.
+There's something going to happen-something big!"
+
+She refused to answer Nan's questions.
+
+"You'll see," was all the reply she vouchsafed. "Hurry!"
+
+They crossed by the new graded streets where the sand hills had been, and
+soon found themselves on the low elevations above the county jail. Mrs.
+Sherwood led the way to the porch of a onestory wooden house that appeared
+to be unoccupied.
+
+"This is fine!" she said with satisfaction.
+
+The jail was just below them, and they looked directly across the open
+square in front of it and the convergence of two streets. The jail was
+buzzing like a hive: men were coming and going busily, running away as
+though on errands, or darting in through the open door. Armed men were
+taking their places on the flat roof.
+
+In contrast to this one little spot of excited activity, the rest of the
+scene was almost superlatively peaceful. People were drifting in from all
+the side streets, but they were sauntering slowly, as though without
+particular interest; they might have been going to or coming from church.
+A warm, basking, Sunday feel was in the sunshine. There was not the
+faintest breeze. Distant sounds carried clearly, as the barking of a dog--
+it might have been Gringo shut up at home--or the crowing of a distant
+cock. From the square below arose the murmur of a multitude talking. The
+groups of people increased in frequency, in numbers. Black forms began to
+appear on roof tops all about; white faces at windows. It would have been
+impossible to say when the scattered groups became a crowd; when the side
+of the square filled; when the converging streets became black with
+closely packed people; when the windows and doors and balconies, the
+copings and railings, the slopes of the hills were all occupied, but so it
+was. Before she fairly realized that many were gathering, Nan looked down
+on twenty thousand people. They took their positions quietly, and waited.
+There was no shouting, no demonstration, so little talking that the low
+murmur never rendered inaudible the barking of the dog or the crowing of
+the distant cock. The doors of the jail had closed. Men ceased going in
+and out. The armed forces on the roof were increased.
+
+Nan had left off asking questions of Mrs. Sherwood, who answered none. The
+feeling of tense expectation filled her also. What was forward? Was this a
+mob? Why were these people gathered? Somehow they gave her the impression
+that they, too, like Mrs. Sherwood and herself, were waiting to see.
+
+After a long time she saw the closely packed crowd down the vista of one
+of the converging streets move in the agitation of some disturbance. A
+moment later the sun caught files of bayonets. At the same instant the
+same thing happened at the end of the other converging street. The armed
+columns came steadily forward, the people giving way. Their men were
+dressed in sober citizens' clothes. The shining steel of the bayonets
+furnished the only touch of uniform. Quietly and steadily they came
+forward, the snake of steel undulating and twisting like a living thing.
+The two columns reached the convergence of the street together. As they
+entered the square before the jail, a third and fourth column debouched
+from side streets, and others deployed into view on the hills behind. The
+timing was perfect. One minute the prospect was empty of all but
+spectators, the next it was filled with grim and silent armed men.
+
+Near the two women and among chance spectators on the piazza of the
+deserted house a well-known character of the times leaned against one of
+the pillars. This was Colonel Gift. Our chronicler, who has an eye for the
+telling phrase, describes him as "a tall, lank, empty-bowelled, tobacco-
+spurting Southerner, with eyes like burning black balls, who could talk a
+company of listeners into an insane asylum quicker than any man in
+California, and whose blasphemy could not be equalled, either in quantity
+or quality, by the most profane of any age or nation." In this crisis
+Colonel Gift's sympathies may be guessed. He watched the scene below him
+with a sardonic eye. As the armed columns wheeled into place and stood at
+attention, he turned to a man standing near.
+
+"I tell you, stranger," said he, "when you see those damned psalm-singing
+Yankees turn out of their churches, shoulder their guns, and march away of
+a Sunday, you may know that hell is going to crack shortly!"
+
+Mrs. Sherwood turned an amused eye in his direction. The colonel, for the
+first time becoming aware of her presence, swept off his black slouch hat
+and apologized profusely for the "damn."
+
+The armed men stood rigid, four deep all around the square. Behind them
+the masses of the people watched. Even the murmur died. Again everybody
+waited.
+
+Now, at a command, the ranks fell apart and from the side street marched
+the sixty men chosen by Olney dragging a field gun at the end of a rope.
+Their preliminary task of watching the jail for a possible escape
+finished, they had been again gathered. With beautiful military precision
+they wheeled and came to rest facing the frowning walls of the jail, the
+cannon pointed at the door.
+
+Nan gasped sharply, and seized Mrs. Sherwood's arm with both hands. She
+had recognized Keith standing by the right wheel of the cannon. He was
+looking straight ahead, and the expression on his face was one she had
+never seen there before. Suddenly something swelled up within her breast
+and choked her. The tears rushed to her eyes.
+
+Quite deliberately, each motion in plain sight, the cannon was loaded with
+powder and ball. A man lit a slow match, blew it painstakingly to a glow,
+then took his position at the breech. The slight innumerable sounds of
+these activities died. The bustle of men moving imperceptibly fell. Not
+even the coughing and sneezing usual to a gathering of people paying
+attention was heard, for the intense interest inhibited these nervous
+symptoms. Probably never have twenty thousand people, gathered in one
+place, made their presence so little evident. A deep, solemn stillness
+brooded over them. The spring sun lay warm and grateful on men's
+shoulders; the doves and birds, the distant dogs and roosters, cooed and
+twittered, barked and crowed.
+
+Nothing happened for full ten minutes. The picked men stood rigid by the
+gun in the middle of the square; the slow match burned sleepily, a tiny
+thread of smoke rising in the still air; the sunlight gleamed from the
+ranks of bayonets; the vast multitude held its breath, the walls of the
+jail remained blank and inscrutable.
+
+Then a man on horseback was seen pushing his way through the crowd. He rode
+directly up to the jail door, on which he rapped thrice with the handle of
+his riding whip. Against the silence these taps, but gently delivered,
+sounded sharp and staccato. After a moment the wicket opened. The rider,
+without dismounting, handed through it a note; then, with a superb display
+of the old-fashioned horsemanship, backed his horse half the length of the
+square where he, too, came to rest.
+
+"Who is he?" whispered Nan. Why she whispered she could not have told.
+
+"Charles Doane," answered Mrs. Sherwood, in the same voice.
+
+Another commotion down the street. Again the ranks parted and closed again,
+this time to admit three carriages driven rapidly. As they came to a stop
+the muskets all around the square leaped to the "present." So disconcerting
+was this sudden slap and rattle of arms after the tenseness of the last
+half hour, that men dodged back as though from a blow. With admirable
+precision, Olney's men, obeying a series of commands, moved forward from
+the gun to form a hollow square around the carriages. Only the man with the
+burning slow match was left standing by the breech.
+
+From the carriages then descended Coleman, Truett, Talbot Ward, Smiley, and
+two other men whom neither Nan nor Mrs. Sherwood recognized. Amid the dead
+silence they walked directly to the jail door, Olney's Sixty breaking the
+square and deploying close at their heels. A low colloquy through the
+wicket now took place. At length the door swung slowly open. The committee
+entered. The door swung shut after them. Again the people waited, but now
+once more arose the murmur of low-toned conversation.
+
+
+
+
+LX
+
+
+Up to this day Casey had been very content with his situation. His quarters
+were the best the place afforded, and they had been made more comfortable.
+Scores of friends had visited him, hailing him as their champion. He had
+been made to feel quite a hero. To be sure it was a nuisance to be so
+confined; but when he shot King, he had anticipated undergoing some
+inconvenience. It was a price to pay. He understood that there was some
+public excitement, and that it was well to lie low for a little until that
+had died down. The momentary annoyance would be more than offset by later
+prestige. Casey did not in the least fear the courts. He had before his
+eyes too many reassuring examples. His friends were rallying nobly to his
+defence. Over the wines and cigars, with which he was liberally supplied,
+they boasted of their strength and their dispositions--the whole police
+force of the city, the militia companies sworn, to act in just such
+emergencies, hundreds of volunteers, if necessary the whole power of the
+State of California called to put down this affronting of duly constituted
+law!
+
+But this Sunday morning Casey was uneasy. There seemed to be much
+whispering in corners, much bustling to and fro. He paced back and forth,
+fretting, interrogating those about him. But they could or would tell him
+little--there was trouble;--and they fussed away, leaving Casey alone. As a
+matter of fact, the withdrawal of the committee's guard of ten, and the
+formal notice that the truce was thus promptly ended, had caught the Law
+and Order party unprepared. With five hours' notice--or indeed by next day,
+even were no notice given--the jail would have been impregnably defended.
+The sudden move of the committee won; as prompt, decisive moves will.
+
+The bustling of the people in the jail suddenly died. Casey heard no
+shuffle of feet, no whisper of conversation. The building might have been
+empty save for himself. But he did hear outside the steady rhythmic tramp
+of feet.
+
+Sheriff Scannell stood before him, the Vigilantes' written communication in
+his hand. Casey, looking up from the bed on which he had fallen in sudden
+shrinking, saw on his face an expression that made him cower.  For the
+first time realization came to him of the straits he was in. His vivid
+Irish imagination leaped instantaneously from the complacence of absolute
+safety to the depths of terror. He sprang to his feet.
+
+"You aren't going to betray me! You aren't going to give me up!" he cried,
+wringing his hands.
+
+"James," replied' Scannell solemnly, "there are three thousand armed men
+coming for you, and I have not now thirty supporters around the jail."
+
+"Not thirty!" cried. Casey, astonished. For a moment he appeared crushed;
+then leaped to his feet flourishing a long knife he had drawn from his
+boot. "I'll, not be taken from this place alive!" he shrieked, beside
+himself with hysteria. "Where are all you brave fellows who were going to
+see me through this?"
+
+Scannell looked at him sadly. In the pause came a sharp knocking at the
+door of the jail. The sheriff turned away. A moment later Casey, listening
+intently, heard the door open and close, heard the sound of talking. He
+fairly darted to his table, scrawled a paper, and called to attract
+attention. Marshal North, answered the summons.
+
+"Give this to them--to the Vigilantes," urged Casey, thrusting the paper
+into his hands. North glanced through the note.
+
+TO THE VIGILANT COMMITTEE. Gentlemen: I am willing to go before you if you
+will let me speak but ten minutes. I do not wish the blood of any man upon
+my head.
+
+JAS. CASEY
+
+But after North had gone to deliver this, Casey again sprang to his feet,
+again flourished his bowie knife, again ramped up and down, again swore he
+would never be taken alive. A deputy passed the door. Casey's demeanour
+collapsed again.
+
+"Tell them," he begged this man earnestly; "tell them if two respectable
+citizens will promise me gentlemanly treatment, I'll go peaceably! I will
+not be dragged through the streets like a dog! If they will give me a fair
+trial and allow me to summon my witnesses, I'll yield!"
+
+And the deputy left him pacing up and down, waving his knife, muttering
+wildly to, himself.
+
+On entering the jail door Coleman and his companions bowed formally to the
+sheriff.
+
+"We have come for the prisoner, Casey," said Coleman. "We ask that he be
+peaceably delivered us handcuffed, at the door, immediately."
+
+"Under existing circumstances," replied Scannell, "I shall make no
+resistance. The prison and its contents are yours."
+
+But Truett interrupted pointedly:
+
+"We want only the man Casey, at present," he said. "For the rest we hold
+you strictly accountable."
+
+Scannell bowed without reply. North and the deputy came in succession to
+deliver Casey's messages, and to report his apparent determination. The
+committee offered no comment. They penetrated to the ulterior of the jail.
+Many men, apparently unarmed, idling about as though merely spectators,
+looked at them curiously as they passed. Casey heard them, coming and
+sprang back from the door, holding his long knife dramatically poised.
+Coleman walked directly to the door, where he stopped, looking Casey coldly
+in the eye. The seconds, passed. Neither man stirred. At the end of a full
+minute Coleman said sharply:
+
+"Lay down that knife!"
+
+As though his incisive tones had broken the spell, Casey moved. He looked
+wildly to right and to left; then flung the knife from him and buried his
+face in his hands.
+
+"Your requests are granted," said Coleman shortly; then to Marshal North:
+"Open the door and bring him out."
+
+
+
+
+LXI
+
+
+On the veranda of the unoccupied house above the jail Nan Keith stood
+rigid, her hand upon her heart. During the period of the committee's
+absence inside the jail she did not alter her position by a hair's breadth.
+She was in the hypnosis of a portentous waiting. Time fell into the abyss
+of eternity: whether it were ten minutes or ten hours did not matter in the
+least.
+
+For this was to Nan in the nature of a revelation so sudden and so complete
+that it filled her whole soul. Had she known what Mrs. Sherwood was taking
+her to see, she would have pre-visualized a drunken, disorderly, howling,
+bloodthirsty mob; a huge composite of brawling antagonisms, of blind fury,
+of vulgar irrationalisms. Here were men filled with purpose; This was what
+caught at her breath--the grim silent purpose of it! The orderly
+progression of events, moving with the certainty of a fate, was like the
+steady crescendo of solemn music. And this crescendo rose in her as a tide
+of emotion that overflowed and drowned her. The right and wrong--as she had
+examined them intellectually or through, the darkened glasses of her caste
+prejudices--were quite lost. This was merely something primitive,
+wonderful, beautiful. The spectacle was at the moment of suspense, yet she
+felt so impatience--the wheel must turn in its own majestic circle--but
+only an intense expectation. And in this she felt, subconsciously, that she
+was one with the multitude.
+
+The jail door swung open. The committee came out. In the middle of their
+compact group walked a stranger.
+
+"Casey!" breathed a vast voice from the crowd.
+
+An indescribable burst of grateful relief fluttered across the upturned
+faces as a breeze across water. It was almost timid at first, but gathered
+strength as it spread. It rolled up the hillside. A great, deep breath
+seemed to fill the lungs of the throng. The murmur swelled suddenly, was on
+the point of bursting into the frantic cheering of twenty thousand men.
+
+But Coleman, his hat removed, raised his hand. In obedience to the simple
+gesture the cheer was stifled. In an instant all was still. The little
+group entered the carriages, which immediately wheeled and drove away.
+
+Nan, standing bolt upright, her attitude still unchanged, caught her breath
+at the inhibition of the cheer. She did not even try to wink away the tears
+that rolled down her cheeks. Through them she saw the troops wheel with the
+precision of veterans, and march away after the carriages. The crowd melted
+slowly. Soon were left only the inscrutable jail, the gun still pointed at
+its door, the rigid ranks of Olney's Sixty, who had evidently been left on
+guard, and a few stragglers.
+
+Suddenly she turned and walked away. Mrs. Sherwood followed her as rapidly
+as she could, but did not succeed in catching up with her. At the corner
+below the Keiths' house she stopped, watched until Nan had gained her own
+dooryard, then turned toward home, a smile sketching her lips, a light in
+her eyes.
+
+Nan flung open her door and went directly to the parlour. She stood in the
+doorway contemplating the scene. It was very cozy. The afternoon sun
+slanted through the high-narrow windows of the period, gilding the dust
+motes floating lazily to and fro. The tea table, set with a snowy doth,
+glittered invitingly, its silver and porcelain, its plates of dainty
+sandwiches and thin waferlike cookies--Wing Sam's specialty--enticingly
+displayed. Two easy chairs had been drawn close, and, before the unoccupied
+one a low footstool had been placed. Ben Sansome sat in the other. He was,
+as usual, exquisitely dressed. All his little appointments were not only
+correct but worn easily. The varicoloured waistcoat, the sparkling studs
+and cravat pins, the bright, soft silk tie, were all subdued from their
+ordinary too-vivid effect by the grace with which they were carried. Nan
+saw all this, and appreciated it dispassionately, appraising him anew
+through clarified vision. Especially she noticed the waxed ends of his
+small moustache. He had, at the sound of her entrance, lighted the tea
+kettle; and as she came in he smiled up at her brightly.
+
+"You see," he cried gayly, "I am doing your task for you! I have the lamp
+all lit!"
+
+She paid no attention to this, but advanced two steps into the room.
+
+"Which side are you on, anyway?" she asked abruptly and a little harshly.
+
+Sansome raised his eyebrows in faint and fastidious surprise.
+
+"Dear lady, what do you mean?"
+
+"The only thing I can mean in these times: are you with the Law and Order,
+or with the Committee of Vigilance?"
+
+Sansome shrugged his shoulders whimsically and sank back into his chair.
+
+"How can you ask that, dear lady?" he begged pathetically. "You would not
+class me with the rabble, I hope."
+
+But Nan did not in the slightest degree respond to the lightness of his
+tone. Her own was cold and detached.
+
+"I do not know how to class you," she said. "But I asked you a question."
+
+Sansome arose to his feet again. His manner now became sympathetic, but
+into it had crept the least hint of resentment,
+
+"I don't understand your mood" he told her. "You are overwrought."
+
+Nan's self-control slipped by ever so little. She did not actually stamp
+her foot, but her delivery of her next speech achieved that for her.
+
+"Will you answer me?" she demanded. "Which side, are you on?"
+
+"I am on the side every gentleman is on," replied Sansome, a trifle stung.
+"The side of the law."
+
+"Then," she cried, with a sudden intensity, "why weren't you there--on your
+side--defending the jail?' Why are you here?"
+
+Ben Sansome's knowledge of women was wide, and he therefore imagined it
+profound. Here he recognized the symptoms of hysteria; cause unknown. He
+adopted the lightly soothing.
+
+"I thought I was asked here!" he cried with quizzical mock pathos.
+
+She stared at him a contemplative instant so steadily that he coloured. She
+was not seeing him, however; she was seeing Keith, standing with his
+fellows in the open, under the walls of the jail and its hidden guns. With
+a short laugh she turned away.
+
+"You were," said she. "Help yourself to tea. As you say, I am overwrought.
+I am going to lie down."
+
+Her one compelling instinct now was to get away from him before something
+in her brain snapped. He became soothing.
+
+"Won't you have a cup of tea first?" he urged. "It will do you good."
+
+"A cup of tea!" she repeated with deadly calm. It seemed such an ending to
+such a day! She tried to laugh, but strangled in her throat; and she bolted
+wildly from the room, leaving Ben Sansome staring.
+
+
+
+
+LXII
+
+
+Nan's high exaltation of spirit, which still soared at the altitude to
+which the events of the afternoon had lifted it, next expressed itself in a
+characteristically feminine manner: she picked flowers in the garden,
+arranged them, placed them effectively, set the table herself, lighted the
+lamps, touched a match to the wood fire always comfortable in San Francisco
+evenings, slightly altered the position of the chairs, visited Wing Sam
+with fresh instructions. Gringo, who looked on all this as for his especial
+benefit, took his place luxuriously before the grate.  It was a cozy,
+homelike scene.  Then she dressed slowly and carefully in her most becoming
+gown--the only gown Keith had ever definitely singled out for individual
+praise--took especial pains with her hair, and finally descended to join
+Gringo. The latter, as a greeting intended to show his entire confidence,
+promptly rolled over to expose his vitals to her should it be her pleasure
+to hurt a poor defenceless dog. He was a ridiculous sight, upside down, his
+tongue lolling out, his eye rolled up at her adoringly. She laughed at him
+a little, then leaned swiftly over to confide something in his ear.
+
+But that evening Keith was late. The clock on the mantel chimed clearly the
+hour, then the quarter and the half. Wing Sam came to protest aggreivedly
+that "him glub catchum cold--you no wait!" Nan was severe with Wing Sam and
+his suggestion--so unwontedly severe that Wing Sam returned to the kitchen
+muttering darkly. He had caught the atmosphere of celebration, somehow, and
+on his own-initiative had frosted with wonderful white a cake not yet cut,
+and on the cake had carefully traced pink legends in Chinese and English
+characters. The former was one of those conventional mottoes seen on every
+laundry, club, and temple which would have translated "Health, long life,
+and happiness"; the other Wing Sam had copied from a lithograph he much
+admired. It read "Use Rising Sun Stove Polish." Glowering with resentment,
+Wing Sam scraped the frosting from the cake.
+
+At eight o'clock a small boy delivered a note at the door and scuttled back
+to the centre of excitement. It was a scrawl from Keith, saying that he was
+detained, would not be home to dinner, might not be in at all. Nan sat down
+to a cold, belated meal served by a loftily disapproving Chinaman. She
+tried to think of her pride in Keith, and the work he, in company with his
+fellows, was doing for the city; to recall some of her exaltation of the
+afternoon; but it was very difficult. Her little preparations were so much
+nearer. The table, the flowers, the shaded lamps, the fire on the hearth,
+her gown, the twist of her hair, all mocked her anticipations. In spite of
+herself her spirits went down to zero. She could not eat, she could not
+even sit at the table through the service of the various courses. Midway in
+the meal she threw aside her napkin and returned abruptly to the drawing-
+room. The fire was snapping merrily on the hearth. Gringo opened his eyes
+at her entrance, recognized his beloved mistress, and rolled over as usual,
+all four legs in the air, his tender stomach confidingly exposed, for Who
+could be so brutal as to hurt a poor, defenceless dog? Nan kicked him
+pettishly in the ribs. Gringo stopped panting, and drew in his tongue, but
+otherwise did not shift his posture. This was, of course, a mistake. Nan
+kicked him again. Gringo rose deliberately and retired with dignity to the
+coldest, darkest, most cheerless corner he could find, where he sat and
+looked dejected.
+
+"You look such a silly fool!" Nan told him relentlessly.
+
+Thus passed the moment of exaltation and expansion. If Keith had come home
+to dine, it is probable that the barrier between them--of which he was only
+dimly conscious--would have been broken. But by midnight Nan had, as she
+imagined, "thought out" the situation. She was able to see him now through
+eyes purged of self-pity or self-thought. She came to full realization,
+which she formulated to herself, that she was not now the central point of
+his interest--that she was "no longer" the central point, as she expressed
+it. She was right also in her conclusion that all day long he hardly gave
+her more than a perfunctory thought. So far, her facts were absolutely
+correct. But Nan was, in spite of her natural good mind and married
+experience, too ignorant of man psychology to draw the true conclusion.
+Indeed, very few women ever realize man's possibilities of single-minded
+purpose and concentration to the temporary exclusion of other things.
+Keith's whole being was carried by this moral movement in which he was
+involved. He simply took Nan for granted; and that is something a woman
+never gets used to, and always misinterprets.
+
+"He no longer loves me!" she said to herself, in this hour of plain
+thinking. She faced it squarely; and her heart sank to the depths; for she
+still loved him, and the sight of him that afternoon amid the guns had told
+her how much.
+
+But her next thought was not of herself, but of him, and the situation in
+which, he was working out his destiny. "How can I best help?" she asked
+herself, which showed that the spirit aroused in her that afternoon had not
+in reality died. And her intellect relentlessly pointed out to her that her
+only aid would come from her self-effacement, her standing one side. When
+the great work was done, then, perhaps--
+
+So affairs in the Keith household went on exactly as before. Nobody but
+Gringo knew that anything had happened; and he only realized that the
+universe had suffered an upheaval, so that now mistresses might kick their
+poor defenceless dogs in the stomach.
+
+
+
+
+LXIII
+
+
+Casey was safely in custody. Cora also had been taken on a second trip to
+the jail. They had been escorted into the headquarters, the doors of which
+had closed behind them and behind the armed men who guarded them. The
+streets were filled with an orderly crowd. They waited with that same
+absence of excitement, impatience, or tumult so characteristic of all the
+popular gatherings of that earnest time, save when the upholders of the law
+were gathered. After a long interval one of the committeemen, Dows by name,
+appeared at an upper window. He did not have to appeal for attention, and
+had barely to raise his voice.
+
+"It is not the intention of the committee to be hasty," he announced.
+"Nothing more will be done to-day."
+
+Silence greeted this statement. At last some one spoke up:
+
+"Where are Casey and Cora?" he asked.
+
+"The committee holds possession of the jail; all are safe," replied Dows.
+
+With this assurance the crowd was completely satisfied, as it proved by
+dispersing quietly and at once.
+
+Of the three thousand enrolled men, three hundred were retained under arms
+at headquarters; a hundred surrounded and watched the jail; the rest were
+dismissed. About midnight a dense fog descended on the city. The streets
+were deserted. But on the roofs of the jail and the adjacent buildings
+indistinct figures stalked to and fro in the misty moonlight.
+
+All next day, which was Monday, headquarters remained inscrutable. Small
+activities went forward. Guards and patrols were changed. The cannon was
+brought from before the jail. Early in the day a huge crowd gathered,
+packing the adjacent streets, watching patiently far into the night to see
+what would happen. Nothing happened.
+
+But about the city at large patrols of armed men moved on mysterious
+business. Gun shops were picketed, and their owners forbidden to sell
+weapons. Evidently the committee was carrying out a considered plan.
+
+Toward evening the weather thickened and a rain came on. It turned colder.
+Still the crowd did not disperse. It stood in its sodden shoes, hugging its
+sodden cloaks to its shoulders, humped over, waiting. About eight o'clock
+several companies in rigid marching formation appeared. A stir of interest,
+shivered through the crowd, but died as it became evident that this was
+only a general relief for those on duty during the day. At midnight, or
+thereabouts, the crowd went home; but again by first daylight the streets
+for blocks were jammed full. Still it rained with a sullen, persistence.
+Still nothing happened.
+
+And all over the city business was practically at a stand. Knots of men
+stood conferring on every corner. Conversation in mixed company was very
+wary indeed. No man dared express himself too openly. The courts were
+empty. Some actually closed, on one excuse or another, but most went
+through a form of business. Some judges took the occasion to go to White
+Sulphur Springs on vacations, long contemplated, they said. These things
+occasioned lively comment. It was generally known that the Sacramento
+steamer of the evening before had carried several hundred passengers, all
+with pressing business at the capitol, or somewhere else. As our chronicler
+tells it: "A good many who had things on their minds left for the country."
+Still it rained; still the crowd waited; still the headquarters of the
+Committee of Vigilance remained closed and inscrutable.
+
+
+
+
+LXIV
+
+
+During all this time the Executive Committee sat in continuous session, for
+it had been agreed that no recess of more than thirty minutes should be
+taken until a decision had been reached. The room in which they sat was a
+large one, lighted by windows on one side only. Coleman sat behind a raised
+desk at one end. Below it stood a small table accommodating two. On either
+side six small tables completed three sides of a hollow square. No
+ornament, no especial comforts--the desk, the thirteen pine tables, the
+twenty-eight pine chairs, the wooden walls, the oil lamps, the four long
+windows--that was all.
+
+The prisoners, who, when they had seen the thousands before the jail, had
+expected nothing less than instant execution by lynch law, began to take
+heart. After a man has faced what he thinks is the prospect of immediate
+and unavoidable death, such treatment as this arouses real hope. The
+prisoners were strictly guarded and closely confined, it is true, but they
+understood they were to have a fair trial "according to law." That last
+phrase cheered them immensely. They knew the law. Nor were they entirely
+cut off from the outside. Casey was allowed to see several men in regard to
+certain pressing business matters, and was permitted to talk to them
+freely, although always in the presence of a member of the committee. Cora
+received visits from Belle. She had spent thousands in his legal defence;
+now she came to see him faithfully, and tried to cheer him, but was plainly
+cowed. Her self-control had vanished. She clung to him passionately,
+weeping. He was forced to what should have been her role; and in cheering
+her he managed to gain a modicum of self-confidence for himself. She left
+him at midnight, much reassured.
+
+But on Monday morning Cora's cell door was thrown open, and he was motioned
+forth by a grave man, who conducted him through echoing gloomy corridors to
+the committee room, where he was left facing the tables and the men who sat
+behind them. Cora's natural buoyancy vanished. The men before him met his
+gaze with rigid, unbending solemnity. The rain beat mournfully against the
+windows, blurring the glass, casting the high apartment in a half gloom.
+Nobody moved or spoke. All looked at him. The echo of his footsteps died,
+and the room was cast in stillness except for the soft dashing of the
+storm.
+
+"Charles Cora," at last pronounced Coleman in measured tones, "you are here
+on trial for your life, accused with the murder of United States Marshal
+Richardson."
+
+Cora, who was a plucky man, had recovered his wits. He must have realized
+that he was in a tight place, but he kept his head admirably. His demeanour
+took on alertness, his manner throughout was respectful, and his voice low.
+
+"Do I get no counsel?" he inquired.
+
+"Counsel will be given you."
+
+He put in an earnest plea for counsel outside the tribunal--impartial
+counsel.
+
+"Our members are impartial," Coleman told him.
+
+Cora hesitated; locking about him.
+
+"If Mr. Truett will act for me," he suggested; "and I beg you earnestly,
+gentlemen, that the excitement of the time may not be prejudicial to my
+interests, that I may have a chance for my life!"
+
+"Your trial will be fair," he was assured.
+
+"I shall undertake the defence," Truett agreed briefly; "and petition that
+Mr. Smiley be appointed as my assistant."
+
+This being granted, the three men drew one side for a consultation. In a
+short time Truett handed to the sergeant-at-arms--the same man who had
+conducted Cora to the tribunal--a list of the witnesses Cora wished to
+summon. These were at once sought by a subcommittee outside. In the
+meantime, witnesses for the prosecution were one by one admitted, sworn,
+and examined. All ordinary forms of law were closely followed. All
+essential facts were separately brought out. It was the historic Cora trial
+over again, with one difference--gone were the technical delays. By dusk
+Keith, who had been called at three, had all but completed the long tale of
+his testimony, had finished recounting, not only what he had seen of the
+quarrel and the subsequent shooting, but also a detailed account of the
+trial, the adverse influences brought to bear on the prosecution, and his
+investigations into the question of "undue influence." No attempt was made
+to confine the investigation to the technical trial.
+
+Keith was the last witness for the prosecution. And the witnesses for the
+defence, where were they? Of the list submitted by Cora not one could be
+found! In hiding, afraid, the perjurers would not appear!
+
+The dusk was falling in earnest now. The corners of the room were in
+darkness. Beneath Coleman's desk Bluxome, the secretary, had lighted an oil
+lamp the better to see his notes. In the interest of Keith's testimony the
+general illumination had not been ordered. Outside the tiny patch of yellow
+light the men of Vigilance sat motionless, listening, their shadows dim and
+huge against the wall.
+
+The door opened, and Charles Doane, the Grand Marshal of the Vigilantes,
+advanced three steps into the room.
+
+"Mr. President," he said clearly, his voice cutting the stillness, "I am
+instructed to announce that James King of William is dead."
+
+
+
+
+LXV
+
+
+Thursday noon was set for the funeral of the man who had given his life
+that a city might live. In the room where he had made his brave fight
+against death he now lay in state. On Wednesday ten thousand people visited
+him there. Early Thursday morning his remains were transferred to the
+Unitarian Church where, early as it was, a great multitude had gathered to
+do him honour. Now through the long morning hours it sat with him silently.
+The church was soon filled to over-flowing; the streets in all directions
+became crowded with sober-faced men and women. They knew they would be
+unable to get into the church, to attend nearer his last communion with his
+fellowmen, but they stayed, feeling vaguely that their mere presence
+helped--as, indeed, perhaps it did. Marching bodies from every guild or
+society in the city stood in rank after rank, extending down the street as
+far as the eye could reach. Hundreds of horsemen, carriages, foot marchers,
+quietly, orderly, were already getting into line. They, too, were excluded
+from the funeral ceremonies by lack of room; they, too, waited to do honour
+to the cortege. This procession was over two miles in length. Each man wore
+a band of crepe around his left arm. The time set for the funeral ceremony
+was yet hours distant.
+
+It seemed that all the city must be there. But those who, hurrying to the
+scene, had occasion to pass near the Vigilante headquarters found the
+vacant square guarded on all sides by a triple line of armed men. The side
+streets, also, were filled with them. They stood in exact alignment, rigid,
+bayonets fixed, their eyes straight ahead. Three thousand of them were
+there. Hour after hour they stood, untiring, staring at the building, which
+gave no sign; just as the other multitude, only a few squares away, stood
+hour after hour, patiently waiting in the bright sun.
+
+At quarter before one the upper windows of the headquarters building were
+thrown open, and small platforms, extending about three feet, were thrust
+from two of them. An instant later two heavy beams were shoved out from the
+flat roof directly over the platforms. From the ends of the beams dangled
+nooses of rope. A dead wait ensued. Across the silence could be heard
+faintly from the open windows of the distant church the chords of an organ,
+the rise and fall of a hymn, then the measured cadence of oration. The
+funeral services had begun.
+
+As though this were a signal, the blinds that had partly closed the window
+openings were swung back, and Charles Cora was conducted to the end of one
+of the little platforms. His face was covered with a white handkerchief,
+and his arms and legs were bound with cords. The attendant adjusted the
+noose, then left him. An instant later Casey appeared. He had petitioned
+not to be blindfolded, so his face was bare. Cora stood bolt upright,
+motionless as a stone. Casey's nerve had left him; his face was pale and
+his eyes bloodshot. As the attendant placed the noose, the murderer's eyes
+darted here and there over the square. Did he still expect that the
+boastful promises of his friends would be fulfilled, did he still hope for
+rescue? If so, that hope must have died as he looked down on those set,
+grim faces staring straight ahead, on that sinister ring of steel. He began
+to babble.
+
+"Gentlemen!" he cried at them, "I am not a murderer! I do not feel afraid
+to meet my God on a charge of murder! I have done nothing but what I
+thought was right! To-morrow let no editor dare call me a murderer!
+Whenever I was injured I have resented it. It has been part of my education
+during twenty-nine years! Gentlemen, I forgive you this persecution! O God!
+My poor mother! O God!"
+
+Not one word of contrition; not one word for the man who lay yonder in the
+church; not one syllable for the heartbroken wife kneeling at the coffin!
+He ceased. And his words went out into the void and found no echo against
+that wall of steel.
+
+They waited. For what? Across the intervening housetops the sound of
+speaking ceased to carry. The last orator had given place. At the door of
+the sanctuary was visible a slight, commotion: the coffin was being carried
+out. It was placed in the hearse. Every head was bared. There ensued a
+slight pause; then from overhead the great bell boomed once. Another bell
+in the next block answered. A third, more distant, chimed in. From all
+parts of the city tolled the solemn requiem.
+
+At the first stroke the long cortege moved forward toward Lone Mountain; at
+the first stroke the Vigilantes, as one man, presented arms; at the first
+stroke the platforms dropped and Casey and Cora fell into the abyss of
+eternity.
+
+
+
+
+LXVI
+
+
+This execution occasioned a great storm of indignation among the adherents
+of law and order. Serious-minded men, like Judge Shattuck, admitted the
+essential justice rendered, but condemned strongly the method.
+
+"Of course they were murderers," cried the judge, "and of course they
+should have been hung, and of course the city is better off without either
+of them. I'm not afraid of their friends, and I don't care who knows what I
+think! And some very worthy citizens, wrongly, are involved in this, some
+citizens whom otherwise I greatly respect. It is better that a hundred
+criminals should escape than that the whole law of California should be
+outraged by an act that denies at once the value and the authority of our
+government. The energy, the talent for organization, that this committee
+has displayed in the exercise of usurped authority, might have been
+directed in aid of the courts, consistently with the constitution and the
+laws, with, equal if not greater efficiency."
+
+But very few were able to see it in this calm spirit. The ruling class, the
+"chivalry," the best element of the city had been slapped in the face. And
+by whom? By a lot of "Yankee shopkeepers," assisted by renegades like
+Keith, Talbot Ward, and others. The committee was a lot of stranglers; they
+ought to be punished as murderers; they ought to be shot down, egad, as
+revolutionaries! It was realized that street shooting had temporarily
+become unsafe; otherwise, there is no doubt that the hotheads would have
+gone forth deliberately abrawling. There were many threats made against
+individuals, many condign--and lawless--punishments promised them.
+
+As an undercurrent, nowhere expressed or even acknowledged, was a strong
+feeling of relief. Any Law and Order would have fought at the mere
+suggestion; but every one of them felt it. After all, the law had been
+surprised and overpowered. It had yielded only to overwhelming odds. With
+the execution of Cora and Casey accomplished, the committee might be
+expected to disband. And, of course, when it did disband, then the law
+would have its innings. Its forces would be better organized and
+consolidated, its power assured. It could then apprehend and bring to
+justice the ringleaders of this unwarranted undertaking. Like dogs at the
+heels of a retreating foe, the hotheads became bolder as this secret
+conviction gained strength. They were in favour of using an armed force to
+take Coleman and his fellow-conspirators into the custody of the law.
+Calmer spirits held this scheme in check.
+
+"Let them have rope," advised Blatchford. "I know mobs. Now that they've
+hung somebody, their spirit will die down. Give them a few days."
+
+But to the surprise, and indignation of these people, the Vigilantes showed
+no of an intention to disband. On the contrary, their activities extended
+and their organization tightened. The various companies drilled daily until
+they went through evolutions and the manual of arms with all the perfection
+of regular troops. The committee's books remained open; by the last of the
+week over seven thousand men had signed the rolls. Vanloads of furniture
+and various supplies were backed up before the doors of headquarters, and
+were carried within by members of the organization--no non-member ever saw
+the inside of the building while it was occupied by the Vigilantes. The
+character of these furnishings and supplies would seem to argue an
+intention of permanence. Stoves, cooking utensils, cot beds, provisions,
+blankets, bulletin boards, arms, chairs, tables, field guns, ammunition,
+were only some items. Doorkeepers were always in attendance. Sentinels
+patrolled the streets and the roof. The great warehouse took on an
+exceedingly animated appearance.
+
+The Executive Committee was in session all of each day. It became known
+that a "black list" of some sort was in preparation. On the heels of this
+orders came for the Vigilante police, instructing them to arrest certain
+men and to warn certain others to leave town immediately. It was evident
+that a clean sweep was contemplated.
+
+Among the first of those arrested was the notorious Yankee Sullivan, an ex-
+prize fighter, ward heeler, ballot-box staffer, and shoulder striker. He
+had always been a pillar of strength to those engaged in corrupt practices.
+This man went to pieces completely. He confessed the details of many of his
+own crimes but, what was more important, implicated many others as well.
+His testimony was invaluable, not necessarily as final proof against those
+whom he accused, but as indications for thorough investigations. Finally,
+unexpectedly, he committed suicide in his cell. It seems he had been
+accustomed to from sixty to eighty drinks of whiskey a day, and the sudden,
+complete deprivation had destroyed him. Warned by this, the committee
+henceforward issued regular rations of whiskey to its prisoners!
+
+Trials in due order, with counsel for defence and ample opportunity to call
+witnesses, went on briskly. Those who anticipated more hangings were
+disappointed. It became known that the committee had set for itself the
+rule that capital punishment would be inflicted only for crimes so
+punishable by the regular law. But each outgoing ship carried crowds of
+those on whom had been passed the sentence of banishment. The majority of
+these were, of course, low thugs, "Sydney ducks," hangers on; but a very
+large proportion were taken from what had been known as the city's best. In
+the law courts these men would in many cases have been declared as white as
+the driven snow. But they were undesirable citizens; the committee so
+decided them; and bade them begone. Charles Duane, Wooley Kearney, William
+Carr, Edward Bulger, Philander Brace, William McLean, J.D. Musgrave, and
+Peter Wightman were well-known and influential names found on the "black
+list," Peter Wightman, James White, and our old friend, Ned McGowan, ran
+away. Hundreds of others left the city. A terror spread among the ignorant
+and vicious of the underworld. Some of the minor offenders brought in by
+the Vigilante police were by the Executive Committee turned over to the
+regular law courts. _Every one of such cases was promptly convicted by
+those courts_!
+
+This did not look much like disbanding, nor did any opportunity for
+wholesale arrest of the anarchists seem imminent. The leaders of the Law
+and Order faction were at last aroused.
+
+"This is more than anarchy; it is revolution," said Judge Caldwell. "It is
+a successful revolution because it is organized. The people of this city
+are scattered and powerless. They in turn should be organized to combat the
+forces of disorder."
+
+In pursuance of this belief--that the public at large needed only to be
+called together in order to defend its institutions--handbills were printed
+and newspaper notices published calling a meeting for June and in
+Portsmouth Square. Elaborate secret preparations, involving certain
+distributions of armed men were made to prevent what was considered
+certain interference. This was useless. Immediately after the appearance of
+the notice the Committee of Vigilance issued orders that the meeting was in
+no manner to be disturbed, and hung out placards reading:
+
+"Members of the Vigilance Committee: Order must be maintained."
+
+"Friends of the Vigilance Committee: Keep out of the Square," etc.
+
+The meeting was well attended. Enormous crowds gathered, not only in and
+around the square itself, but in balconies and windows and on housetops. It
+was a ribald, disrespectful crowd, evidently out for a good time, calling
+back and forth, shouting question or comment at the men gathered about the
+speaker's platform.
+
+"What kind of a circus do you call this show, anyway?" roared a huge, bare-
+armed miner in red shirt.
+
+"This is the Law and Murder meeting," instantly answered some one from a
+balcony.
+
+This phrase tickled the crowd hugely. The words were passed from man to
+man. Eventually they became the stereotyped retort. "Stranglers!" sneered
+one faction. "Law and Murder!" flung back the other.
+
+On the platform stood or sat the owners of many of the city's proud names--
+judges, jurists, merchants, holders of high political office, men whose
+influence a month ago had been paramount and irresistible. Among them were
+famed orators, men who had never failed to hold and influence a crowd.  But
+two hundred feet away little could be heard. It early became evident that,
+though there would be no interference, the sentiment of the crowd was
+against them. And, what was particularly maddening, the sentiment was good-
+humoured. Even the compliment of being taken seriously was denied them!
+
+Colonel Ed Baker came forward to speak. The colonel's gift of eloquence was
+such that, in spite of his known principles, his lack of scruple, his
+insincerity, he won his way to a picturesque popularity and fame. Later he
+delivered a funeral oration over the remains of David Broderick that has
+gone far to invest the memory of that hard-headed, venal, unscrupulous
+politician with an aura of romance. But the crowd would have little of him
+this day. An almost continuous uproar drowned his efforts. Catch words such
+as liberty, constitution, _ habeas corpus_, trial by jury, freedom, etc.,
+occasionally became audible. The people were not interested.
+
+"See Cora's defender!" cried someone, voicing the general suspicion that
+Baker had been one of the little gambler's hidden counsel. "Cora!" "Ed
+Baker!" "Ten thousand dollars!" "Out of that, you old reprobate!" jeered
+the audience. He spoke ten minutes against the storm, then yielded, red
+faced and angry. Others tried in vain. A Southerner named Benham, while
+deploring passionately the condition of the city which had been seized by a
+mob, robbed of its sacred rights, etc., happened inadvertently to throw
+back his coat, thus revealing the butt of a Colt's revolver. The bystanders
+caught the point at once.
+
+"There's a pretty Law and Order man!" they shrieked. "Hey, Benham! Don't
+you know it's against the law to go armed?"
+
+"I carry this weapon," shrieked Benham, passionately shaking his fist, "not
+as an instrument to overthrow the law, but to uphold it!"
+
+A clear, steady voice from a nearby balcony made itself distinctly heard:
+
+"In other words, sir, you break the law in order to uphold the law," it
+said. "What more are the Vigilantes doing?"
+
+The crowd went wild over this repartee. The confusion became worse. Old
+Judge Campbell was thrust forward, in the hope that his age and his senior
+judgeship would command respect. He was unable to utter consecutive
+sentences.
+
+"I once thought," he interrupted himself piteously, "that I was the free
+citizen of a free country, but recent occurrences have convinced me that I
+am a slave; a slave, gentlemen, more a slave than any on a Southern
+plantation for they know their masters, but I know not mine!"
+
+But his auditors refused to be affected.
+
+"Oh, yes, you do!" they informed him. "You know your masters as well as
+anybody--two of them were hung the other day!"
+
+After this the meeting broke up. The most ardent Law and Order man could
+not deny that as a popular demonstration it had been a fizzle.
+
+But if this attempt at home to gain coherence failed, up river the
+partisans had better luck. A hasty messenger with tidings for the ear of
+the Executive Committee only was followed by rapidly spreading rumours.
+Five hundred men with two pieces of artillery were coming down from
+Sacramento to liberate the prisoners, especially Billy Mulligan, or die in
+the attempt. They were reported to be men from the southeast: Texans,
+Carolinians, crackers from Pike County, all fire-eaters, reckless, sure to
+make trouble. Their numbers were not in themselves formidable, but every
+man knew the city still to be full of scattered warriors needing only
+leaders and a rallying point. The materials for a very pretty civil war
+were laid for the match. An uneasiness pervaded headquarters, not for the
+outcome, but for the unavoidable fighting and bloodshed.
+
+Therefore, when Olney hastily entered the main hall early in the evening,
+and in a loud voice called for "two hundred men with side arms for especial
+duty," there was a veritable scramble to enlist. Olney picked out the
+required number, selecting, it was afterward noticed, only the big men
+physically. They fell in, and were marched quickly out Market Street. It
+was dark. Expectations were high. Just beyond Second Street, dimly visible
+against the sky or in the faint starlight, they saw a mysterious force
+opposing them, men on foot, horses, the wheels of guns. Each man gripped
+his revolver and set his teeth. Here, evidently, from this ordinarily
+deserted and distant part of town, a flanking attack was to have been
+delivered. As they drew nearer they made out wagons; and nearer still-bale
+upon bale of gunny sacks, and shovels!
+
+The truth dawned on them, and a great laugh went up. "Sold! Sold! Sold!"
+they cried.
+
+But they set to work with a will, filled the gunny sacks with sand, piled
+them on the wagons; and so by morning Fort Gunnybags, as headquarters was
+thenceforth called, came into existence. Cannon were mounted, breastworks
+piled, embrasures planned.
+
+The five hundred fire-eaters were no myth. They disembarked, greeted the
+horde of friends who had come to meet them, marched to Fort Gunnybags,
+looked it over, thrust their hands in their pockets, and walked peacefully
+away to the nearest barrooms!
+
+Wise men. By now the Vigilante dispositions were so complete that in the
+mere interest of examining so sudden yet so thorough an organization, a
+paragraph or so may profitably be spent on it. Behind headquarters was a
+long shed stable in which were to be found at all hours saddle horses and
+artillery horses, all saddled and bridled, ready for instant use. Twenty-
+six pieces of artillery, mostly sent in by captains of merchant vessels in
+the harbour, were here parked. Other cannon were mounted for the defence of
+Fort Gunnybags. Muskets, rifles, and sabres enough to arm 6,000 men had
+been accumulated--and there were 6,000 men to use them! A French portable
+barricade had been constructed in the event of possible street fighting, a
+sort of wheeled framework that could be transformed into litters or scaling
+ladders. Sutlers' offices and kitchens could feed a small army. Flags and
+painted signs carrying the emblematic open eye of vigilance decorated the
+rooms, A huge alarm bell had been mounted on the roof. The mattresses,
+beds, cots, blankets, and other furniture necessary to sleep four companies
+on the premises had been provided. A completely equipped armourer's shop
+and a hospital with all supplies occupied the third story. The forces were
+divided into four companies of artillery, one squadron and two troops of
+cavalry, four regiments, and thirty-two companies of infantry; besides the
+small but efficient police organization. A tap on the bell gathered these
+men in an incredibly short space of time. "As a rule," says Bancroft,
+"within fifteen minutes from the time the bell was tapped, on any occasion,
+seven-tenths of the entire Vigilante forces would be in their places armed
+ready for battle."
+
+Another corps, not as heroic, but quite as necessary, it was found
+advisable to appoint. The sacking of which Fort Gunnybags was made was of
+very coarse texture. When dry, the sand filling tended to run out!
+Therefore, those bags had to be kept constantly wet, and somebody had to do
+it. Enemies sneeringly remarked that Fort Gunnybags consumed much more
+water without than within; but this joke lost its point when it became
+known that the committee, decades in advance of its period, had prohibited
+alcohol absolutely!
+
+Realizing from the two lamentable fiascos just recounted that little could
+be accomplished by private initiative, the upholders of the law turned
+their attention to Sacramento. Here they had every reason to hope for
+success. No matter how well organized the Vigilantes might be, or how
+thoroughly they carried the sympathies of the local public, there could be
+no doubt that they were acting in defiance of the law, were, in fact, no
+better than rebels. It was not only within the power, it was the duty of
+the governor of the State to declare the city in a condition of
+insurrection.
+
+This being accomplished, it followed logically that the State troops must
+put down the insurrection; and if they failed, there was still the immense
+power of the republic to call upon. After all, when you look at it that
+way, this handful of disturbers amounted to very little.
+
+The first step was to win over the governor. Without him the next step
+could not be taken. Accordingly all the big guns of San Francisco took the
+_Senator_ for Sacramento. There they met Terry, Volney Howard, and others
+of the same ilk. No governor of Johnson's sort could long withstand such
+pressure. He promised to issue the proclamation of insurrection as soon as
+it was "legally proved" that the committee had acted outside the law. The
+mere fact that it had already hanged two men and deported a great number of
+others meant nothing. That, apparently, was not legal proof.
+
+In order that all things should be legal, then, Terry issued a writ of
+_habeas corpus_ for the body of one William Mulligan, and gave it into the
+hands of Deputy-sheriff Harrison for service on the committee. Nobody
+expected the latter to deliver over Mulligan.
+
+"But they'll deny the writ," said Terry, "and that will constitute a legal
+defiance of the State. The governor will then be legally justified in
+issuing his proclamation, and ordering out the State troops to enforce the
+writ."
+
+If the State troops proved inadequate, the plan was then to call on the
+United States--as locally represented by General Wool and Captain David
+Farragut--for assistance. With this armed backing three times the Vigilante
+force could be quickly subdued. As it was all legal, it could not fail.
+
+Harrison took the writ of _habeas corpus_ and proceeded to San Francisco.
+He presented himself at headquarters, produced his writ, and had himself
+announced to the Executive Committee then in session.
+
+"Tell him to go to hell!" growled someone.
+
+But a half-dozen members saw through the ruse, and interposed vigorous
+objections.
+
+"I move," said Dempster solemnly, "that our police be permitted to remove
+all prisoners for a few hours."
+
+This was carried, and put into immediate effect. Deputy Harrison was then
+politely received, his writ fully acknowledged, and he was allowed to
+search the premises. Of course he found nothing, and departed much
+crestfallen. The scheme had failed. The committee had in no way denied his
+authority or his writ. Harrison was no fool. He saw clearly what he had
+been expected to do. On his way back to Sacramento he did some thinking. To
+Terry he unblushingly returned the writ endorsed: "Prevented from service
+by armed men." For the sake of the cause Harrison had lied!
+
+Johnson immediately issued his proclamation. The leaders turned with
+confidence to the Federal authorities for assistance. To their blank dismay
+General Wool refused to furnish arms. His position was that he had no
+authority to do so without orders from Washington. The sympathies of this
+doughty old soldier were not with this attempt. Colonel Baker and Volney
+Howard waited on him, and after considerable conversation made the mistake
+of threatening to report him to Washington for refusing to uphold the law.
+
+"I think, gentlemen," flashed back the veteran, "I know my duty, and in its
+performance dread no responsibility."
+
+So saying he bowed them from the room. Farragut equally could not clearly
+see why he should train the guns of his ship on the city. With this fiasco
+the opposition for the moment died. The Executive Committee went on
+patiently working down through its black list. It announced that after June
+24th no new cases would be taken, A few days later it proclaimed an
+"adjournment parade" on July 5th. It considered its work done. The city had
+become safe.
+
+
+
+
+LXVII
+
+
+But this peaceful outcome did not suit the aristocratic wing of the Law and
+Order party in the least. The haughty, supremely individualistic, bold,
+forceful, often charming coterie of fire-eaters had, in their opinion, been
+insulted, and they wanted reprisal, punishment, blood. Terry, Baker,
+Bennett, Miles, Webb, Nugent, Blatchford, Rowlee, Caldwell, Broderick,
+Ware, Volney Howard, Black--to mention only a few--chafed intolerably. Such
+men were accustomed to have their own way, to cherish an ultra-sensitive
+"honour," to be looked up to; had come to consider themselves as especially
+privileged, to look upon themselves as direct representatives of the only
+proper government and administration of law. This revolt of the "lower
+classes," the "smug, psalm-singing Yankees," the "shopkeepers," was
+intolerable impudence. Because of a series of accidents, proper resentment
+of such impudence, due punishment of such denial of the law had been
+postponed. It was not, therefore, abrogated.
+
+When, therefore, the committee announced July 5th as a definite date for
+disbanding, the lawful authorities and their upholders, blinded by their
+passions, were distinctly disappointed. Where the common citizen perceived
+only the welcome end of a necessary job well done, they saw slipping away
+the last chance for a clash of arms that should teach these rebels their
+place. It was all very well to talk of arresting the ringleaders and
+bringing them to justice. In the present lamentable demoralization of the
+courts it might not work; and even if it did work, the punishment of
+ringleaders was small satisfaction as compared to triumphant vindication in
+pitched battle.
+
+Sherman had resigned command of the military in disgust when he found that
+General Wool and Captain Farragut had no intention of supplying him Federal
+arms, thus closing--save for later inaccurate writing in his "Memoirs"--an
+unfortunate phase of his career. In his stead had been chosen General
+Volney Howard. Howard was a rather fat, very pompous, wholly conceited
+bombastes furioso with apparently remarkable lack of judgment or grasp of a
+situation. In the committee's action looking toward adjournment he actually
+thought he saw a sign of weakening!
+
+"Now is the moment for us to show our power!" he said.
+
+In this he gained the zealous support of Judge Terry and Major Marmaduke
+Miles, two others with more zeal than discretion. These three managed to
+persuade Governor Johnson to order a parade of State troops in the streets
+of San Francisco. Their argument was that such a parade--of legally
+organized forces--would overawe the citizens; their secret hope, however,
+was that such a show would provoke the desired conflict. This hope they
+shared with Howard, after the governor's order had been obtained. Howard's
+vanity and inclinations jumped together. He consented. Altogether, it was a
+very pretty little plot.
+
+By now the Law and Order forces had become numerically formidable. The
+bobtail and rag-tag, ejected either by force or by fright, flocked to the
+colours. A certain proportion of the militia remained in the ranks, though
+a majority had resigned. A large contingent of reckless, wild young men,
+without a care or a tie in the world, with no interest in the rights of the
+case, or, indeed, in themselves, avid only for adventure, offered
+themselves as soon as the prospects for a real fight became good. And there
+were always the five hundred discomfited Texans.
+
+Nor were arms now lacking. Contrary to all expectation, the committee had
+scrupulously refrained from meddling with the State armouries. All militia
+muskets were available. In addition the State had now the right to a
+certain quota of Federal arms, stored in the arsenal at Benicia. These
+could be requisitioned.
+
+
+At this point in the planning weasly little Jimmy Ware had a bright idea.
+
+"Look here!" he cried, "how many of those Benicia muskets are there?"
+
+"About a hundred and fifty stand, sir," Howard told him.
+
+"Now they can't help us a whole lot," propounded Ware. "They are too few.
+But why can't we use them for bait, to get those people on the wrong side
+of the fence?"
+
+"What do you mean?" asked Terry, who knew Ware intimately.
+
+"Suppose they are shipped from Benicia to the armouries in the city; they
+are legally Federal property until they are delivered, aren't they?"
+
+"Certainly."
+
+"Well, if the Stranglers should happen to seize them while they're still
+Federal property, they've committed a definite offence against the United
+States, haven't they?"
+
+"What do we care about that now?" asked Major Marmaduke Miles, to whom this
+seemed irrelevant.
+
+But Judge Terry's legal mind was struck with the beauty and simplicity of
+this ruse.
+
+"Hold on!" he cried. "If we ship them in a boat, the seizure will be
+piracy. If they intercept those arms, they're pirates, and we can legally
+call on the Federal forces--_and they'll be compelled to respond, egad!_"
+
+"They're pretty smart; suppose they smell a rat?" asked Miles doubtfully.
+
+"Then we'll have the muskets where we want them, anyway. It's worth
+trying," replied Ware.
+
+"I know just the man," put in Terry. "I'll send for him."
+
+Shortly appeared a saturnine, lank, bibulous individual known as Rube
+Maloney. To him Terry explained. He was to charter a sloop, take the
+muskets aboard--and get caught.
+
+"No resistance, mind you!" warned Terry.
+
+"Trust me for that," grinned Rube. "I ain't anxious for no punctured skin,
+nor yit a stretched neck."
+
+"Pick your men carefully."
+
+"I'll take Jack Phillips and Jim McNab," said Rube, after a moment's
+thought, "and possibly a few refreshments?" he suggested.
+
+Terry reached into his pocket.
+
+"Certainly, certainly," said he. "Treat yourself well."
+
+There remained only to see that the accurate details should get to the
+Committee of Vigilance, but in such a manner as to avoid suspicion that the
+information had been "planted."
+
+"Is there anybody we can trust on their rolls?" asked Terry.
+
+But it was reluctantly conceded that the Vigilantes had pretty well cleaned
+out the doubtful ones. Here again, the resourceful Jimmy Ware came to the
+rescue.
+
+"I know your man--Morrell. He'll get it to them. As far as anybody knows,
+he hasn't taken sides at all."
+
+"Will you see him?" asked Terry.
+
+"I'll see him," promised Jimmy Ware.
+
+
+
+
+LXVIII
+
+
+By this time the Vigilante organization had pretty well succeeded in
+eliminating the few Law and Order sympathizers who had been bold enough to
+attempt to play the part of spy by signing the rolls. These had not been
+many, and their warning had been sufficient. But Morrell had, in a measure,
+escaped distrust even if he had not gained confidence. He had had the sense
+not to join the organization; and his attitude of the slightly
+supercilious, veiledly contemptuous Britisher, scorning all things about
+him, was sufficient guarantee of his neutrality. This breed was then very
+common. He left his conference with Jimmy Ware thoroughly instructed, quite
+acquiescent, but revolving matters in his own mind to see if somehow he
+could not turn them to his advantage. For Morrell was, as always, in need
+of money. In addition, he had a personal score to settle with Keith for,
+although he had apparently forgotten their last interview regarding
+"loans," the memory rankled. And Morrell had not forgotten that before all
+this Vigilante business broke he had been made a good offer by Cora's
+counsel to get Keith out of the way. Cora was now very dead, to be sure;
+but on sounding Jimmy Ware, Morrell learned that Keith's removal would
+still be pleasant to the powers that pay.
+
+If he could work these things all in together--Cogitating absorbedly, he
+glanced up to see Ben Sansome sauntering down the street, his malacca cane
+at the proper angle, his cylindrical hat resting lightly on his sleek
+locks, his whole person spick with the indescribably complete appointment
+of the dandy. Sansome was mixed up with the Keiths--perhaps he could be
+used--On impulse Morrell hailed him genially, and invited him to take a
+drink. The exquisite brightened, and perceptibly hastened his step.
+Morrell's rather ultra-Anglicism always fascinated him. They turned in at
+the El Dorado, and there seated themselves at the most remote of the small
+tables.
+
+"Well," said Morrell cheerfully, after preliminary small talk had been
+disposed of, "how goes the fair Nancy?"
+
+Sansome's effeminately handsome face darkened. Things had in reality gone
+very badly with the fair Nancy. Her revulsion against Sansome at the time
+of the capture of the jail had been complete; and as is the case with real
+revulsions, she had not attempted to conceal it. Sansome's careful
+structure, which had gained so lofty an elevation, had collapsed like the
+proverbial house of cards. His vanity had been cruelly rasped. And what had
+been more or less merely a dilettante's attraction had been thereby changed
+into a thwarted passion.
+
+"Damn the fair Nancy!" he cried, in answer to Morrell's question.
+
+Morrell's eyes narrowed, and he motioned quietly to the waiting black to
+replenish the glasses.
+
+"With all my heart, damn her!" said he. "I agree with you; she's a snippy,
+cold little piece. Not my style at all. Not worth the serious attention of
+a man like yourself. Who is it now, you sly dog?"
+
+Sansome sipped at his drink; sighed sentimentally.
+
+"Cold--yes--but if the right man could awaken her--" he murmured.
+
+"Look here, Sansome, do you want that woman?"
+
+Sansome looked at his companion haughtily; his eye fell; he drew circles
+with the bottom of his glass.
+
+"By gad!" he cried with a sudden queer burst of fire; "I've got to have
+her!"
+
+And then he turned slowly red, actually started to wriggle, concealed his
+embarrassment under cover of his cigar.
+
+"H'm," observed Morrell speculatively, without looking across at Sansome.
+"Tell me, Ben, does she still care for her husband?"
+
+"No; that I'll swear!" replied Sansome eagerly.
+
+"If you're sure of that one essential little fact, and you really want her,
+why don't you take her?"
+
+"Damn it, ain't I telling you? She won't see me."
+
+"Tell me about it," urged Morrell, settling back, and again motioning for
+fresh drinks.
+
+Sansome, whose soul was ripe for sympathy, needed little more urging. He
+poured out his tale, sometimes rushingly and passionately, again, as his
+submerged but still conventional self-consciousness straggled to the
+surface, with shamefaced bravado. "By Gad!" he finished. "You know, I feel
+like a raw schoolboy, talkin' like this!"
+
+Morrell leaned forward, his reserve of manner laid aside, his whole being
+radiating sympathetic charm.
+
+"My dear chap, don't," he begged, laying his hand on Sansome's forearm. "A
+genuine passion is the most glorious thing on earth even in callow youth!
+But when we old men of the world--" The pause was eloquent. "She's a
+headstrong filly," he went on in a more matter-of-fact tone, after a
+moment, "takes a bit of handling. You'll pardon me, old chap, if I suggest
+that you've gone about things a bit wrong."
+
+"How is that?" asked Sansome. Under the influence of drinks, confession,
+and sympathy, he was in a glow of fellow-feeling.
+
+"Believe me, I know women and horses! You've ridden this one too much on
+the snaffle. Try the curb. That high-spirited sort takes a bit of handling.
+They like to feel themselves dominated. You've been too gentle, too
+refined. She's gentle and refined for two. What she wants is the brute--
+'Rape of the Sabines' principle. Savage her a bit, and she'll come to heel
+like a dog. Not at once, perhaps. Give her a week."
+
+"That's all very well," objected Sansome, whose eyes were shining, "but how
+about that week? She'll run to that beast of a husband with her story--"
+
+"And be sorry for it afterward--"
+
+"Too late."
+
+Morrell appeared to think.
+
+"There's something in that. But suppose we arranged to get the husband out
+of the way, where she couldn't run to him at once--" he suggested.
+
+They had more drinks. At first Morrell was only sardonically amused; but as
+his imagination got to working and the creative power awoke, his interest
+became more genuine. It was all too wildly improbable for words--and yet,
+was anything improbable in this impossible place? At least it was amusing,
+the whole thing was amusing--this super-refined exquisite awakened, to an
+emotion so genuine that what judgment he had was now obscured by the
+eagerness of his passion; the situation apparently so easily malleable; the
+beautiful safety of it all for himself. And it did not really matter if the
+whole fantastic plot failed!
+
+"I tell you, no," he broke his thoughts to reply to some ill-considered
+suggestion, "The good old simple methods are the best--they're all laid out
+for us by the Drury Lane melodramas. You leave it to me to get rid of him.
+Then we'll send the usual message to her that he is lying wounded
+somewhere--say at Jake's road house--"
+
+"Won't that get her to thinking too much of him?" interrupted Sansome
+anxiously.
+
+Morrell, momentarily taken aback, gained time for a reply by pouring
+Sansome another drink, "He's more sense left than I thought," he said to
+himself; and aloud: "All you want is to get her out to Jake's. She'll go
+simply as a matter of wifely duty, and all that. Don't worry. Once she's
+there, it's your affair; and unless I mistake my man, I believe you'll know
+how to manage the situation"--he winked slyly--"she's really mad about you,
+but, like most women, she's hemmed in by convention. Boldly break through
+the convention, and she'll come around."
+
+Sansome was plainly fascinated by the idea, but in a trepidation of doubt,
+nevertheless.
+
+"But suppose she doesn't come around?" he objected vaguely.
+
+Morrell threw aside his cigarette and arose with an air of decision.
+
+"I thought you were so crazy mad about her?" he said in tones that cut.
+"What are you wasting my time for?"
+
+"No, no! Hold on!" cried Sansome, at once all fire again. "I'll do it--hold
+on!"
+
+"As a matter of fact," observed Morrell, reseating himself, and speaking as
+though there had been no interruption, "I imagine you have little to fear
+from that."
+
+He went into the street a little later, his vision somewhat blurred, but
+his mind clear. Sansome, by now very pot-valiant, swaggered alongside.
+
+"By the way, Ben," said Morrell suddenly, "I hope you go armed--these are
+bad times."
+
+"I have always carried a derringer--and I can use it, too!" boasted
+Sansome, swinging his cane.
+
+Morrell, left alone, stood on the corner for some time diligently engaged
+in getting control of himself. He laughed a little.
+
+"Regular bally melodrama, conspiracy and all, right off the blood-and-
+thunder stage," said he. "Wonder if it works in real life? We'll see."
+
+After his head had cleared, he set to work methodically to find Keith, but
+when he finally met that individual it was most casually. Morrell was
+apparently in a hurry, but as he saw Keith he appeared to hesitate, then,
+making up his mind, he approached the young lawyer.
+
+"Look here, Keith, a word with you," he said. "I have stumbled on some
+information which may be important. I was on my way to the committee with
+it, but I'm in a hurry. The governor is shipping arms into the city to-
+morrow night from Benicia, by a small sloop."
+
+"Are you sure of this?" asked Keith.
+
+"Certain."
+
+"Where did you get the information?"
+
+"That I cannot tell you."
+
+Keith still hesitated; Morrell turned on his heel.
+
+"Well, I've told you. You can do as you please, but you'd better let the
+committee decide whether to take the tip or not." He walked away without
+once looking back, certain that Keith would end by reporting the
+information,
+
+"Chances are he'll go with the capturing party," ran the trend of his
+thoughts, "and so he'll be out of reach of this little abduction. But I
+don't care much. If he follows them out to Jake's by any chance, Sansome
+will shoot him--or he'll shoot Sansome. Doesn't matter which. Shootin's
+none too healthy these days _for either side!_ Oh, Lord, most amusin'!"
+
+He thought a while, then turned up the hill toward his own house. A new
+refinement of the plot had occurred to the artist's soul too much drink had
+released in him.
+
+Mrs. Morrell was vastly surprised to see him. She was clad in a formless
+pink silk wrapper, was reclining on a sofa, and was settling down to
+relaxation of mind and body by means of French novels and cigarettes,
+
+"Well, what are you doing here at this time of day?" was her greeting.
+
+"Came to bask in the light of your smiles, my dear," he replied with
+elephantine irony.
+
+"Nonsense!" she rejoined sharply, "You've been drinking again!"
+
+"To be sure; but not enough to hurt." His manner suddenly became
+businesslike, "Look here," he asked her, "are you game to make a tidy bit
+of money?"
+
+"Always!" she replied promptly, also becoming businesslike.
+
+He explained in detail. She listened in silence at first with a slight
+smile of contempt on her lips. As he progressed, however, the smile faded.
+
+"Where do I come in?" she asked finally.
+
+"You must be there when the message comes to her. She might not go out to
+Jake's alone--probably wouldn't. I don't know her well enough to judge.
+Hurry her into it."
+
+"I see." She laughed suddenly. "Lord, she'll be surprised when I call on
+her! Take some doing, that!" She thought a few moments. "My appearance will
+connect us with it. Won't do."
+
+"If the thing goes through we won't be here," he pointed out. "If it
+doesn't go through all right, we'll arrange a little comedy. Have you bound
+and gagged--before her eyes--or something like that."
+
+"Thanks," she replied to this.
+
+Morrell was not entirely open. He did not tell her that money or no money,
+plot or no plot, he had resolved to flee the city, at least for a time.
+Investigations were getting too close to some of his past activities. He
+did not offer in words what he nevertheless knew to be the most potent of
+his arguments--namely, the implacable hate Mrs. Morrell bore Keith.
+Morrell's knowledge of this hate was accurate, though his analysis of its
+cause was faulty. He thought his wife to be Keith's discarded mistress, and
+did not greatly care. Nor did he mention the possibility which, however,
+Mrs. Morrell now voiced.
+
+"Suppose Keith follows them out to Jake's?" she suggested.
+
+"One of them will kill, and the Stranglers will hang the other," he said
+briefly.
+
+She looked up.
+
+"I don't care for that!"
+
+"In that event, you will not be present. Your job will be to duck out." He
+paused, then went on slowly: "Would you grieve at the demise of either--or
+all three?"
+
+Her face hardened.
+
+"But," he went on slowly, "the chances of it are very remote. If there is
+any killing, it will come later. Keith will be kept out of the way."
+
+"And after?"
+
+"You hint of an assignation. I will arrange for witnesses."
+
+"Where does the money come in?" she demanded. Morrell floundered for a
+moment. He had lost sight of the money.
+
+"It comes from certain parties who want Keith put out of the way," he said.
+
+"And suppose Keith is not put out of the way?" she began, her facile mind
+pouncing on the weakness of this statement. "Never mind," she interrupted
+herself. "I'll do it!" Her face had hardened again, "Can you depend on
+Sansome to go through with it?"
+
+"Only if he's fairly drunk."
+
+"Yes?"
+
+"I'll attend to that. That is my job. You may not see me to-morrow; but go
+in the evening to call on her."
+
+"It looks absolutely preposterous," she said at last, "but it may work.
+And, if any part of it works, that'll be enough."
+
+"Yes," said he.
+
+They had both forgotten the money.
+
+
+
+
+LXIX
+
+
+As Morrell had surmised, Keith decided to pass on the news for what it was
+worth. The committee believed it, and was filled with consternation at the
+incredible folly of the projected show of armed force.
+
+"This is not peace, but war," said Coleman, "which we are trying to avert!"
+
+The Executive Committee went into immediate session. It was now evident
+that the disbanding would have to be indefinitely postponed. An
+extraordinary program to meet the emergency was discussed piecemeal. One of
+its details had to do with the shipment of arms from Benicia. The committee
+here fell neatly into the trap prepared for it. In all probability no one
+clearly realized the legal status of the muskets, but all supposed them
+already to belong to the State that was threatening to use them. Charles
+Doane, instructed to take the steps necessary to their capture, called to
+him the chief of the harbour police.
+
+"Have you a small vessel ready for immediate service?" he asked this man.
+
+"Yes, a sloop, at the foot of this street."
+
+"Be ready to sail in half an hour."
+
+Doane then turned the job over to a trustworthy, quick-witted man named
+John Durkee. The latter selected twelve to assist him, among whom was
+Keith, at the latter's especial request. Morrell, loitering near, saw this
+band depart for the water front, and followed them far enough to watch them
+embark, to witness the hoisting of the sloop's sails, and to see the craft
+heel to the evening breeze and slip away around the point. All things were
+going well. The committee suspected nothing of the plot to fasten the crime
+of piracy on it; Keith was out of the way. Morrell turned on his heel and
+walked rapidly to his rendezvous with Sansome.
+
+Durkee and his sloop beat for some hours against wind and tide; but
+finally, so strong were both, he was forced to anchor in San Pablo Bay
+until conditions had somewhat modified. Finally, he was able to get under
+way again, A number of craft were sailing about, and one by one these were
+overhauled, commanded to lay to, and boarded in true piratical style. It
+was fun for everybody. The breeze blew in strongly from the Golden Gate,
+the waves chopped and danced merrily, the little sloop dipped her rail and
+flew along at a speed that justified her reputation as a racer, gulls
+followed curiously. But there were no practical results. Every sailing
+craft they overhauled proved innocent, and either indignant or sarcastic.
+The sun dipped, and the short twilight of this latitude was almost
+immediately succeeded by a brilliant night. Slowly the breeze died, until
+the little sloop could just crawl along. It grew chilly, and there was no
+food aboard. A less persistent man than John Durkee would have felt
+justified in giving it up and heading for home; but John had been
+instructed to cruise until he captured the arms; and he profanely announced
+his intention of so doing.
+
+In this he was more faithful to his superiors than the notorious Rube
+Maloney to his employers. It was to the interest of the Law and Order party
+that Rube and his precious crew should be promptly and easily captured.
+They had been instructed to carry boldly and flagrantly, in full daylight,
+down the middle of the bay. But Terry's permission, to lay in
+"refreshments" at cost of the conspirators had been liberally interpreted.
+By six o'clock Rube had just sense enough left to drop anchor off Pueblo
+Point. There the three jolly mariners proceeded to celebrate; and there
+they would probably have lain undiscovered had less of a bulldog than
+Durkee been sent after them.
+
+As it was, midnight had passed before Durkee's keen eyes caught the loom of
+some object in the black mist close under the point. Quietly he eased off
+the sheet and bore down on it. As soon as he ascertained definitely that
+the object was indeed a boat, he ran alongside. The twelve men boarded with
+a rush: they found themselves in possession of an empty deck. From the
+hatch came the reek of alcohol and the sound of hearty snoring. The capture
+was made.
+
+In a half hour the transfer of the muskets and the three prisoners was
+accomplished. The latter offered no resistance, but seemed cross at being
+awakened. Leaving the vessel anchored off the point, the little sloop stood
+away again for San Francisco, reaching the California Street wharf shortly
+after daylight. Here she was moored, and one of the crew was dispatched to
+the committee for further instructions and grub. He returned after an hour,
+but was preceded somewhat by the grub.
+
+"They say to deliver the muskets at headquarters," he reported, "but to
+turn the prisoners loose."
+
+"Turn them loose!" cried Durkee, astonished.
+
+"That's what they said," repeated the messenger. "And here's written
+orders," and he displayed a paper signed by the well-known "33, Secretary,"
+and bearing the Vigilante seal of the open eye.
+
+"All right," acquiesced Durkee. "Now, you mangy hounds, you've got just
+about twenty-eight seconds to make yourselves as scarce as your virtues.
+Scat!"
+
+Rube and his two companions had several of the twenty-eight seconds to
+spare; but once they had lost sight of their captors, they moderated their
+pace. They had been much depressed, but now they cheered up and swaggered.
+A few drinks restored them to normal, and they were able to put a good face
+on the report they now made to their employers, all of whom, including
+Terry, had gathered thus early to receive them. After all, things had gone
+well: they had been actually captured, which was the essential thing, and
+it did not seem necessary to go into extraneous details.
+
+"Good!" cried Terry, who had come down from Sacramento personally to
+superintend the working out of this latest ruse.
+
+
+He was illegally absent from his court, meddling illegally with matters not
+in his jurisdiction. "Now we must get a warrant for piracy into the hands
+of the United States Marshal. Send him alone, with no deputies. When he
+makes his deposition of resistance, then we shall see!"
+
+The marshal found Durkee still at the wharf, seated on an upturned cask.
+
+"I have this warrant for your arrest!" he proclaimed in a voice purposely
+loud.
+
+"Yes? Let's see it," rejoined Durkee, lazily reaching out his hand.
+
+He read the document through leisurely. His features betrayed no hint of
+his thoughts, but nevertheless his brain was very active. He read that he
+was accused of piracy against the might and majesty of the United States
+Government; and as his eyes slowly followed the involved and redundant
+legal phraseology, he reviewed the situation. The nature, of the trap
+became to him, partly evident. There was no doubt that technically he was a
+pirate, if these arms--as it seemed--belonged to the Government and not to
+the State. The punishment of piracy was death. Without appreciation of the
+fact, the committee had made him liable to the death penalty. And he had no
+doubt that the Federal Courts of California, as then constituted, would
+visit that penalty on him. He raised his head and looked about him. Within
+call were lounging a dozen resolute men belonging to the Committee of
+Vigilance. He had but to raise his voice to bring them to his assistance.
+Once inside Fort Gunnybags he knew that the committee would stand behind
+him to the last man.
+
+But John Durkee had imagination as well as bulldog persistency. His mind
+flashed ahead into the future, envisaging the remoter consequences. He saw
+the majesty of the law's forces invoked to back this warrant which the
+tremendous power of the disciplined Vigilantes would repulse; he saw
+reinforcements, summoned. What reinforcements? A smile flitted across his
+lips, and he glanced up at the warship _John Adams_ riding at anchor
+outside, her guns, their tampons in place, staring blackly at the city. He
+saw the whole plot.
+
+"That's all right," he told the waiting marshal, folding the warrant and
+returning it to him. "Put your paper in your pocket. I'll go with you."
+
+By this quietly courageous and intelligent deed John Durkee completely
+frustrated the fourth and most dangerous effort of the Law and Order party.
+There was no legal excuse for calling on Federal forces to take one man--
+who peaceably surrendered!
+
+Undoubtedly, had not matters taken the decided and critical turn soon to be
+detailed, Durkee would have been immediately brought to trial, and perhaps
+executed. As it was, even the most rabid of the Law and Order party agreed
+it was inexpedient to press matters. The case was postponed again and
+again, and did not come to trial until several months, by which time the
+Vigilantes had practically finished their work. The law finally saved its
+face by charging the jury that "if they believed the prisoners took the
+arms with the intention of appropriating them to their own use and
+permanently depriving the owner of them, then they were guilty. But if they
+took them only for the purpose of preventing their being used against
+themselves and their associates, then they were not guilty." Under which
+hair-splitting and convenient interpretation the "pirates" went free, and
+everybody was satisfied!
+
+
+
+
+LXX
+
+
+After leaving the office where they had made their report to their
+employers, Rube Maloney and his two friends visited all the saloons. There
+they found sympathetic and admiring audiences. They reviled the committee
+collectively and singly; bragged that they would shoot Coleman, Truett,
+Durkee, and some others at sight; flourished weapons, and otherwise became
+so publicly and noisily obstreperous that the committee decided they needed
+a lesson. Accordingly they instructed Sterling Hopkins, with four others,
+to rearrest the lot and bring them in. Hopkins was a bulldog, pertinacious,
+rough, a faithful creature.
+
+News of these orders ran ahead of their performance. Rube and his
+satellites dropped everything and fled to their masters like threatened
+dogs. Their masters, who included Terry, Bowie, Major Marmaduke Miles, and
+a few others, happened to be discussing the situation in the office of
+Richard Ashe, a Texan, and an active member of "the chivalry." The three
+redoubtables burst in on this gathering, wild-eyed, scared, with, the
+statement that a thousand stranglers were at their heels.
+
+"Better hide 'em," suggested Bowie.
+
+But hot-headed Terry, seconded by equally hot-headed Ashe, would have none
+of this.
+
+"By gad, let them try it!" cried the judge. "I've been aching for this
+chance!"
+
+Therefore when Hopkins, having left his small _posse_ at the foot of the
+stairs, knocked and entered, he was faced by the muzzles of half a dozen
+pistols, and profanely told to get out of there. He was no fool, so he
+obeyed. If Terry had possessed the sense of a rooster, or a single quality
+of leadership, he would have seen that this was not the moment to
+precipitate a crisis. The forces of his own party were neither armed nor
+ready. But here, as in all other important actions of his career, he was
+governed by the haughty and headstrong passions of the moment--as when
+later he justified himself in attempting to shoot down an old and unarmed
+man. Hopkins left his men at the foot of the stairs, borrowed a horse from
+Dr. Beverly Cole, who was passing, and galloped to headquarters. There he
+was instructed to return, to keep watch, that reinforcements would follow.
+He arrived at the building in which Ashe's office was located, in time to
+see Maloney, Terry, Ashe, McNabb, Bowie, and Rowe all armed with shotguns,
+just turning the far corner. He dismounted and called on his men to follow.
+The little _posse_ dogged the judge's party for some distance. For a time
+no attention was paid to them, but as they pressed closer Terry, Ashe, and
+Maloney whirled and presented their shotguns. The movement was probably
+intended only as a threat; but Hopkins, always bold to the point of
+rashness, made a sudden rush at Maloney. Judge Terry thrust his gun at the
+Vigilante officer who seized it by the barrel. At the same instant Ashe
+pressed the muzzle of his weapon against one Bovee's breast, but hesitated
+to pull the trigger. It was getting to be unhealthy to shoot men in the
+open street.
+
+"Are you a friend?" he faltered.
+
+"Yes," replied Bovee, and by a rapid motion struck the barrel aside.
+
+Another of the Vigilantes named Barry covered Rowe with a pistol. Rowe's
+"chivalry" oozed. He dropped his gun and fled toward the armoury. The
+others struggled for possession of weapons, but nobody fired. Suddenly
+Terry whipped out a knife and plunged it into Hopkins's neck. Hopkins
+relaxed his hold on Terry's shotgun and staggered back.
+
+"I am stabbed! Take them, Vigilantes!" he cried.
+
+He sank to the pavement. Terry and his friends dropped everything and ran
+toward the armoury. Of the Vigilante _posse_ only Bovee and Barry remained,
+but these two pursued the fleeing Law and Order men to the very portals of
+the armoury itself. When the door was slammed in their faces, they took up
+their stand outside, they two holding within several hundred men! At the
+end of ten minutes a pompous, portly individual came up under full sail,
+cast a detached and haughty glance at the two quiet men lounging
+unwarrantedly in his path, and attempted to pass inside.
+
+"You cannot enter here," said Bovee grimly, as they barred his way.
+
+The pompous man turned purple.
+
+"Do you know who I am?" he demanded.
+
+"I don't give a damn who you are," replied Bovee, still quietly.
+
+"I am Major-General Volney E. Howard!"
+
+"You cannot enter here," repeated Bovee, and this time he said it in a tone
+of voice that sent the major-general scurrying away.
+
+After a short interval another man dashed up very much in a hurry.
+Mistaking Bovee and Barry for sentinels, he cried as he ran up:
+
+"I am a lieutenant in Calhoun Bennett's company, and I have been sent here
+to--"
+
+"I am a member of the Committee of Vigilance," interrupted Barry, "and you
+cannot enter."
+
+"What!" cried the officer, in astonishment. "Have the Vigilance Committee
+possession of this building?"
+
+"They have," was the reply of the dauntless two.
+
+The lieutenant rolled up his eyes and darted away faster than he had come.
+A few moments later, doubtless to the vast relief of the "outside garrison"
+of the armoury within which five or six hundred men were held close by this
+magnificent bluff, the great Vigilante bell boomed out: _one, two, three_,
+rest; then _one, two, three_, rest; and repeat.
+
+Immediately the streets were alive with men. Merchants left their
+customers, clerks their books, mechanics their tools. Dray-men stripped
+their horses of harness, abandoned their wagons where they stood, and rode
+away to their cavalry. Clancey Dempster's office was only four blocks from
+headquarters. At the first stroke of the bell he leaped from his desk, ran
+down the stairs, and jumped into his buggy. Yet he could drive only three
+of the four blocks, so dense already was the crowd. He abandoned his rig in
+the middle of the street and forced his way through afoot. Two days later
+he recovered his rig. In the building he found the companies, silently,
+without confusion, falling into line.
+
+"All right!" he called encouragingly. "Keep cool! Take your time about it!"
+
+"Ah, Mr. Dempster," they replied, "we've waited long! This is the clean
+sweep!"
+
+James Olney was lying in bed with a badly sprained ankle when the alarm
+bell began to toll. He commandeered one boot from a fellow-boarder with
+extremely large feet, and hobbled to the street. There he seized by force
+of arms the passing delivery wagon of a kerosene dealer, climbed to the
+seat, and lashed the astonished horse to a run. San Francisco streets ran
+to chuck holes and ruts in those days, and the vehicle lurched and banged
+with a grand rattle and scatteration of tins and measures. The terrified
+driver at last mustered courage to protest.
+
+"You are spilling my kerosene!" he wailed.
+
+"Damn your kerosene, sir!" bellowed the general; then relenting: "I will
+pay you for your kerosene!"
+
+Up to headquarters he sailed full tilt, and how he got through the crowd
+without committing manslaughter no one tells. There he was greeted by wild
+cheering, and was at once lifted bodily to the back of a white horse, the
+conspicuous colour of which made it an excellent rallying point.
+
+Within an incredibly brief space of time they were off for the armoury; the
+military companies marching like veterans; the artillery rumbling over the
+rude pavements; the cavalry jogging along to cover the rear. A huge roaring
+mob accompanied them, followed them, raced up the parallel streets to
+arrive before the armoury at the same moment as the first files.
+
+The armoury square was found to be deserted except for the intrepid Barry
+and Bovee, who still marched back and forth before the closed door. No one
+had entered or left the building.
+
+Inside the armoury the first spirit of bravado and fight-to-the-last-ditch
+had died to a sullen stubbornness. Nobody had much, to say. Terry was very
+contrite as well he might be. A judge of the Supreme Court, who had no
+business being in San Francisco at all, sworn to uphold the law, had
+stepped out from his jurisdiction to commit as lawless and idiotic a deed
+of passion as could have been imagined! Whatever chances the Law and Order
+party might have had, could they have mobilized their forces, were
+dissipated. Their troops were scattered in small units; their rank and file
+were heaven knew where; their enemies, fully organized, had been mustered
+by the alarm bell to full alertness and compactness. And Terry's was the
+hand that had struck that bell! For the only time in his recorded history
+David Terry's ungoverned spirit was humbled. Until he found that nothing
+immediate was going to happen to him, and while under the silent but
+scathing disapprobation of his companions, he actually talked of resigning!
+Parenthetically, the fit did not last long, and he soon reared, his haughty
+crest as high as ever. But now, listening to the roar of the mob outside,
+peeping at the grim thousands of armed men deploying before the armoury, he
+regretted his deed.
+
+"This is very unfortunate; very unfortunate!" he said, "But you shall not
+imperil your lives for me. It is I they want. I will surrender to them."
+
+Instead of the prompt expostulation he expected, a dead silence greeted
+these words.
+
+"There is nothing else to do," agreed Ashe at last.
+
+An officer was sent to negotiate.
+
+"We will deliver up the armoury if you will agree not to give us over to
+the mob," he told the committee.
+
+"We hold, and intend to hold, the mob under absolute control. We have
+nothing in common with mobs," was Coleman's reply.
+
+The doors were then thrown open, and a company  of the Vigilante troops
+marched in. Within ten minutes, the streets were cleared. The six hundred
+prisoners, surrounded by a solid body of infantry with cavalry on the
+flanks, were marched to headquarters. The city was jubilant. This, at last,
+was the clean sweep! Men went about with shining faces, slapping each other
+on the back. And Coleman, the wise general, realizing that compromises were
+useless, peace impossible, came to a decision. Shortly from headquarters
+the entire Vigilante forces moved in four divisions toward the cardinal
+points of the compass. From them small squads were from time to time
+detached and sent out to right or left. The main divisions surrounded the
+remaining four big armouries; the smaller squads combed the city house by
+house for arms. In the early morning the armouries capitulated. By sun-up
+every weapon in the city had been taken to Fort Gunnybags.
+
+
+
+
+LXXI
+
+
+Up to this time Nan Keith had undergone the experience of nine out of ten
+married women in early California: that is, she had been neglected. Neglect
+in some form or other was the common lot of the legally attached feminine.
+How could it logically be otherwise? In the turbulent, varied, restless,
+intensely interesting, deeply exciting life of the pioneer city only a
+poor-spirited, bloodless, nerveless man would have thought to settle down
+to domesticity. A quiet evening at home stands small chance, even in an
+old-established community, against a dog fight on the corner or a fire in
+the next block; and here were men fights instead, and a great, splendid,
+conflagration of desires, appetites, and passions, a grand clash of
+interests and wills that burned out men's lives in the space of a few
+years. It was a restless time, full of neglected women. This neglect varied
+in degree to be sure. Nan was lucky there. No other woman had thrust her
+way in, no other attraction lured Keith from her, as had happened to so
+many others. She possessed all his interest. But at present that interest
+seemed so attenuated, so remote!
+
+After her revulsion of feeing the afternoon the Vigilantes first rose in
+their might, she withdrew within her pride. Nan was no meek and humble
+spirit. But the scales had dropped from her eyes as to affairs about her.
+San Francisco suddenly became something besides a crude collection of
+buildings. For the first time she saw it as a living entity, strong in the
+throes of growth. She devoured eagerly all the newspapers, collected avidly
+all the rumours. Whenever possible, she discussed the state of affairs; but
+this was difficult, for nearly every one was strongly partisan for one side
+or another, and incapable of anything but excitement and vituperation. The
+Sherwoods were a great comfort to her here. While approving of the new
+movement, they nevertheless refused to become heated, and retained a spirit
+of humour. Sherwood was not a member of the Committee of Vigilance, but he
+had subscribed heavily--and openly--to its funds; he had assisted it with
+his counsels; and it was hinted that, sub-rosa, he had taken part in some
+of the more obscure but dangerous operations.
+
+"I am an elderly, peace-loving, respectable citizen," he told Nan, "and I
+stand unequivocably for law and order and for justice, for the orderly
+doing of things; and against violence, mob spirit, and high-handedness."
+
+"Why, John Sherwood!" cried Nan, up in arms at once. "I'd never have
+believed you could be on the side of Judge Terry and that stripe."
+
+"Oho!" cried Sherwood, delighted to have drawn her. "Now we have it! But
+what made you think I was on that side?"
+
+"Why--didn't you just say--"
+
+"Oh," said Sherwood comfortably, "I was using real meanings, not just word
+tags. In my opinion real law and order, orderly doing of things, _et
+cetera_, are all on the other side."
+
+"And the men--" cried Nan, aglow.
+
+"The men are of course all noble, self-sacrificing, patriotic, immaculate
+demigods who--" He broke off, chuckling at Nan's expression. "No,
+seriously, I think they are doing a fine work, and that they'll go down in
+history."
+
+"You're an old dear!" cried Nan, impulsively kissing his cheek.
+
+"Take care," he warned, "you're endangering my glasses and making my wife
+jealous."
+
+Nan drew back, a little ashamed at having shown her feelings; and rather
+astonished herself at their intensity.
+
+In the course of these conversations the pendulum with her began again to
+quiver at the descent. Through the calmly philosophical eye of the ex-
+gambler, John Sherwood, she partly envisaged the significance of what was
+happening--the struggling forth of real government from the sham. Her own
+troubles grew small by comparison. She began to feel nearer Keith in spirit
+than for some time past, to understand him better, even--though this was
+difficult--to get occasionally a glimpse of his relations toward herself.
+It was all very inchoate, instinctive, unformed; rather an instinct than a
+clear view. She became restless; for she had no outlet either for her own
+excitement or the communicated excitement of the times. It was difficult to
+wait, and yet wait she must. For what? She did not know!
+
+On the crucial June evening she sat by the lamp trying in vain to
+concentrate her attention on a book. The sound of the door bell made her
+jump. She heard Wing Sam's shuffle, and his cheerful greeting which all her
+training had been unable to eliminate. Wing Sam always met every caller
+with a smiling "Hello!" A moment later she arose in some surprise as Mrs.
+Morrell entered the room.
+
+Relations between the women had never been broken off, though the pretence
+of ordinary cordiality had long since been dropped. When Mrs. Morrell found
+it expedient to make this call, she spent several hours trying to invent a
+plausible excuse. She was unable to do so. Finally she gave it up in angry
+despair.
+
+"As long as it is not too bald, what difference does it make?" she said to
+herself cynically.
+
+And out of this desperation, and by no means from cleverness, she hit on
+the cleverest thing possible. Instead of coming to make a friendly call,
+she pretended to be on an errand of protest.
+
+"It's about your dog," she told Nan, "he's a dear good dog, and a great
+friend of ours. But cannot you shut him up nights? He's inclined to prowl
+around under my windows, and just the sound of him there keeps me awake. I
+know it's foolish; but I am so nervous these days--"
+
+"Why, of course," said Nan with real contrition. "I'd no idea--"
+
+Gringo was at the moment ingratiating himself with Wing Sam _in re_ one
+soup bone of no use to anybody but dogs. If he could have heard Mrs.
+Morrell's indictment, he would have been both grieved and surprised: Gringo
+never prowled anywhere. Like most rather meaty individuals, he was a very
+sound sleeper; and in the morning he often felt a little uneasy in his
+conscience as to the matter of stray trespassing cats or such small fry. He
+had every confidence that his instincts would warn him of really important
+things, like burglars. Still, the important things are not all of life, nor
+burglars all the duty of a dog.
+
+Having slandered the innocent Gringo, Mrs. Morrell stayed for a chat.
+Apparently she was always just on the point of departure, but never went.
+Nan, being, as she thought, in the wrong as to the worthy Gringo, tried her
+best to be polite, but was miserably conscious of being snippy.
+
+At the end of an hour the door bell rang again. If Nan had been watching,
+she might have seen Mrs. Morrell's body relax as though from a tension.
+After a moment Wing Sam shuffled into the room carrying a soiled folded
+paper.
+
+"Man he tell you lead this chop-chop," said he.
+
+Murmuring an apology, Nan opened the paper. With a cry she sprang to her
+feet. Her face had gone white.
+
+"What is it?" cried Mrs. Morrell in apparent anxiety.
+
+Without a word Nan extended the paper. Written in pencil were these words:
+
+ MADAM: Your husband has been injured in an attempt at arrest. He wants
+ me to tell you he is at Jake's Place hurt bad. With respects. JOHN Q.
+ ALDER.
+
+For an instant Mrs. Morrell did not dare look up. She was thoroughly angry
+at what she thought to be her husband's stupidity.
+
+"Why, that wouldn't deceive a child!" she thought contemptuously.
+
+"How dreadful! Who is Alder?" she said, merely to say something.
+
+Nan shook her head.
+
+"I don't know," she replied rather wildly. "One of the Vigilantes, I
+suppose. I must go out there. At once!"
+
+She ran to the hall where she began to rummage for cloaks. Mrs. Morrell
+followed her in wonderment. She was going to take this crude bait after
+all! Mrs. Morrell had not the slightest idea Nan still loved her husband.
+
+"You can't go alone!" she cried in apparent sympathy. "You poor child!
+Jake's Place--at this time of night!"
+
+"I'd go to hell if he needed me there!" cried Nan.
+
+Mrs. Morrell became suddenly capable and commanding.
+
+"Then I shall go with you," she announced firmly.
+
+"Oh, you're good to me!" cried Nan, full of contrition, and feeling,
+beneath her anxiety, that she had misjudged her neighbour's heart.
+
+Mrs. Morrell took charge. She lit the lantern, led the way to the stable,
+did the most toward harnessing the horse. They made rather a mess of it,
+but the horse was gentle and reliable. When they had backed the buggy out
+of the barn, she insisted on driving.
+
+"You're in no fit condition," she told Nan, and Nan obediently climbed in
+beside her.
+
+The drive was made in silence, except that occasionally Nan urged hurry.
+She sat bolt upright, her hands clasped in her lap, her figure rigid,
+trying to keep hold of herself. At Jake's Place a surly hostler appeared
+and led away their horse. Jake's Place was in darkness save for one lighted
+room on the ground floor and a dimly illuminated bar at the other end.
+
+It is but just to a celebrated resort that had seen and was still to see
+much of life to say that it knew nothing of the plot. Sansome had engaged
+the ground-floor parlour, and ordered a fire and drinks. Morrell had
+commanded a little supper for later. Now two ladies appeared. This was all
+normal. Without drinks, little suppers, and the subsequent appearance of
+ladies, Jake's Place would soon have languished.
+
+Nan leaped over the wheel to the ground as soon as the buggy had stopped,
+and before the dilatory hostler had cramped aside the wheel.
+
+"Where is he?" she demanded breathlessly. The hostler jerked a thumb at the
+lighted windows. Without a word Nan ran up the steps and to the door. The
+hostler looked after her flying figure, then grinned up at Mrs. Morrell.
+
+"Yum! yum!" said he, "but she's the eager little piece!"
+
+Mrs. Morrell gave him a coin, and as he moved away with the horse, she,
+too, ran up the steps. Nan had entered the parlour door, leaving it open
+behind her. Mrs. Morrell closed it again, and locked it. Then, with a
+certainty that proved her familiarity with the place, she walked down the
+length of the veranda to a hall, which she entered.
+
+Nan had burst into a parlour with an open fire. Before it stood a small
+table crowded with bottles and glasses. Sansome rose, rather unsteadily,
+from one of the easy chairs. Nan uttered an exclamation of relief as she
+recognized him.
+
+"Oh, I'm glad you're here!" she cried. "This is kind! How is he? Where is
+he?"
+
+
+
+
+LXXII
+
+
+Morrell had no easy day with Ben Sansome. He had been forced to spend the
+whole of it with his protege, save for the hour he had devoted to seeing
+Keith off on the piratical expedition. It was a terrible bore. In turn he
+had played on the youth's pique, the supposed insult to his manhood, his
+desire for the woman. Sansome was not naturally a valiant adventurer; but
+he had an exceedingly touchy vanity, which, with a little coddling,
+answered nearly as well. Morrell took the confident attitude that, of
+course, Sansome was not afraid; therefore Sansome was ashamed to be afraid.
+
+"For the moment," said the Englishman, "she's carried away by the glamour
+of this Vigilante movement. They seem to her strong men. She contrasts them
+with us men of the world, and as she cannot see that a polished exterior is
+not incompatible with strength, she has a faint growing contempt for us.
+Women like strength, masterfulness. It is the chance of your life to show
+her that a man _comme il faut_ is the equal of these squalid brutes in that
+respect. She is in love with you already, but she doesn't know it. All that
+is necessary is a show of masterfulness to make her realize it." He stifled
+a yawn. "Lord, what dreary piffle!" he confided to himself. He painted
+Keith as a contemptible renegade from his own class, currying favour with
+those below him, a cheap demagogue, a turncoat avid for popular power.
+
+"At heart he's a coward--all such men are. And he's so wrapped up in his
+ambition that his wife is a small matter to him. There's no danger from
+him, for he's away; and after the first flare-up we'll be able to handle
+him among us, never fear!" But after impressing this point, Morrell always
+was most careful to interpose the warning: "If it should come to trouble,
+don't let him get near you! He's absolutely rotten with a gun--you saw him
+in that farce of a duel--but he's a strong beggar. Don't let him get his
+hands on you!"
+
+"I won't," promised Sansome, a trifle shakily.
+
+Then Morrell, lighting a fresh cigar and fortifying his bored soul with
+another drink, skilfully outlined a portrait of Sansome himself as a hero,
+a dashing man of the world, a real devil among the ladies, the haughty and
+proud exponent of aristocratic high-handedness. He laid this on pretty
+thick, but Sansome had by now consumed a vast number of drinks, and was
+ready to swallow almost anything in addition. Morrell's customary demeanour
+was rather stolid, silent, and stupid; but when he was really interested
+and cared to exert himself, he became unexpectedly voluble and plausible.
+Mid-evening he drove this creature of his own fashioning out to Jake's
+Place, and deposited him in the parlour with the open fire, the table of
+drinks, and the easy chairs.
+
+His plans from this point on were based on the fact that he had started
+Keith out on an expedition that should last all night. Had there been the
+slightest chance that the injured husband could appear, you may be sure
+Morrell would not have been present. Of course witnesses were necessary to
+the meeting at the road house. With Keith imminent, hirelings would have
+been arranged for. With Keith safety away, Morrell saw no reason why he
+should not enjoy the situation himself. Therefore he had arranged a little
+supper party. Teeny McFarlane and Jimmy Ware were his first thought. Then
+he added Pop McFarlane. If he wanted Teeny as a witness, the party must be
+respectable!
+
+At the sound of wheels outside Morrell arose and slipped out the back door
+of the parlour.
+
+"Now, remember!" he told Sansome from the doorway. "Now's the chance of
+your life! You've got her love, and you must keep her. She'll cut up rough
+at first. That's when you must show what's in you. Go right after her!"
+
+As Nan burst into the room by one door he softly closed--and locked--the
+other behind him.
+
+
+
+
+LXXIII
+
+
+But Sansome, although he had put up a brave front to the last moment, was
+not in reality feeling near the hero of romance he looked. In spite of
+Morrell's cleverness, the Englishman had failed to observe that Sansome had
+touched the fringe of that second stage of semi-drunkenness when the
+"drinks were dying on him." While outwardly fairly sober, inwardly he was
+verging toward the incoherent. First one phase or mood would come to the
+top, then another, without order; sequence, or logical reason. He was
+momentarily dangerous or harmless. Nan's abrupt entrance scattered his last
+coherences. For the moment he fell back on habit, and habit was with him
+conventional He smiled his best smile.
+
+"Do sit down," he urged in his most society manner.
+
+This immediately convinced Nan that Keith must be badly hurt.
+
+"Tell me at once!" she demanded "Where is Milton? Is he--is--"
+
+"As far as I know," replied Sansome, still in his courtly manner, "Mr.
+Keith is in perfect health. As to where he is"--he waved an airy hand--"I
+do not know. It does not matter, does it? The point is we are cozy here
+together. Do sit down."
+
+"I don't understand," said she, advancing a step nearer, her brows knit,
+"Don't put me off. I got a note saying--"
+
+"I know; I wrote it," boasted Sansome fatuously.
+
+The blood mounted her face, her fists clenched, she advanced several steps
+fearlessly.
+
+"I don't, quite understand," she repeated, in hard, crisp tones. "You wrote
+it?' Isn't it true? What did you do such a thing for?"
+
+"To get you here, my dear, of course," rejoined Sansome gallantly. "I knew
+your puritanical scruples--I love them every one--but--"
+
+"Do you mean to say you dared decoy me here!" challenged Nan, all aflame.
+Her whole emotion was one of rage. It did not occur to her to be afraid of
+Ben Sansome, the conventional, the dilettante exquisite, without the
+gumption to say boo to a goose!
+
+This Sansome answered her, the habit of society strong within him. He
+became deprecatory, pleading, almost apologetic. His manners were on top
+and his rather weak nature quailed before the blaze of her anger.
+
+"I know it was inexcusable," he babbled, "but what could I do? I am mad
+about you! Do forgive me! Just sit down for a few moments. I don't blame
+you for being angry--any one is angry at being deceived--but do forgive me.
+If you'll only consider why I did it, you won't be angry. That's right," he
+ended soothingly, seeing that she neither spoke nor moved, "Just sit right
+down here and be comfortable. It must be cold driving. Let me give you a
+glass of sherry." He fussed about, shoving forward an armchair, arranging
+pillows, unstopping the decanter.
+
+"You fool!" she ejaculated in a low voice. She looked him all up and down,
+and turned to go.
+
+The door was locked! For the first time she noticed that Mrs. Morrell had
+not followed her in. Her heart fluttered in sudden panic, which she
+subdued. She moved toward the other door.
+
+The words, and especially the frustration of her intention, brought another
+mood to the surface of Sansome's intoxication. The polished society man
+with the habit of external unselfishness disappeared. Another Sansome, whom
+Nan did not recognize, sprang to take his place.
+
+"No, you don't!" he snarled. "That door's locked, too. You don't get out of
+here until I choose to let you out!"
+
+"You'll let me out; and you'll let me out right now, or I'll call for
+help," said Nan determinedly.
+
+Sansome deliberately seated himself, stretching his legs out straight
+before him, his hands in his pockets. This was the masterful role he had
+seen himself playing, and he instinctively took the attitude approved by
+the best melodramatic masters.
+
+"Call all you please," he sneered. "Nobody's going to pay any attention to
+your calls at Jake's Place!"
+
+Nan's heart went cold as she realized the complete truth of this. She was
+beginning to know fear. This was a new sort of creature before her, one
+with which she was acquainted only by instinct. She did not know what to do
+next, except that she saw surely that open opposition would only aggravate
+the situation.
+
+"I must gain time!" she told herself, though to what end she could not have
+said.
+
+Her pulses beat wildly, but she forced herself to a specious calmness.
+
+"But Ben," she said as naturally as she could, "why did you do so foolish a
+thing as this? It might make all kinds of trouble. You can always see me at
+the house; you know that. Why did you get me out on this mad expedition? If
+we were to be seen here by anybody we would be deeply compromised."
+
+The words reminded her of Mrs. Morrell; but out of sheer terror she
+resolutely thrust that idea from her mind. At this appeal Sansome suddenly
+became maudlin.
+
+"You've treated me like a dog lately--a yellow dog!" he mourned. "What good
+did it do to go to your house and be treated like a yellow dog?"
+
+Nan's faculties were beginning to rally after the first panic. Her heart
+was still thumping violently, but her eyes were bright, and her fighting
+courage was flowing back. For the first time his obvious condition
+registered on her brain.
+
+"He's drunk!" she thought.
+
+This discovery at first induced in her another, small panic. Then her
+courage boldly took it as a point of attack. The man was drunk and
+dangerous; very well, let us make him more drunk and less dangerous. That
+was a desperate enough expedient, but at least it was definite. She crossed
+deliberately to the other easy chair, and sat down.
+
+"Well, let's sit down," she agreed. "No!" more decidedly, "you sit there,
+on the other side. It's more cozy," she continued, at just the right moment
+to get her effect on his instinct of good manners. "Now, I will have that
+sherry. No, don't bother; it is next my hand. You must drink with me. Let
+me pour it for you--with my own hands--aren't you flattered?"
+
+She smiled across at him. This sudden reversion to an easy every-day plane
+had brought Sansome's first mood again to the surface. In this atmosphere
+of orderly tete-a-tete he was again the society man. Nan breathed freer. He
+murmured something inane and conventional about Hebe.
+
+"Meaning you're a little tin god?" she chaffed.
+
+He said something still more involved, to the effect that her presence
+would make a god out of the most unworthy mortal. It was all vapid, unreal,
+elaborate, artificial.
+
+"If I can only keep him at this!" thought she desperately.
+
+She had drunk her glass of sherry because she felt she needed it. Now she
+poured another, and without comment, refilled Sansome's whiskey glass.
+
+"Here's to us!" she cried, lifting her glass.
+
+Nan's plan of getting him so drunk that he would not interfere with her
+escape had the merit of simplicity, and also of endorsement by such
+excellent authority as melodrama and the novel. It had the defect of being
+entirely theoretical. Nan's innocence of the matter in hand had not taken
+into account the intermediate stages of drunkenness, nor did she realize
+the strength inherent in the association of ideas. As she leaned forward to
+fill the glasses, Sansome's eyes brightened. He had seen women pouring wine
+many times before. The picture before him reminded him of a dozen similar
+pictures taken from the gallery of his rather disreputable past. His
+elaborate complimentary mood vanished. He pledged her ardently, and deep in
+his eyes began to burn a secret covetous flame. Nan poured her, sherry
+under the table.
+
+"This really is a cozy party!" she cried. "Will you have another with me?"
+
+The third glass of neat whiskey whirled in Sansome's head. He was verging
+toward complete drunkenness, but in the meantime became amorous. His eyes
+burned, his lips fell apart. Nan tried in desperation to keep on a plane of
+light persiflage, to hold him to his chair and to the impersonal. Deep fear
+entered her. She urged more drink on him, hoping that he would be
+overpowered. It was like a desperate race between this man's passions and
+the deep oblivion that reached for them. Her mouth was dry, and her brain
+whirled. Only by the greatest effort could she prevent herself from flying
+to pieces. Sansome hardly appeared to hear her. He wagged his head at her,
+looking upon her with swimming, benevolent eyes. Suddenly, without warning,
+he sprang up, overturning with a crash the small table and the bottles and
+glasses.
+
+"By God, you're the most beautiful woman I ever saw!" he cried. "Come
+here!"
+
+He advanced on her, his eyes alight. She saw that the crisis had come, and
+threw aside all pretence.
+
+"Keep away! Keep away!" she warned him through, gritted teeth; then, as he
+continued to stumble toward her, she struck at him viciously again and
+again with one of the small light chairs.
+
+For a moment or so she actually managed to beat him off; but he lunged
+through the blows and seized her around the shoulders.
+
+"Reg'lar little tiger cat!" he murmured with fond admiration.
+
+His reeking breath was on her neck as he sought her mouth. She threw her
+head back and to one side, fighting desperately and silently, tearing at
+him with her hands, writhing her body, lowering her head as he forced her
+around, kicking at his shin. The man's strength was as horrible as it was
+unexpected. The efforts to which she was giving her every ounce did not
+appear to have the slightest effect on him, His handsome weak face
+continued to smile foolishly and fondly down on her.
+
+"Reg'lar little tiger cat!" he repeated over and over.
+
+The terrible realization dawned on her that he was too much for her. Her
+body suddenly went lax. She threw back her and screamed.
+
+
+
+
+LXXIV
+
+
+The plot which Morrell had first suggested idly and as sort of a joke, but
+which later he had entered into with growing belief, was quite perfect in
+all details but one: he assumed that Keith had accompanied Durkee's
+expedition, and was sure that he had seen the young lawyer off. As a matter
+of fact, Keith had been recalled. A messenger had at the very last moment
+handed him an order sealed with the well-known open eye, and signed "33
+Secretary." It commanded him to proceed with certain designated men to the
+arrest of certain others inscribed on the black list. This was a direct
+order, whereas the present expedition was wholly a voluntary affair. Keith
+had no alternative but to obey, though he did so reluctantly, for this
+search for arms had promised sport. Therefore, he stepped ashore at the
+last instant; a proceeding unobserved by Morrell, who was surveying the
+scene from a distance, and who turned away once the sails were hoisted.
+
+The duty to which Keith had been assigned took some time. The men had to be
+searched out one by one, escorted to headquarters, and the usual
+formalities there accomplished. It was late in the evening before he was
+free to go home. He let himself in with his latchkey, and had just turned
+up the low-burning gas in the hall when the sound of hurrying feet brought
+him back to the door. He flung it open to confront Mrs. Sherwood and
+Krafft. They were both panting as though they had run some distance and
+Krafft's usually precise attire was dishevelled and awry, as though it had
+been hastily put on.
+
+"Nan!" gasped Mrs. Sherwood. "Is she here?"
+
+Keith, with instant decision, asking no questions, threw open the parlour
+door, glanced within, ran upstairs three steps at a time, but almost
+immediately returned after a hasty inspection of the upper story. His face
+had gone very pale, but he had himself in perfect control.
+
+"Well?" he demanded crisply, looking from one to the other.
+
+But Mrs. Sherwood did not stop to answer. With a stifled exclamation she
+darted from the house. Krafft looked after her, bewildered. Keith shook him
+savagely by the shoulder.
+
+"Speak up, man! Quick! What is it?" demanded Keith. His voice was vibrant
+with suppressed excitement, but he held himself outwardly calm, and waited
+immobile until the end of Krafft's story. It was characteristic of him as
+of all strong men in a crisis that he made no move whatever until he was
+sure he had grasped the whole situation.
+
+Krafft was just going to bed--he always retired early--when he was called
+to the door by Mex Ryan. Mex had never come to his house before. He was a
+shoulder striker and a thug; but he had one sure streak of loyalty in that
+nothing could ever induce him to go back on a pal. For various reasons he
+considered Krafft a pal. He was very much troubled.
+
+"Look here, boss," he said to Krafft, "It just come to my mind a while ago:
+what was the name of that bloke you told me to keep off'n? The Cora trial
+man, I mean."
+
+Krafft recalled the circumstance, and named Keith.
+
+Mex slapped his head.
+
+"That's right! It come to me afterward. Well, there's dirty work with his
+wife. That's where I see the name, on the outside of the note. I just give
+her a fake letter that says her husband is shot, and she's to go to him."
+
+"How did he know what the letter said?" interjected Keith at this point.
+
+"He'd read anything given him, of course. Mex knew the letter was false. I
+came up to find your house. I didn't know where you lived, so I stopped at
+John Sherwood's to inquire. Mrs. Sherwood was home alone. She came with
+me."
+
+"Where did this letter say I was supposed to be?" asked Keith,
+
+"Jake's Place."
+
+"My God!" cried Keith, and leaped for the door. At the same instant Mrs.
+Sherwood's voice was heard from the darkness.
+
+"Come here," she cried, "I have a rig."
+
+They found her seated in a buggy. Both climbed in beside her. Keith took
+the reins, and lashed the horse with the light whip. The astonished animal
+leaped; the buggy jerked forward.
+
+Then began a wild, careering, bumpy ride into the night. The road was
+fearful and all but invisible. The carriage swayed and swung dangerously.
+Keith drove, every faculty concentrated. No one spoke. The dim and ghostly
+half-guessed forms of things at night streamed past.
+
+"Who sent that letter?" demanded Keith finally.
+
+"Mex wouldn't tell me," replied Krafft.
+
+"How long ago did he deliver it?"
+
+"About an hour."
+
+The horse plunged frantically under the lash as this reply reached Keith.
+The buggy was all but overturned. He pulled the frantic animal down to a
+slower pace, and with an obvious effort regained control of himself.
+
+"Can't afford an accident!" he warned himself.
+
+"Are you armed?" Mrs. Sherwood asked him suddenly.
+
+"Yes--no, I left my gun at headquarters--that doesn't matter."
+
+Mrs. Sherwood made no comment. The wind caught her hair and whipped it
+about. In the distance now twinkled the lights of Jake's Place. Keith took
+a firmer grip on the reins, and again applied the whip. They swept into the
+gravelled driveway on two wheels, righted themselves, and rounded to the
+veranda. Keith pulled up and leaped to the ground. Nobody was visible. From
+the veranda he turned on them.
+
+"Here, you!" he commanded Mrs. Sherwood sharply, "I can't have you in this
+row! Stay here, outside. You take care of her," he told Krafft. "No, I mean
+it!"
+
+On his words a scream burst from the lighted room. Keith sprang to the
+door, found it locked, and drew back. With a low mighty rush he thrust his
+shoulder against the panel near the lock. The wood splintered. He sprang
+forward into the room.
+
+
+
+
+LXXV
+
+
+After turning the key in the lock outside the parlour door Mrs. Morrell
+slipped along the dark veranda, passed through a narrow hall, and entered a
+small back sitting-room. Jake's Place especially abounded in sitting-rooms.
+This particular one was next the parlour, so that one listening intently
+could be more or less aware of what was going on in the larger room. Here
+Morrell was already seated, a bottle of beer next his hand. He raised his
+eyebrows on her entrance, and she nodded back reassuringly. She, too, sat
+down and helped herself to beer. Both smoked. For a long time neither said
+anything.
+
+"Don't hear much in there," observed Mrs. Morrell finally, in a low guarded
+tone.
+
+"Not a sound," agreed Morrell. "You don't suppose she--"
+
+"No, I don't think so."
+
+"Then I don't see what ails that fool, Sansome! It'd be just like him to
+jib."
+
+"What does it matter?" observed Mrs. Morrell philosophically, "We don't
+care what is happening inside as long as those two doors stay locked until
+Teeny and Jimmy Ware get here."
+
+As has been mentioned, Pop McFarlane was also of the party; but,
+characteristically, neither would have thought that fact worth mentioning.
+
+"Just the same, as a matter of academic interest, I'd have expected her to
+make more of a  row," said Morrell. "I'll wager for all her airs she runs
+the same gait as all the rest of you."
+
+"Do you mean me?" demanded Mrs. Morrell, her eyes flashing dangerously.
+
+"Moderate your voice, my dear," advised he. "My remark was wholly general
+of your charming sex."
+
+From the parlour now they heard faintly the first sounds of struggle.
+
+"That's more like," he said with satisfaction. "I hate to have my ideals
+shattered."
+
+Wheels became audible.
+
+"There's Teeny, now," he observed, arising. He sauntered down the hall and
+looked out. "Keith!" he whispered back over his shoulder. "Where in hell
+did he come from?" He continued to peer into the darkness. "There's two
+others. Well, at any rate, we have plenty of witnesses!" He turned to Mrs.
+Morrell. "You'd better make yourself scarce. You locked that door, you
+know!"
+
+"Scarce!" she repeated, staring at him. "Where? How?"
+
+He looked at her through narrowed lids.
+
+"Get a horse of Jake," he said at last. "I'll meet you--oh, at the house.
+We'll arrange later."
+
+He watched her rather opulent figure steal down the dim hallway. A cynical
+smile flashed under his moustache. He turned back to the drama before him.
+The buggy had disappeared; the veranda was apparently empty.
+
+"Now I wonder who will shoot who?" speculated Morrell.
+
+He stole to the first of the windows. The lower blinds were drawn, but the
+upper half of the window was clear. Morrell cautiously placed a stool
+nearby, and mounted it so he could see into the room. For several minutes
+he watched. Then his hand stole to his pocket. He produced a revolver.
+
+
+
+
+LXXVI
+
+
+Blinded by the light, Keith stood for a barely appreciable moment in the
+wrecked doorway. Sansome, startled by the crash, relaxed his efforts. Nan
+thrust him from her so strongly that he staggered back. Keith's vision
+cleared. He appreciated the meaning of the tableau, uttered a choked growl,
+and advanced.
+
+Immediately Sansome drew and presented his weapon. He was shocked far
+toward sobriety, but the residue of the whiskey fumes in combination with a
+sudden sick and guilty panic imbued him with a sort of desperation. Sansome
+was a bold and dashing villain only as long as things came his way. His
+amours had always been of the safe rather than the wildly adventurous sort.
+Sansome had no morals; but being found out produced effects so closely
+resembling those of conscience that they could not be distinguished. In the
+chaotic collapse of this heroic episode he managed to cling to but one
+thing. That was Morrell's often reiterated warning: "Don't let Keith get
+his hands on you!"
+
+At the sight of his levelled weapon, Nan, who was nearest, uttered a
+stifled cry and made as though to throw herself on him.
+
+"Stop!" commanded Keith, without looking toward her. But so quietly
+authoritative was his voice and manner that in spite of herself her impulse
+was checked. She remained rigid.
+
+Keith advanced steadily on Sansome, his hands clenched at his side, his
+eye's fixed frowningly and contemptuously on those of the other man. The
+pistol barrel was held on his breast. Sansome fully intended to shoot, but
+found himself unable to pull the trigger. This is a condition every
+rifleman knows well by experience; he calls it being "frozen on the bull's
+eye," when, the alignment perfect, his rifle steady as a rock, he
+nevertheless cannot transmit just the little nerve power necessary to crook
+the forefinger. Three times Sansome sent the message to his trigger finger;
+three times the impulse died before it had compassed the distance between
+his brain and his hand. This was partly because his correlations had been
+weakened by the drink; partly because his fuddled mind was divided between
+fear, guilt, despair, and a rage at himself for having got into such a
+mess; but principally because he was hypnotically dominated by the other
+man's stronger personality.
+
+So evident was this that a sudden feeling of confidence replaced in Nan the
+sick terror at the sight of the weapon. She seemed to know positively that
+here was no real peril. A wave of contempt for Sansome, even as a dangerous
+creature, mingled with a passionate admiration for the man who thus
+dominated him unarmed.
+
+Sansome's nerve broke. He dropped his hand, looked to right and left
+frantically like a rat in a corner, uttered a very ratty squeak. Suddenly
+he hurled the loaded pistol blindly at Keith, and plunged bodily, with an
+immense crash of breaking glass, through the closed window. Keith, with a
+snarl of baffled rage, dashed forward.
+
+The sight seemed to touch Nan's sense of humour. She laughed at the
+picture, caught her breath, gasped. Keith whirled and snatched her fiercely
+in his arms.
+
+"Nan!" he cried in an agony, "are you all right? What did that beast--"
+
+She clung to him, still choking, on the edge of hysterics. In a moment of
+illumination she realized that the intangible barrier these past years had
+so slowly built between them had gone crashing down before the assault of
+the old love triumphant.
+
+"I'm all right, dear," she gasped; "really all right. And I never was so
+happy in my life!"
+
+They clung together frantically, he patting her shoulder, her cheek against
+his own, murmuring broken, soothing little phrases. The time and the place
+did not exist for them.
+
+A scuffle outside, which they had only vaguely sensed, and which had not at
+all penetrated to their understandings, came to an end. Mrs. Sherwood
+appeared in the doorway. Her dress was torn and dishevelled, a strand of
+her smooth hair had fallen across her forehead, an angry red mark showed on
+one cheek. But she was in high spirits. Her customary quiet poise had given
+place to a vibrant, birdlike, vital, quivering eagerness. To the two in the
+centre of the room, still clasped in each other's arms, came the same
+thought: that never, in spite of her ruffled plumes, in spite of the cheek
+already beginning to swell, had this extraordinary woman looked so
+beautiful! Then Keith realized that she was panting heavily, and was
+clinging to the doorway. He sprang to her assistance.
+
+"What is it? Where is Krafft?" he asked.
+
+She laughed a little, and permitted him to help her to an armchair into
+which she sank. She waved aside Keith's attempts to find a whole glass in
+the wreckage of the table.
+
+"I'm all right," she said, "and isn't this a nice little party?"
+
+"What has happened? Where is Krafft?" repeated Keith.
+
+"I sent him to the stable for help. There didn't seem to be anybody about
+the place."
+
+"But what happened to you? Did that brute Sansome--"
+
+"Sansome? was that Sansome? the one who came through the window?" She
+dabbed at her cheek. "You might wet me a handkerchief or a towel or
+something," she suggested. "No, he didn't stop!" she laughed again. "Are
+you all right?" she asked anxiously of Nan.
+
+"Yes. But tell us--"
+
+"Well, children, I was waiting on the veranda, obeying orders like a good
+girl, when, in the dim light I saw a man mount a stool and look into the
+room. He was very much interested. I crept up quite close to him without
+his knowing it. I heard him mutter to himself something about a 'weak kneed
+fool.' Then he drew a revolver. He looked quite determined and heroic"--she
+giggled reminiscently--"so I kicked the stool out from under him! About
+that time there was a most terrific crash, and somebody came out through
+the window."
+
+"But your cheek, your hair--"
+
+"I tried to hold him, but he was too strong for me. He hit me in the face,
+wrenched himself free, and ran. That was all; except that he dropped the
+pistol, and I'm going to keep it as a trophy."
+
+Keith was looking at her, deep in thought.
+
+"I don't understand," he said slowly. "Who could it have been?"
+
+Mrs. Sherwood shook her head.
+
+"Somebody about to shoot a pistol; that's all I know. I couldn't see his
+face."
+
+"Whoever it was, you saved one or both of us," said Keith, "there's no
+doubt in my mind of that. Let's see the pistol."
+
+It proved to be one of the smaller Colt's models, about 31 calibre, cap and
+ball, silver plated, with polished rosewood handles, and heavily engraved
+with scrollwork. Turning it over, Keith finally discovered on the bottom of
+the butt frame two letters scratched rudely, apparently with the point of a
+knife. He took it closer to the light.
+
+"I have it," said he. "Here are the letters C.M."
+
+"Charles Morrell!" cried both women in a breath.
+
+At this moment appeared Krafft, somewhat out of wind, followed by the surly
+and reluctant proprietor from whom the place took its name. Jake had been
+liberally paid to keep himself and his staff out of the way. Now finding
+that he was not wanted, he promptly disappeared.
+
+"Let's get to the bottom of this thing," said Keith decisively. "If those
+are really meant for Morrell's initials, what was he doing here?"
+
+"Mrs. Morrell came out with me," put in Nan.
+
+"Jake told me there was to be a supper party later," said Krafft.
+
+"It's clear enough," contributed Mrs. Sherwood. "The whole thing is a plot
+to murder or do worse. I've been through '50 and '51, and I know."
+
+"I can't believe yet that Sansome--" said Keith doubtfully.
+
+"Oh, Sansome is merely a tool, I don't doubt," replied Mrs. Sherwood.
+
+"I can find out to-morrow from Mex Ryan who sent the note," said Krafft.
+
+"Let's get out of this horrible place!" cried Nan with a convulsive shiver.
+
+Again they had great difficulty in finding any one to get their rigs, but
+finally repeated calls brought the hostler and Jake himself. The latter
+made some growl about payment for the entertainment, but at this Keith
+turned on him with such concentrated fury that he muttered something and
+slouched away. It was agreed that Krafft should conduct Mrs. Sherwood. They
+clambered into the two buggies and drove away.
+
+
+
+
+LXXVII
+
+
+The horse plodded slowly down the gravelled drive of the road house and
+turned into the main highway. It was very dark on earth, and very bright in
+the heavens. The afternoon fog had cleared away, dissipated in the warm air
+from the sand hills, for the day had been hot. Overhead flared thousands of
+stars, throwing the world small. Nan, shivering in reaction, nestled
+against her husband. He drew her close. She rested her cheek against his
+shoulder and sighed happily. Neither spoke.
+
+At first Keith's whole being was filled with rage. His mind whirled with
+plans for revenge. On the morrow he would hunt down Morrell and Sansome. At
+the thought of what he would do to them, his teeth clamped and his muscles
+stiffened. Then he became wholly preoccupied with Nan's narrow escape. His
+quick mind visualized a hundred possibilities--suppose he had gone on
+Durkee's expedition? Suppose Mex Ryan had not happened to remember his
+name? Suppose Mrs. Sherwood and Krafft had not found him? Suppose they had
+been an hour later? Suppose--He leaned over tenderly to draw the lap robe
+closer about her. She had stopped shivering and was nestling contentedly
+against him.
+
+But gradually the storm in Keith's soul fell. The great and solemn night
+stood over against his vision, and at last he could not but look. The
+splendour of the magnificent skies, the dreamy peace of the velvet-black
+earth lying supine like a weary creature at rest--these two simple
+infinities of space and of promise took him to themselves. An eager glad
+chorus of frogs came from some invisible pool. The slithering sound of the
+sand dividing before the buggy wheels whispered. Every once in a while the
+plodding horse sighed deeply.
+
+With the warm cozy feel of the woman, his woman, in the hollow of his arm,
+his spirit stilled and uplifted by the simple yet august and eternal things
+before him, Keith fell into inchoate rumination. The fever of activity in
+the city, the clash of men's interests, greeds, and passions, the tumult
+and striving, the sweat and dust of the arena fell to nothing about his
+feet. He cleared his vision of the small necessary unessentials, and stared
+forth wide-eyed at the big simplicities of life--truth as one sees it,
+loyalty to one's ideal, charity toward one's beaten enemy, a steadfast
+front toward one's unbeaten enemy, scorn of pettiness, to be unafraid.
+Unless the struggle is for and by these things, it is useless, meaningless.
+And one's possessions--Keith's left arm tightened convulsively. He had come
+near to losing the only possession worth while. At the pressure Nan stirred
+sleepily.
+
+"Are we there, dear?" she inquired, raising her head.
+
+Keith had reined in the horse, and was peering into the surrounding
+darkness. He laughed.
+
+"No, we seem to be here," he replied, "And I'm blest if I know where 'here'
+is! I've been day-dreaming!"
+
+"I believe I've been asleep," confessed Nan.
+
+They both stared about them, but could discern nothing familiar in the dim
+outlines of the hills. Not a light flickered.
+
+"Perhaps if you'd give the horse his head, he'd take us home. I've heard,
+they would," suggested Nan.
+
+"He's had his head completely for the last two hours. That theory is
+exploded. We must have turned wrong after leaving Jake's Place."
+
+"Well, we're on a road. It must go somewhere."
+
+Keith, with some difficulty, managed to awaken the horse. It sighed and
+resumed its plodding.
+
+"I'm afraid we're lost," confessed Keith.
+
+"I don't much care," confessed Nan.
+
+"He seems to be a perfectly safe horse," said he.
+
+By way of answer to this she passed her arms gently about his neck and bent
+his lips to hers. The horse immediately stopped.
+
+"Seems a fairly intelligent brute, too," observed Keith, after a few
+moments.
+
+"Did you ever see so many stars?" said she.
+
+The buggy moved slowly, on through the night. They did not talk.
+Explanations and narrative could wait until the morrow--a distant morrow
+only dimly foreseen, across this vast ocean of night. All sense of tune or
+direction left them; they were wandering irresponsibly, without thought of
+why, as children wander and get lost. After a long time they saw a silver
+gleam far ahead and below them.
+
+"That must be the bay," said Keith. "If we turn to the right we ought to
+get back to town."
+
+"I suppose so," said Nan.
+
+A very long time later the horse stopped short with an air of finality, and
+refused absolutely to proceed. Keith descended to see what was the matter.
+
+"The road seems to end here," he told her. "There's a steep descent just
+ahead."
+
+"What now?"
+
+"Nothing," he replied, climbing back into the buggy.
+
+The horse slumbered profoundly. They wrapped the lap robe around
+themselves. For a tune they whispered little half-forgotten things to each
+other. The pauses grew longer and longer. With an effort she roused herself
+to press her lips again to his. They, too, slept. And as dawn slowly
+lighted the world, they must have presented a strange and bizarre
+silhouette atop the hill against the paling sky--the old sagging buggy, the
+horse with head down and ears adroop, the lovers clasped in each other's
+arms.
+
+Silently all about them the new day was preparing its great spectacle. The
+stars were growing dim; the masses of eastern hills were becoming visible.
+A full rich life was swelling through the world, quietly, stealthily, as
+though under cover of darkness multitudes were stealing to their posts.
+Shortly, when the signal was given, the curtain would roll up, the fanfare
+of trumpets would resound--A meadow lark chirped low out of the blackness.
+And another, boldly, with full throat, uttered its liquid, joyous song.
+This was apparently the signal. The east turned gray. Mt. Tamalpais caught
+the first ghostly light. And ecstatically the birds and the insects and the
+flying and crawling and creeping things awakened, and each in his own voice
+and manner devoutly welcomed the brand-new day with its fresh, clean
+chances of life and its forgetfulness of old, disagreeable things. The
+meadow larks became hundreds, the song sparrows trilled, distant cocks
+crowed, and a dog barked exuberantly far away.
+
+Keith stirred and looked about him. Objects were already becoming dimly
+visible. Suddenly something attracted his attention. He held his head
+sideways, listening. Faintly down the little land breeze came the sound of
+a bell. It was the Vigilante tocsin. Nan sat up, blinking and putting her
+hair back from her eyes. She laughed a little happily.
+
+"Why, it's the dawn!" she cried, "We've been out all night!"
+
+"The dawn," repeated Keith, his arm about her, but his ear attuned to the
+beat of the distant bell. "The gray dawn of better things."
+
+
+
+
+LXXVIII
+
+
+As the Keiths, on the way, drove across what is now Harbour View, they
+stopped to watch a bark standing out through the Golden Gate before the
+gentle morning land breeze. She made a pretty sight, for the new-risen sun
+whitened her sails. Aboard her was the arch-plotter, Morrell. Had they
+known of that fact, it is to be doubted whether they would have felt any
+great disappointment over his escape, or any deep animosity at all. The
+outcome of his efforts had been clarifying. The bark was bound for the
+Sandwich Islands. Morrell's dispositions for flight at a moment's notice
+had been made long since; in fact, since the first days of Vigilante
+activity. He lingered in the islands for some years, at first cutting quite
+a dash; then, as his money dwindled and his schemes failed, he degenerated
+slowly. His latter end was probably as a small copra trader in the South
+Seas; but that is unknown. Mrs. Morrell--if indeed she was the man's legal
+wife at all--thus frankly abandoned, put a bold front on the whole matter.
+She returned to her house. As the Keiths in no manner molested her, she
+took heart. With no resources other than heavily mortgaged real property,
+she found herself forced to do something for a living. In the course of
+events we see Mrs. Morrell keeping a flashy boarding-house, hanging
+precariously on the outer fringe of the lax society of the times, frowned
+upon by the respectable, but more or less sought by the fast men and young
+girls only too numerous among the idle of that day.
+
+Ben Sansome went south. For twenty years he lived in Los Angeles, where he
+cut a figure, but from which he always cast longing eyes back upon San
+Francisco. He had a furtive lookout for arrivals from the north. One day,
+however, he came face to face with Keith. As the latter did not annihilate
+him on the spot, Sansome plucked up courage. He returned to San Francisco,
+There in time he attained a position dear to his heart; he became an "old
+beau," frequenting the teas and balls, appraising the debutantes, giving
+his opinion on vintage wines, leading a comfortable, idle, selfish,
+useless, graceful life. His only discomfort was his occasional encounters
+with the Keiths. Mrs. Keith never distinguished him from thin air unless
+others were present. Keith had always in his eye a gleam of contempt which,
+perhaps, Sansome acknowledged, was natural; but it was a contempt with a
+dash of amusement in it, and that galled. Still--Ben was satisfied. He
+gained the distinction of having discovered the epicurean value of sand-
+dabs.
+
+The Sherwoods founded the family of that name.
+
+Terry, arrested for the stabbing of Hopkins, was at first very humble,
+promising to resign his Supreme Court Judgeship. As time went on he became
+arrogant. The Committee of Vigilance was rather at a loss. If Hopkins died,
+they could do no less than hang Terry: and they realized fully that in
+executing a Justice of the Supreme Court they were entering deep waters. To
+the relief of everybody Hopkins fully recovered. After being held closely
+in custody, Terry was finally released, with a resolution that he be
+declared unfit for office. Once free, however, he revised his intention of
+resigning. His subsequent career proved as lawless and undisciplined as its
+earlier promise. Finally he was killed while in the act of attempting to
+assassinate Justice Stephen Field, an old, weak, helpless, and unarmed man.
+If Terry holds any significance in history, it is that of being the
+strongest factor in the complete wrecking of the Law and Order party!
+
+For with the capture of the arsenals, and all their arms, open opposition
+to the Committee of Vigilance came to an end. The Executive Committee
+continued its work. Numberless malefactors and suspects were banished; two
+more men, Hetherington and Brace, were solemnly hanged. On the 8th. of
+August the cells were practically empty. It was determined to disband on
+the 21st.
+
+That ceremony was signalized by a parade on the 18th. Four regiments of
+infantry, two squadrons of cavalry, a battalion of riflemen, a battalion of
+pistol men, and a battalion of police were in line. The entire city turned
+out to cheer.
+
+As for the effects of this movement, the reader must be referred to the
+historians. It is sufficient to say that for years San Francisco enjoyed a
+model government and almost complete immunity from crime.
+
+One evening about twilight two men stood in the gathering shadows of the
+Plaza. They were old friends, but had in times of stress stood on opposite
+sides. The elder man shook his head skeptically.
+
+"That is all very well," said he, "but where are your Vigilantes now?"
+
+The other raised his hand toward the great bell of the Monumental
+silhouetted against the afterglow in the sky.
+
+"Toll that bell, sir, and you will see!" replied Coleman solemnly.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Gray Dawn, by Stewart Edward White
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+**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971**
+
+*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!*****
+
+
+Title: The Gray Dawn
+
+Author: Stewart Edward White
+
+Release Date: October, 2005 [EBook #9149]
+[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule]
+[This file was first posted on September 8, 2003]
+
+Edition: 10
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
+
+*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GRAY DAWN ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by C. Aldarondo, T. Vergon, J. Fairbanks
+and Online Distributed Proofreaders
+
+
+
+
+THE GREY DAWN
+
+BY
+
+STEWART EDWARD WHITE
+
+
+Illustrated by
+Thomas Fogarty
+
+ILLUSTRATIONS
+
+They moved away, leaving Mrs. Morrell alone, biting her lips and planning
+revenges
+
+King listened to him in silence
+
+"Look here, don't try to come that rot. I said, get out--and I mean it!"
+
+"Call all you please," he sneered. "Nobody's going to pay any attention to
+your calls at Jake's Place!"
+
+OTHER BOOKS BY THE SAME AUTHOR
+
+
+THE CLAIM JUMPERS
+THE WESTERNERS
+THE BLAZED TRAIL
+ARIZONA NIGHTS
+BLAZED TRAIL STORIES
+THE CABIN
+CAMP AND TRAIL
+CONJUROR'S HOUSE
+THE FOREST
+THE SIGN AT SIX
+THE RULES OF THE GAME
+
+THE RIVERMAN
+THE SILENT PLACES
+THE ADVENTURES OF BOBBY ORDE
+THE MOUNTAINS
+THE PASS
+THE MAGIC FOREST
+THE LAND OF FOOTPRINTS
+AFRICAN CAMP FIRES
+THE REDISCOVERED COUNTRY
+GOLD
+THE MYSTERY
+  (With Samuel Hopkins Adams)
+
+
+THE GRAY DAWN
+
+
+PRINCIPAL CHARACTERS IN TALE
+
+MILTON KEITH: a young lawyer from Baltimore.
+NAN KEITH: his wife.
+JOHN SHERWOOD: a gambler.
+PATSY SHERWOOD: his wife.
+ARTHUR MORRELL: an English adventurer.
+MIMI MORRELL: his wife or mistress.
+BEN SANSOME: a lady-killer, destined to become an "old beau."
+W. T. COLEMAN, or "old Vigilante," a leader.
+DAVID TERRY: a leader on the other side.
+JAMES KING OF WILLIAM: a modern Crusader.
+THE SPIRIT OF SAN FRANCISCO
+    AND OTHERS
+
+
+
+
+I
+
+
+On the veranda of the Bella Union Hotel, San Francisco, a man sat enjoying
+his morning pipe. The Bella Union overlooked the Plaza of that day, a
+dusty, unkempt, open space, later to be swept and graded and dignified into
+Portsmouth Square. The man was at the younger fringe of middle life. He was
+dressed neatly and carefully in the fashionable costume of the time, which
+was the year of grace 1852. As to countenance, he was square and solid; as
+to physique, he was the same; as to expression, he inclined toward the
+quietly humorous; in general he would strike the observer as deliberately,
+philosophically competent. A large pair of steelbound spectacles sat
+halfway down his nose. Sometimes he read his paper through their lenses;
+and sometimes, forgetting, he read over the tops of their bows. The
+newspaper he held was an extraordinary document. It consisted of four large
+pages. The outside page was filled solidly with short eight or ten line
+advertisements; the second page grudgingly vouchsafed a single column of
+news items; the third page warmed to a column of editorial and another of
+news; all the rest of the space on these and the entire fourth page was
+again crowded close with the short advertisements. They told of the arrival
+of ships, the consignment of goods, the movements of real estate, the sales
+of stock, but mainly of auctions. The man paid little attention to the
+scanty news, and none at all to the editorials. His name was John Sherwood,
+and he was a powerful and respected public gambler.
+
+The approach across the Plaza of a group of men caused him to lay aside his
+paper, and with it his spectacles. The doffing of the latter strangely
+changed his whole expression. The philosophical middle-aged quietude fell
+from him. He became younger, keener, more alert. It was as though he had
+removed a disguise.
+
+The group approaching were all young men, and all dressed in the height of
+fashion. At that rather picturesque time this implied the flat-brimmed
+beaver hat; the long swallowtail, or skirted coat; the tight "pantaloons";
+varicoloured, splendid, low-cut waistcoats of satin, of velvet, or of
+brocade; high wing collars; varnished boots; many sparkling, studs and
+cravat pins; rather longish hair; and whiskers cut close to the cheek or
+curling luxuriantly under the chin. They were prosperous, well-fed,
+arrogant-looking youths, carrying their crests high, the light of questing
+recklessness in their eyes, ready to laugh, drink, or fight with anybody.
+At sight of Sherwood they waved friendly hands, and canes, and veered in
+his direction.
+
+"Yo're just the man we are looking for!" cried a tall, dark, graceful young
+fellow, "We are all 'specially needful of wisdom. The drinks are on some
+one, and we cain't decide who."
+
+John Sherwood, his keen eyes twinkling, set his chair down on four legs.
+
+"State your case, Cal," he said.
+
+Cal waved a graceful hand at a stout, burly, red-faced man whose thick
+blunt fingers, square blue jowl, and tilted cigar gave the flavour of the
+professional politician. "John Webb, here-excuse _me_, Sheriff John Webb-
+presumin' on the fact that he has been to the mines, and that he came here
+in '49, arrogates to himself the exclusive lyin' privileges, of this
+assemblage."
+
+"Pretty large order," commented Sherwood.
+
+"_Pre_cisely," agreed Cal, "and that's why the drinks are on him!"
+
+But Sheriff Webb, who had been chuckling cavernously inside his bulky
+frame, spoke up in a harsh and husky voice: "I told them an innocent
+experience of mine, and they try to hold me up for drinks. I don't object
+to giving them a reasonable amount of drinks--what _I_ call reasonable," he
+added hastily, "but I object to being held up."
+
+"He says he used to cook," put in a small, alert, nervous, rather flashily
+dressed individual named Rowlee, editor of the _Bugle_.
+
+"I did!" stoutly asseverated Webb.
+
+"And that he baked a loaf of bread so hard nobody could eat it."
+
+"Sounds perfectly reasonable," said Sherwood.
+
+"And that nobody could _break_ it," Rowlee went on.
+
+"I have no difficulty in believing that," said Sherwood judicially. "Your
+case is mighty weak yet, Cal."
+
+"But he claims it was so hard that they used it for a grindstone."
+
+"I did not!" disclaimed Webb indignantly.
+
+An accusing groan met this statement.
+
+"I tell you I didn't say anything of the kind," roared Webb, his bull voice
+overtopping them all.
+
+"Well, what did you say, then?" challenged Calhoun Bennett.
+
+"I said we tried to use her as a grindstone," said Webb, "but it didn't
+work."
+
+"Weak case, boys; weak case," said Sherwood.
+
+The little group, their eyes wide, their nostrils distended, waited
+accusingly for Webb to proceed. After an interval, the sheriff, staring
+critically at the lighted end of his cigar, went on in a drawling voice:
+
+"Yes, we, couldn't get a hole through her to hang her axle on. We blunted
+all our drills. Every Sunday we'd try a new scheme. Finally we laid her
+flat under a tree and rigged a lightnin' rod down to the centre of her. No
+use. She tore that lightning all to pieces."
+
+He looked up at them with a limpid, innocent eye, to catch John Sherwood
+gazing at him accusingly.
+
+"John Webb," said he "you forget that I came out here in, '48. On your
+honour, do you expect _me_ to believe that yarn?"
+
+"Well," said Webb, gazing again at his cigar end, "no--really I don't. The
+fact is," he went on with a perfectly solemn air of confidence, "the fact
+is, I've lived out here so long and told so many damn lies that now without
+some help I don't know when to believe myself."
+
+"Do we get that drink?" insisted Calhoun Bennett.
+
+"Oh, Lord, yes, you always get a drink."
+
+"Well, come on and _get_ it then--you, too, of course, Mr. Sherwood."
+
+The gambler arose, and began leisurely to fold his paper and to put away
+his spectacles.
+
+"I see you got Mex Ryan off, Cal," he observed. "You either had
+extraordinary luck, or you're a mighty fine lawyer. Looked like a clear
+case to me. He just naturally went in and beat Rucker half to death in his
+own store. How did you do it?"
+
+"I assure yo' it was no sinecure," laughed the tall, dark youth. "I earned
+my fee."
+
+"Yes," grumbled Webb, "but he got six months--and I got to take care of
+him. Cluttering up my jail with dirty beasts like Mex Ryan! Could just as
+easy have turned him loose!"
+
+"That would have been a little too much!" smiled Bennett. "It was takin'
+some risk to let him off as easy as we did. It isn't so long since the
+Vigilantes."
+
+"Oh, hell, we can handle that sort of trash now," snorted Webb.
+
+"Who was backing Mex, anyway?" asked Rowlee curiously.
+
+"Better ask who had it in for Rucker," suggested the fourth member of the
+group, a man who had not heretofore spoken. This was Dick Blatchford, a
+round-faced, rather corpulent, rather silent though jovial-looking
+individual, with a calculating and humorous eye. He was magnificently
+apparelled, but rather untidy.
+
+"Well, I do ask it," said Rowlee.
+
+But to this he got no response.
+
+"Come on, ain't you got that valuable paper folded up yet?" rumbled Webb to
+Sherwood.
+
+They all turned down the high-pillared veranda, toward the bar, talking
+idly and facetiously of last night's wine and this morning's head. A door
+opened at their very elbow, and in it a woman appeared.
+
+
+
+
+II
+
+
+She was a slender woman, of medium height, with a small, well-poised head,
+on which the hair lay smooth and glossy. Her age was somewhere between
+thirty and thirty-five years. A stranger would have been first of all
+impressed by the imperious carriage of her head and shoulders, the repose
+of her attitude. Become a friend or a longer acquaintance, he would have
+noticed more particularly her wide low brow, her steady gray eyes and her
+grave but humorous lips. But inevitably he would have gone back at last to
+her more general impression. Ben Sansome, the only man in town who did
+nothing, made society and dress a profession and the judgment of women a
+religion, had long since summed her up: "She carries her head charmingly."
+
+This poised, wise serenity of carriage was well set off by the costume of
+the early fifties--a low collar, above which her neck rose like a flower
+stem; flowing sleeves; full skirts with many silken petticoats that
+whispered and rustled; low sandalled shoes, their ties crossed and
+recrossed around white slender ankles. A cameo locket, hung on a heavy gold
+chain, rose and fell with her breast; a cameo brooch pinned together the
+folds of her bodice; massive and wide bracelets of gold clasped her wrists
+and vastly set off her rounded, slender forearms.
+
+She stood quite motionless in the doorway, nodding with a little smile in
+response to the men's sweeping salutes.
+
+"You will excuse me gentlemen, I am sure," said Sherwood formally, and
+instantly turned aside.
+
+The woman in the doorway thereupon preceded him down a narrow, bare,
+unlighted hallway, opened another door, and entered a room. Sherwood
+followed, closing the door after him.
+
+"Want something, Patsy?" he inquired.
+
+The room was obviously one of the best of the Bella Union. That is to say,
+it was fairly large, the morning sun streamed in through its two windows,
+and it contained a small iron stove. In all other respects it differed
+quite from any other hotel room in the San Francisco of that time. A heavy
+carpet covered the floor, the upholstery was of leather or tapestry, wall
+paper adorned the walls, a large table supported a bronze lamp and numerous
+books and papers, a canary, in a brass cage, hung in the sunshine of one of
+the windows, flitted from perch to perch, occasionally uttering a few
+liquid notes under its breath.
+
+"Just a little change, Jack, if you have some with you," said the woman.
+Her speaking voice was rich and low.
+
+Sherwood thrust a forefinger into his waistcoat pocket, and produced one of
+the hexagonal slugs of gold current at that time.
+
+"Oh, not so much!" she protested.
+
+"All I've got. What are you up to to-day, Patsy?"
+
+"I thought of going down to Yet Lee's--unless there is something better to
+do."
+
+"Doesn't sound inspiring. Did you go to that fair or bazaar thing
+yesterday?"
+
+She smiled with her lips, but her eyes darkened.
+
+"Yes, I went. It was not altogether enjoyable. I doubt if I'll try that
+sort of thing again."
+
+Sherwood's eye suddenly became cold and dangerous.
+
+"If they didn't treat you right--"
+
+She smiled, genuinely this time, at his sudden truculence.
+
+"They didn't mob me," she rejoined equably, "and, anyway, I suppose it is
+to be expected."
+
+"It's that cat of Morrell's," he surmised.
+
+"Oh, she--and others. I ought not to have spoken of it, Jack. It's really
+beneath the contempt of sensible people."
+
+"I'll get after Morrell, if he doesn't make that woman behave," said
+Sherwood, without attention to her last speech.
+
+She smiled at him again, entirely calm and reasonable.
+
+"And what good would it do to get after Morrell?" she asked. "Mrs. Morrell
+only stands for what most of them feel. I don't care, anyway. I get along
+splendidly without them." She sauntered over to the window, where she began
+idly to poke one finger at the canary.
+
+"For the life of me, Patsy," confessed Sherwood, "I can't see that they're
+an inspiring lot, anyway. From what little I've seen of them, they haven't
+more than an idea apiece. They'd bore me to death in a week."
+
+"I know that. They'd bore me, too. Don't talk about them. When do they
+expect the _Panama_--do you know?"
+
+But with masculine persistence he refused to abandon the topic.
+
+"I must confess I don't see the point," he insisted. "You've got more
+brains than the whole lot of them together, you've got more sense, you're a
+lot better looking"--he surveyed her, standing in the full light by the
+canary's cage, her little glossy head thrown back, her pink lips pouted
+teasingly at the charmed and agitated bird, her fine clear features
+profiled in the gold of the sunshine--"and you're a thoroughbred, egad,
+which most of them are not."
+
+"Oh, thank you, kind sir." She threw him a humourous glance. "But of course
+that is not the point."
+
+"Oh, isn't it? Well, perhaps you'll tell me the point."
+
+She left the canary and came to face him.
+
+"I'm not respectable," she said.
+
+At the word he exploded.
+
+"Respectable? What are you talking about? You talk as though--as though we
+weren't married, egad!"
+
+"Well, Jack," she replied, a faint mocking smile curving the corners of her
+mouth, "when it comes to that, we _did_ elope, you'll have to acknowledge.
+And we weren't married for quite a long time afterward."
+
+"We got married as soon as we could, didn't we?" he cried indignantly. "Was
+it our fault that we didn't get married sooner? And what difference did it
+make, anyway?"
+
+"Now don't get all worked up," she chided. "I'm just telling you why, in
+the eyes of some of these people, I'm not 'respectable.' You asked me, you
+know."
+
+"Go on," he conceded to this last.
+
+"Well, we ran away and weren't married. That's item one. Then perhaps
+you've forgotten that I sat on lookout for some of your games in the early
+days in the mining camps?"
+
+"Forgotten?" said Sherwood, the light of reminiscence springing to his
+eyes.
+
+The same light had come into hers.
+
+"Will you _ever_ forget," she murmured, "the camps by the summer streams,
+the log towns, the lights, the smoke, the freedom--the comradeship--"
+
+"Homesick for the old rough days?" he teased.
+
+"Kind of," she confessed. "But it wasn't 'respectable'--a--well, a _fairly_
+good-looking woman in a miner's saloon."
+
+He flared again.
+
+"Do you mean to tell me they dare say--"
+
+"They dare say anything--behind our backs," she said, with cool contempt.
+"It's all drivelling nonsense. I care nothing about it. But you asked me.
+Don't bother your head about it. Have you anything to suggest doing this
+morning, instead of Yet Lee's?" She turned away from him toward the door
+leading into another room. "I'll get my hat," she said over her shoulder.
+
+"Look here, Patsy," said Sherwood, rather grimly, "if you want to get in
+with that lot, you shall."
+
+She stopped at this, and turned square around.
+
+"If I do--when I do--I will," she replied. "But, John Sherwood, you mustn't
+interfere--never in the world! Promise!" She stood there, almost menacing
+in her insistence, evidently resolved to nip this particularly masculine
+resolution in the bud.
+
+"Egad, Patsy," cried Sherwood, "you are certainly a raving beauty!"
+
+He covered the ground between them in two strides, and crushed her in his
+arms. She threw her head back for his kiss.
+
+A knock sounded, and almost immediately a very black, very bullet-headed
+young negro thrust his head in at the door.
+
+"Sam," said Sherwood deliberately, "some day I'm going to kill you!"
+
+"Yes, sah! yes, sah!" agreed Sam heartily.
+
+"Well, what the devil do you want?"
+
+"Th' _Panama_ done been, signalled; yes, sah!" said the negro, but without
+following his head through the door.
+
+"Well, what the devil do you suppose I care, you black limb?" roared
+Sherwood, "and what do you mean coming in here before you're told?"
+
+"Yes, sah! yes, sah, dat's right," ducked Sam, "Shell I awdah the team,
+sah?"
+
+"I suppose we might as well go see her docked. Would you like it?" he asked
+his wife.
+
+"I'd love it."
+
+"Then get the team. And some day I'm going to kill you."
+
+
+
+
+III
+
+
+Mrs. Sherwood prepared herself first of all by powdering her nose. This
+simple operation, could it have been seen by the "respectable" members of
+the community, would in itself have branded her as "fast," In those days
+cosmetics of any sort were by most considered inventions of the devil. It
+took extraordinary firmness of character even to protect one's self against
+sunburn by anything more artificial than the shadow of a hat or a parasol.
+Then she assumed a fascinating little round hat that fitted well down over
+her small head. This, innocent of pins, was held on by an elastic at the
+back. A ribbon, hanging down directly in front, could be utilized to steady
+it in a breeze.
+
+"All ready," she announced, picking up a tiny parasol, about big enough for
+a modern doll. "You may carry my mantle."
+
+Near the foot of the veranda steps waited Sam at the heads of a pair of
+beautiful, slim, satiny horses. Their bay coats had been groomed until they
+rippled and sparkled with every movement of the muscles beneath. Wide red-
+lined nostrils softly expanded and contracted with a restrained eagerness;
+and soft eyes rolled in the direction of the Sherwoods--keen, lithe,
+nervous, high-strung creatures, gently stamping little hoofs, impatiently
+tossing dainty heads, but nevertheless making no movement that would stir
+the vehicle that stood "cramped" at the steps. Their harness carried no
+blinders; their tails, undocked, swept the ground; but their heads were
+pulled into the air by the old stupid overhead check reins until their
+noses pointed almost straight ahead. It gave them rather a haughty air.
+
+Sherwood stepped in first, took the reins in one hand, and offered his
+other hand to his wife. Sam instantly left the horses' heads to hold a
+wicker contrivance against the arc of the wheels. This was to protect
+skirts from dusty tires. Mrs. Sherwood settled as gracefully to her place
+as a butterfly on its flower. Sam snatched away the wicker guards. Sherwood
+spoke to the horses. With a purring little snort they moved smoothly away.
+The gossamerlike wheels threw the light from their swift spokes. Sam, half
+choked by the swirl of dust, gazed after them. Sherwood, leaning slightly
+forward against the first eagerness of the animals, showed a strong,
+competent, arresting figure, with his beaver hat, his keen grim face, his
+snow-white linen, and the blue of his brass-buttoned-coat. The beautiful
+horses were stepping as one, a delight to the eye, making nothing whatever
+of the frail vehicle at their heels. But Sam's eye lingered longest on the
+small stately figure of his mistress. She sat very straight, her head high,
+the little parasol poised against the sun, the other hand clasping the hat
+ribbon.
+
+"Dem's quality foh sure!" said Sam with conviction.
+
+Sherwood drove rapidly around the edge of the Plaza and, so into Kearney
+Street. From here to the water front were by now many fireproof brick and
+stone structures, with double doors and iron shatters, like fortresses. So
+much had San Francisco learned from her five disastrous fires. The stone
+had come from China, the brick also from overseas. Down side streets one
+caught glimpses of huge warehouses--already in this year of 1852 men talked
+of the open-air auctions of three years before as of something in history
+inconceivably remote. The streets, where formerly mule teams had literally
+been drowned in mud, now were covered with planking. This made a fine
+resounding pavement. Horses' hoofs went merrily _klop, klop, klop_, and the
+wheels rumbled a dull undertone. San Francisco had been very proud of this
+pavement when it was new. She was very grateful for it even now, for in the
+upper part of town the mud and dust were still something awful.
+Unfortunately the planks were beginning to wear out in places; and a city
+government, trying to give the least possible for its taxes, had made no
+repairs.
+
+There were many holes, large or small: jagged, splintered, ugly holes going
+down to indeterminate blackness either of depth or mud. Private
+philanthropists had fenced or covered these. Private facetiousness had
+labelled most of them with signboards. These were rough pictures of
+disaster painted from the marking pot, and various screeds--"Head of
+Navigation," "No Bottom," "Horse and Dray Lost Here," "Take Soundings,"
+"Storage, Inquire Below," "Good Fishing for Teal," and the like.
+
+Among these obstructions Sherwood guided his team skilfully, dodging not
+only them, but other vehicles darting or crawling in the same direction.
+There were no rules of the road. Omnibuses careered along, every window
+rattling loudly; drays creaked and strained, their horses' hoofs slipping
+against wet planks; horsemen threaded their way; nondescript delivery
+wagons tried to outrattle the omnibuses. The din was something
+extraordinary--hoofs drumming, wheels rumbling, oaths and shouts, and from
+the sidewalks the blare and bray of brass bands in front of the various
+auction shops. Newsboys and bootblacks darted in all directions, shouting
+raucously as they do to-day. Cigar boys, an institution of the time, added
+to the hubbub. Everybody was going in the same direction, some sauntering
+with an air of leisure, some hurrying as though their fortunes were at
+stake.
+
+A wild shriek arose, and everybody made room for the steam sand shovel on
+its way to dump the sand hills into the bay. It was called the "steam
+paddy" to distinguish it from the "hand paddy"--out of Cork or Dublin. It
+rumbled by on its track, very much like juggernaut in its calm indifference
+as to how many it ran over. Sherwood's horses looked at it nervously
+askance; but he spoke to them, and though they trembled they stood.
+
+Now they debouched on the Central Wharf, and the sound of the hoofs and the
+wheels changed its tone. Central Wharf extended a full mile into the bay.
+It was lined on either side its narrow roadway by small shacks, in which
+were offered fowls, fish, vegetables, candy, refreshments. Some of them
+were tiny saloons or gambling houses. But by far the majority were the
+cubicles where the Jewish slop sellers displayed their wares. Men returning
+from the mines here landed, and here replenished their wardrobes.
+Everything was exposed to view outside, like clothes hung out after a rain.
+
+The narrow way between this long row of shops was crowded almost
+dangerously. Magnificent dray horses, with long hair on the fetlocks above
+their big heavy hoofs, bridling in conscious pride of silver-mounted
+harness and curled or braided manes, rose above the ruck as their
+ancestors, the warhorses, must have risen in medieval battle. The crowd
+parted before them and closed in behind them. Here and there, too, a
+horseman could be seen--with a little cleared space at his heels. Or a
+private calash picking its way circumspectly.
+
+From her point of vantage on the elevated seat Mrs. Sherwood could see over
+the heads of people. She sat very quietly, her body upright, but in the
+poised repose characteristic of her. Many admiring glances were directed at
+her. She seemed to be unconscious of them. Nevertheless, nothing escaped
+her. She saw, and appreciated and enjoyed, every phase of that
+heterogeneous crowd--miners in their exaggeratedly rough clothes, brocaded
+or cotton clad Chinese, gorgeous Spaniards or Chileńos, drunken men, sober
+men, excited men, empty cans or cases kicking around underfoot, frantic
+runners for hotels or steamboats trying to push their way by, newsboys and
+cigar boys darting about and miraculously worming their way through
+impenetrable places. Atop a portable pair of steps a pale, well-dressed
+young man was playing thimble-rig on his knees with a gilt pea. From an
+upturned keg a preacher was exhorting. And occasionally, through gaps
+between the shacks, she caught glimpses of blue water; or of ships at
+anchor; or, more often, of the tall pile drivers whose hammers went
+steadily up and down.
+
+Sherwood guided his glossy team and light spidery vehicle with the greatest
+delicacy and skill. He was wholly absorbed in his task. Suddenly up ahead a
+wild turmoil broke out. People crowded to right and left, clambering,
+shouting, screaming. A runaway horse hitched to a light buggy came
+careering down the way.
+
+A collision seemed inevitable. Sherwood turned his horses' heads directly
+at an open shop front. They hesitated, their small pointed ears working
+nervously. Sherwood spoke to them. They moved forward, quivering, picking
+their way daintily. Sherwood spoke again. They stopped. The runaway hurtled
+by, missing the tail of the buggy by two feet. A moment later a grand crash
+marked the end of its career farther down the line. Again Sherwood spoke to
+his horses, and exerted the slightest pressure on the reins. Daintily,
+slowly, their ears twitching back and forth, their fine eyes rolling, they
+backed out of the opening.
+
+Throughout all this exciting little incident the woman had not altered her
+pose nor the expression of her face. Her head high, her eye ruminative, she
+had looked on it all as one quite detached from possible consequences. The
+little parasol did not change its angle. Only, quite deliberately, she had
+relinquished the ribbon by which she held on her hat, and had placed her
+slender hand steadyingly on the side of the vehicle.
+
+The bystanders, already leaping down from their places of refuge and again
+crowding the narrow way, directed admiring eyes toward the beautiful,
+nervous, docile horses, the calm and dominating man, and the poised, dainty
+creature at his side. One drunken individual cheered her personally. At
+this a faint shell pink appeared in her cheeks, though she gave no other
+sign that she had heard. Sherwood glanced down at her, amused.
+
+But now emerged the Jew slop seller, very voluble. He had darted like a rat
+to some mysterious inner recess of his burrow; but now he was out again
+filling the air with lamentations, claims, appeals for justice. Sherwood
+did not even glance toward him; but in the very act of tooling his horses
+into the roadway tossed the man some silver. Immediately, with shouts and
+cheers and laughter, the hoodlums nearby began a scramble.
+
+The end of the long wharf widened to a great square, free of all buildings
+but a sort of warehouse near one end. Here a rope divided off a landing
+space. Close to the rope the multitude crowded, ready for its
+entertainment. Here also stood in stately grandeur the three livery hacks
+of which San Francisco boasted. They were magnificent affairs, the like of
+which has never elsewhere been seen plying for public hire, brightly
+painted, highly varnished, lined with silks, trimmed with solid silver. The
+harnesses were heavily mounted with the same metal. On their boxes sat
+fashionable creatures, dressed, not in livery, but throughout in the very
+latest of the late styles, shod with varnished leather, gloved with softest
+kid. Sherwood drove skilfully to the very edge of the roped space, pushing
+aside the crowd on foot. They growled at him savagely. He paid no attention
+to them, and they gave way. The buggy came to a stop. The horses, tossing
+their heads, rolling their eyes, stamping their little hoofs, nevertheless
+stood without need of further attention.
+
+Now the brass bands blared with a sudden overwhelming blast of sound, the
+crowd cheered noisily; the runners for the hotels began to bark like a pack
+of dogs. With a vast turmoil of paddle wheels, swirling of white and green
+waters, bellowing of speaking trumpets, throwing of handlines and scurrying
+of deck hands and dock hands, the _Panama_ came to rest. After considerable
+delay the gangplank was placed. The passengers began to disembark, facing
+the din much as they would have faced the buffeting of a strong wind. This
+was the cream of the entertainment for which the crowd had gathered; for
+which, indeed, the Sherwoods had made their excursion. Each individual
+received his meed of comment, sometimes audible and by no means always
+flattering. Certainly in variety both of character and of circumstance they
+offered plenty of material. From wild, half-civilized denizens of
+Louisiana's canebrakes, clinging closely to their little bundles and their
+long rifles, to the most polished exquisites of fashion they offered all
+grades and intermediates. Some of them looked rather bewildered. Some
+seemed to know just what to do and where to go. Most dove into the crowd
+with the apparent idea of losing their identity as soon as possible. The
+three magnificent hacks were filled, and managed, with much plunging and
+excitement, to plow a way through the crowd and so depart. Amusing things
+happened to which the Sherwoods called each other's attention. Thus a man,
+burdened with a single valise, ducked under the ropes near them. A paper
+boy happened to be standing near. The passenger offered the boy a fifty-
+cent piece.
+
+"Here, boy," said he, "just carry this valise for me."
+
+The paper boy gravely contemplated the fifty cents, dove into his pocket,
+and produced another.
+
+"Here, man," said he, handing them both to the traveller, "take this and
+carry it yourself."
+
+One by one the omnibuses filled and departed. The stream of passengers down
+the gangplank had ceased. The crowd began to thin. Sherwood gathered his
+reins to go. Mrs. Sherwood suddenly laid her hand on his forearm.
+
+"Oh, the poor thing!" she cried, her voice thrilling with compassion.
+
+A young man and a steward were supporting a girl down the gangplank.
+Evidently she was very weak and ill. Her face was chalky white, with dark
+rings under the eyes, her lips were pale, and she leaned heavily on the
+men. Although she could not have heard Mrs. Sherwood's exclamation of pity,
+she happened to look up at that instant, revealing a pair of large, dark,
+and appealing eyes. Her figure, too, dressed in a plain travelling dress,
+strikingly simple but bearing the unmistakable mark of distinction, was
+appealing; as were her exquisite, smooth baby skin and the downward
+drooping, almost childlike, curves of her lips. The inequalities of the
+ribbed gangplank were sufficient to cause her to stumble.
+
+"She is very weak," commented Mrs. Sherwood.
+
+"She is--or would be--remarkably pretty," added Sherwood. "I wonder what
+ails her."
+
+Arrived at the foot of the gangplank the young man removed his hat with an
+air of perplexity, and looked about him. He was of the rather florid,
+always boyish type; and the removal of his hat had revealed a mat of close-
+curling brown hair, like a cap over his well-shaped head. The normal
+expression of his face was probably quizzically humorous, for already the
+little lines of habitual half laughter were sketched about his eyes.
+
+"A plunger," said John Sherwood to himself, out of his knowledge of men;
+then as the young man glanced directly toward him, disclosing the colour
+and expression of his eyes, "a plunger in something," he amended, revising
+his first impression.
+
+But now the humorous element was quite in abeyance, and a faint dismay had
+taken its place. One arm supporting the drooping girl, he was looking up
+and down the wharf. Not a vehicle remained save the heavy drays already
+backing up to receive their loads of freight. The dock hands had dropped
+and were coiling the line that had separated the crowd from the landing
+stage.
+
+With another exclamation the woman in the carriage rose, and before
+Sherwood could make a move to assist her, had poised on the rim of the
+wheel and leaped lightly to the dock. Like a thistledown she floated to the
+little group at the foot of the gangplank. The steward instantly gave way
+to her evident intention. She passed her arm around the girl's waist. The
+three moved slowly toward the buggy, Mrs. Sherwood, her head bent
+charmingly forward, murmuring compassionate, broken, little phrases,
+supporting the newcomer's reviving footsteps.
+
+Sherwood, a faint, fond amusement lurking in the depths of his eyes,
+quietly cramped the wheels of the buggy.
+
+
+
+
+IV
+
+
+A half hour later the two men, having deposited the women safely in the
+Sherwoods' rooms at the Bella Union, and having been unceremoniously
+dismissed by Mrs. Sherwood, strolled together to the veranda. They had not,
+until now, had a chance to exchange six words.
+
+The newcomer, who announced himself as Milton Keith from Baltimore, proved
+to have a likable and engaging personality. He was bubbling with interest
+and enthusiasm; and these qualities, provided they are backed solidly, are
+always prepossessing. Sherwood, quietly studying him, concluded that such
+was the case. His jaw and mouth were set in firm lines; his eye, while
+dancing and mischievous, had depths of capability and reserves of
+forcefulness. But Sherwood was, by inclination and by the necessities of
+his profession, a close observer of men. Another, less practised, might
+have seen here merely an eager, rather talkative, apparently volatile, very
+friendly, quite unreserved young man of twenty-five. Any one, analytical or
+otherwise, could not have avoided feeling the attractive force of the
+youth's personality, the friendly quality that is nine tenths individual
+magnetism and one tenth the cast of mind that initially takes for granted
+the other man's friendliness.
+
+At the moment Keith was boyishly avid for the sights of the new city. In
+these modern days of long journeys, a place so remote as San Francisco, in
+the most commonplace of circumstances, gathers to its reputation something
+of the fabulous. How much more true then of a city built from sand dunes in
+four years; five times swept by fire, yet rising again and better before
+its ashes were extinct; the resort of all the picturesque, unknown races of
+the earth--the Chinese, the Chileńo, the Mexican, the Spanish, the
+Islander, the Moor, the Turk--not to speak of ordinary foreigners from
+Russia, England, France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, and the out-of-the-way
+corners of Europe; the haunt of the wild and striking individuals of all
+these races. "Sydney ducks" from the criminal colonies; "shoulder strikers"
+direct from the tough wards of New York; long, lean, fever-haunted crackers
+from the Georgia mountains or the Louisiana canebrakes; Pike County
+desperadoes; long-haired men from the trapping countries; hard-fisted,
+sardonic state of Maine men fresh from their rivers; and Indian fighters
+from the Western Reserve; grasping, shrewd commercial Yankees; fire-eating
+Southern politicians; lawyers, doctors, merchants, chiefs, and thiefs, the
+well-educated and the ignorant, the high-minded and the scalawags, all
+dumped down together on a sand hill to work out their destinies; a city
+whose precedents, whose morals, whose laws, were made or adapted on the
+spot; where might in some form or another--revolver, money, influence--made
+its only right; whose history ranged in three years the gamut of human
+passion, strife, and development; whose background was the fabled El Dorado
+whence the gold in unending floods poured through its sluices. To the
+outside world tales of these things had come. They did not lose in the
+journey. The vast loom of actual occurrences rose above the horizon like
+mirages. Names and events borrowed a half-legendary quality from distances,
+as elsewhere from time. Keith had heard of Coleman, of Terry, of Broderick,
+Brannan, Gwin, Geary, as he had heard of the worthies of ancient history;
+he had visualized the fabled splendours of San Francisco's great gambling
+houses, of the excitements of her fervid, fevered life, as he might have
+visualized the magnificences of pagan Rome; he had listened to tales of her
+street brawls, her vast projects, the buccaneering raids of her big men,
+her Vigilance Committee of the year before, as he would have listened to
+the stories of one of Napoleon's veterans. Now, by the simple process of a
+voyage that had seemed literally interminable but now was past, he had
+landed in the very midst of fable. It was like dying, he told Sherwood
+eagerly, like going irretrievably to a new planet. All his old world now
+seemed as remote, as insubstantial, as phantomlike, as this had seemed.
+
+"Even yet I can't believe it's all so," he cried, walking excitedly back
+and forth, and waving an extinct cigar. "I've got to see it, touch it! Why,
+I know it all in advance. That must be where the Jenny Lind Theatre stood--
+before the fire--just opposite? I thought so! And the bay used to come up
+to Montgomery Street, only a block down! You see, I know it all! And when
+we came in, and I saw all those idle ships lying at anchor, just as they
+have lain since their crews deserted them in '49 to go to the mines--and I
+know why they haven't been used since, why they will continue to lie there
+at anchor until they rot or sink--"
+
+"Do you?" said Sherwood, who was vastly amused and greatly taken by this
+fresh enthusiasm.
+
+"Yes, the clipper ships!" Keith swept on. "The first cargoes in this new
+market make the money--the fastest clippers--poor old hulks--but you
+brought in the argonauts!"
+
+So he ran on, venting his impatience, so plainly divided between his sense
+of duty in staying near his wife and his great desire to slip the leash,
+that Sherwood smiled to himself. Once again he mentioned Coleman and the
+Vigilantes of '51.
+
+"I suppose he's around here? I may see him?"
+
+"Oh, yes," said Sherwood, "you'll see him. But if you would accept a bit of
+advice, go slow. You must remember that such a movement makes enemies,
+arouses opposition. A great many excellent people--whom you will know--are
+a little doubtful about all that."
+
+Keith mentioned other names.
+
+"I know them all. They are among the most influential members of the bar."
+He glanced at a large watch. "Just at this hour we might find them at the
+Monumental engine house. What do you say?"
+
+"I should like nothing better!" cried Keith.
+
+"Your wife's illness is not likely to require immediate attendance?"
+suggested Sherwood inquiringly.
+
+"She's only seasick--horrible voyage--she's always under the weather on
+shipboard--three weeks of it from Panama--Nan's as strong as a horse,"
+replied Keith, with obvious impatience.
+
+They walked across the Plaza to the Monumental fire engine house, a square
+brick structure of two stories, with wide folding doors, and a bell cupola
+apart. Keith paused to admire the engine. It was of the type usual in those
+days, consisting of a waterbox with inlet and outlet connections, a pump
+atop, and parallel pump rails on either side, by the hand manipulation of
+which the water was thrown with force from the box. The vehicle was drawn
+by means of a long rope, carried on a drum. This could be slacked off at
+need to accommodate as high as a hundred men or as few as would suffice to
+move her. So far this engine differed in no manner from those Keith had
+seen in the East. But this machine belonged to a volunteer company, one of
+many and all rivals. It was gayly coloured. On the sides of its waterbox
+were scenic paintings of some little merit. The woodwork was all mahogany.
+Its brass ornamentation was heavy and brought to a high state of polish.
+From a light rack along its centre dangled two beautifully chased speaking
+trumpets, and a row of heavy red-leather helmets. Axes nestled in sockets.
+A screaming gilt eagle, with wings outspread, hovered atop. Alongside the
+engine stood the hook and ladder truck and the hose cart. These smaller and
+less important vehicles were painted in the same scheme of colour, were
+equally glittering and polished. Keith commented on all this admiringly.
+
+"Yes," said Sherwood, "you see, since the big fires, it has become a good
+deal a matter of pride. There are eleven volunteer companies, and they are
+great rivals in everything, political and social, as well as in the line of
+regular business, so to speak. Mighty efficient. You'll have to join a
+company, of course; and you better look around a little before deciding.
+Each represents something different--some different element. They are
+really as much clubs as fire companies."
+
+They mounted to the upper story, where Keith found himself in a long room,
+comfortably fitted with chairs, tables, books, and papers. A double door
+showed a billiard table in action. Sherwood indicated a closed door across
+the hall.
+
+"Card rooms," said he briefly.
+
+The air was blue with smoke and noisy with rather vociferative conversation
+and laughter. Several groups of men were gathered in little knots. A negro
+in white duck moved here and there carrying a tray.
+
+Sherwood promptly introduced Keith to many of these men, and he was as
+promptly asked to name his drink. Keith caught few of the names, but he
+liked the hearty, instant cordiality. Remarking on the beauty and order of
+the machines, loud cries arose for "Taylor! Bert Taylor!" After a moment's
+delay a short, stocky, very red-faced man, with rather a fussy manner, came
+forward.
+
+"Mr. Keith," said a tall, dark youth, with a pronounced Southern accent,
+"I want foh to make you acquainted with Mr. Tayloh. Mr. Tayloh is at once
+the patron saint of the Monumentals, but to a large extent its 'angel' as
+well --I hope you understand the theatrical significance of that term,
+suh. He is motheh, fatheh, guardeen, and dry nurse to every stick, stone,
+and brick, every piece of wood, brass, or rubbah, every inch of hose, and
+every man _and_ Irishman on these premises." Taylor had turned an
+embarrassed brick red. "Mr. Keith," went on the dark youth, explanatorily,
+"was just sayin' that though he had inspected carefully many fire
+equipments, per'fessional and amateur, he had nevah feasted his eyes
+on so complete an outfit as that of our Monumentals."
+
+Keith had not said all this, but possibly he had meant it. The brick-red,
+stocky little man was so plainly embarrassed and anxious to depart that
+Keith racked his brains for something to say. All he could remember was the
+manufacturer's nameplate on the machine downstairs.
+
+"I see you have selected the Hunaman engine, sir," said he. The little
+man's eye brightened.
+
+"It may be, sir, that you favour the piano-box type--of the sort made by
+Smith or Van Ness?" he inquired politely.
+
+"It is a point on which my opinion is still-suspended," replied Keith with
+great gravity.
+
+The little man moved nearer, and his shyness fell from him.
+
+"Oh, but really there is no choice, none whatever!" he cried. "I'm sure,
+sir, I can convince you in five minutes. I assure you we have gone into the
+subject thoroughly--this Hunaman cost us over five thousand dollars; and
+you may be certain we went very thoroughly into the matter before making
+the investment----"
+
+He went on talking in his self-effacing, deprecatory, but very earnest
+fashion. The other men in the group, Keith felt, were watching with covert
+amusement. Occasionally, he thought to catch half-concealed grins at his
+predicament. In less than the five minutes the claims of the piano box were
+utterly demolished. Followed a dissertation on methods of fighting fire;
+and then a history of the Monumental Company--its members, its officers,
+and its proud record. "And our bell--did you know that?--is the bell used
+by the Vigilantes--" He broke off suddenly in confusion, his embarrassment
+descending on him again. A moment later he sidled away.
+
+"But I found him very interesting!" protested Keith, in answer to implied
+apologies.
+
+"Bert is invaluable here; but he's a lunatic on fire apparatus. We couldn't
+get along without him, but it's sometimes mighty difficult to get on _with_
+him," said some one.
+
+Keith was making a good impression without consciously trying to do so. His
+high spirits of youth and enthusiasm were in his favour; and as yet he had
+no interests to come into conflict with those of any one present. More
+drinks were ordered and fresh cigars lighted. From Sherwood they now
+learned that Keith had but just landed, and intended to settle as a
+permanent resident. As one man they uprose.
+
+"And yo' wastin' of yo' time indoors!" mourned the dark Southerner. "And so
+much to see!"
+
+Enthusiastically they surrounded him and led him forth. Only a very old,
+very small, very decadent village is devoid of what is modernly called the
+"booster" spirit. In those early days of slow transportation and isolated
+communities, local patriotism was much stronger than it is now. And
+something about the air's wine of the Pacific slope has always, and
+probably will always, make of every man an earnest proselyte for whatever
+patch of soil he calls home. But add to these general considerations the
+indubitable facts of harbour, hill, health, opportunity, activity, and a
+genuine history, if of only three years, one can no longer marvel that
+every man, each in his own way, saw visions.
+
+In the course of the next few hours Keith got confused and mixed
+impressions of many things. The fortresslike warehouses; the plank roads;
+the new Jenny Lind Theatre; the steam paddies eating steadily into the sand
+hills at the edge of town; the Dramatic Museum; houses perched on the
+crumbling edges of hills; houses sunk far below the level of new streets,
+with tin cans and ducks floating around them; new office buildings; places
+where new office buildings were going to be or merely ought to be; land
+that in five years was going to be worth fabulous sums; unlikely looking
+spots where historic things had stood or had happened--all these were
+pointed out to him. He was called upon to exercise the eye of faith; to
+reconstruct; to eliminate the unfinished, the mean, the sordid; to overlook
+the inadequate; to build the city as it was sure to be; and to concern
+himself with that and that only. He admired Mount Tamalpais over the way.
+He was taken up a high hill--a laborious journey--to gaze on the spot where
+he would have been able to see Mount Diabolo, if only Mount Diabolo had
+been visible. And every few blocks he was halted and made to shake hands
+with some one who was always immediately characterized to him impressively,
+under the breath--"Colonel Baker, sir, one of the most divinely endowed men
+with the gift of eloquence, sir"; "Mr. Rowlee, sir, editor of one of our
+leading journals"; "Judge Caldwell, sir at present one of the ornaments of
+our bench"; "Mr. Ben Sansome, sir, a leadin' young man in our young but
+vigorous social life"; and so on.
+
+These introductions safely and ceremoniously accomplished, each newcomer
+insisted on leading the way to the nearest bar.
+
+"I insist, sir. It is just the hour for my afternoon toddy."
+
+After some murmuring of expostulation, the invitation was invariably
+accepted.
+
+There was always a barroom immediately adjacent. Keith was struck by the
+number and splendour of these places. Although San Francisco was only three
+years removed from the tent stage, and although the freightage from the
+centres of civilization was appalling, there was no lack of luxury.
+Mahogany bars with brass rails, huge mirrors with gilt frames, pyramids of
+delicate crystal, rich hangings, oil paintings of doubtful merit but
+indisputable interest, heavy chandeliers of prism glasses, most elaborate
+free lunches, and white-clad barkeepers--such matters were common to all.
+In addition, certain of the more pretentious boasted special attractions.
+Thus, one place supported its ceiling on crystal pillars; another--and this
+was crowded--had dashing young women to serve the drinks, though the mixing
+was done by men; a third offered one of the new large musical boxes capable
+of playing several very noisy tunes; a fourth had imported a marvellous
+piece of mechanism: a piece of machinery run by clockwork, exhibiting the
+sea in motion, a ship tossing on its bosom; on shore, a water mill in
+action, a train of cars passing over a bridge, a deer chase with hounds,
+huntsmen, and game, all in pursuit or flight, and the like. The barkeepers
+were marvels of dexterity and of especial knowledge. At command they would
+deftly and skilfully mix a great variety of drinks--cocktails, sangarees,
+juleps, bounces, swizzles, and many others. In mixing these drinks it was
+their especial pride to pass them at arm's length from one tall glass to
+another, the fluid describing a long curve through the air, but spilling
+never a drop.
+
+In these places Keith pledged in turn each of his new acquaintances, and
+was pledged by them. Never, he thought, had he met so jolly, so
+interesting, so experienced a lot of men. They had not only lived history,
+they had made it. They were so full of high spirits and the spirit of play.
+His heart warmed to them mightily; and over and over he told himself that
+he had made no mistake in his long voyage to new fields of endeavour. On
+the other hand, he, too, made a good impression. Naturally the numerous
+drinks had something to do with this mutual esteem; but also it was a fact
+that his boyish, laughing, half-reckless spirit had much in common with the
+spirit of the times. Quite accidentally he discovered that the tall, dark
+Southern youth was Calhoun Bennett. This then seemed to him a remarkable
+coincidence.
+
+"Why, I have a letter of introduction to you!" he said.
+
+Again and again he recurred to this point, insisting on telling everybody
+how extraordinary the situation was.
+
+"Here I've been talking to him for three hours," he exclaimed, "and never
+knew who he was, and all the time I had a letter of introduction to him!"
+
+This and a warm irresponsible glow of comradeship were the sole indications
+of the drinks he had had. Keith possessed a strong head. Some of the others
+were not so fortunate. Little Rowlee was frankly verging on drunkenness.
+
+The afternoon wind was beginning to die, and the wisps of high fog that
+had, since two o'clock, been flying before it, now paused and forgathered
+to veil the sky. Dusk was falling.
+
+"Look here," suggested Rowlee suddenly; "let's go to Allen's Branch and
+have a good dinner, and then drift around to Belle's place and see if
+there's any excitement to be had thereabouts."
+
+"Belle--our local Aspasia, sah," breathed a very elaborate, pompous,
+elderly Southerner, who had been introduced as Major Marmaduke Miles.
+
+But this suggestion brought to Keith a sudden realization of the lateness
+of the hour, the duration of his absence, and the fact that, not only had
+he not yet settled his wife in rooms of her own, but had left her on the
+hands of strangers. For the first time he noticed that Sherwood was not of
+the party.
+
+"When did Sherwood leave?" he cried.
+
+"Oh, a right sma't time ago," said Bennett.
+
+Keith started to his feet.
+
+"I should like to join you," said he, "but it is impossible now."
+
+A chorus of expostulation went up at this.
+
+"But I haven't settled down yet!" persisted Keith. "I don't know even
+whether my baggage is at the hotel."
+
+They waived aside his objections; but finding him obdurate, perhaps a
+little panicky over the situation, they gave over urging the point.
+
+"But you must join us later in the evening," said they.
+
+The idea grew.
+
+"I tell you what," said Rowlee, with half-drunken gravity; "he's got to
+come back. We can't afford to lose him this early. And he can't afford to
+lose us. The best life of this glorious commonwealth is as yet a sealed
+book to him. It is our sacred duty, gentlemen, to break those seals. What
+does he know of our temples of Terpsichore? Our altars to the gods of
+chance? Our bowers of the Cyprians?"
+
+He would have gone on at length, but Keith, laughingly protesting, trying
+to disengage himself from the detaining hands, broke in with a promise to
+return. But little Rowlee was not satisfied.
+
+"I think we should take no chances," he stated. "How would it be to appoint
+a committee to 'company him and see that he gets back?"
+
+Keith's head was clear enough to realize with dismay that this brilliant
+idea was about to take. But Ben Sansome, seizing the situation, locked his
+arm firmly in Keith's.
+
+"I'll see personally that he gets back," said he.
+
+
+
+
+V
+
+
+"That was mighty good of you; you saved my life!" said Keith to him,
+gratefully, as they walked up the street.
+
+"You couldn't have that tribe of wild Indians descending on your wife,"
+said Sansome. He had kept pace with, the others, but showed it not at all.
+Sansome was a slender, languid, bored, quiet sort of person, exceedingly
+well dressed in the height of fashion, speaking with a slight, well-bred
+drawl, given to looking rather superciliously from beneath his fine
+eyelashes, almost too good looking. He liked, or pretended he liked, to
+view life from the discriminating spectator's standpoint; and remained
+unstirred by stirring events. He prided himself on the delicacy of his
+social tact. In the natural course of evolution he would probably never
+marry, and would become in time an "old beau," haunting ballrooms with
+reminiscences of old-time belles.
+
+Keith, meeting the open air, began to feel his exhilaration.
+
+"What I need is my head under a pump for about ten seconds," he told
+Sansome frankly. "Lord! It was just about time I got away."
+
+Arrived at the hotel, Sansome said good-bye, but Keith would have none of
+it.
+
+"No, no!" he cried. "You must come in, now you've come so far! I want you
+to meet my wife; she'll be delighted!"
+
+And Sansome, whose celebrated social tact had been slightly obscured by his
+potations, finally consented. Truth to tell, it would have been a little
+difficult for him to have got away. Poising his light stick and gloves in
+his left hand, giving his drooping moustache a last twirl, and settling his
+heavy cravat in place, he followed Keith down the little hall to the
+Sherwoods' apartments.
+
+At the knock Keith was at once invited to enter. The men threw open the
+door. Sansome stared with all his might.
+
+Nan Keith had made the usual miraculous recovery from seasickness once she
+felt the solid ground beneath, her. The beautiful baby-textured skin had
+come alive with soft colour, her dark, wide, liquid eyes had brightened.
+She had assumed a soft, silken, wrapperlike garment with, a wide sash,
+borrowed from Mrs. Sherwood; and at the moment was seated in an enveloping
+armchair beneath a wide-shaded lamp. The firm, soft lines of her figure,
+uncorseted in this negligée, were suggested beneath the silk. Sansome
+stopped short, staring, his eyes kindling with, interest. Here was
+something not only new but different--a distinct addition. Sansome, like
+most dilettantes, was something of a phrase maker, and prided himself on
+the apt word. He found it here, to his own satisfaction, at least.
+
+"Her beauty is positively creamy!" he murmured to himself.
+
+At sight of her Keith crossed directly to her, full of a sudden, engaging,
+tender solicitude.
+
+"How are you feeling now, honey?" he inquired. "Quite recovered? All right
+now?"
+
+But Nan was inclined to be a little vexed and reproachful. She had been
+left alone, with strangers, altogether too long. Keith excused himself
+volubly and convincingly--she had been asleep--she was much better off not
+being disturbed--that this was true was proven by results--she was
+blooming, positively blooming--as fresh as a rose leaf--of course it was
+rather an imposition on the Sherwoods, but the baggage hadn't come up yet,
+and they were kind people, our sort, the sort for whom the word obligation
+did not exist--he, personally, had not intended being gone so long, but by
+the rarest of chances he had run across some of the men to whom, he had
+introductions, and they had been most kind in making him acquainted--
+nothing was more important to a young lawyer than to "establish
+connections"--it did not do to overlook a chance.
+
+He urged all this, and more, with all his usual, vital, enthusiastic force.
+In spite of herself, she was overborne to a reproachful forgiveness.
+
+In the meantime Mrs. Sherwood had gone over to where Ben Sansome was still
+standing by the door. Sansome did not like Mrs. Sherwood. He considered
+that she had no social tact at all. This was mainly--though he did not
+analyze it--because she was quite apt to speak the direct and literal truth
+to him; because she had a disquieting self-confidence and competence in
+place of appropriate, graceful, feminine dependence; but especially because
+she had never and would never play up to his game.
+
+"Are you making a formal afternoon call, Ben?" she asked in her cool,
+mocking voice. "Aren't you really a little _de trop?_"
+
+"I did not come of my own volition at this time, I assure you," he replied
+a trifle stiffly. The thought that he was suspected of a blunder in social
+custom stung him; as, in a rather lazily amused way, she knew it would.
+
+At this reply she glanced keenly toward Keith, then nodded; slowly.
+
+"I see," she conceded.
+
+Sansome moved to go. But at this Keith's attention was attracted. He sprang
+forward, seized Sansome's arm, insisted on introducing him to Nan, was
+over-effusive, over-cordial, buoyant. Both Sansome and Mrs. Sherwood were
+experienced enough to yield entirely to his mood. They understood perfectly
+that at the least opposition Keith was in just the condition to reveal
+himself, perhaps, to break over the frail barrier that separates
+exhilaration from loss of self-control. They saw also that Nan had no
+suspicion of the state of affairs. Indeed, following the reaction from her
+long voyage and her illness, she responded and played up to Keith's high
+spirits. Neither wanted her to grasp the situation if it could be avoided:
+Mrs. Sherwood from genuine good feeling, Sansome because of the social
+awkwardness and bad taste. Besides, he felt that his presence at such a
+scene would be a very bad beginning for himself.
+
+"No, you're not going," Keith was insisting; "you don't realize what a
+celebration this is! Here we've pulled up all our roots, haven't we, Nan?
+and come thousands of miles to a new country, a wonderful country; and the
+very first day of our landing you want us to act as though nothing had
+happened!"
+
+Nan nodded a vigorous assent to his implied reference to her.
+
+"And what we're going to do is to celebrate," insisted Keith. "You're all
+going to dine with us. No, I insist! You're the only friends we have out
+here, and you aren't going to desert us the very first day we need you."
+
+"I wish you would!" cried Nan, sitting forward eagerly.
+
+They tried to expostulate, to get out of it, but without avail. It seemed
+easier to promise. Keith rushed out to look for his baggage, to arrange for
+rooms, leaving the three together to await his return.
+
+
+
+
+VI
+
+
+Both Mrs. Sherwood and Sansome applied themselves to relieving whatever
+embarrassment Nan might feel over this unusual situation. Sansome was
+possessed of great charm and social experience. He could play the game of
+light conversation to perfection. By way of bridging the pause in events,
+he set himself to describing the society in which the Keiths would shortly
+find themselves launched. His remarks were practically a monologue,
+interspersed by irrepressible gurgles of laughter from Nan. Mrs. Sherwood
+sat quietly by. She did not laugh, but it was evident she was amused. In
+this congenial atmosphere Sansome outdid himself.
+
+"They are all afraid of each other," he told her, "because they don't know
+anything about each other. Each ex-washerwoman thinks the other ex-
+washerwoman must have been at least a duchess at home. It's terribly funny.
+If they can get hold of six porcelain statuettes, a half-dozen
+antimacassars, some gilt chairs, and a glass bell of wax flowers, they
+imagine they're elegantly furnished. And their functions! I give you my
+word, I'd as soon attend a reasonably pleasant funeral! Some of them try to
+entertain by playing intellectual games--you know, rhyming or spelling
+games--seriously!" He went on to describe some of the women, mentioning no
+names, however. "You'll recognize them when you meet them," he assured her.
+"There's one we'll call the Social Agitator--she isn't happy unless she is
+running things. I believe she spent two weeks once in London--or else she
+buys her boots there--anyway, when discussions get lively she squelches
+them by saying, 'Of course, my dear, that may be absolutely _au fait_ in
+New York--but in London--' It corks them up every time. And 'pon honour,
+three quarters of the time she's quite wrong! Then there's the Lady Thug,
+Square jaw, square shoulder, sort of bulging out at the top--you know--in
+décolleté one cannot help thinking 'one more struggle and she'll be free!'"
+
+"Oh, fie, Mr. Sansome," laughed Nan, half shocked.
+
+Sansome rattled on. The ultimate effect was to convey an impression of San
+Francisco society--such as existed at all--as stodgy, stupid, pretentious,
+unattractive. Nan was immensely amused, but inclined to take it all with a
+grain of salt.
+
+"Mrs. Sherwood doesn't bear you out," she told him, "and she's the only one
+I've seen yet. I think we're going to have a pretty good time."
+
+But at this point Keith returned. He was quite sobered from his temporary
+exhilaration, but still most cordial and enthusiastic over his little
+party, Sansome noted with quiet amusement that his light curly hair was
+damp. Evidently he had taken his own prescription as to the pump.
+
+"Well," he announced, "I have a room--such as it is. Can't say much for it.
+The baggage is all here; nothing missing for a wonder. I've spoken to the
+manager about dinner for five." He turned to Nan with brightening interest.
+"Guess what I saw on the bill of fare! Grizzly bear steak! Think of that! I
+ordered some."
+
+Sansome groaned comically.
+
+"What's the matter?" inquired Keith.
+
+"Did you ever try it before? Tough, stringy, unfit for human consumption."
+
+But Keith was fascinated by the name of the thing.
+
+"There's plenty else," he urged defensively, "and I always try everything
+once."
+
+It was agreed that they should all meet again after an hour. Sansome
+renewed his promises to be on hand.
+
+The room Keith had engaged was on the second story, and quite a different
+sort of affair from that of the Sherwoods'. Indeed it was little more than
+a pine box, containing only the bare necessities. One window looked out on
+an unkempt backyard, now mercifully hidden by darkness.
+
+"This is pretty tough," said Keith, "but it is the very best I could do.
+And the price is horrible. We'll have to hunt up a living place about the
+first thing we do."
+
+"Oh, it's all right," said Nan indifferently. The lassitude of seasickness
+had left her, and the excitement of new surroundings was beginning. She
+felt gently stirred by the give and take of the light conversation in the
+Sherwoods' room; and, although she did not quite realize it, she was
+responding to the stimulation of having made a good impression. Her
+subconscious self was perfectly aware that in the silken negligée, under
+the pink-shaded lamp, her clear soft skin, the pure lines of her radiant
+childlike beauty, the shadows of her tumbled hair, had been very appealing
+and effective. She moved about a trifle restlessly, looking at things
+without seeing them. "I'm glad to see the brown trunk. Open it, will you,
+dear? Heavens, what a mirror!" She surveyed herself in the flawed glass,
+moving from side to side, fascinated at the strange distortions.
+
+"I call it positive extortion, charging what they do for a room like this,"
+grumbled Keith, busy at the trunk. "The Sherwoods must pay a mint of money
+for theirs. I wonder what he does!"
+
+Her attention attracted by this subject, she arrested her posing before the
+mirror.
+
+"They certainly are quick to take the stranger in," she commented lightly.
+
+Something in her tone arrested Keith's attention, and he stopped fussing at
+his keys. Nan had meant little by the remark. It had expressed the vague
+instinctive recoil of the woman brought up in rather conventional
+circumstances and in a conservative community from too sudden intimacy,
+nothing more. She did not herself understand this.
+
+"Don't you like the Sherwoods?" he instantly demanded, with the masculine
+insistence on dissecting every butterfly.
+
+"Why, she's charming!" said Nan, opening her eyes in surprise. "Of course,
+I like her immensely!"
+
+"I should think so," grumbled Keith. "They certainly have been mighty good
+to us."
+
+But Nan had dropped her negligée about her feet, and was convulsed at the
+figure made of her slim young body by the distorted mirror.
+
+"Come here, Milt," she gasped.
+
+She clung to him, gurgling with laughter, pointing one shaking finger at
+the monstrosity in the glass.
+
+"Look--look what you married!"
+
+They dressed gayly. His optimism and enthusiasm boiled over again. It was a
+shame, his leaving her all that afternoon, he reiterated; but she had no
+idea what giant strides he had made. He told her of the city, and he
+enumerated some of the acquaintances he had made--Calhoun Bennett, Bert
+Taylor, Major Marmaduke Miles, Michael Rowlee, Judge Caldwell, and others.
+They had been most cordial to him, most kind; they had taken him in without
+delay.
+
+"It's the spirit of the West, Nan," he cried, "hospitable, unsuspicious,
+free, eager to welcome! Oh, this is going to be the place for me;
+opportunity waits at every corner. They are not tied down by conventions,
+by the way somebody else has done things--"
+
+He went on rapidly to detail to her some of the things he had been told--
+the contemplated public improvements, the levelling of the sand hills, the
+building of a city out of nothing.
+
+"Why, Nan, do you realize that only four years ago this very Plaza had only
+six small buildings around it, that there were only three two-story
+structures in town, that the population was only about five hundred--there
+are thirty-five thousand now, that--" he rattled on, detailing his recently
+acquired statistics. Oh, potent influence of the Western spirit--already,
+eight hours after his landing on California's shores, Milton Keith was a
+"booster."
+
+With an expansion of relief that only a woman could fully appreciate, Nan
+unpacked and put on a frock that had nothing whatever to do with the sea
+voyage, and which she had not for some time seen. In ordinary accustomed
+circumstances she would never have thought of donning so elaborate a
+toilette for a hotel dining-room, but she was yielding to reaction. In her
+way she was "celebrating," just as was Keith. Her hair she did low after
+the fashion of the time, and bound it to her brow by a bandeau of pearls.
+The gown itself was pale green and filmy. It lent her a flowerlike
+semblance that was very fresh and lovely.
+
+"By Jove, Nan, you certainly have recovered from the sea!" cried Keith, and
+insisted on kissing her.
+
+"Look how you've mussed me all up!" chided Nan, but without irritation.
+
+They found the other three waiting for them, and without delay entered the
+dining-room. This, as indeed all the lower story, was in marked contrast of
+luxury with the bare pine bedrooms upstairs. Long red velvet curtains, held
+back by tasselled silken cords, draped the long windows; fluted columns at
+regular intervals upheld the ceiling; the floor was polished and slippery;
+the tables shone with white and silver. An obese and tremendous darkey in
+swallowtail waved a white-gloved hand at them, turned ponderously, and
+preceded them down the aisle with the pomp of a drum major. His dignity was
+colossal, awe inspiring, remote. Their progress became a procession, a
+triumphal procession, such as few of Caesar's generals had ever known.
+Arrived at the predestined table, he stood one side while menials drew out
+the chairs. Then he marched tremendously back to the main door, his chin
+high, his expression haughty, his backbone rigid. This head waiter was the
+feature of the Bella Union Hotel, just as the glass columns were the
+feature of the Empire, or the clockwork mechanism of the El Dorado.
+
+The dinner itself went well. Everybody seemed to be friendly and at ease,
+but by one of those strange and sudden social transitions it was rather
+subdued. This was for various reasons. Nan Keith, after her brief reaction,
+found herself again suffering from the lassitude and fatigue of a long
+voyage; she needed a night's rest and knew it. Keith himself was a trifle
+sleepy as an after affect to the earlier drinking. Sherwood was naturally
+reserved and coolly observing; Mrs. Sherwood was apparently somehow on
+guard; and Sansome, as always, took his tone from those about him. The wild
+spirits of the hour before had taken their flight. It was, however, a
+pleasant dinner--without constraint, as among old friends. After the meal
+they went to the public parlour, a splendid but rather dismal place.
+Sherwood almost immediately excused himself. After a short and somewhat
+awkward interval, Nan decided she would go to bed for her needed rest.
+
+"You won't think me rude, I know." said she.
+
+Keith, whose buoyant temper had been sadly divided between a genuine wish
+to do the proper and dutiful thing by his wife and a great desire to see
+more of this fascinating city, rose with so evident an alacrity under
+restraint that Mrs. Sherwood scarcely, concealed a smile. She said her
+adieux at the same time, and left the room, troubling herself only to the
+extent of that ancient platitude about "letters to write."
+
+
+
+
+VII
+
+
+"I think we'll find most of the proper crowd down at the Empire," observed
+Sansome as the two picked their way across the Plaza. "That is one of the
+few old-fashioned, respectable gambling places left to us. The town is not
+what it used to be in a sporting way. It was certainly wide open in the
+good old days!"
+
+The streets at night were ill lighted, except where a blaze of illumination
+poured from the bigger saloons. The interims were dark, and the side
+streets and alleys stygian. "None too safe, either," Sansome understated
+the case. Many people were abroad, but Keith noticed that there seemed to
+be no idlers; every one appeared to be going somewhere in particular. After
+a short stroll they entered the Empire, which, Sansome explained, was the
+most stylish and frequented gambling place in town, a sort of evening club
+for the well-to-do and powerful. Keith looked over a very large room or
+hall, at the lower end of which an alcove made a sort of raised stage with
+footlights. Here sat a dozen "nigger minstrels" with banjos strumming, and
+bawling away at top pressure. An elaborate rosewood bar ran down the whole
+length at one side--an impressive polished bar, perhaps sixty feet long,
+with a white-clad, immaculate barkeeper for every ten feet of it. Big
+mirrors of French plate reflected the whole room, and on the shelf in front
+of them glittered crystal glasses of all shapes and sizes, arranged in
+pyramids and cubes. The whole of the main floor was carpeted heavily. Down
+the centre were stationed two rows of gambling tables, where various games
+could be played--faro, keeno, roulette, stud poker, dice. Beyond these
+gambling tables, on the other side of the room from the bar, were small
+tables, easy chairs of ample proportions, lounges, and a fireplace.
+Everything was most ornate. The ceilings and walls were ivory white and
+much gilt. Heavy chandeliers, with the usual glass prisms and globes,
+revolved slowly or swayed from side to side. Huge oil paintings with shaded
+top and foot-lights occupied all vacant spaces in the walls. They were
+"valued" at from ten to thirty thousand dollars apiece, and that fact was
+advertised. "Leda and the Swan," "The Birth of Venus," "The Rape of the
+Sabines," "Cupid and Psyche" were some of the classic themes treated as
+having taken place in a warm climate. "Susannah and the Elders" and "Salome
+Dancing" gave the Biblical flavour. The "Bath of the Harem" finished the
+collection. No canvas was of less size than seven by ten feet.
+
+The floor was filled with people. A haze of blue smoke hung in the air.
+There was no loud noise except from the minstrel stage at the end. A low
+hum of talk, occasionally accented, buzzed continuously. Many of the people
+wandering about, leaning against the bar, or integers of the compact groups
+around the gambling tables, were dressed in the height of fashion; but, on
+the other hand, certainly half were in the roughest sort of clothes--floppy
+old slouch hats, worn flannel shirts, top boots to which dried mud was
+clinging. These men were as well treated as the others.
+
+Fascinated, Keith would, have liked to linger, but Sansome threaded his way
+toward the farther corner. As Keith passed near one of the close groups
+around a gambling table, it parted momentarily, and he looked into the eyes
+of the man in charge, cold, passionless, aloof, eyes neither friendly nor
+unfriendly. And he saw the pale skin; the weary, bored, immobile features;
+the meticulous neat dress; the long, deft fingers; and caught the
+withdrawn, deadly, exotic personality of the professional gambler on duty.
+
+The whole place was unlike anything he had ever seen before. Whether it was
+primarily a bar, a gambling resort, or a sort of a public club with
+trimmings, he could not have determined. Many of those present, perhaps a
+majority, were neither gambling, nor drinking; they seemed not to be adding
+to the profits of the place in any way, but either wandered about or sat in
+the easy chairs, smoking, reading papers, or attending to the occasional
+outbreaks of the minstrels. It was most interesting.
+
+They joined a group in the far corner. A white-clad negro instantly brought
+them chairs, and hovered discreetly near. Among those sitting about Keith
+recognized several he had met in the afternoon; and to several more he was
+introduced. Of these the one who most instantly impressed him was called
+Morrell. This was evidently a young Englishman, a being of a type raised
+quite abundantly in England, but more rarely seen in native Americans--the
+lean-faced, rather flat-cheeked, high-cheek-boned, aquiline-nosed, florid-
+complexioned, silent, clean-built sort that would seem to represent the
+high-bred, finely drawn product of a long social evolution. These traits
+when seen in the person of a native-born American generally do represent
+this fineness; but the English, having been longer at the production of
+their race, can often produce the outward semblance without necessarily the
+inner reality. Many of us even now do not quite realize that fact;
+certainly in 1852 most of us did not. Morrell was dressed in riding
+breeches, carried a short bamboo crop, smiled engagingly to exhibit even,
+strong, white teeth, and had little to say.
+
+"A beverage seems called for," remarked Judge Caldwell, a gross, explosive,
+tobacco-chewing man, with a merry, reckless eye. The order given, the
+conversation swung back to the topic that had occupied it before Keith and
+Sansome had arrived.
+
+It seemed that an individual there present, Markle by name--a tall,
+histrionic, dark man with a tossing mane--conceived himself to have been
+insulted by some one whose name Keith did not catch, and had that very
+afternoon issued warning that he would "shoot on sight." Some of the older
+men were advising him to go slow.
+
+"But, gentlemen," cried Markle heatedly, "none of you would stand such
+conduct from anybody! What are we coming to? I'll get that----as sure as
+God made little apples."
+
+"That's all right; I don't blame yo'," argued Calhoun. Bennett. "Do not
+misunderstand me, suh. I agree with yo', lock, stock, an' barrel. My point
+is that yo' must be circumspect. Challenge him, that's the way."
+
+"He isn't worth my challenge, sir, nor the challenge of any decent man. You
+know that, sir,"
+
+"Well, street shootings have got to be a little, a little----"
+
+He fell silent, and Keith, looked up in surprise to see why. A man was
+slowly passing the table. He was a thick, tall, strong man, moving with a
+freedom that bespoke smoothly working muscles. His complexion was florid;
+and this, in conjunction with a sweeping blue-black moustache, gave him
+exactly the appearance of a gambler or bartender. Only as he passed the
+table and responded gravely to the formal salutes, Keith caught a flash of
+his eye. It was gray, hard as steel, forceful, but so far from being cold
+it seemed to glow and change with an inner fire, The bartender impression
+was swept into limbo forever.
+
+"That's one good reason why," said Calhoun Bennett, when this man had gone
+on.
+
+But Markle overflowed with a torrent of vituperative profanity. His face
+was congested and purple with the violence of his emotions. Keith stared in
+astonishment at the depth of hatred stirred. He turned for explanation to
+the man next him, Judge Girvin, a gentleman of the old school, weighty,
+authoritative, a little pompous.
+
+"That is Coleman," Judge Girvin told him. "W.T. Coleman, the leader of the
+vigilance movement of last year."
+
+"That's why," repeated Calhoun Bennett, with quiet vindictiveness,
+"lawlessness, disrespect foh law and order, mob rule. Since this strangler
+business, no man can predict what the lawless element may do!"
+
+This speech was the signal for an outburst against the Vigilance Committee,
+so unanimous and hearty that Keith was rather taken aback. He voiced his
+bewilderment.
+
+"Why, gentlemen, I am, of course, only in the most distant touch with these
+events; but the impression East is certainly very general that the
+Vigilantes did rather a good piece of work in clearing the city of crime."
+
+They turned on him with a savagery that took his breath. Keith, laughing,
+held up both hands.
+
+"Don't shoot, don't shoot! I'll come down!" he cried. "I told you I didn't
+know anything about it!"
+
+They checked themselves, suddenly ashamed of their heat. Calhoun Bennett
+voiced their feeling of apology.
+
+"Yo' must accept our excuses, Mr, Keith, but this is a mattah on which we
+feel strongly. Our indignation was naturally not directed against yo',
+suh."
+
+But Judge Girvin, ponderous, formal, dignified, was making a pronouncement.
+
+"Undoubtedly, young sir," he rolled forth at Keith, "undoubtedly a great
+many scoundrels were cleared from the city at that time. That no one would
+have the temerity to deny. But you, sir, as a lawyer, realize with us that
+even pure and equitable justice without due process of law is against the
+interests of society as a coherent whole. Infringement of law, even for a
+good purpose, invariably brings about ultimate contempt, for all law. In
+the absence of regularly constituted tribunals, as in a primitive society--
+such as that prior to the Constitutional Convention of September, 1849--it
+may become necessary that informal plebiscites be countenanced. But in the
+presence of regularly constituted and appointed tribunals, extra-legal
+functions are not to be undertaken by the chance comer. If defects occur in
+the administration of the law, the remedy is in the hand of the public. The
+voter----" he went on at length, elaborating the legal view. Everybody
+listened with respect and approval until he had finished. But then up spoke
+Judge Caldwell, the round, shining, perspiring, untidy, jovial, Silenus-
+like jurist with the blunt fingers.
+
+"We all agree with you theoretically, Judge," said he. "What these other
+fellows object to, I imagine, is that the law has such a hell of a hang
+fire to it."
+
+Judge Girvin's eyes flashed, and he tossed back his white mane. "The due
+forms of the law are our heritage from the ages!" he thundered back. "The
+so-called delays and technicalities are the checks devised by human
+experience against the rash judgments and rasher actions by the volatile
+element of society! They are the safeguards, the bulwarks of society! It is
+better that a hundred guilty men escape than that one innocent man should
+suffer!"
+
+The old judge was magnificent, his eyes alight, his nostrils expanded, his
+head reared back defiantly, all the great power of his magnetism and his
+authority brought to bear. Keith was thrilled. He considered that the
+discussion had been lifted to a high moral plane.
+
+By rights Judge Caldwell should have been crushed, but he seemed
+undisturbed,
+
+"Well," he remarked comfortably, "on that low average we must have quite a
+few innocent men among us after all."
+
+"What do you mean, sir?" demanded Judge Girvin, halted in mid career and
+not catching the allusion.
+
+"Surely, Judge, you don't mean to imply that you endorse Coleman and his
+gang?" put in Calhoun Bennett courteously but incredulously.
+
+"Endorse them? Certainly not!" disclaimed Caldwell. "I need my job," he
+added with a chuckle.
+
+Bennett tossed back his hair, and a faint disgust appeared in his dark
+eyes, but he said nothing more. Caldwell lit a cigar with pudgy fingers.
+
+"My advice to you," he said to Markle, "is that if you think you're going
+to have to kill this man in self-defence"--he rolled an unabashed and
+comical eye at the company--"you be sure to see our old friend, Sheriff
+Webb, gets you to jail promptly." He heaved to his feet, "Might even send
+him advance word," he suggested, and waddled away toward the bar.
+
+A dead silence succeeded his departure. None of the younger men ventured a
+word. Finally Judge Girvin, with a belated idea of upholding the honour of
+the bench, turned to Keith.
+
+"Judge Caldwell's humour is a little trying at times, but he is
+essentially sound."
+
+The young Englishman, Morrell, uttered a high cackle.
+
+"Quite right," he observed; "he'll fix it all right for you, Markle."
+
+At the bad taste of what they thought an example of English stupidity every
+one sat aghast. Keith managed to cover the situation by ordering another
+round of drinks. Morrell seemed quite pleased with himself.
+
+"Got a rise out of the old Johnny, what?" he remarked to Keith aside.
+
+Judge Caldwell returned. The conversation became general. Vast projects
+were discussed with the light touch--public works, the purchase of a
+theatre for the town hall, the sale by auction of city or state lands, the
+extension of wharves, the granting of franchises, and many other affairs,
+involving, apparently, millions of money. All these things were spoken of
+as from the inside. Keith, sipping his drinks quietly, sat apart and
+listened. He felt himself in the current of big affairs. Occasionally, men
+sauntered by, paused a moment. Keith noticed that they greeted his
+companions with respect and deference. He experienced a feeling of being at
+the centre of things. The evening drifted by pleasantly.
+
+Along toward midnight, John Sherwood, without a hat, stopped long enough to
+exchange a few joking remarks, then sauntered on.
+
+"I know him," Keith told Calhoun Bennett. "That's John Sherwood. He's at
+our hotel. What does _he_ do?"
+
+"Oh, don't you know who he is?" replied Bennett. "He's the owner of this
+place."
+
+"A gambler?" cried Keith, a trifle dashed.
+
+"Biggest in town. But square."
+
+Keith for a moment was a little nonplussed. The sudden intimacy rose up to
+confront him. They were kind people, and Mrs. Sherwood was apparently
+everything she should be--but a public gambler! Of course he had no
+prejudices--but Nan--
+
+
+
+
+VIII
+
+
+Keith returned to the hotel very late, and somewhat exalted. He was
+bubbling over with good stories, interesting information, and ideas; so he
+awakened Nan, and sat on the edge of the bed, and proceeded
+enthusiastically to tell her all about it. She was very sleepy. Also an
+exasperated inhabitant of the next room pounded on the thin partition.
+Reluctantly Keith desisted. It took him some time to get to sleep, as the
+excitement was seething in his veins.
+
+He came to consciousness after a restless night. The sun was streaming in
+at the window. He felt dull and heavy, with a slight headache and a
+weariness in all his muscles. Worst of all, Nan, in a ravishing pink fluffy
+affair, was bending over him, her eyes dancing with amusement and mischief.
+
+"And how is my little madcap this morning?" she inquired with mock
+solicitude. This stung Keith to some show of energy, and he got up.
+
+The sun was really very bright. A dash of cold water made him feel better.
+Enthusiasm began to flow back like a tide. The importance of the evening
+before reasserted its claims on his imagination. As he dressed he told Nan
+all about it. In the midst of a glowing eulogy of their prospects, he
+checked himself with a chuckle.
+
+"Guess what the Sherwoods are," said he.
+
+Nan, who had been half listening up to this time, gave him her whole
+attention.
+
+"A gambler! A common gambler!" she repeated after him, a little dismayed.
+
+"I felt the same way for a minute or so," he answered her tone cheerfully.
+"But after all I remembered--you must remember--that society here is very
+mixed. And anyway, Sherwood is no 'common gambler'; I should say he was a
+most _un_common gambler!" He chuckled at his little joke. "All sorts of
+people are received here. We've got to get used to that. And certainly no
+one could hope anywhere to find nicer--more presentable--people."
+
+She nodded, but with a reservation.
+
+"Surely nowhere would you find kinder people," went on Keith. "See how they
+took us in!"
+
+"Look out they don't take you in, Milton," she interjected suddenly.
+
+Keith, brought up short, sobered at this.
+
+"That is unjust, Nan," he said gravely.
+
+She said nothing, but showed no signs of having been convinced. After her
+first need had passed, Nan Keith's natural reserve had asserted itself.
+This was the result of heredity and training, as part of herself, something
+she could not help. Its tendency was always to draw back from too great or
+too sudden intimacies. There was nothing snobbish in this; it was a sort of
+instinct, a natural reaction. She liked Mrs. Sherwood, admired her slow,
+complete poise, approved her air of breeding and the things by which she
+had surrounded herself. The older woman's kindness had struck in her a deep
+chord of appreciation. But somehow circumstances had hurried her too much.
+Her defensive antagonism, not to Mrs. Sherwood as a person, but to sudden
+intimacy as such, had been aroused. It had had, in her own mind, no excuse.
+She knew she ought to be grateful and cordial; she felt that she was not
+quite ready. The fact that the Sherwoods had proved to be "common gamblers"
+gave just the little excuse her conscience needed to draw back a trifle.
+This, it should be added, was also quite instinctive, not at all a
+formulated thought.
+
+She said nothing for some time; then remarked mysteriously:
+
+"Perhaps that's why they go to meet boats."
+
+Keith, who was miles beyond the Sherwoods by now, looked bewildered.
+
+Keith had letters of business introduction to Palmer, Cook & Co., a banking
+firm powerful and respected at the time, but destined to become involved in
+scandal. The most pressing need, both he and Nan had determined, was a
+house of their own; the hotel was at once uncomfortable and expensive.
+Accordingly a callow, chipper, self-confident, blond little clerk was
+assigned to show them about. He had arrived from the East only six months
+ago; but this was six months earlier than the Keiths, so he put on all the
+airs of an old-timer. In a two-seated calash, furnished by the bankers,
+they drove to the westerly part of the town. The plank streets soon ran out
+into sand or rutty earth roads. These bored their way relentlessly between
+sand hills in the process of removal. Steam paddies coughed and clanked in
+all directions. Many houses had, by these operations, been left perched
+high and dry far above the grade of the new streets. Often the sand was
+crumbling away from beneath their outer corners. All sorts of nondescript
+ramshackle and temporary stairs had been improvised to get their
+inhabitants in or out. The latter seemed to be clinging to their tenements
+as long as possible.
+
+"They often cave in," explained the clerk, "and the whole kit and kaboodle
+comes sailing down into the street. Sometimes it happens at night," he
+added darkly.
+
+"But isn't anybody hurt?" cried Nan.
+
+"Lots of 'em," replied the clerk cheerfully "Git dap!"
+
+They now executed a flank attack on the "fashionable" quarter of the town.
+
+"They're grading the street down below," the clerk justified his roundabout
+course.
+
+Here were a number of isolated, scattered wooden houses, of some size and
+of much scroll and jigsaw work. Some of them had little ornamental iron
+fencelets running along their ridgepoles, or lightning rods on the chimneys
+or at the corners, although thunderstorms were practically unknown. The
+clerk at once began to talk of these as "mansions." He drew up before one
+of them, hitched the horse, and invited his clients to descend. Nan looked
+at the exterior a trifle doubtfully. It was a high-peaked, slender house,
+drawn together as though it felt cold; with carved wooden panels over each
+window, miniature balconies with elaborate spindly columns beneath, and a
+haughty, high, narrow porch partially clothing a varnished front door
+flanked with narrow strips of coloured glass.
+
+The clerk produced a key. The interior also was high and narrow. Much
+glistening varnish characterized the front hall. They inspected one after
+another the various rooms. The house was partly furnished. In the showrooms
+hung heavy red curtains held back by cords with gilt tassels. Each
+fireplace was framed by a mantel of white marble. But the glory was the
+drawing-room. This had been frescoed in pale blue, and all about the wall
+and even across part of the ceiling had been draped festoon after festoon
+of fishnet. Only this was not real fishnet, as a closer inspection showed.
+It had been cunningly painted! In the dim light, and to a person with an
+optimistic imagination, the illusion was almost perfect. Nan choked
+suddenly at the sight of this; then her eyes widened to a baby stare, and
+she become preternaturally solemn.
+
+They looked it all over from top to bottom; the clerk fairly tiptoeing
+about with the bent-backed air of one who handles a precious jade vase.
+From the front windows he showed them a really magnificent view, with the
+blue waters of the bay shining, and the Contra Costa shore shimmering in
+the haze.
+
+"In the residence next door to the west dwell most desirable neighbours,"
+he urged, "the Morrells. They are English, or at least he is."
+
+"I met him last night," said Keith to Nan; "he looked like a good sort."
+
+"Who is in the big house over there?" asked Nan, indicating a very
+elaborate structure diagonally opposite.
+
+"That--oh, that--well, that is in rather a state of transition, as it
+were," stammered the little clerk, and at once rattled on about something
+else. This magnificent mansion, he explained, was the only one Palmer, Cook
+& Co. had on their lists for the moment.
+
+Therefore he drove them back to the Bella Union. Keith departed with him to
+look up a suitable office downtown,
+
+Nan bowed solemnly to his solemn salutation in farewell, and turned as
+quickly as she could to the interior of the hotel. Sherwood sat in his
+accustomed place, his big steel spectacles on his nose, his paper spread
+out before him. He arose and bowed. She nodded, but did not pause. Once
+inside the hall, she picked up her skirts and fairly flew up the stairs to
+her room. Slamming the door shut, she locked it, then sank on the edge of
+the bed and laughed--laughed until she wiped the tears from her cheeks,
+rocking back and forth and hugging herself in an ecstasy. Every few moments
+she would pull up; then some unconsidered enormity would strike her afresh
+and she would go off into another paroxysm. After a while, much relieved,
+she wiped her eyes and arose.
+
+"This place will be the death of me yet," she told her distorted image in
+the mirror.
+
+She rummaged in one of her trunks, produced writing materials, and started
+a letter to an Eastern friend. This occupied her fully for two hours. At
+that period it was customary to "indite epistles" with a "literary
+flavour," a practice that immensely tickled those who did the inditing. Nan
+became wholly interested and quite pleased with herself. Her first
+impressions, she found when she came to write them down, were stimulating
+and interesting. She was full of enthusiasm; but had she been capable of a
+real analysis she would have found it quite different from Keith's
+enthusiasm. She looked on this strange, uncouth, vital city from the
+outside, from the superior standpoint. She appreciated it as she would have
+appreciated the "quaintness" of the villagers in some foreign town.
+
+About noon Keith returned.
+
+"I've looked into every possibility," he told her. "Honest, Nan, I don't
+see exactly what we are to do unless we build for ourselves. That Boyle
+house is the only house in town for rent--that is of any size and in a
+respectable quarter. You see they are too new out here to have built houses
+for rent yet; and if you find any vacant at all, it is sheer good fortune.
+Of course to stay in this little box is impossible, and--"
+
+She had been contemplating him, her eyes dancing with amusement.
+
+"You've taken it!" she accused him.
+
+"Well--I--yes," he admitted, a little red.
+
+She laughed.
+
+"I knew it," she said. "When can we move in? I want to get started."
+
+
+
+
+IX
+
+
+Keith's first plunge into the teeming life of the place had to suffice him
+for all the rest of that week. There seemed so many pressing things to do
+at home. The Boyle house was only partly furnished. Each morning he and Nan
+went downtown and prospected for things needed. This was Nan's first
+experience of the sort; and she confessed to a ludicrous surprise over the
+fact that pots, pans, brooms, kitchen utensils, and such homely matters had
+to be thought of and bought.
+
+"I had a sort of notion they grew on the premises," she said.
+
+Mrs. Sherwood gave them much valuable advice, particularly as to auctions.
+In the Keiths limited experience auctions generally had meant cheap or
+second-hand articles, but out here the reverse was the case. A madness
+possessed otherwise conservative Eastern merchants--especially of the staid
+city of Boston--to send out on speculation immense cargoes of all sorts of
+goods. These were the despair of consignees. Heavy freights, high interest
+charges, tremendous warehouse rates, speedily ate up whatever chance of
+profits a fresh consignment might have. The only solution was to sell out
+as promptly as possible; and the quickest method was the auction.
+Therefore, auctions were everywhere in progress, and the professional
+auctioneers were a large, influential, and skilful class of people. Their
+advertisements made the bulk of the newspapers. They dressed well, carried
+an air of consequence, furnished refreshments, brass bands, or other
+entertainments to their patrons. The era of fabulous prices was at an end,
+but the era of wild speculation as to what the public was going to want was
+in full tide. Keith and Nan found these auctions great fun, and piece by
+piece they accumulated the items of their house furnishing. It was slow
+work, but amusing. At times Mrs. Sherwood accompanied them, but not often.
+Her advice was always good.
+
+As to Mrs. Sherwood, Nan Keith found her attitude very vague. There was no
+doubt that she liked her personally, admired her slow, purposeful, half-
+indolent movements, the poise of her small, patrician head, the
+unconscious, easy grace of her body, the direct commonsense quality of her
+mind. One met her face to face; there were no frills and furbelows of the
+spirit. Also, Nan was grateful for the other woman's first kindness and
+real sympathy, and she wanted to "play the game." But, on the other hand,
+all her social training and her instinct of formalism tended to hold her
+aloof. She blamed herself intellectually for this feeling; but since it was
+a feeling, and had nothing to do with intellect, it persisted.
+
+In the auction rooms, also, she seemed to meet--be formally introduced to--
+a bewildering number of people, most of whom she could not place at all.
+There seemed to be no reason for meeting them; certainly she would not have
+met them in the East. Nevertheless, they all shook her by the hand, and
+bowed to her whenever subsequently they passed her on the street. Keith
+told her this was all usual and proper in this new and mixed social order;
+and she was perfectly willing to make the effort. She was really charming
+to everybody. The consciousness that she was successfully adapting herself
+to their primitive provincial scope, and her very gracious condescension to
+all types, filled her with respect for her democracy and breadth of mind.
+
+The afternoon they spent at the house receiving boxes and packages. Keith
+worked busily, happily, feverishly, in his shirt sleeves. He attacked the
+job on the principle of a whirlwind campaign, hammering, ripping, throwing
+papers down, deciding instantly where this or that chair or table was to
+stand, tearing on to the next, enjoying himself dustily and hugely.
+
+Nan was more leisurely. She found time to gossip with the drayman who
+brought up the goods, actually came to a liking and a warm friendly feeling
+for him as a person. This was a new experience for Nan, and she explored it
+curiously.
+
+John McGlynn was a teamster, but likewise a thoroughly independent and
+capable citizen. He was of the lank, hewn, lean-faced, hawk-nosed type,
+deliberate in movement and speech, with a twinkling, contemplative,
+appraising eye, and an unhurried drawl. He told Nan he had come out in '49.
+
+"No, ma'am," he disclaimed vigorously, "I didn't go to the mines. I am a
+teamster, and I always did teaming." He did not add, as he might have done,
+that in those days of the individual he had been an important influence.
+
+His great pride was his team and wagon, and that pride was justified. The
+wagon was a heavy flat affair, gayly decorated, and on the sides of the box
+were paintings of landscapes. The horses were great, magnificent creatures,
+with arching thick necks, long wavy manes and forelocks, soft, intelligent
+eyes, and with great hoofs and hairy fetlocks. They carried themselves in
+conscious pride, Their harness was heavy with silver and with many white
+and coloured rings. In colour they were dapple gray.
+
+"That team," said John McGlynn, "is a perfect match. Took me two years to
+get them together. Wuth a mint of money. That Kate, there, is a regular
+character. You'd be surprised how cute she is. I often wonder who Kate
+_is_. She must be some very famous woman."
+
+John McGlynn was a very wonderful and very accommodating person, Nan
+thought. He would help carry things in, and was willing to unpack or to
+carry out the mess Keith's mad career left behind, it. Also he cast an eye
+on the garden possibilities, and issued friendly, expert advice to which
+Nan listened, breathless. They held long intimate consultations as to the
+treatment of the soil.
+
+"A few posies does sort of brighten things up; they're wuth while," quoth
+John.
+
+Without previous consultation, he appeared one day accompanied by a rotund,
+bland, gorgeous Chinaman, perched beside him on his elevated seat.
+
+"This is Wing Woh, a friend of mine," he announced. "You got to have a
+Chink, of course. You can't run that sized house without help. Wing knows
+all the Chinks in town, and bosses about half of them."
+
+Wing Woh descended and without a word walked into the house. He was a very
+ornate person, dressed in a skull cap with a red coral button atop, a
+brocaded pale lavendar tunic of silk, baggy pale green trousers tied close
+around the ankles, snow-white socks and the typical shoe. Gravely,
+solemnly, methodically he went over the entire house; then returned and
+clambered up beside John.
+
+"All light," he vouchsafed to the astonished Nan.
+
+Next morning she found waiting on the veranda a smiling "china boy" dressed
+all in clean white. A small cloth bundle lay at his feet.
+
+"My name Wing Sam," he announced; "I wo'k you thi'ty dolla' month. Where
+you keep him bloom?"
+
+That day John McGlynn stopped after unloading his boxes to give a little
+advice.
+
+"Chinks are queer," said he. "When you show this fellow how to do anything,
+be sure to show him right, because that's the way he's going to do it
+forever after. You can't change him. And show him; don't tell him. And let
+him do things his own way as much as you can, instead of insisting on your
+way."
+
+McGlynn also advised Keith as to where he could to the best advantage hire
+a horse and buggy by the month.
+
+"You want a good safe animal, so Mrs. Keith can drive him; but you don't
+want a cow. Jump aboard and I'll take you around. Never mind your coat," he
+told Keith, "it's warm."
+
+So they "jumped aboard" and drove down the street. Nan gurgled with
+amusement over the episode. She sat on the high seat beside John McGlynn's
+lank figure, above the broad backs of the great horses; and Keith in his
+shirtsleeves, his hair every which way, a smudge of black across his nose,
+balanced in the flat dray body behind. Nan tried to imagine the sensation
+they would create in Baltimore, and laughed aloud.
+
+"Is sort of funny," commented John McGlynn sympathetically. "But everything
+goes out here."
+
+Nan, aghast at the uncanny perspicacity of the man, choked silently. In her
+world there had always been a sort of vague, unexpressed feeling that the
+"lower classes" were dull.
+
+They used the horse and buggy a great deal. It was delivered at the hotel
+door every morning and taken from the same place every evening. Innumerable
+errands downtown for things forgotten kept it busy. At night they returned
+to the hotel pretty well tired out. It was a tremendous task, much as they
+might be enjoying it.
+
+"Seems to me the more we do the worse it gets," said Keith. "Let's dig some
+sort of a hole and move in anyway."
+
+"In a few days," agreed Nan, who as general-in-chief had a much clearer
+idea of the actual state of affairs than the dusty private.
+
+
+
+
+X
+
+
+One morning the accumulated fatigue had its way, and they overslept
+scandalously. It was after ten o'clock before they were ready to drive up
+the street. As they turned the corner from Kearney Street they were saluted
+by the ringing of numerous bells.
+
+"Why, it's Sunday!" cried Keith, after a moment's calculation. In the
+unexpectedness of this discovery he reined in the horse.
+
+"It will never do to work to-day," she answered his unspoken thought. "I
+suppose we ought to go to church."
+
+But Keith turned the horse's head to the left.
+
+"Church?" he returned with great decision. "We're going on a spree. This is
+a day of rest, and we've earned it."
+
+"Where?" asked Nan, a trifle shocked at his implication as to church.
+
+"I haven't the remotest idea," said Keith.
+
+They drove along a plank road leading out of town. It proved to be thronged
+with people, all going in the same direction. The shuffle of their feet on
+the planks and the murmur of their many voices were punctuated by the
+_klop, klop_ of hoofs and occasional shouts of laughter. All races of the
+earth seemed to be represented. It was like a Congress of the Nations at
+some great exposition. French, Germans, Italians, Russians, Dutchmen,
+British, were to be recognized and to be expected. But also were strange
+peoples--Turks, Arabs, Negroes, Chinese, Kanakas, East Indians, the
+gorgeous members of the Spanish races, and nondescript queer people to whom
+neither Nan nor Keith could assign a native habitat. At every step one or
+the other called delighted attention to some new exhibit. Most
+extraordinary were, possibly, the men from the gold mines of the Sierras,
+These were mostly young, but long haired, bearded, rough, wilder than any
+mortal man need be. They walked with a wide swagger. Their clothes were
+exaggeratedly coarse, but they ornamented themselves with bright silk
+handkerchiefs; with feathers, flowers; with squirrel or buck-tails In their
+hats; with long heavy chains of nuggets; with glittering and prominently
+displayed pistols, revolvers, stilettos, knives, or dirks. Some had plaited
+their beards in three tails; others had tied their long hair under their
+chins. But even the most bizarre seemed to attract no attention. San
+Francisco was accustomed to it.
+
+Indeed, the few fashionable strollers were much more stared at. Most of the
+well dressed were in some sort of vehicle. The Keiths saw many buggies like
+their own. A few very smart, or rather very ornamental, double rigs dashed
+by. In these sat generally good-looking but rather loud young women, who
+stared straight ahead with an assumption of supreme indifference. Hacks or
+omnibuses careered along. In these the company was generally merry but
+mixed, though occasionally a good-looking couple had hired an ordinary
+public conveyance. Horsemen and horsewomen were numerous. Some of these
+were very dashing indeed, the women with long trailing skirts and high hats
+from which floated veils; the men with skin-tight trousers strapped under
+varnished boots, and long split-skirted coats. Others were simply plain a-
+horseback. The native Californians with their heavy, silver-mounted
+saddles, braided rawhide reins and bridles, their sombreros, their
+picturesque costumes, and their magnificent fiery horses made a fine
+appearance. Occasionally screaming, bouncing Chinese, hanging on with both
+hands, would dash by at full speed, their horses quite uncontrolled, their
+garments flying, ecstatically scared and happy, causing great confusion,
+and pursued by curses.
+
+"Evidently we're headed in the right direction," remarked Keith.
+
+After a drive of two or three miles, never far from the bay they arrived
+at what had evidently been a sleepy little village. The original low,
+picturesque, red-tiled adobe buildings still clustered about the Mission.
+But much had been added. The Keiths found themselves in an immense
+confusion. Screaming signs cried everywhere for attention--advertising bear
+pits, cock fights, theatrical attractions, side shows, and the like.
+Innumerable hotels and restaurants, small, cheap, and tawdry, offered their
+hospitality, the liquid part of which was already being widely accepted.
+Men were striking pegs with hammers, throwing balls at negroes' heads
+thrust through canvas, shooting at targets. A racecourse was surrounded.
+Dust rose in choking clouds, and the sun beat down heavily.
+
+"Goodness, what a place!" cried Nan in dismay.
+
+Had they known it, there were many quiet, attractive, outlying resorts
+catering to and frequented by the fashionables, for "the Mission" was at
+that time in its heyday as a Sunday amusement for all classes. As it was,
+Keith drove on through the village, and so out to a winding country road.
+
+"This is heavenly," said Nan, and laid aside her veil.
+
+The road wound and meandered through the low hills of the peninsula. The
+sun beat down on them in a flood, only its heat, no longer oppressive, had
+become grateful.
+
+"Doesn't it feel good on your back!" exclaimed Nan, recognizing this
+quality. "One seems to soak it in--just the way a thirsty plant soaks
+water."
+
+The rounded hills were turning a ripe soft brown. Across their crests the
+sky looked very blue. High in the heavens some buzzards were sailing.
+Innumerable quail called. On tree tops perched yellow-breasted meadow larks
+with golden voices. In the bottom of the narrow valley where the road wound
+were green willow trees and a little trickle of water. From the ground came
+upward waves of heat and a pungent clean odour of some weed. Nan was
+excited and keenly receptive to impressions.
+
+"It's a hot day!" she cried, "and the road is dusty. By rights it ought to
+be disagreeable. But it isn't! Why is that?"
+
+The little valley widened into a pocket. Back from the road stood a low
+white much house. Its veranda was smothered in the gorgeousness of
+bougainvillaea. A grave, elderly, bearded Spaniard, on horseback, passed
+them at a smooth shuffling little trot, and gave them a sonorous _buenas
+dias_, The road mounted rapidly. Once when Keith had reined in to breathe
+the horse, they heard the droning crescendo hum of a new swarm of bees
+passing overhead.
+
+"Isn't this nice!" cried Nan, snuggling against Keith's arm.
+
+Suddenly, over the crest and down the other side, they came on sand hills.
+The horse plodded along at a walk. Nan hung far out watching, fascinated,
+the smooth, clean sand dividing before the wheels and flowing back over the
+rim, and so over a little rise, and the sea was before them.
+
+"Oh, the Pacific!" exclaimed she, sitting up very straight.
+
+The horse broke into a trot along the smooth hard shore. The wind was
+coming in from the wide spaces. A taste of salt was in the air. Foam
+wreaths advanced and receded with the edge of the wash, or occasionally
+blew in a mass across the flat, until gradually they scattered and
+dissipated. The horse pricked up his ears, breathed deep of the fresh cool
+air, expanded his nostrils snorting softly, pretended to shy at the foam
+wreaths. The wash advanced and drew back with a soft hissing sound; the
+wind blew flat and low, so that even on the wet parts a fine, white, dried
+mist of sand was always scurrying and hurrying along close to the ground.
+Outside the surges reared and fell with a crash.
+
+After the tepid or heated atmosphere of the hills the air was unexpectedly
+cool and vital. A flock of sickle-billed curlews stood motionless until
+they were within fifty yards; then rose and flew just inside the line of
+the breakers, uttering indescribably weird and lonely cries. A long file of
+pelicans, their wings outspread, sailed close to the surface of the ocean,
+undulating over the waves and into the hollows exactly paralleling, at a
+height of only a few feet, the restless contour of the sea. Occasionally
+they would all flop their wings two or three times in unison.
+
+"I believe it's a sort of game--they're having fun!" stated Nan with
+conviction.
+
+Everything seemed to be having fun. Close to the wash were forty or fifty
+tiny white sanderlings in a compact band. When the wash receded they
+followed it with an incredibly rapid twinkling of little legs; and when
+again the wave rushed, shoreward, _scuttle, scuttle, scuttle_ went they,
+keeping always just at the edge of the water. Never were they forced to
+wing; yet never did they permit the distance to widen between themselves
+and the inrushing or outrushing wave. There were also sundry ducks. These
+swam just inside the breakers, and were carried backward and forward by the
+surges. Always they faced seaward. At the very last instant, as a great
+curler bent over them, they dipped their heads and dived. If the wave did
+not break, however, they rode over its top. Their accuracy of eye was
+uncanny. Time after time they gauged the wave so closely that they just
+flipped over the crest as it crashed with a roar beneath them. A tenth of a
+second later would have destroyed them. Keith reined up the horse to watch
+them and the sanderlings.
+
+"It _is_ a game," he agreed after a while, "just like the pelicans. It
+isn't considered sporting for sanderlings to get more than three inches
+away from the edge of the wash; or for a duck to dive unless he actually
+has to. It must be a game; for they certainly aren't catching anything."
+
+At this moment the sanderlings as though at a signal sprang into the air,
+wheeled back and forth with instantaneous precision, and departed. The
+ducks, too, dove, and came up only outside the surf.
+
+"Good little sportsmen," laughed Keith; "they play the game for its own
+sake. They don't like an audience."
+
+After a few miles they came to a cliff reaching down to the beach and
+completely barring the way. Off shore were rocky islets covered with seals
+and sea lions. A lone blue heron stood atop a sand dune, absolutely
+motionless.
+
+"I don't know where we are, or how we get out," said Keith, "but I'm going
+to take that chap there as a sign post," and he turned his horse directly
+toward the heron.
+
+Sure enough, a track led them through the sand, and by a zigzag route to
+the top of the knoll that had barred their way along the shore. They came
+to an edge. Before them lay an arm of the sea, sweeping and eddying with a
+strong incoming tide. Over the way stood a great mountain, like a sentinel.
+Far to their right the arm widened. There was a glimpse of sparkling blue,
+and of the pearl of far-off hills, and the haze of a distant dim peak.
+
+"It's the Golden Gate!" cried Keith in sudden enlightenment.
+
+He told her that the mountain over the way must be Tamalpais; that the
+pearl-gray, far-off hills must be Contra Costa; that the distant dim peak
+was undoubtedly Mount Diabolo. She repeated the syllables after him softly,
+charmed by their music.
+
+Simultaneously they discovered that they were hungry. The wind whipped in
+from the sea. An outpost tent or so marked the distant invisible city over
+the hills. Keith turned his horse's head toward them. They drove back
+across what are now the Presidio hills.
+
+But in a hollow they came upon another ranch house, like the first--low,
+white, red roofed, covered with vines. Keith insisted on driving to it. A
+number of saddled horses dozed before the door, a half-dozen dogs sprawled
+in the dust, fowls picked their way between the horses' legs or over the
+dogs' recumbent forms. At the sound of wheels several people came from the
+shadow of the porch into the open. They proved to be Spanish Californians
+dressed in the flat sombreros, the short velvet jackets, the slashed
+trousers, and soft leather _zapatos_. The men, handsome, lithe, indolent,
+pressed around the wheels of the buggy, showing their white teeth in
+pleasant smiles.
+
+"Can we get anything to eat here?" asked Keith.
+
+They all smiled again most amiably. The elder swept off his hat with a free
+gesture.
+
+"_A piedes ouestros, seńora_," he said, "_pero no hablo Inglés. Habla usted
+Espańol?_"
+
+Keith understood the last three words.
+
+"No," he shook his head violently, "no _Espańol_. Hungry." He pointed to
+Nan, then to himself: "She, me, hungry."
+
+This noble effort brought no results, except that the Californians looked
+more politely distressed and solicitous than ever.
+
+"They don't understand us," murmured Nan; "don't you think we'd better
+drive on?"
+
+But Keith, who had now descended from the buggy, resorted to sign language.
+He rubbed his stomach pathetically and pointed down his open mouth; as an
+afterthought he rubbed the horse's belly; then, with apparent intention, he
+advanced toward Nan. A furious red inundated her face and neck, and she
+held her little parasol threateningly between them. Everybody burst into
+laughter.
+
+"_Si! si! si!_" they cried.
+
+Several started to unharness the horse. Others held out their hands. After
+a moment's hesitation Nan accepted their aid and descended. Keith's
+performance was evidently considered a great joke.
+
+On the low veranda were two women, one most enormously fat, the other young
+and lithe. They were dressed almost exactly alike, their blue--black hair
+parted smoothly over their foreheads but built up to a high structure
+behind, filmy _rebosas_ over high combs, and skirts with many flowered
+flounces. They both had soft, gentle eyes, and they were both so heavily
+powdered that their complexions were almost blue. All the men explained to
+them at once. The younger answered gayly; the older listened with entire
+placidity. But when the account was finished, she reached out to pat Nan's
+hand, and to smile reassuringly.
+
+Various foods and a flask of red wine were brought. There was no
+constraint, for Keith threw himself with delighted abandon into experiments
+with sign language.
+
+"_Esta simpatica_," the Californians told each other over and again.
+
+Their manners were elaborate, dignified, deliberate, and beautiful. Keith,
+ordinarily rather direct and brusque, to Nan's great amusement became
+exactly like them. They outvied each other. The women touched smilingly the
+stuff of Nan's gown, and directly admired her various feminine trappings.
+She, thus encouraged, begged permission to examine more closely the lace of
+the _rebosas_ or the beautiful embroidery on the shawls. A little feeling
+of intimacy drew them all together, although they understood no word of
+each other's language.
+
+One of the dogs now approached and gravely laid its nose on Nan's knee,
+gazing up at her with searching soft eyes. The older woman cried out
+scandalized, but Nan shook her head, and patted the beast's nose.
+
+"You like?" asked the woman.
+
+"Why, you do talk English!" cried Nan.
+
+But either these two words were all the woman had, or she was unwilling to
+adventure further.
+
+"You like?" she repeated again, after a moment, and then, observing Nan's
+interest, she uttered a command to one of the numerous ragged small boys
+standing about. The urchin darted away, to return after a moment with a
+basket, which he emptied on the ground. Four fuzzy puppies rolled out.
+
+"Oh, the darlings!" cried Nan.
+
+The little animals proceeded at once to roll one another over, growling
+fiercely, charging uncertainly about, gazing indeterminately through their
+blue infantile eyes. The mother left her position at Nan's knee to hover
+over them; turning them over with her nose, licking them, skipping nimbly
+sidewise when they charged down upon her with an idea of nourishment.
+
+Nan was enchanted. She left the bench to stoop to their level, tumbling
+them over on their backs; playfully boxing their ears, working them up to a
+wild state of yapping enthusiasm.
+
+"The little darlings!" she cried; "just see their fat little tummies! And
+their teeth are just like needles. No, no, you mustn't! You'll tear my
+flounces! Look, Milton, see this little rascal pull at my handkerchief!"
+
+Her cheeks were flushed, and as she looked up laughing from beneath her
+hat, she made a very charming picture.
+
+"You like," stated the Californian woman with conviction.
+
+After a while it became time to go. Vaqueros brought out the horse and
+harnessed it to the buggy. Keith made a movement to offer payment, but
+correctly interpreted the situation and refrained. They mounted the
+vehicle.
+
+"_Muchas gracias!_" Nan enunciated slowly.
+
+This effort was received with an admiring acclaim that flushed Nan with an
+inordinate pride. She had picked up the phrase from hearing it used at
+table. The fat woman came forward, one of the puppies tucked under her arm.
+In spite of her apparently unwieldy size she moved gracefully and lightly.
+
+"You like?" she inquired, holding the squirming puppy at arm's length.
+
+"_Si, si, muchas gracias!_" cried Nan eagerly, and employing at once all
+her Spanish vocabulary. She deposited the puppy in her lap and reached out
+to shake hands. Keith flicked the horse with his whip. He, too, had
+recollected a word of Spanish, and he used it now.
+
+"_Adios!_" he shouted.
+
+But their hosts had a better phrase.
+
+"_Vaya Con Dios!_" they cried in chorus.
+
+Nan was in raptures over the whole episode, but especially over the puppy.
+The latter, with the instantaneous adaptability of extreme youth, had
+snuggled down into a compact ball, and was blinking one hazy dark blue eye
+upward at his new mistress.
+
+"Weren't they nice people," cried Nan, "and wasn't it an adventure? And
+isn't he just the dearest, cutest little thing? You're not a little Spanish
+dog any more, you know. You're a--what is it they call us?--oh, yes! You're
+a gringo now. Why, that's a fine idea! Your name is Gringo!"
+
+And Gringo he became henceforth.
+
+"What kind of a dog is he?" she asked.
+
+Keith grinned sardonically.
+
+"Of course I do not know his honoured father," said he, "so I cannot offer
+an opinion as to that half of him. But on his mother's side he is
+bloodhound, bulldog, collie, setter, pointer, St. Bernard, and Old English
+sheepdog."
+
+"Which?"' asked Nan puzzled.
+
+"All," asserted Keith.
+
+Now suddenly the sun was blotted out. They looked back: a white bank of fog
+was rolling in from the sea. It flowed over the hills like a flood,
+reaching long wisps down into the hollows, setting inertly in the flats and
+valleys, the upper part rolling on and over in a cascade. Beneath its
+shadow the warmth and brightness of the world had died.
+
+"It strikes me we're going to be cold," remarked Keith, urging forward the
+horse.
+
+The roadbed became more solid, and they trotted along freely. The horse,
+also, was anxious to get home. Signs of habitations thickened. The wide
+waste hills of the ranchos had been left behind. Here and there were
+outlying dwellings, or road houses, the objectives of pleasure excursions
+of various sorts and degrees of respectability from the city. From one of
+the latter came a hail.
+
+"Oh, Keith! I say, Keith!"
+
+From a group of people preparing to enter a number of vehicles two men came
+running. Ben Sansome and Morrell, somewhat out of breath, came alongside.
+They were a little flushed and elevated, but very cordial, and full of
+reproaches that Keith had so entirely dropped out of sight during the past
+week.
+
+"I tell you, you must come over to our house for supper," said Morrell
+finally. "Everybody comes."
+
+"The Morrells' Sunday night suppers are an institution," supplemented
+Sansome.
+
+"I wish I could persuade you," urged Morrell. "I wonder where Mimi is. I
+know Mrs. Morrell ought to call, and all that sort of thing, but this is
+not a conventional place. We live next door, y'know. Do be delightful and
+neighbourly, and come!"
+
+Nan hesitated; but the lure of the well-dressed company, so thoroughly at
+ease with one another, was irresistible in the reaction. She accepted.
+
+
+
+
+XI
+
+
+The Keiths arrived to find the Morrells' informal party in full blast. The
+front parlour was filled with a number of people making a great noise. Out
+of the confusion Mrs. Morrell arose and came to them, as they stood where
+the China-man had abandoned them.
+
+"Mimi" Morrell was a tall woman, not fat, but amply built, with a full bust
+and hips. Her hair was of the peculiar metallic golden blond that might or
+might not have been natural; her skin smooth and white, but coarse in
+grain, would look better at night than by daylight. Her handsome, regular
+features were rather hard and set in their expression when in absolute
+repose, but absolute repose was rare to them. In action they softened to a
+very considerable feminine allurement. She moved with decision, and
+possibly her general attitude smacked the least bit of running things. She
+gave the impression of keeping an eye open for everything going on about
+her. To Nan she seemed tremendous, overwhelming, and a little magnificent.
+
+Immediately, without introductions, the whole party moved through the
+double doors into the dining-room. There they took their places at a table
+set out lavishly with food and drink in great quantity. Mrs. Morrell
+explained in her high level voice that servants and service were always
+dispensed with at her Sunday nights. She rather carelessly indicated a seat
+to Mrs. Keith, and remarked to Keith that he was to sit next herself.
+Otherwise the party distributed itself. Ben Sansome promptly annexed the
+chair next to Nan, and started in to make himself agreeable.
+
+A complete freemasonry obtained among all the party. There was a great deal
+of shouting back and forth, from one end of the table to the other. Each
+seemed to have a nickname. One young man was known exclusively as "Popsy,"
+another answered as "Zou-zou," a third was called "Billy Goat"; a very
+vivid, flashing young woman was "Teeny," and so on. They conversed, or
+rather shouted, to a great extent by means of catch words or phrases,
+alluding evidently to events the purport of which the Keiths could by no
+possibility guess. There were a great many private jokes, the points of
+which were obvious to only one or two. Every once in a while some one would
+say "Number Seven!" and everybody would go off into convulsions of
+laughter. The vivid young woman called Teeny suddenly shrieked, "How about
+Friday, the twenty-third?" at Popsy, to Popsy's obvious consternation and
+confusion. Immediately every one turned on either Popsy or Teeny, demanding
+the true inwardness of the remark. Popsy defended himself, rather pink and
+embarrassed. The young woman, a devilish knowing glint in her eyes, her red
+underlip caught between her teeth, refused to answer.
+
+Keith warmed to this free and easy atmosphere. He was friendly and
+sympathetic with the lively crowd. But in vain he tried for a point of
+contact. All this badinage depended on a previous knowledge and intimacy,
+and that, of course, he lacked. Mrs. Morrell, sitting beside him very
+straight and commanding, delivered her general remarks in a high, clear
+voice, turning her attention impartially now to one part of the noisy
+table, now to another.
+
+Suddenly she abandoned the company to its own devices, and leaning her left
+elbow on the table, she turned squarely to Keith, enveloping him with a
+magnetic all-for-you look.
+
+"Do you know," she said abruptly, "something tells me you are musical."
+
+"Why, I am, a little," admitted Keith, surprised. "But how could you tell?"
+
+"La, now, I was sure you had a voice the first time I heard you speak. I
+adore music, and I can always tell."
+
+"Do you sing, too?" asked Keith.
+
+"I? No, unfortunately. I have no more voice than a crow. I strum a bit, but
+even that has been a good deal neglected lately. There's no temptation to
+keep up one's music here. I don't know a single soul in all this city who
+cares a snap of their finger for it."
+
+"We'll have to have some music together," suggested Keith.
+
+"I'd adore it. Isn't it lucky we're neighbours? I've been so interested"--
+she said it as though she had almost intended to say "amused"--"in watching
+you this past week. You are the most domestic man I know. I never saw a man
+work so singlemindedly at his house and home. Domesticity is a rare outworn
+virtue here, I assure you. It is really quite touching to see a man so
+devoted these days."
+
+She said these things idly, a little disjointedly, looking at him steadily
+all the while. Her manner was detached, and yet somehow it impelled him
+strongly to protest that he was really not a bit domestic.
+
+"Have you met any of the people of the place?" she shifted suddenly,
+
+"Well--I really haven't had much chance yet--a few of the men."
+
+"Well--you'll find things pretty mixed. Don't expect much; one has to take
+things pretty much as one finds them."
+
+To this simple speech was appended one gesture only--a slight raising of
+the eyebrows. Yet the effect was to sweep Keith into the intimacy of an
+inner circle, to suggest that she, too, found society mixed, and to imply--
+very remotely--that at least certain members of the present company itself
+were not quite what he--or she--would choose in another environment. In
+unconscious response to this unspoken thought, Keith glanced about the
+table. There was a good deal of drinking going on; and the fun was becoming
+even more obvious and noisy. Mrs. Morrell occasionally sipped at her
+champagne. She emitted a slight but rather disturbing perfume.
+
+"Why did you come out here, anyway?" she asked him. "I can't make out. I'm
+curious."
+
+"Why shouldn't I?" demanded Keith.
+
+"Well, men come here either for money, for adventure, or to make a career."
+She marked each on the tablecloth with the end of a fork. "Which is it?"
+
+"Guess," laughed Keith.
+
+"You don't need money--or else you have a wonderful nerve to take the Boyle
+house. I believe you have the nerve, all right. Men with your sort of close
+curly hair are never--bashful!" she laughed shortly.
+
+"Boyle's rent is safe--for a while," admitted Keith.
+
+"Career?" she went on, looking him in the eyes speculatively, and allowing
+her gaze to sink deep into his. He noticed that her eyes were a gray green,
+like semi-precious stones of some sorts, with surface lights, but also with
+grayer radiations that seemed to go below the surface to smouldering
+depths--disturbing eyes, like the perfume. "Career?" she repeated. "I think
+you hold yourself better--a career in the riff-raff of this town." She
+shook her head archly. "But adventure! Oh, la! There's plenty of that--all
+sorts!" She gave the impression of meaning a great deal more than she said.
+"I wish I were a man!" she exclaimed, and laughed.
+
+"I'm glad you're not," rejoined Keith sincerely.
+
+She tapped him lightly on the arm with her fan.
+
+"Oh, la!" she cried.
+
+Keith laughed meaningly and mischievously. He was feeling entirely at home
+--in his mental shirtsleeves--thoroughly at ease.
+
+"You're a lawyer, are you not?" she asked him.
+
+"Try to be."
+
+"Going to practise?"
+
+"If any practice comes my way."
+
+She looked at him, smiling slowly.
+
+"Oh, it'll come fast enough." She seized her glass and held it to him.
+"Here's to your career!" she cried. "Bottoms up!"
+
+They clinked glasses and drank.
+
+"You must meet people--influential people," she told him. "We must see what
+we can do; I'll have some of them in."
+
+"You're simply fine to take all this trouble for me!"
+
+She tapped him again on the arm.
+
+"Silly! We take care of our own people, of _course!_ Let's plan it. Have
+you any connections in town at all?"
+
+"Well, I've met quite a few people about town, and I have some letters."
+
+"Casual acquaintances are well enough, but your letters?"
+
+"I have one to Calhoun Bennett, and to Mr. Dempster, and Mr. Farwell, and
+Truett--"
+
+But she was making a wry face.
+
+"What's the matter with, them?" he demanded.
+
+"Cal Bennett's all right--but the others--oh, I suppose they're all right
+in a business way--but--"
+
+"But, what?"
+
+She made a helpless little gesture.
+
+"I can't describe it--you know--the sort that are always so keen on doing
+their _duty!_"
+
+She laughed; and to his subconscious surprise Keith found himself saying
+sympathetically:
+
+"I know the sort of people who always pay their debts!"
+
+They looked into each other's eyes and laughed in comradeship. In sober
+life Keith did his duty reasonably well, and was never far behind
+financially.
+
+She fell silent for a moment; then with a muttered "excuse me," she leaned
+directly across his shoulder to impart something low-voiced and giggly to
+the woman on his right. To do this she leaned her breast against his arm
+and shoulder. The conversation lasted some seconds. Keith could not hear a
+word of it; but he was disturbingly aware of her perfume, the softness of
+her body, and the warmth that struck even through the intervening clothing.
+She drew back with a half apology.
+
+"Feminine nonsense," she told him. "Mere man couldn't be expected to
+understand." She was herself a little flushed from leaning over, but she
+appeared not to notice Keith's rather breathless state. He muttered
+something, and gulped at his champagne.
+
+"Do you know Mrs. Sherwood?" he asked, merely to say something,
+
+But to his surprise Mrs, Morrell answered him shortly, her manner changing:
+
+"No, I don't. We draw the line _somewhere_!"
+
+Again she addressed the woman on the right, but this time without leaning
+across:
+
+"Oh, Amy, the fair Patricia has another victim!" and laughed rather
+shrilly. Suddenly she rapped the table with the handle of a knife. "Stop
+it!" she cried to the company at large. "You're making too much noise!"
+
+They all turned to her except one youth who was too noisily busy with his
+partner to have heard her. Failing in another attempt to get his attention,
+Mrs. Morrell picked up a chunk of French bread and hurled it at him.
+
+"Good shot!" "Bravo!" "Encore!" came a burst of applause, as the bread,
+largely by accident, took him squarely between the eyes.
+
+The youth, though astonished, was game. He retaliated in kind. Keith
+whipped up an empty plate and intercepted it. The youth's partner came to
+his assistance. Keith, a plate in either hand, deftly protected Mrs.
+Morrell from the flying missiles. The implied challenge was instantly
+accepted by all. The air was full of bread. Keith's dexterity was tested to
+the utmost, but he came through the battle with flying colours. Everybody
+threw bread. There was much explosive laughter, that soon became fairly
+exhausting. The battle ceased, both because the combatants were out of
+ammunition, and because they were too weak from mirth to proceed. Keith
+with elaborate mock gallantry turned and presented Mrs. Morrell with the
+two plates.
+
+"The spoils of war!" he told her.
+
+"He should be decorated for conspicuous gallantry on the field of battle!"
+cried some one.
+
+The idea took. But they could find nothing appropriate until Teeny
+McFarlane deliberately stepped up on the table and broke from the glass
+chandelier one of its numerous dangling prisms. This called forth a mild
+protest from Morrell--"Oh, I say!"--which was drowned in a wild shriek of
+delight. The process of stepping down from the table tilted Teeny's wide
+skirts so that for an instant a slim silken leg was plainly visible as far
+as the knee. "Oh! oh!" cried every one. Some pretended to be shocked, and
+covered their faces with spread fingers; others feigned to try for another
+look. Teeny was quite unperturbed.
+
+Keith was the centre of attention and a great success. But there were no
+more tčte-ŕ-tętes. Mrs. Morrell managed to convey the idea that she was
+displeased, and Keith was of a sufficiently generous and ingenuous
+disposition to be intrigued by the fact. He had no chance to probe the
+matter. In a moment or so Mrs. Morrell rose and strolled toward the
+drawing-room. The others straggled after her. She rather liked thus to
+emphasize her lack of convention as a hostess, making a pose of never
+remembering the proper thing to do. Now she moved here and there, laughing
+her shrill rather mirthless laugh, calling everybody "dearie," uttering
+abrupt little platitudes. Keith found himself left behind, and rather out
+in the cold. The company had quite frankly segregated itself into couples.
+The room was well adapted to this, filled as it was with comfortable chairs
+arranged with apparent carelessness two by two. The men lighted cigars.
+Keith saw Nan's eyes widen at this. She was sitting near the fire, and
+Sansome had penned her in beyond the possibility of invasion by a third. At
+this date smoking was a more or less doubtfully considered habit, and in
+the best society men smoked only in certain rigidly specified
+circumstances. In a drawing-room such an action might be considered the
+fair equivalent to powdering the feminine nose.
+
+In such a condition, Keith was left rather awkwardly alone, and was fairly
+thrust upon a fictitious interest in a photograph album, at which he
+glowered for some moments. Then by a well-planned and skilfully executed
+flank movement he caught Mrs. Morrell.
+
+"Look here," he demanded; "what has the standing army done to deserve
+abandonment in a hostile country?"
+
+But she looked at him directly, without response to his playful manner.
+
+"My friend," she said, "this is a pretty free and easy town, as no doubt
+you have observed, and society is very mixed. But we haven't yet come to
+receiving women like Mrs. Sherwood, or relishing their being mentioned to
+us."
+
+"Why, what's the matter with her?" demanded Keith, astonished. "Is she as
+far from respectability as all that?"
+
+"Respectable! That word isn't understood in San Francisco." She appeared
+suddenly to soften. "You're a dear innocent boy, so you are, and you've got
+a dear innocent little wife, and I'll have to look out for you."
+
+Before the deliberate and superior mockery in her eyes as well as in her
+voice, Keith felt somehow like a small boy. He was stung to a momentary
+astonishing fury.
+
+"By God--" he began, and checked himself with difficulty.
+
+She smiled at him slowly.
+
+"Perhaps I didn't mean all of that," she said; "perhaps only half of it,"
+she added with significance. "My personal opinion is that you are likely to
+be a curly haired little devil; and when you look at me like that, I'm glad
+we're not alone."
+
+She looked at him an enigmatic moment, then turned away from the table near
+which they had been standing. "Come, help me break up some of this
+'twosing,'" she said.
+
+Shortly after this the party dispersed. Mrs. Morrell said good-bye to them
+carelessly, or not at all, according as it happened.
+
+"You must come again, come often," she told the Keiths. "It's pretty dull
+unless you make your own fun." She was half sleepily conventional, her lids
+heavy. "Perhaps we can have some music soon," she added. The words were
+careless, but she shot Keith an especial gleam.
+
+The Keiths walked sociably home together, almost in silence. Keith, after
+his habit, super-excited with all the fun, the row, and the half-guilty
+boyish feeling of having done a little something he ought not to have done,
+did not want to seem too enthusiastic.
+
+"Jolly crowd," he remarked.
+
+"They were certainly noisy enough," said Nan indifferently; then after a
+moment, "Where _do_ you suppose some of them get their clothes?"
+
+Keith's mind was full of the excitement of the evening. He found himself
+reviewing the company, appraising it, wondering about it. Was Teeny
+McFarlane as gay as she appeared? He had never seen women smoke before; but
+that dark girl with the red thing in her hair puffed a cigarette. Perhaps
+she was Spanish--he had not met her. And Mrs. Morrell--hanged if he quite
+dared make her out--it wouldn't do to jump to conclusions nor too hastily
+to apply Eastern standards; this was a new country, fatal to make a fool
+mistake; well-built creature, by gad--
+
+Nan interrupted his thoughts. He came to with a start.
+
+"I think we'd better put the big armchair in the front room, after all,"
+she was saying.
+
+
+
+
+XII
+
+
+Next morning Keith allayed what little uneasiness his conscience might
+harbour by remarking, as he adjusted his collar:
+
+"Mrs. Morrell is an amusing type, don't you think? She's a bit vulgar, but
+she seems good hearted. Wonder what colour her hair used to be?"
+
+"I suppose they are all right," said Nan. "They are a little rowdy. They
+gave me a headache."
+
+Illogically rehabilitated in his own self-esteem, Keith went on dressing.
+He was "on" to Mrs. Morrell; her methods were pretty obvious. Wonder if she
+thought she had really fooled him? Next time he would be on guard and beat
+her at her own game. She was not a woman to his taste, anyway--he glanced
+admiringly at Nan's clean profile against the light--but she was full of
+vitality, she was keen, she was brimming with the joy of life.
+
+The long drive over the Peninsula to the sea and back, the episode of the
+Spanish people, the rowdy supper party, had one effect, however: it had
+made so decided a break in the routine that Keith found himself thrust
+quite outside it. He had worked feverishly all the week, at about double
+speed; and in ordinary course would have gone on working feverishly at
+double speed for another week. Now, suddenly, the thought was irksome. He
+did not analyze this; but, characteristically, discovered an irrefutable
+reason for not going on with it. They rescued Gringo from Sam's care, and
+drove up to the house. On the way Keith said:
+
+"Look here, Nan; do you suppose you and Wing can get on all right this
+morning? All the heavy work is done. I really ought to be settling the
+office and getting some lines laid for business."
+
+"Why, of course we can get on, silly!" she rejoined. "This isn't your job,
+anyway. Of course you ought to attend to your business."
+
+Keith again consulted Palmer, Cook & Co. The same clerk showed him offices.
+He was appalled at the rents. Even a miserable little back room in the
+obscurer blocks commanded a sum higher than he had anticipated paying.
+After looking at a dozen, he finally decided on a front room in the
+Merchants' Exchange Building. This was one of the most expensive, but Keith
+was tired of looking. The best is the greatest economy in the long run, he
+told himself, and with a lawyer, new-come, appearances count for much in
+getting clients. Must get the clients, though, to support this sort of
+thing! The rest of the morning he spent buying furniture.
+
+About noon he walked back to the Bella Union. His horse and buggy were not
+hitched to the rail, so he concluded Nan had not yet returned for lunch.
+Mrs. Sherwood, however, was seated in a rocker at the sunny end of the long
+veranda. She looked most attractive, her small smooth head bent over some
+sort of fancywork. Before she looked up Keith had leisure to note the poise
+of her head and shoulders, the fine long lines of her figure, and the
+arched-browed serenity of her eyes. Different type this from the full-
+breasted Morrell, more--more patrician! Rather absurd in view of their
+respective places in society, but a fact. Keith found himself swiftly
+speculating on Mrs. Sherwood's origin and experience. She was endowed with
+a new glamour because of Mrs. Morrell's enigmatic remark the evening
+before, and also--for Keith was very human--with a new attraction. Feeling
+vaguely and boyishly devilish, Keith. stopped.
+
+She nodded at him, laying her work aside.
+
+"You are practically invisible." she told him.
+
+"Making ourselves a habitation. Seen Mrs. Keith?"
+
+"No. I don't think she's come in."
+
+Keith hesitated, then:
+
+"I think I'll go up to the house for her."
+
+Mrs. Sherwood nodded, and resumed her work calmly, without further remark.
+
+At the house Keith found Nan, her apron on, her hair done up under a dust
+cap, very busy.
+
+"Noon?" she cried, astonished. "It can't be! But I can't stop now. I think
+I'll have Wing pick me up a lunch. There's plenty in the house. It's too
+much bother to clean up."
+
+Keith demurred; then wanted to stay for the pick-up lunch himself. Nan
+would have none of it. She was full of repressed enthusiasm and eagerness,
+but she wanted to get rid of him.
+
+"There's not enough. I wouldn't have you around. Go away, that's a good
+boy! If you'll leave Wing and me entirely alone we'll be ready to move in
+to-morrow."
+
+"Where's Gringo?" asked Keith by way of indirect yielding--he had really no
+desire for a picked-up lunch.
+
+"The little rascal! He started to chew everything in the place, so I tied
+him in the backyard. He pulls and flops dreadfully. Do you think he'll
+strangle himself?"
+
+Keith looked out the window. Gringo, all four feet planted, was
+determinedly straining back against his tether. The collar had pulled
+forward all the loose skin of his neck, so that his eyes and features were
+lost in wrinkles.
+
+"He doesn't yap," volunteered Nan.
+
+Keith gave it as his opinion that Gringo would stop short of suicide,
+commended Gringo's taciturnity and evident perseverance, and departed for
+the hotel. In the dining-room he saw Mrs. Sherwood in a riding habit,
+eating alone. Keith hesitated, then took the vacant seat opposite. She
+accorded this permission cordially, but without coquetry, remarking that
+Sherwood often did not get in at noon. Immediately she turned the
+conversation to Keith's affairs, inquiring in detail as to how the settling
+was getting on, when they expected to get in, how they liked the house,
+whether they had bought all the furniture.
+
+"You remember I directed you to the auctions?" she said.
+
+She asked all these questions directly, as a man would, and listened to his
+replies.
+
+"I suppose you have an office picked out?" she surmised.
+
+At his mention of the Merchants' Exchange Building she raised her arched
+eyebrows half humorously.
+
+"You picked out an expensive place."
+
+Keith went over his reasoning, to which she listened with a half smile.
+
+"You may be right," she commented; "the reasoning is perfectly sound. But
+that means you must get the business in order to make it pay. What are your
+plans?"
+
+He confessed that as yet they were rather vague; there had not been time to
+do much--too busy settling.
+
+"The usual thing, I suppose," he added: "get acquainted, hang out a
+shingle, mix with people, sit down and starve in the traditional manner of
+young lawyers."
+
+He laughed lightly, but she refused to joke.
+
+"There are a good many lawyers here--and most of them poor ones," she told
+him. "The difficulty is to stand out above the ruck, to become noticed. You
+must get to know all classes, of course; but especially those of your own
+profession, men on the bench. Yes, especially men on the bench, they may
+help you more than any others--"
+
+He seemed to catch a little cynicism in her implied meaning, and
+experienced a sense of shock on his professional side.
+
+"You don't mean that judges are--"
+
+"Susceptible to influence?" She finished the sentence for him with an
+amused little laugh. She studied him for an instant with new interest,
+"They're human--more human here than anywhere else--like the rest of us--
+they respond to kind treatment--" She laughed again, but at the sight of
+his face her own became grave. She checked herself. "Everything is so new
+out here. In older countries the precedents have all been established. Out
+here there are practically none. They are being made now, every day, by the
+present judges. Naturally personal influence might get a hearing for one
+point of view or the other--"
+
+"I see what you mean," he agreed, his face clearing.
+
+"Join a good fire company," she advised him. "That is the first thing to
+do. Each company represents something different, a different class of men."
+
+"Which would you advise?" asked Keith seriously.
+
+"That is a matter for your own judgment. Only, investigate well. Meet all
+the people you can. Know the newspaper men, and the big merchants. In your
+profession you must cultivate men like Terry, Girvin, Shattuck, Gwin. Keep
+your eyes open. Be bold and use your wits. Above all, make friends; that's
+it, _make friends_--everybody, everywhere. Don't despise anybody. You will
+get plenty of chances." She was sitting erect, and her eyes were flashing.
+Her usual slow indolent grace had fallen from her; she radiated energy. Her
+slender figure took on a new appearance of knit strength. "Such chances! My
+heavens! if I were a man!"
+
+"You'd make a bully man!" cried Keith. Mrs. Morrell, uttering the same
+wish, had received from him a different reply, but he had forgotten that.
+
+She laughed again, the tension broke, and she sank back into her usual
+relaxed poise.
+
+"But, thank heavens, I'm not," said she.
+
+
+
+
+XIII
+
+
+Affairs for the Keiths passed through another week of what might be called
+the transition stage. It took them that long to settle down in their new
+house and into some semblance of a routine--two days to the actual
+installation, and the evenings full of small matters to arrange. Nan was
+busy all day long playing with her new toy. The housekeeping was
+fascinating, and Wing Sam a mixture of delight and despair. Like most women
+who have led the sheltered life, she had not realized as yet that the
+customs of her own fraction of one per cent, were not immutable. Therefore,
+she tried to model the household exactly in the pattern of those to which
+she had been accustomed. Wing Sam blandly refused to be moulded.
+
+Thus Nan spent all one morning drilling him in the proper etiquette of
+answering doors. Mindful of John McGlynn's advice, she did this by precept,
+ringing her own door bell, presenting a card as though calling on herself.
+Wing Sam's placid exterior changed not. A half hour later the door bell
+rang, but no Wing Sam appeared to answer it. It rang again, and again,
+until Nan herself opened the door. On the doorstep stood Wing Sam himself.
+
+"I foolee you, too," he announced with huge delight.
+
+Painstakingly Nan conveyed to him that this was neither an amusing game nor
+a practical joke. Later in the day the door bell rang again. Nan, hovering
+near to gauge the result of her training, saw Wing Sam plant himself firmly
+in the opening.
+
+"You got ticket?" he demanded sternly of the deliveryman outside. "You no
+got ticket, you no get in!"
+
+Which, Nan rather hysterically gathered, was what Wing Sam had gained of
+the calling-card idea. After that, temporarily as she thought, Nan
+permitted him to go back to his own method, which, had she known it, was
+the method of every Chinese servant in California. The visitor found his
+bell answered by a blandly smiling Wing Sam, who cheerfully remarked:
+"Hullo!" It was friendly, and it didn't matter; but at that stage of her
+development Nan was more or less scandalized.
+
+Nan's sense of humour always came to her assistance by evening, and she had
+many amusing anecdotes to tell Keith, over which both of them laughed
+merrily. Gringo added somewhat to the complications in life. He was a fat,
+roly-poly, soft-boned, ingratiating puppy, with a tail that waved
+energetically but uncontrolledly. Gringo at times was very naughty, and
+very much in the way. But when exasperation turned to vengeance he had a
+way of keeling over on his back, spreading his hind legs apart in a manner
+to expose his stomach freely to brutal assault, and casting one calm china-
+blue eye upward.
+
+"Can there anywhere exist any one so hard-hearted as to injure a poor,
+absolutely defenceless dog?" he inquired, with full confidence in the
+answer.
+
+The iniquities of Gringo and the eccentricities of Wing Sam Nan detailed at
+length, and also her experiences with the natives. She as yet looked on
+every one as natives. Only later could she expand to the point of including
+them in her cosmos of people. Nan was transplanted, and her roots had not
+yet struck down into the soil. In her shopping peregrinations she was
+making casual acquaintance, and she had not yet become accustomed to it.
+
+"I bought some darling little casseroles at Phelan's to-day," she said.
+"The whole Phelan family waited on me. Where do you suppose the women get
+their perfectly awful clothes? Mrs. Phelan offered to take me to her
+milliner!" or "You know Wilkins--the furniture man where we got the big
+armchair? I was in there to-day, and he apologized because his wife hadn't
+called!"
+
+They went to bed early, because they were both very tired.
+
+Keith also had generally passed an interesting day. Immediately after
+breakfast he went to his office, and conscientiously sat a while. Sometimes
+he wrote letters or cast up accounts; but there could not be much of this
+to do. About ten or eleven o'clock his impatient temperament had had enough
+of this, so he drifted over to the Monumental engine house. After
+considerable thought he had decided to join this company. It represented
+about the class of men with whom he wanted to affiliate himself--the
+influential men of the lawyer, Southern-politician, large business men
+type. There were many of these volunteer organizations. Their main purpose
+was to fight fire; but they subserved other objects as well--political,
+social, and financial. David Broderick, for example, already hated and
+feared, partly owned and financed a company of ward-heelers who were
+introducing and establishing the Tammany type of spoils politics. Casey,
+later in serious trouble, practically manipulated another.
+
+Among the Monumentals, Keith delighted especially in Bert Taylor. Bert
+Taylor likewise delighted in Keith. The little chubby man's enthusiasm for
+the company, while recognized as most valuable to the company's welfare,
+had ended by boring most of the company's members. But Keith was a new
+listener and avid for information. He had had no notion of how complicated
+the whole matter could be. Bert Taylor dissertated sometimes on one phase
+of the subject, sometimes on another.
+
+"It's drills we need, and the fellows won't drill enough!" was Bert
+Taylor's constant complaint. "What do they know about hose? They run it out
+any way it comes; and roll it up anyhow, instead of doing a proper job."
+
+"How should you do it?" asked Keith.
+
+"It ought to be laid right--so there's no bends or sharp angles in it; it
+should never be laid over heaps of stones, or any kind of uneven surface--
+it all increases the water resistance. If there are any bends or curves
+they should be regular and even. The hose ought never to rest against a
+sharp edge or angle. And when you coil it up you ought to reverse the sides
+every time, so it will wear even and stretch even. Do they do it? Not
+unless I stand over them with a club!"
+
+He showed Keith the hose, made of India rubber, a comparatively new thing,
+for heretofore hose had been made of riveted leather. Bert Taylor made him
+feel the inside of this hose with his forefinger to test its superlative
+smoothness.
+
+"Mighty little resistance there!" he cried triumphantly.
+
+The nozzles, all in racks, he handled with almost reverent care.
+
+"These are the boys that cost the money," said Taylor. "If the inside isn't
+polished like a mirror the water doesn't come smooth. And the least little
+dent makes the stream ragged and broken. Nothing looks worse--and it isn't
+as effective on the fire. It ought to be thrown like a solid rod of water.
+I can't get the boys to realize that the slightest bruise, dent, or burr
+throws the stream in a ragged feathery foam. The result of that is that a
+lot of water is dissipated and lost."
+
+Keith, who had taken hold of the nozzle rather negligently, returned it
+with the reverent care due crown jewels.
+
+"How long a stream will it throw?" he asked.
+
+"With thirty men on a side she's done a hundred and twelve feet high, and
+two hundred and eighteen for distance," said Bert with simple pride.
+
+He picked up the nozzle again.
+
+"See here. Here's an invention of my own. Cost money to put it in, too,
+because every other nozzle on earth is made wrong."
+
+He explained that other nozzles are made so that the thread of the hose
+screwed into the nozzle; while in his, the thread of the nozzle screwed
+into the hose.
+
+"If there's a leak or a bad connection," explained Bert, "with the old
+type, the water is blown back into the fireman's face, and he is blinded.
+His whole efficiency depends on a close joint. But with my scheme the leak
+is blown forward, away from the lineman. It's a perfectly sound scheme, but
+I can't make them see it."
+
+"Sounds reasonable," observed Keith, examining perfunctorily a device to
+which later he was to owe his life.
+
+Item by item they went over the details of equipment--the scaling ladders,
+the jumping sheets, the branch pipes, the suction pipes, the flat roses,
+standcocks, goose necks, the dogtails, dam boards, shovels, saws, poleaxes,
+hooks, and ropes. From a consideration of them the two branched off to the
+generalities of fire fighting. Keith learned that the combating of a fire,
+the driving it into a corner, outflanking it, was a fine art.
+
+"I say always, _get in close_," said Taylor. "A fire can be _put_ out as
+well as just drowned out."
+
+It struck Keith as interesting that in a room a stream should always be
+directed at the top of a fire, so that the water running down helps
+extinguish the flames below, whereas in attack at the bottom or centre
+merely puts out the immediate blaze, leaving the rest to spread upward or
+sideways. Taylor put himself on record against fighting fire from the
+street.
+
+"Don't want a whole lot of water and row," he maintained. "Get in close
+quarters and make every drop count."
+
+When Bert's enthusiasm palled, Keith always found men in the reading-room.
+The engine house was a sort of clearing house for politics, business
+schemes, personal affairs, or differences.
+
+Once a day, also, as part of his job in his profession, Keith went to the
+courthouse. There he sat in the enclosure reserved for lawyers and listened
+to the proceedings, his legal mind alert and interested in the technical
+battles. At no time in the world's history has sheer technicality
+unleavened by common sense been carried further than in the early
+California courts. Even in the most law-ridden times elsewhere a certain
+check has been exercised by public opinion or the presence of business
+interests. But here was as yet no public opinion; and business interests,
+their energies fully taxed by the necessities of a new country, were
+willing to pay heavily to be let alone. Consequently, lawyers were
+permitted to play out their fascinating game to their hearts' content, and
+totally without reference to expedience or to the justice of the case. The
+battles were indeed intensely technical and shadowy. Points within points
+were fought bitterly. Often for days the real case at issue was forgotten.
+
+Only one of the more obvious instances of technical triumph need be cited.
+One man killed another, on a public street, before many witnesses. The
+indictment was, however, thrown out and he released because it stated only
+that the victim was killed by a pistol, and failed to specify that his
+death was due to the discharge of said pistol. The lawyer who evolved this
+brilliant idea was greatly admired and warmly congratulated.
+
+The wheels of the law ground very slowly. One of the simplest and most
+effective expedients of defence was delay. A case could be postponed and
+remanded, often until the witnesses were scattered or influenced. But there
+were infinite numbers of legal expedients, all most interesting to a man of
+Keith's profession. His sense of justice was naturally strong and warm, and
+an appeal to it outside a courtroom or a law office always got an immediate
+and commonsense response. But inside the law his mind automatically closed,
+and a "case" could have only legal aspects. Which is true of the majority
+of lawyers to-day.
+
+On the adjournment of court Keith generally drifted over to the El Dorado
+or the Empire, where he spent an hour or so loafing with some of his
+numerous acquaintances. He was of the temperament that makes itself quickly
+popular, the laughing, hearty sort, full of badinage, and genuinely liking
+most men with whom he came in contact. There was always much joking in the
+air, but back of it was a certain reserve, a certain wariness, for every
+second man was a professed "fire-eater," given to feeling insulted on the
+slightest grounds, and flying to the duel or the street fight instanter.
+
+This hour was always most pleasant to Keith; nevertheless, he went home
+about five o'clock in order to enjoy an hour or so of daylight about the
+place. He performed prodigies of digging in the new garden: constructing
+terraces, flower beds, walks, and the like. While the actual construction
+work was under way he was greatly interested, but cared nothing for the
+finished product or the mere growing of the flowers.
+
+Gringo received his share of training, at first to his intense disgust.
+Twice he refused obedience, and the matter being pressed, resorted to the
+simple expedient of retiring from the scene. Keith dropped everything and
+pursued. Gringo crawled under things, but was followed even to the dustiest
+and cob-webbiest farthest corner under the porch; he tried swiftness and
+dodging, but was trailed in all his doublings and twistings at top speed;
+he tried running straight away over the sand hills, and at first left his
+horrible master behind, but the horrible master possessed a horrible
+persistence. Finally he shut his eyes and squatted, expecting instant
+annihilation, but instead was haled back to the exact scene of his
+disobedience, and the command repeated. Nan laughed until the tears came,
+over the large, warm, red-faced man after the small, obstinate, scared pup,
+but Keith refused to joke.
+
+"If he finds he can't get away, no matter what happens, I'll never have to
+do it again," he panted. "But if he wins out, even once, it'll be an awful
+job."
+
+Gringo tried twice. Then, his faith in his ability to escape completely
+shattered, he gave up. After that he adored Keith and was always under his
+feet.
+
+Keith saw nothing of any of the women. Mrs. Sherwood seemed to have dropped
+from their ken when they left the hotel. Once Keith inquired casually about
+Mrs. Morrell.
+
+"She's been over twice to see the place," replied Nan.
+
+"We ought to go over there to call," proffered Keith vaguely; but there the
+matter rested.
+
+
+
+
+XIV
+
+
+One night Keith was awakened by Nan's suddenly sitting up in bed. There
+came to his struggling consciousness the persistent steady clangour of many
+deep bells. Slowly recognition filtered into his mind--the fire bells!
+
+He hastily pulled on some clothes and ran down the front stairs, stumbling
+over Gringo, who uttered an outraged yelp. From the street he could see a
+red glow in the sky. At top speed he ran down the street in the direction
+of the Monumental. In the half darkness he could make out other figures
+running. The deep tones of the bells continued to smite his ear, but now in
+addition he heard the tinkling and clinking of innumerable smaller bells--
+those on the machines. He dashed around a corner to encounter a double line
+of men, running at full speed, hauling on a long rope attached to an
+engine. Their mouths were open, and they were all yelling. The light engine
+careened and swayed and bumped. Two men clung to the short steering tongue,
+trying to guide it. They were thrown violently from side to side, dragged
+here and there, tripping, hauling, falling across the tongue, but managing
+to keep the machine from dashing off at a tangent. Above them, high and
+precarious, swayed the short stout figure of Bert Taylor. He was in full
+regalia--leather helmet, heavy leather belt, long-tailed coat, and in his
+free hand the chased silver speaking trumpet with the red tassels that
+usually hung on the wall. He was in his glory, dominating the horde. His
+keen eye, roving everywhere, seeing everything, saw Keith.
+
+"Catch hold!" he roared through the trumpet.
+
+Keith made a flying grab at a vacant place on the line, caught it, was
+almost jerked from his feet, recovered himself, and charged on, yelling
+like the rest.
+
+But now Bert Taylor began to shriek something excitedly. It became evident,
+from glimpses caught down the side streets, but especially through the many
+vacant lots, that another engine was paralleling their own course a block
+away.
+
+"Jump her, boys, jump her!" shrieked Bert Taylor. "For God's sake, don't
+let those Eurekas beat you!"
+
+He danced about on top of the waterbox of the engine, in imminent peril of
+being jerked from his place, battering his silver trumpet insanely against
+the brake rods, beseeching, threatening profanely. And profanity at that
+time was a fine art. Men studied its alliteration, the gorgeousness of its
+imagery, the blast of its fire. The art has been lost, existing still, in a
+debased form, only among mule drivers, sailors, and the owners of certain
+makes of automobiles. The men on the rope responded nobly. The roar of
+their going over the plank road was like hollow thunder. A man dropped out.
+Next day it was discovered he had broken his leg in a hole. At tremendous
+speed they charged through the ring of spectators, and drew up, proud and
+panting, victors by a hundred feet, to receive the plaudits of the
+multitude. A handsome man on a handsome horse rode up.
+
+"Monumentals on the fire! Eurekas on cistern number twenty!" he commanded
+briefly.
+
+This was Charles Duane, the unpaid fire chief; a likable, efficient man,
+but too fond of the wrong sort of friends.
+
+Now it became evident to Keith why Bert Taylor had urged them so strongly
+in the race. The fire was too distant from the water supply to be carried
+in one length of hose. Therefore, one engine was required to relay to
+another, pumping the water from the cistern, through the hose, and into the
+waterbox of the other engine. The other engine pumped it from its own
+waterbox on to the fire. The latter, of course, was the position of honour.
+
+The Eurekas fell back grumbling, and uttering open threats to wash their
+rivals. By this they meant that they would pump water into the Monumentals
+faster than the latter could pump it out, thus overflowing and eternally
+disgracing them. They dropped their suction hose into the cistern, and one
+of their number held the end of the main hose over a little trapdoor in the
+Monumental's box. The crews sprang to the long brake handles on either
+side, and at once the regular _thud, thud, thud_ of the pumps took up its
+rhythm. The hose writhed and swelled; the light engines quivered. Bert
+Taylor and the Eureka foreman, Carter by name, walked back and forth as on
+their quarterdecks, exhorting their men. Relays, in uniform assumed on the
+spot, stood ready at hand. Nobody in either crew knew or cared anything
+whatsoever about the fire. As the race became closer, the foremen got more
+excited, begging their crews to increase the stroke, beating their speaking
+trumpets into shapeless battered relics. An astute observer would now have
+understood one reason why the jewellery stores carried such a variety of
+fancy speaking trumpets. They were for presentation by grateful owners
+after the fire had been extinguished, and it was generally necessary to get
+a new one for each fire.
+
+Keith, acting under previous instructions, promptly seized a helmet and
+poleaxe and made his way to the front. The fire had started in one of many
+flimsy wooden buildings, and had rapidly spread to threaten a whole
+district. Men from the hook and ladder companies were already at work on
+some of the hopeless cases. A fireman or two mounted ladders to the eaves,
+dragging with them a heavy hook on the end of a long pole. Cutting a small
+hole with their axes, they hooked on this apparatus and descended. As many
+firemen and volunteers as could get hold of the pole and the rope attached
+to it, now began to pull.
+
+"Yo, heave ho!" they cried.
+
+The timbers cracked, broke, the whole side of the house came out with a
+grand and satisfying crash. An inferno of flame was thereby laid open to
+the streams from the hose lines. It was grand destructive fun for
+everybody, especially for the boys of all ages, which included in spirit
+about every male person present.
+
+This sort of work was intended, of course, to confine or check the fire
+within the area already affected, and could accomplish nothing toward
+saving the structures already alight. The roar of the flames, the hissing
+of firebrands sucked upward, the crash of timbers, the shrieks of the
+foremen through their trumpets, the yells of applause or of sarcasm from
+the crowd, and the _thud, thud, thud, thud_ of numerous brake bars made a
+fine pandemonium. Everybody except the owners or tenants of the buildings
+was delighted.
+
+Keith, with two others, was instructed to carry the Monumental nozzle to
+the roof of a house not afire. Proudly they proceeded to use their scaling
+ladders. These were a series of short sections, each about six feet long,
+the tops slightly narrower than the bottoms. By means of slots these could
+be fitted together. First, Keith erected one of them against the wall of
+the building, at an angle, and ascended it, carrying another section across
+his shoulder. When he reached a certain rung, which was painted red, he
+thrust his foot through the ladder and against the wall, pushed the ladder
+away from the wall, and fitted the section he was carrying to the top of
+the section on which he was standing. He then hauled up another section and
+repeated. When the ladder had reached to the eaves, he and his companions
+dragged the squirting, writhing hose up with them, chopped footholds in the
+roof, and lay flat to look over the ridgepole as over a breastwork. All
+this to the tune of admiring plaudits and with a pleasing glow of heroism.
+There was a skylight, but either they overlooked or scorned that prosaic
+expedient.
+
+At the other end of the ridgepole Keith made out the dark forms of two men
+from another company. His own companions, acting under orders, now
+descended the ladder, leaving him alone.
+
+The next building was a raging furnace, and on it Keith directed the heavy
+stream from his nozzle. It was great fun. At first the water seemed to have
+no effect whatever, but after a little it began to win. The flames were
+beaten back, broken into detachments. Finally, Keith got to the point of
+chasing down small individual outbreaks, driving them into their lairs,
+drowning them as they crouched. He was wholly interested, and the boy in
+him, with a shamefaced half apology to the man in him, pretended that he
+was a soldier directing a battery against an enemy.
+
+Along the ridgepole cautiously sidled the two men of the other company,
+dragging their hose. Keith now recognized them. One was a vivid, debonair,
+all-confident, magnetic individual named Talbot Ward, a merchant, promoter,
+speculator, whom everybody liked and trusted; the other a fair Hercules of
+a man, slow and powerful in everything, called Frank Munro.
+
+"Look here," said Ward, "does it strike you this roof's getting hot?"
+
+Recalled to himself, Keith immediately became aware of the fact.
+
+"The house is afire beneath us," said Ward; "we've got to get out."
+
+"What's the matter with your ladder?" asked Keith.
+
+"They took it away."
+
+"We'll use mine."
+
+They let themselves cautiously down the footholds that had been chopped in
+the roof, and looked over. A blast of smoke and flame met them in the face.
+
+"Good Lord, she's all afire!" cried Keith, aghast.
+
+The flames were licking around the scaling ladder, which was already
+blazing. Keith directed the stream from his hose straight down, but with no
+other result than to break the charred ladder.
+
+They crawled back to the ridgepole, and worked their hose lines around to
+the end of the building, out of the flames. Here a two-story drop
+confronted them.
+
+"This thing is going to fall under us if we don't do something," muttered
+Ward.
+
+"Duane's forgotten us, and those crazy idiots at the engines are too busy
+trying to keep from being washed," surmised Keith.
+
+"Look here," said Munro suddenly; "I'll brace against a chimney and hang on
+to the hose, and you can slide down it like a rope."
+
+"How about you?" demanded Ward crisply.
+
+"You can run for more ladders, once you're on the ground."
+
+At this moment the water failed in Keith's hose. He stared at the nozzle,
+then rapidly began to unscrew it.
+
+"Cistern empty or hose burst," surmised Munro.
+
+But Talbot Ward, cocking his ear toward a distant pandemonium of cheering,
+guessed the true cause.
+
+"Sucked," said he. By this he meant that the Monumental crew had succeeded
+in emptying their water box in spite of the Eureka's best efforts.
+
+"Get off your nozzle quick!" urged Keith.
+
+Munro, without stopping to ask why, bent his great strength to the task;
+and it was a task, for in his hose the pressure of the water was
+tremendous. It spurted back all over him, and at the last the nozzle was
+fairly blown away from him.
+
+"Now couple my hose to yours quick, quick, before my hose fills!" cried
+Keith.
+
+"They won't go--" Munro began to object.
+
+"Yes, they will, mine's a special thread," urged Keith, who had remembered
+Bert Taylor's reversed nozzle.
+
+All three bent their energies to catching the threads. It was a fearful
+job, for the strength of the water had first to be overcome. Keith was
+terribly excited. Time was precious, for not only might the roof give way
+beneath them, but at any moment the water might come again in Keith's hose.
+Then it would be physically impossible to make the coupling. All three men
+concentrated their efforts on it, their feet gripping the irregularities of
+the roof or slipping on the shingles. Frank Munro bent his enormous back to
+the task, the veins standing out in his temples, his face turning purple
+with the effort. Keith helped him as well as he was able. Talbot Ward,
+coolly, deliberately, delicately, as though he had all the time in the
+world, manipulated the coupling, feeling gingerly for the thread. The water
+spurted, fanned, sprayed, escaping with violence, first at one point, then
+at another, drenching and blinding them.
+
+"There!" breathed Ward at last, and with a few twists, of his sinewy hands
+brought the couplings into close connection. Munro relaxed, drawing two or
+three deep breaths. Without the aid of his great strength the task could
+not have been accomplished.
+
+"Hook her over the chimney," gasped Keith.
+
+With some difficulty they lifted the loop of the throbbing hose over the
+chimney.
+
+"Down we go!" cried Keith, and slid hand over hand down the way thus made
+for them. The others immediately followed, and all three stood looking
+back. It was a wonder the building had stood so long, for in both stories
+it was afire, and the walls had apparently burned quite through. Indeed, a
+moment later the whole structure collapsed. A fountain of sparks and brands
+sprang upward in the mighty suction.
+
+"There goes our good hose!" said Keith.
+
+The remark brought them to wrath and a desire for vengeance.
+
+"I'm going to lick somebody!" cried Keith, starting determinedly in the
+direction of the engine.
+
+"We'll help," growled Munro.
+
+But when they came in sight of the engine their anger evaporated, and they
+clung to each other, weak with mirth.
+
+For the Monumental was "washed," and washed aplenty. This was natural, for
+now the water was pouring into her box from _both_ directions, and would
+continue so to pour until the hose coupled to Ward's engine had burned
+through. The water was fairly spouting up from the box, not merely
+overflowing. Her crew were still working, but raggedly and dispiritedly.
+Bert Taylor, his trumpet battered beyond all recognition, was fairly
+voiceless with rage. An interested and ribaldry facetious crowd spared not
+its sarcasm.
+
+"My crowd must be in the same fix!" gurgled Ward; "the back pressure has
+'washed' them, too." Then the full splendour of the situation burst on him,
+and he fell again on Munro for support.
+
+"Don't you see," he gasped. "They'll never know! The hose will burn
+through. Unless we tell, they'll never know! We've got even, all right."
+
+At this moment Duane rode up, foaming at the mouth, and desiring to know
+what the assorted adjectives they were doing there. The crews awoke to
+their isolation and general uselessness. Bert Taylor, still simmering,
+descended from his perch. They followed the hose lines to glowing coals!
+
+"Here, this won't do," said Talbot; so they reported themselves before the
+news of a tragedy had had time to spread.
+
+The fire was now practically under control. It had swept a city block
+pretty clean, but had been confined to that area. An hour later they
+dragged their engine rather dispiritedly back to the house. Ordinarily they
+would have been in high spirits. Fires were to these men a good deal of a
+lark. The crews were very effective and well drilled, and the saving of
+property was as well done as possible, but that was all secondary to the
+game of it. But to-night they had been "washed," they had lost the game,
+and the fact that they had put out the fire cut very little figure. There
+was much bickering. It seemed that Bert Taylor, in his enthusiasm, had, out
+of his own pocket, hired extra men who appeared at the critical moment to
+relieve the tired men at the brakes; and it was under their fresh impetus
+that the Monumental had so triumphantly "sucked." Now Bert Taylor was
+freely blamed. The regular men stoutly maintained that if they had been
+left alone this would never have happened.
+
+"These whiskey bummers never can last!" they said. Everybody trooped
+upstairs to the main rooms, where refreshments were served. After some
+consideration Keith decided to tell his story in explanation of how it was
+that the Monumentals were washed. Instantly the company cheered up, A
+clamour broke out. This was great! With Talbot Ward and Munro to
+corroborate, no one could doubt the story. Taylor ran about jubilantly,
+returning every few moments to pat Keith on the shoulder.
+
+"Fine! fine!" he cried. "We've got those _Eurekas_! I can't wait for
+morning!"
+
+
+
+
+XV
+
+
+Keith got home about daylight to find Nan, terribly anxious, waiting up for
+him. He brushed away her anxiety with the usual masculine impatience at
+being made a fuss over, gave a brief account of the fire--omitting mention
+of his narrow escape--and insisted that she go to bed. After a few moments
+she obeyed, and immediately fell asleep. Keith bathed himself and changed,
+made a cup of coffee, and wandered about rather impatiently waiting for
+time to go downtown. Wing Sam appeared, the morning paper came. The sun
+gained strength, and finally tempted him outside.
+
+For some time he prowled around, examining Nan's efforts at gardening.
+There was not much to show as yet, but Keith had already the eye of faith
+so essential to the Californian, and saw plainly trees, shrubs, and flowers
+where now only spears of green were visible. The Morrells' garden next door
+was already well grown, and he cast on it an appraising eye. No sign of
+life showed about the place except a thread of smoke from the kitchen
+chimney. It was still early.
+
+Nevertheless, five minutes later Mrs. Morrell opened the side door and
+stepped forth. She had on a wide leghorn hat, and carried a basket and
+scissors as though to gather flowers. Immediately she caught sight of Keith
+and waved him a gay greeting. He vaulted the fence and joined her.
+
+"Aren't these early morning hours perfect? Isn't this glorious sunshine?"
+she greeted him.
+
+As a matter of fact Mrs. Morrell seldom rose before noon, and detested
+early morning hours and glorious sunshine. She was inclined to consider the
+usual remarks in their praise as sheer affectation. But she adored fires,
+and often went to them when they promised well enough. Sometimes she
+attended in company with certain of her men friends; and sometimes alone,
+cloaked as a man. She liked the destruction and stimulation of them. She
+had been to the fire just extinguished, and seeing Keith in the garden, had
+put on her fluffiest and gone out to him. It was time this most attractive
+young man next door paid her more attention.
+
+"How does the hero of the fire survive?" she asked him archly.
+
+"Hero?"
+
+"Don't pretend ignorance. Charles told me all about it. He heard your tale
+at the Monumental."
+
+"It's hardly heroism to get out of a scrape the best way possible."
+
+"It's heroic to save lives, I think; but especially heroic to keep your
+head in an emergency."
+
+"Mr. Morrell all right?" asked Keith, to change the subject.
+
+"He is sleeping off the fire--and the after effects. You men need watching
+every minute--even when we think you must be in danger of your lives."
+
+She laughed and clipped a few flowers at random.
+
+"Have you been moving furniture all these days? We've seen nothing of you.
+I thought we were going to have some music. I do my little five-finger
+exercises all by myself and nobody knows but I am playing Beethoven. You
+ought in Christian charity to help me out--whether you want to or not. What
+do you think of our garden? Don't you adore flowers?"
+
+"No, I don't believe I do," replied Keith bluntly. "I like to see a pretty
+woman amongst 'em," he went on gallantly, "they set her off. It's like
+dresses. No good to show me pretty frocks--unless they're filled."
+
+"La! You are so clever; at times I'm really afraid of you," said she.
+
+She went on tossing a few blooms into her basket. Under the stimulus of the
+fire she had acted on impulse in going out into the garden. She realized it
+as perhaps a mistake. Keith's early morning freshness and fitness made her
+feel less sure of herself than usual. She had an uneasy impression that she
+was not at her best, and this reacted on her ability to exercise her usual
+magnetism. In fact, Keith, the least observant of men in such things, could
+not avoid noticing her rather second-hand looking skin, and that her
+features were more pronounced than he had thought.
+
+"Do come over this evening for some music," she begged. "You can take a nap
+this afternoon, and you can go home early."
+
+Keith had been just a little uneasy over this second interview with Mrs.
+Morrell. His straightforward nature was inclined to look back on the
+impression she had made on him at the supper party with a half-guilty sense
+of some sort of vague disloyalty he could not formulate. Now he felt much
+satisfied with himself, and quite relieved. Therefore, he accepted.
+
+"I shall be very glad to," said he.
+
+At breakfast, which was rather late, he told Nan of the meeting and the
+invitation. Nan's clear lines, fresh creamy skin, bright young eyes, looked
+more than usually attractive to him.
+
+"Perhaps she _can_ play," he said. "Let's go find out. And you must wear
+your prettiest gown; I'm proud of my wife, and I want her to look her very
+best."
+
+A little later he remarked:
+
+"I wonder if she isn't considerably older than Morrell."
+
+
+
+
+XVI
+
+
+When he had at last reached downtown after his late breakfast, Keith found
+it in a fair turmoil. Knots of men stood everywhere arguing, sometimes very
+heatedly. Eureka members were openly expressing their anger over what they
+called Taylor's "dirty trick" in putting hirelings on the brakes, men who
+did not belong to the Monumental organization at all. If it had not been
+for that the Monumentals could never have "sucked" at all. On the other
+hand, the Monumentals and their friends were vehemently asserting that they
+were well within their rights. Fists were brandished. Several fights
+started, but were stopped before they had become serious.
+
+Keith avoided these storm centres, waving a friendly hand, but smilingly
+refusing to be drawn in. Near the Merchants' Exchange, however, he came on
+a quieter, attentive group, in the centre of which stood Calhoun Bennett.
+The Southerner's head was thrown back haughtily, but he was listening with
+entire courtesy to a violent harangue from a burly, red-faced man in rough
+clothes.
+
+"And I tell you that sort of a trick won't go down with nobody, and the
+story of why you were washed won't wash itself. It's too thin."
+
+"I have the honah, suh," said Bennett formally, "to info'm yo' that yo' do
+not know what yo' are talkin' about."
+
+His silken tones apparently enraged the man.
+
+"You silk-stockinged----of a----!" said he.
+
+Without haste Calhoun Bennett rapped the man across the face with his light
+rattan cane. Venting a howl of rage, the Eureka partisan leaped forward.
+Calhoun Bennett, quick as a flash, drew a small derringer and fired; and
+the man went down in a heap. Superbly nonchalant, Bennett, without a glance
+at his victim, turned away, the ring of spectators parting to let him
+through. He saw Keith, and at once joined him, drawing the young man's arm
+through his own. Keith, looking back, saw the man already sitting up,
+feeling his shoulder and cursing vigorously.
+
+Bennett was fairly radiating rage, which, however, he managed to suppress
+beneath a well-bred exterior calm.
+
+"These hounds, suh," he told Keith, "profess not to believe us, suh! They
+profess, suh, that our explanation of how we were washed is a fabrication.
+You will oblige me, suh, by profferin' yo' personal testimony in the case."
+
+He faced Keith resolutely toward the Eureka engine house. Keith spared a
+thought to wonder what he was being let in for by this handsome young fire-
+eater, but he went along unprotesting.
+
+Around the Eureka engine house was a big crowd of men. These fell silent as
+Bennett and Keith approached. The Eurekas represented quite a different
+social order from the Monumentals. Its membership was recruited from those
+who in the East had been small farmers, artisans, or workingmen in the more
+skilled trades; independent, plain, rather rough, thoroughly democratic, a
+trifle contemptuous of "silk stockings," outspoken, with little heed for
+niceties of etiquette or conduct. Bennett pushed his way through them to
+where stood Carter, the chief, and several of the more influential. Keith,
+looking at them, met their eyes directed squarely into his. They were
+steady, clear-looking, solid, rather coarse-grained, grave men.
+
+"I have brought Mr. Keith here, who was an eyewitness, to give his
+testimony as to the events of last evenin'," said Bennett formally.
+
+Keith told his story. It was received in a blank noncommittal silence. The
+men all looked at him steadily, and said nothing. Somehow, he was
+impressed. This silence seemed to him, fancifully, more than mere lack of
+words--it conveyed a sense of reserve force, of quiet appraisal of himself
+and his words, of the experiences of men who have been close to realities,
+who have _done_ things in the world. Keith felt himself to be better
+educated, to own a better brain, to have a wider outlook, to be possessed,
+in short, of all the advantages of superiority. He had never mingled with
+rough men, and he had always looked down on them. In this attitude was no
+condescension and no priggishness, Now he felt, somehow, that the best of
+these men had something that he had not suspected, some force of character
+that raised them above his previous conception. They might be more than
+mere "filling" in a city's population; they might well come to be an
+element to be reckoned with.
+
+When he had quite finished his story, there ensued a slight pause. Then
+said Carter:
+
+"We believe Mr. Keith. If Mr. Ward and Frank Munro were there, of course
+there can be no doubt." Somehow Keith could not resent the implication; it
+was too impersonally delivered. Carter went on with cold formality and
+emphasis; "Mr. Keith had a very narrow escape. It was lucky for him that
+your hired men had 'sucked' your waterbox. In view of that we can, of
+course, no longer regret the fact."
+
+"It was a dirty trick just the same!" growled a voice out of the crowd.
+
+Carter turned a deliberate look in that direction, and nothing more was
+said. Bennett ignored the interruption, bowed frigidly, and turned away.
+The Eureka leaders nodded. In dead silence Keith and Bennett withdrew.
+
+"That settles _that_!" observed Bennett, when at a little distance. "A lot
+of cheap shopkeepers! It makes me disgusted every time I have anythin' to
+do with them!"
+
+As they walked away, one of the hangers-on of the police court approached,
+touching his hat.
+
+"For you, Mr. Bennett," he said most respectfully, proffering a paper.
+
+"Me?" observed Bennett, surprised. He unfolded the paper, glanced at it,
+and laughed. "I'm arrested for wingin' that 'shoulder-striker' up the
+street a while back," he told Keith.
+
+"Anything I can do?" asked Keith anxiously.
+
+"Not a thing, thank you. There'll be no trouble at all--just a little
+nuisance. May call you for a witness later."
+
+He went away with the officer, but shortly after Keith saw him on the
+street again. The matter had been easily arranged.
+
+Keith went to his office. In spite of himself he could not entirely take
+Bennett's point of view. Several of the men at Eureka headquarters looked
+interesting--he would like to know them--perhaps more than interesting, the
+potentiality of a reasoning and directed power.
+
+
+
+
+XVII
+
+
+The afternoon nap suggested by Mrs. Morrell was not enjoyed, and Keith
+returned home feeling pretty tired and inclined to a quiet evening. Nan had
+to remind him of his engagement.
+
+"Oh, let's send a note over by Wing," he said, a little crossly. "I don't
+feel like making an effort to-night."
+
+But Nan's convention could not approve of anything quite so radically a
+last-minute decision.
+
+"It's a little late in the day for that," she pointed out. "She may have
+stayed in just to see us. We can leave early."
+
+Keith went, grumbling. They found Mrs. Morrell in full evening dress,
+showing her neck and shoulders, which were her best points, for she was
+full bosomed and rounded without losing firmness of flesh. Nan was a trifle
+taken back at this gorgeousness, for she had not dressed. Keith, with his
+usual directness, made no secret of pretending to be utterly overwhelmed.
+
+"I didn't know we were expected to dress for a real concert with flowers!"
+he cried, laughing.
+
+Mrs. Morrell shrugged her fine shoulders indifferently.
+
+"This old rag!" she said. "Don't let that bother you. I always like to put
+on something cool for the evening. It's such a relief."
+
+It developed that Morrell had an engagement, and could not stay.
+
+"He was so disappointed," purred Mrs. Morrell.
+
+She was all eager for the music, brushing aside this and other
+preliminaries.
+
+"You play, sing?" she asked Nan. "What a pity! I'm afraid you're going to
+be terribly bored."
+
+She turned instantly to Keith, hurrying him to the piano, giving the
+impression of being too eager to wait--almost the eagerness of a drunkard
+in the presence of drink. And this in turn conveyed a vibrating feeling of
+magnetism, of temperament under restraint, of possibilities veiled. The
+impact struck Keith's responsive nature full. He waked up, approached the
+piano with reviving interest. She struck idle chords and flashed at him
+over her shoulder a brilliant smile.
+
+"What shall it be?" she demanded, still with the undercurrent of eagerness.
+"You choose--a man's song--something soulful. I'm just in the mood."
+
+"Do you know the 'Bedouin Love Song?'" he inquired.
+
+"The 'Bedouin Love Song?' No--I'm afraid not. We are so far out of the
+world."
+
+"It's a new thing. It goes like this."
+
+He hummed the air, and she followed it hesitatingly, feeling out the
+accompaniment. Mrs. Morrell knew her instrument and had a quick ear.
+Occasionally Keith leaned over her shoulder to strike for her an elusive
+chord or modulation. In so doing he had to press close, and for all his
+honest absorption in the matter at hand, could not help becoming aware of
+her subtle perfume, the shine of her flesh, and the brightness of her crown
+of hair.
+
+"You play it," she said suddenly.
+
+But he disclaimed the ability.
+
+"I don't know it any better than you do, and you improvise wonderfully."
+
+They became entirely absorbed in this most fascinating of tasks, the
+working out little by little of a complicated accompaniment.
+
+"There!" she cried gayly at last. "I believe I have it. Let's try."
+
+Keith had a strong smooth baritone, not too well trained, but free from
+glaring faults and mannerisms. It filled the little drawing-room ringingly.
+He liked the song, and he sang it with fire and a certain defiance that
+suited it. At its conclusion Mrs. Morrell sprang to her feet, breathing
+quickly, her usual hard, quick artificiality of manner quite melted.
+
+"It's wonderful!" she cried. "It lifts one right up! It makes me feel I'd
+run away----" She checked herself abruptly, and turned to where Nan sat in
+an armchair outside the circle of light, "Don't you just _adore_ it?" she
+asked in a more restrained manner, and turned back to Keith, who was
+standing a little flushed and excited by the song, "You have just the voice
+for it--with that vibrating deep quality." She reseated herself at the
+piano and struck several loud chords. Under cover of them she added, half
+under her breath, as though to herself, but distinctly audible to the man
+at her shoulder; "Luck for us all that you are already taken."
+
+Keith would have been no more than human if he had not followed this cue
+with a look. She did not lower her eyes, but gave him back his gaze
+directly. It was as though some secret understanding sprang up between
+them, though Keith,--in half-angry confusion, could not have analyzed it.
+
+After this they compared notes until they found several songs they both
+knew. Mrs. Morrell brushed aside Keith's suggestion that she herself should
+sing, but she did it in a way that left the implication that he was the
+important one vocally.
+
+"No, no! I've been starved too long. I'm as tired of my little reed of a
+voice as of the tinkle of a musical box."
+
+The close of the evening was brought about only by the return of Morrell
+from his engagement. Keith had utterly forgotten his fatigue, and was
+tingling with the enthusiasm to which his nature always rose under
+stimulus. The Englishman, very self-contained, clean-cut, incisive, brought
+a new atmosphere. He was cordial and polite, but not expansive. Keith came
+down from the clouds. He remembered, with compunction, Nan sitting in the
+armchair, the lateness of the hour, his own fatigue.
+
+"You should hear Mr. Keith's new song, Charley," said Mrs, Morrell. "It's
+the most wonderful thing! The 'Bedouin Love Song,' You must surely sing it
+at the Firemen's Ball. It will make a great hit. No, you surely must. With
+a voice like yours it is selfish not to use it for the benefit of all.
+Don't you agree with me, Mrs. Keith?"
+
+"I'll sing it, if you will play my accompaniment," said Keith.
+
+On their way home Keith's enthusiasm bubbled up again.
+
+"Isn't it great luck to find somebody to practise with?" he cried--
+"Unexpected luck in a place like this! I wish you cared for music."
+
+"Oh, I do," said Nan. "I love it. But I just can't do it, that's all."
+
+"Did you like it to-night?"
+
+"I liked it when you really _sang_" replied Nan with a little yawn, "but it
+always took you such a time to get at it."
+
+A short silence fell.
+
+"Are you really going to sing at the Firemen's Ball?" she asked curiously.
+
+"I haven't been asked yet," he reminded her. "Don't you think it a good
+idea?"
+
+"Oh, I don't know," said Nan, but her voice had a little edge. Keith felt
+it, and made the usual masculine blunder. He stopped short, thunderstruck
+at a new idea.
+
+"Why, Nan," he cried reproachfully, "I don't believe you like her!"
+
+"Like her!" she flashed back, her anger leaping to unreasonable
+proportions--"that old frump!"
+
+No sooner had the door closed after them than Morrell's conventional smile
+faded, and his countenance fell into its usual hard, cold impassivity.
+
+"Well, what is the game there?" he demanded.
+
+"There is no game," she replied indifferently.
+
+"There is very little money there, I warn you," he persisted.
+
+She turned on him with sudden fury.
+
+"Oh, shut up!" she cried. "I know my own business!"
+
+"And I know mine," he told her, slowly and dangerously. "And I warn you to
+go slow unless I give the word."
+
+She stared at him a moment, and he stared back. Then, quite deliberately,
+she walked over to him until her breast almost touched him. Her eyes were
+half closed, and a little smile parted her full lips.
+
+"Charley," she drawled wickedly, "I warn _you_ to go slow. And I warn you
+not to interfere with me--or I might interfere with you!"
+
+Morrell shrugged his shoulders, and turned away with an assumption of
+indifference.
+
+"Please yourself. But I can't afford a scandal just now."
+
+"_You_ can't afford a _scandal!_" she cried, and laughed hardly.
+
+"Not just now," he repeated.
+
+
+
+
+XVIII
+
+
+Perhaps this unwise antagonizing by her husband, perhaps the idleness with
+which the well-to-do woman was afflicted, perhaps a genuine liking for
+Keith, gave Mrs. Morrell just the impulse needed. At any rate, she used the
+common bond of music to bring him much into her company. This was not a
+difficult matter. Keith was extravagantly fond of just this sort of
+experimental amateur excursions into lighter music, and he liked Mrs.
+Morrell. She was a good sort, straightforward and honest and direct, no
+nonsense in her, but she knew her way about, and a man could have a sort of
+pleasing, harmless flirtation to which she knew how to play up. There was
+not, nor could there be--in Keith's mind--any harm in their relations. Nan
+was the woman for him; but that didn't mean that he was never to see
+anybody else, or that other women might not--of course in unessential and
+superficial ways--answer some of his varied needs.
+
+Mrs. Morrell was skilful at keeping up his interest, and she was equally
+skilful in gradually excluding Nan. This was not difficult, for Nan was
+secretly bored by the eternal practising, and repelled by Mrs. Morrell's
+efforts to be fascinating. She saw them plainly enough, but was at first
+merely amused and faintly disgusted, for she was proud enough to believe
+absolutely that such crude methods could have no effect on Milton,
+overlooking the fact that the crudities of women never appear as plainly to
+a man as they do to another woman. For a woman is in the know. At first she
+offered one excuse or another, in an attempt to be both polite and
+plausible. She much preferred a book at home, or a whole free evening to
+work at making her house attractive. Later, Keith got into the habit of
+taking her attitude for granted.
+
+"I promised to run over to the Morrells' this evening," he would say, "More
+music. Of course you won't care to come. You won't be lonely? I won't be
+gone late."
+
+"Of course not," she laughed. "I'm thankful for the chance to get through
+with the blue room."
+
+Nevertheless, after a time she began to experience a faint, unreasonable
+resentment; and Keith an equally faint, equally unreasonable feeling of
+guilt.
+
+Left to itself this situation would, therefore, have righted itself, but
+Mrs. Morrell was keen enough to give it the required directing touches:
+
+"Too bad we can't tear your wife away from her house and garden."
+
+"If you only had some one to practise with regularly at home! Your voice
+ought to be systematically cultivated. It is wonderful!"
+
+And later:
+
+"You ought not to come here so much, I suppose--" rather doubtfully, "Any
+sort of practice and accompaniment--even my poor efforts--does you so much
+good! You or I would understand perfectly, but it is sometimes so difficult
+for the inexperienced domestic type to comprehend! An older woman who
+understands men knows--but come, we must sing that once more."
+
+The effect of these and a thousand similar speeches injected apparently at
+random here and there in the tide of other things was at once to intensify
+Keith's vague feeling of guilt, and to put it in the light somehow of an
+injustice to himself. He had an unformulated notion that if Nan would or
+could only understand the situation and be a good fellow that every one
+would be happy; but as she was a mere woman, with a woman's prejudices,
+this was impossible. It was absurd to expect him to give up his music just
+because she wanted to be different! He had really nothing whatever to
+conceal; and yet it actually seemed that difficulty and concealment would
+be necessary if this sort of unspoken reproach were kept up. Women were so
+confoundedly single-minded!
+
+And as the normal, healthy, non-introspective male tends to avoid
+discomfort, even of his own making, it thus came about that Keith spent
+less and less time at home. He did not explain to himself why. It was
+certainly no lessening of his affection for Nan. Only he felt absolutely
+sure of her, and the mental situation sketched above left him more open to
+the lure of downtown, which to any live man was in those days especially
+great. Every evening the "fellows" got together, jawed things over, played
+pool, had a drink or so, wandered from one place to another, looked with
+the vivid interest of the young and able-bodied on the seething, colourful,
+vital life of the new community. It was all harmless and mighty pleasant.
+Keith argued that he was "establishing connections" and meeting men who
+could do his profession good, which was more or less true; but it took him
+from home evenings.
+
+Nan, at first, quite innocently played into his hands. She really preferred
+to stay at home rather than be bored at the Morrells'. Later, when this
+tradition had been established, she began to be disturbed, not by any
+suspicion that Milton's interest was straying, but by a feeling of neglect.
+She was hurt. And little by little, in spite of herself, a jealousy of the
+woman next door began to tinge her solitude. Her nature was too noble and
+generous to harbour such a sentiment without a struggle. She blamed herself
+for unworthy and wretched jealousy, and yet she could not help herself.
+Often, especially at first, Keith in an impulse would throw over his plans,
+and ask her to go to the theatre or a concert, of which there were many and
+excellent. She generally declined, not because she did not want to go, but
+because of that impelling desire, universal in the feminine soul, to be a
+little wooed to it, to be compelled by gentle persuasion that should at
+once make up for the past and be an earnest for the future. Only Keith took
+her refusal at its face value. Nan was lonely and hurt.
+
+Her refusals to respond to his rather spasmodic attempts to be nice to her
+were adopted by Keith's subconscious needs for comfort. If she didn't want
+to see anything of life, she shouldn't expect him to bury himself. His
+restless mind gradually adopted the fiction persistently held before him by
+Mrs. Morrell that his wife was indeed a domestic little body, fond only of
+her home and garden. As soon as he had hypnotized himself into the full
+acceptance of this, he felt much happier, His uneasiness fell from him, and
+he continued life with zest. If any one had told him that he was neglecting
+Nan, he probably would have been surprised. They were busy; they met
+amicably; there were no reproaches; they managed to get about and enjoy
+things together quite a lot.
+
+The basis for the latter illusion rested on the Sunday excursions and
+picnics. Both the Keiths always attended them. There was invariably the
+same crowd--the Morrells; Dick Blatchford, the contractor, and his fat,
+coarse-grained, good-natured Irish wife; Calhoun Bennett; Ben Sansome:
+Sally Warner, a dashing grass widow, whose unknown elderly husband seemed
+to be always away "at the mines"; Teeny McFarlane, small, dainty, precise,
+blond, exquisite, cool, with very self-possessed manners and decided ways,
+but with the capacity for occasionally and with deliberation outdoing the
+worst of them, about whom were whispered furtive things the rumour of which
+died before her armoured front; her husband, a fat, jolly, round-faced,
+somewhat pop-eyed man who adored her and was absolutely ignorant of one
+side of her. These and a sprinkling of "fast" youths made the party.
+Sometimes the celebrated Sam Brannan went along, loud, coarse, shrewd, bull
+voiced, kindly when not crossed, unscrupulous, dictatorial, and
+overbearing, They all got to know each other very well and to be very free
+in one another's society,
+
+The usual procedure was to drive in buggies, sometimes to the beach,
+sometimes down the peninsula, starting rather early, and staying out all
+day. Occasionally rather elaborate lunches were brought, with servants to
+spread them; but the usual custom was to stop at one of the numerous road
+houses. No man drove, walked, or talked with his own wife; nevertheless,
+these affairs though rowdy, noisy, and "fast" enough, were essentially
+harmless. The respectable members of the community were sufficiently
+shocked, however. Gay dresses, gay laughter, gay behaviour, gay scorn of
+convention, above all, the resort to the mysterious naughty road houses
+were enough. It must be confessed that at times things seemed to go a bit
+far; but Nan, who was at first bewildered and shocked, noticed that the
+women did many things in public and nothing in private. As already her mind
+and tolerance were adapting themselves to new things, she was able to
+accept it all philosophically as part of a new phase of life.
+
+These people had no misgivings about themselves, and they passed judgment
+on others with entire assurance. In their slang all with whom they came
+into contact were either "hearses" or "live Mollies." There was nothing
+racial, local, or social in this division. A family might be divided, one
+member being a live Molly, and all the rest the most dismal of hearses.
+Occasionally a stranger might be brought along. He did not know it, but
+always he was very carefully watched and appraised: his status discussed
+and decided at the supper to which the same people--minus all strangers--
+gathered later. At one of these discussions a third estate came into being.
+
+Teeny McFarlane had that day brought with her a young man of about twenty-
+four or twenty-five, well dressed, of pleasant features, agreeable in
+manner, well spoken, but quiet.
+
+"He isn't a live Molly," stated Sally positively.
+
+"Well, Sally took a walk with him," observed Sam Brannan dryly; "she ought
+to know!"
+
+"Don't need to take a walk with him," countered Sally; "just take a talk
+with him--or try to.".
+
+"I did try to," interpolated Mrs. Morrell.
+
+"May as well make it unanimous, looks like," said Sam. "He goes for a
+hearse."
+
+But Teeny McFarlane interposed in her positive, precise little way.
+
+"I object," she drawled. "He certainly isn't as bad as all that. He's a
+nice boy, and he never bored anybody in his life. Did he bore you, Sally?"
+
+"I can't say he did, now you mention it. He's one of those nice doggy
+people you don't mind having around."
+
+They discussed the matter animatedly. Teeny McFarlane developed an
+unexpected obstinacy. She did not suggest that the young man was to be
+included in any of the future parties; indeed, she answered the direct
+question decidedly in the negative; no, there was no use trying to include
+anybody unless they decidedly "belonged."
+
+"You wouldn't call him a live Molly, now would you, Teeny?" implored Cal
+Bennett.
+
+"No," she answered slowly, "I suppose not. But he is _not_ a hearse."
+
+The men, all but Popsy McFarlane, were inspecting Teeny's cool, unrevealing
+exterior with covert curiosity. She was always an enigma to them. Each man
+was asking himself why her interest in the mere labelling of this stranger.
+
+"He isn't a live Molly and she objects to his being a hearse," laughed
+Sally. "He must be something between them. What," she inquired, with the
+air of propounding a conundrum, "is between a live Molly and a hearse?"
+
+"Give it up!" they cried unanimously.
+
+Sally looked nonplussed, then shrieked: "Why, the pallbearers, of course!"
+
+The silly phrase caught. Thereafter, those who were acknowledged to be all
+right enough but not of their feather were known as "pallbearers."
+
+The Keiths were live Mollies. He was decidedly one. His appearance alone
+inspired good nature and high spirits, he looked so clean, vividly
+coloured, enthusiastic, alive to his finger tips. He was always game for
+anything, no matter how ridiculous it made him, or in what sort of a so-
+called false position it might place him. When he had reached a certain
+state of dancing-eyed joyous recklessness, Nan was always athrill as to
+what he might do next. And Nan, spite of her quieter ways and the reserves
+imposed on her by her breeding, was altogether too pretty and too much of a
+real person ever to be classed as a hearse. With her ravishing Eastern
+toilettes, her clear, creamy complexion, and the clean-cut lines of her
+throat, chin, and cheeks, she always made the other women look a little too
+vividly accented. The men all admired her on sight, and at first did their
+best to interest her. They succeeded, for in general they were of vital
+stuff, but not in the intimately personal way they desired. Her nature
+found no thrill in experiment. One by one they gave her up in the favour of
+less attractive but livelier or more complaisant companions; but they
+continued to like her and to pay her much general attention. She never, in
+any nuance of manner, even tried to make a difference; nevertheless, their
+attitude toward her was always more deferential than to the other women.
+
+Ben Sansome was the one exception to the first part of the above statement.
+Her gentle but obvious withdrawals from his advances piqued his conceit.
+Ben was a spoiled youth, with plenty of money; and he had always been a
+spoiled youth, with plenty of money. Why he had come to San Francisco no
+one knew. Possibly he did not know himself; for as his affairs had always
+been idle, he had drifted much, and might have drifted here. Whatever the
+reason, the fact remained that in this busy, new, and ambitious community
+he was the one example professionally of the gilded youth. His waistcoats,
+gloves, varnished boots, jewellery, handkerchiefs were always patterns to
+the other amateur, gilded youths who had also other things to do. His
+social tact was enormous, and a recognized institution. If there had been
+cotillons, he would have led them; but as there were no cotillons, he
+contented himself with being an _arbiter elegantiarum_. He rather prided
+himself on his knowledge of such things as jades, old prints, and obscure
+poets of whom nobody else had ever heard. Naturally he had always been a
+great success with women, both as harmless parlour ornaments, and in more
+dangerous ways. In San Francisco he had probably carried farther than he
+would have carried anywhere else. He had sustained no serious reverses,
+because difficult game had not heretofore interested him. Entering half
+interestedly with Nan into what he vaguely intended as one of his numerous,
+harmless, artistic, perfumed flirtationlets, he had found himself
+unexpectedly held at arm's length. Just this was needed to fillip his
+fancy. He went into the game as a game. Sansome made himself useful. By
+dint of being on hand whenever Keith's carelessness had left her in need of
+an escort, and only then, he managed to establish himself on a recognized
+footing as a sort of privileged, charming, useful, harmless family friend.
+
+Outside this small, rather lively coterie the Keiths had very few friends.
+It must be confessed that the mothers of the future leaders of San
+Francisco society, and the bearers of what were to be her proudest names,
+were mostly "hearses." Their husbands were the forceful, able men of the
+city, but they themselves were conventional as only conventional women can
+be when goaded into it by a general free-and-easy, unconventional
+atmosphere. That was their only method of showing disapproval. The effect
+was worthy but dull. It was a pity, for among them were many intelligent,
+charming women who needed only a different atmosphere, to expand. The
+Keiths never saw them, and gained their ideas of them only from the
+merciless raillery of the "live Mollies."
+
+All this implied more or less entertaining, and entertaining was expensive.
+The Boyle house was expensive for that matter; and about everything else,
+save Chinese servants, and, temporarily, whatever the latest clipper ship
+had glutted the market with. Keith had brought with him a fair sum of money
+with which to make his start; but under this constant drainage, it dwindled
+to what was for those times a comparatively small sum. Clients did not
+come. There were more men practising law than all the other professions. In
+spite of wide acquaintance and an attractive popular personality, Keith had
+not as yet made a start. He did not worry--that was not his nature--but he
+began to realize that he must do one of two things: either make some money,
+somehow, or give up his present mode of living. The latter course was
+unthinkable!
+
+
+
+
+XIX
+
+
+One morning Keith was sitting in his office cogitating these things. His
+door opened and a meek, mild little wisp of a man sidled in. He held his
+hat in his hand, revealing clearly sandy hair and a narrow forehead. His
+eyebrows and lashes were sandy, his eyes pale blue, his mouth weak but
+obstinate. On invitation he seated himself on the edge of the chair, and
+laid his hat carefully beside him on the floor.
+
+"I am Dr. Jacob Jones," he said, blinking at Keith. "You have heard of me?"
+
+"I am afraid I have not," said Keith pleasantly.
+
+The little man sighed.
+
+"I have held the City Hospital contract for three years," he explained,
+"and they owe me a lot of money. I thought you might collect some of it."
+
+"I think if you'd put in a claim through the usual channels you'd receive
+your dues," advised Keith, somewhat puzzled. He had not heard that the city
+was refusing to pay legitimate claims.
+
+"I've done that, and they've given me these," said Doctor Jones, handing
+Keith a bundle of papers.
+
+Keith glanced at them.
+
+"This is 'scrip,'" he said. "It's perfectly good. When the city is without
+current funds it issues this scrip, bearing interest at 3 per cent. a
+month. It's all right."
+
+"Yes, I know," said the little man ineffectually, "but I don't want scrip."
+
+Keith ran it over. It amounted to something like eleven thousand dollars.
+
+"What do you want done about it?" he asked,
+
+"I want you to collect the money for me."
+
+But Keith, had recollected something.
+
+"Just wait a minute, please," he begged, and darted across the hall to a
+friend's office, returning after a moment with a file of legislative
+reports. "I thought I'd heard something about it; here it is. The State
+Legislature has voted an issue of 10 per cent. bonds to take up the scrip."
+
+"I don't understand," said Doctor Jones.
+
+"Why, you take your scrip to the proper official and exchange it for an
+equal value of State bonds."
+
+"But what good does that do me?" cried Jones excitedly. "It doesn't get me
+my money. They don't guarantee I can sell the bonds at par, do they? And
+answer me this: isn't it just a scheme to cheat me of my interest? As I
+understand it, instead of 3 per cent. a month I'm to get 10 per cent. a
+year?"
+
+"That's the effect," corroborated Keith.
+
+"Well, I don't want bonds, I want money, as is my due."
+
+"Wait a minute," said Keith. He read the report again slowly. "This says
+that holders of scrip _may_ exchange, for bonds; it does not say they
+_must_ exchange," he said finally. "If that interpretation is made of the
+law, suit and judgment would lie against the city. Do you want to try
+that?"
+
+"Of course I want to try it!" cried Jones.
+
+"Well, bring me your contract and vouchers, and any other papers to do with
+the case, and I'll see what can be done."
+
+"I have them right here," said Doctor Jones.
+
+This, as Keith's first case, interested him more than its intrinsic worth
+warranted. It amused him to bring all his powers to bear, fighting strongly
+for the technical point, and finally establishing it in court. In spite of
+the evident intention of the Legislature that city scrip should be retired
+in favour of bonds, it was ruled that the word _may_ in place of the word
+_must_ practically nullified that intention. Judgment was obtained against
+the city for eleven thousand dollars, and the sheriff was formally
+instructed to sell certain water-front lots in order to satisfy that
+judgment. The sale was duly advertised in the papers.
+
+Next morning, after the first insertion of this advertisement, Keith had
+three more callers. These were men of importance: namely, John Geary, the
+first postmaster and last _alcalde_ of the new city; William Hooper, and
+James King of William, at that time still a banker. These were grave,
+solid, and weighty citizens, plainly dressed, earnest, and forceful. They
+responded politely but formally to Keith's salute, and seated themselves.
+
+"You were, I understand, counsel for Doctor Jones in obtaining judgment on
+the hospital scrip?" inquired Geary.
+
+"That is correct," acknowledged Keith.
+
+"We have called to inform you of a fact that perhaps escaped your notice:
+namely, that these gentlemen and myself have been appointed by the
+Legislature as commissioners to manage the funded debt of the city; that,
+for that purpose, title of all city lands has been put in our hands."
+
+"No, I did not know that," said Keith.
+
+"Therefore, you see," went on Geary, "the sheriff cannot pass title to any
+lots that might be sold to satisfy Doctor Jones's judgment."
+
+Keith pondered, his alert mind seizing with avidity on this new and
+interesting situation.
+
+"No, I cannot quite see that," he said at last; "the actual title is in the
+city. It owns its property. You gentlemen do not claim to own it, as
+individuals. You have delegated to you the power to pass title, just as the
+sheriff and one or two others have that power; but you have not the _sole_
+power."
+
+"We have advice that title conveyed under this judgment will be invalid."
+
+"That is a matter for the courts to settle."
+
+"The courts----" began Hooper explosively, but Geary overrode him.
+
+"If all the creditors of the city were to adopt the course pursued by
+Doctor Jones, the city would soon be bankrupt of resources."
+
+"That is true," agreed Keith.
+
+"Then cannot I appeal to your sense of civic patriotism?"
+
+"Gentlemen," replied Keith, "you seem to forget that in this matter I am
+not acting for myself, but for a client. If it were my affair, I might feel
+inclined to discuss the matter with you more in detail. But I am only an
+agent."
+
+"But----" interrupted Hooper again.
+
+"That is quite true," interjected James King of William.
+
+"Well, we shall see your client," went on Geary, "But I might state that on
+the side of his own best interests he would do well to go slow. There is at
+least a considerable doubt as to the legality of this sale. It is unlikely
+that people will care to bid."
+
+After some further polite conversation they took their leave. Keith quickly
+discovered that the opinion held by the commissioners was shared by most of
+his friends. They acknowledged the brilliance of his legal victory, admired
+it heartily, and congratulated him; but they considered that victory
+barren.
+
+"Nobody will buy; you won't get two bits a lot bid," they all told him.
+
+Little Doctor Jones came to him much depressed. The commissioners had
+talked with him.
+
+"Do you want my advice?" asked Keith, "Then do this: stick to your guns."
+
+But little Jones was scared.
+
+"I want my money," said he; "perhaps I'd better take those bonds after
+all."
+
+"Look here," suddenly said Keith, who had been making up his mind. "I'll
+guarantee you the full amount in cash, within, say, two weeks, but only on
+this condition: that you go out now, and spread it about everywhere that
+you are going to stand pat. Tell 'em all you are going to push through this
+sale."
+
+"How do I know----"
+
+"Take a chance," interrupted Keith. "If at the end of two weeks I don't pay
+you cash, you can do what you please. Call off the sheriff's sale at the
+last minute; I'll pay the costs myself. Come, that's fair enough. You can't
+lose a cent."
+
+"All right," agreed Jones after a minute.
+
+"Remember: it's part of the bargain that you state everywhere that you're
+going to force this sale, and that you don't let anybody bluff you."
+
+The affair made quite a little stir. Men like Sam Brannan, Dick Blatchford,
+the contractor, and Jim Polk discussed Keith and his ability.
+
+"Got a pretty wife, too," added Brannan. "--never heard of the fall of
+man."
+
+"Well, she's going to, if the Morrell woman has her way," observed Ben
+Sansome dryly.
+
+Polk stretched his long legs, and smiled his desiccated little smile.
+
+"He's a pretty enterprising youngster--more ways than one," said he.
+
+
+
+
+XX
+
+
+On the evening of the third day after his latest interview with Doctor
+Jones, Keith threw down his paper with a cry of triumph. He had been
+scanning the columns of every issue with minute care, combing even the fine
+print for the auctioneer's advertisements. Here was what he wanted: top of
+column, third page, where every one would be sure to see it. The
+commissioners issued a signed statement, calling public attention to the
+details of their appointment, and warning that titles issued under
+sheriff's sale would be considered invalid.
+
+Keith read this with great attention, then drew his personal check against
+Palmer, Cook & Co. for eleven thousand dollars in favour of Doctor Jones.
+After some search he unearthed the little man in a downtown rookery, and
+from him obtained an assignment of his judgment against the city. Doctor
+Jones lost no time spreading the news, with the additional statement that
+he considered himself well out of the mess. He proceeded to order himself a
+long-coveted microscope, and was thenceforth lost to sight among low-tide
+rocks and marine algae. The sheriff's sale came off at the advertised date.
+There were no bidders; the commissioners' warning had had its effect. Keith
+himself bought in the lots for $5,000. This check about exhausted his
+resources. This, less costs, was, of course, paid back to himself as holder
+of the judgment. He had title, such as it was, for about what he had given
+Jones.
+
+The bargain amused Keith's acquaintance hugely. Whenever he appeared he was
+deluged with chaff, all of which he took, good naturedly. He was
+considered, in a moment of aberration, to have bought an exceedingly
+doubtful equity. Some thought, he must have a great deal of money, arguing
+that only the owner of a fat bank account could afford to take such fliers;
+others considered that he must have very little sense. Keith was apparently
+unperturbed. He at once began to look about him, considering the next step
+in his scheme. Since this investment had taken nearly every cent he had
+left, it was incumbent to raise more money at once.
+
+He called on John Sherwood at the Empire. The gambler listened to him
+attentively.
+
+"I can't go into it," he said, when Keith had finished. A slight smile
+sketched itself on his strong, impassive face. "Not that I do not believe
+it will work; I think it will. But I have long made it a rule never to try
+to make money outside my own business--which is gambling. I never adopt
+ordinary honest methods."
+
+Keith's honest but legally trained mind failed to notice the quiet sarcasm
+of this. "Well, you know everybody in town. Where can I go?"
+
+Sherwood thought a moment.
+
+"I'll take you to Malcolm Neil," he said at last. It was Keith's turn to
+look thoughtful.
+
+"All right," he said at last. "But not just right away. Give me a couple of
+days to get ready."
+
+At the appointed time Sherwood escorted Keith to Malcolm Neil's office,
+introduced and left him. Keith took the proffered wooden chair, examining
+his man with the keenest attention.
+
+Malcolm Neil, spite of his Scotch name, was a New Englander by birth. He
+had come out in '49, intending, like everybody else, to go to the mines,
+but had never gone farther than San Francisco. The new city offered ample
+scope for his talents, and he speedily became, not only rich, but a
+dominating personality among financial circles. He accomplished this by
+supplementing his natural ability with absolute singleness of purpose. It
+was known that his sole idea was the making of money. He was reputed to be
+hard, devoid of sentiment, unscrupulous. Naturally he enjoyed no
+popularity, but a vast respect. More people had heard of him, or felt his
+power, than had seen him; for he went little abroad, and preferred to work
+through agents. John Sherwood's service in obtaining for Keith a personal
+interview was a very real one. Neil's offices were small, dingy, and ill
+lighted, at the back of one of the older and cheaper buildings. In the
+outer of the two were three bookkeepers; the other contained only a desk,
+two chairs, and an engraving of Daniel Webster addressing the Senate.
+
+The man himself sat humped over slightly, his head thrust a little forward
+as though on the point of launching a truculent challenge. He was lean,
+gray, with bushy, overhanging brows, eyes with glinting metallic surfaces,
+had long sinewy hands, and a carved granite and inscrutable face, His few
+words of greeting revealed his voice as harsh, grating and domineering.
+
+Keith, reading his man, wasted no time in preliminaries.
+
+"Mr. Neil," he said, "I have a scheme by which a great deal of money can be
+made."
+
+Neil grunted. If it had not been for the fact that John Sherwood had
+introduced the maker of that speech, the interview would have here
+terminated. Malcolm Neil deeply distrusted men with schemes to make large
+sums of money. After a time, as Keith still waited, he growled;
+
+"What is it?"
+
+"That," said Keith, "I shall not disclose until my standing in the matter
+is assured."
+
+"What do you want?" growled Neil.
+
+"Fifty per cent of the profits, if you go in."
+
+"What do you want of me?"
+
+"The capital."
+
+"What is the scheme?"
+
+"That I cannot tell you without some assurance of your good intention."
+
+"What do you expect?" rasped Neil, "that I go into this blind?"
+
+"I have prepared this paper," said Keith, handing him a document.
+
+Neil glanced over the paper, then read it through slowly, with great care.
+When he had finished, he looked up at Keith, and there was a gleam of
+admiration in his frosty eye.
+
+"You are a lawyer, I take it?" he surmised.
+
+Keith nodded. Neil went over the document for the third time.
+
+"And a good one," added Neil. "This is watertight. It seems to be a
+contract agreeing to the division you suggest, _providing_ I go into the
+scheme. Very well, I'll sign this." He raised his voice. "Samuels, come in
+and witness this. Now, what is the scheme?"
+
+Keith produced another paper.
+
+"It is written out in detail here."
+
+Neil reached for it, but Keith drew it back.
+
+"One moment."
+
+He turned it over on the blank side and wrote:
+
+"This is in full the financial deal referred to in contract entered into
+this 7th of June, 1852, by Malcolm Neil and Milton Keith."
+
+To this he appended his signature, then handed the pen to Neil.
+
+"Sign," he requested.
+
+Neil took the pen, but hesitated for some moments, his alert brain seeking
+some way out. Finally and grudgingly he signed. Then he leaned back in his
+chair, eying Keith with rather a wintry humour, though he made no comment.
+He reached again for the paper, but Keith put his hand on it.
+
+"What more do you want?" inquired Neil in amused tones. His sense of humour
+had been touched on its only vulnerable point. He appreciated keen and
+subtle practice when he saw it,
+
+"Not a thing," laughed Keith, "but a few words of explanation before you
+read that will make it more easily understood. Can you tell me how much
+water lots are worth?"
+
+"Five to eight thousand for fifty varas."
+
+"All right. I've bought ten fifty vara lots at sheriff's sale for five
+thousand dollars."
+
+Neil's eye went cold.
+
+"I've heard of that. Your title is no good. The reason you got them so
+cheaply was that nobody would bid because of that."
+
+"That's for the courts to decide. The fact remains that I've a title, even
+though clouded, at $500 per lot."
+
+"Proceed."
+
+"Well, the commissioners are now advertising a sale of these same lots at
+auction on the 15th."
+
+"So I see."
+
+"Well," said Keith softly, "it strikes me that whoever buys these lots then
+is due for a heap of trouble."
+
+"How so?"
+
+"My title from the sheriff may be clouded, but it will be contested against
+the title given at that sale. The purchaser will have to defend himself up
+to the highest court. I can promise him a good fight."
+
+Neil was now watching him steadily,
+
+"If that fact could be widely advertised," went on Keith slowly, "by way of
+a threat, so to speak, it strikes me it would be very apt to discourage
+bidding at the commissioners' sale. Nobody wants to buy a lot of lawsuits,
+at any price. In absence of competition, a fifty vara lot might be sold for
+as low as--say $500."
+
+Neil nodded, Keith leaned forward.
+
+"Now here's my real idea: suppose _I_ buy in against this timid bidding.
+Suppose _I_ am the one who gets the commissioners' title for $500. Then I
+have both titles. And I am not likely to contest against myself. It's cost
+me $1,000 per lot--$500 at each sale--a profit of from $4,000 to $7,000 on
+each lot."
+
+He leaned back. Malcolm Neil sat like a graven image, no expression showing
+on his flintlike face nor in his eyes. At length he chuckled harshly. Then,
+and not until then, Keith proceeded:
+
+"But that isn't all. There's plenty more scrip afloat. If you can buy up as
+much of it as you can scrape together, I'll get judgment for it in the
+courts, and we can enlarge the deal until somebody smells a rat. We need
+several things."
+
+"What?"
+
+"Secrecy."
+
+Neil made no reply, but the lines of his mouth straightened.
+
+"Influence to push matters along in official circles."
+
+"Matters will be pushed along."
+
+"A newspaper."
+
+"Leave that to me."
+
+"Agents--not known to be connected with us."
+
+Neil nodded.
+
+"Working capital--but that is provided for in the contract. And"--he
+hesitated--"it will not harm to have these matters brought before a court
+whose judge is not unfriendly."
+
+"I can arrange for that, Mr. Keith."
+
+Keith arose.
+
+"Then that is settled." He picked up the duplicate copy of the contract.
+"There remains only one other formality."
+
+"Yes? What?"
+
+"Your check for $12,000."
+
+"What for?"
+
+"For my expenses in this matter up to date."
+
+"What!" cried Neil.
+
+"The contract specifies that you are to furnish the working capital," Keith
+pointed out.
+
+"But that means the future--"
+
+"It doesn't say so."
+
+Neil paused a moment.
+
+"This contract would not hold in law, and you know it," he asserted boldly.
+"It would be held to be an illegal conspiracy."
+
+"I would be pleased to have you point out the illegality in court," said
+Keith coldly, his manner as frosty as Neil's. "And if conspiracy exists,
+your name is affixed to it."
+
+Neil pondered this point a moment, then drew his checkbook toward him with
+a grim little smile.
+
+"Young man, you win," said he.
+
+Keith thawed to sunniness at once.
+
+"Oh, we'll work together all right, once we understand each other," he
+laughed. "Send your man out after scrip. Let him report to me."
+
+Neil arose rather stiffly, and extended his hand.
+
+"All right, all right!" he muttered, as though impatient. "Keep In touch.
+Good-day. Good-day."
+
+
+
+
+
+XXI
+
+
+The time for the annual Firemen's Ball was now at hand. At this period the
+Firemen's Ball was an institution of the first social importance. As has
+been shown, the various organizations were voluntary associations, and in
+their ranks birds of a feather flocked together. On the common meeting
+ground of the big annual function all elements met, even--if they did not
+mingle as freely as they might.
+
+In any case, the affair was very elaborate and very gorgeous. Preparations
+were in the hands of special committees months in advance. One company had
+charge of the refreshments, another of the music, a third of the floor
+arrangements, and so on. There was much jealous anxiety that each should do
+its part thoroughly and lavishly, for the honour of its organization. The
+members of each committee were distinguished by coloured ribbons, which
+they wore importantly everywhere. An air of preoccupied business was the
+proper thing for days before the event.
+
+It was held this year in one of the armouries. The decoration committee had
+done its most desperate. Flags of all nations and strips of coloured
+bunting draped the rafters; greens from the Sausalito Hills framed the
+windows and doors; huge oiled Chinese lanterns swayed from the roofs. The
+floor shone like glass. At either end bowers of green half concealed the
+orchestras--two of them, that the music might never cease. The side rooms
+were set for refreshments. Many chairs lined the walls. Hundreds of lamps
+and reflectors had been nailed up in every conceivable place. It took a
+negro over an hour to light them all. Near the door stood a wide, flat
+table piled high with programs for the dancers. These were elaborate
+affairs, and had cost a mint of money--vellum folders, emblazoned in colour
+outside, with a sort of fireman heraldry and the motto: "We strive to
+save." Gilded pencils on short silken tasselled cords dangled from their
+corners.
+
+At eight o'clock the lights were all blazing, the orchestras were tuning,
+and the floor fluttered with anxious labelled committeemen dashing to and
+fro. There was nothing for them to do, but they were nervous. By half-past
+eight the first arrivals could be seen hesitating at the outer door, as
+though reluctant to make a plunge; herded finally to the right and left of
+men's and women's dressing-rooms. After a long, chattering interval,
+encouraged by the slow accumulation of numbers, a little group debouched on
+the main, floor. Its members all talked and laughed feverishly, and tried
+with varying success to assume an accustomed ease they did not feel. Most
+of the women, somehow, seemed all white gloves and dancing slippers, and
+bore themselves rather like affable, slightly scared rabbits. The men
+suddenly became very facetious, swapping jokes in loud tones.
+
+The orchestra at the far end immediately struck up, but nobody ventured on
+the huge and empty floor. Masters of ceremonies, much bebadged, rather
+conscious of white gloves, strove earnestly with hurried, ingratiating
+smiles to induce the younger members to break the ice. Ben Sansome,
+remarkable among them for his social ease and the unobtrusive correctness
+of his appointments, responsible head of the reception committee,
+masterfully seized a blushing, protesting damsel and whirled her away.
+This, however, was merely an informal sort of opening. The real bail could
+start only with the grand march; and the grand march was a pompous and
+intricate affair, possible only after the arrival of the city's elite.
+Partners for the grand march had been bespoken months before.
+
+The Keiths arrived about half-past nine. Nan was looking particularly well
+in her girlish fashion. Her usual delicate colour was heightened by
+anticipation, for she intended ardently to "have a good time." For this
+occasion, too, she had put on the best of her new Eastern clothes, and was
+confident of the sensation they would create in the feminine breast. The
+gown was of silk the colour of pomegranate blossoms, light and filmy, with
+the wide skirts of the day, the short sleeves, the low neck. Over bodice
+and skirt had been gracefully trailed long sprays of blossoms. Similar
+flowers wreathed her head, on which the hair was done low and smooth, with
+a golden arrow securing it. A fine golden chain spanned her waist. From it
+dangled smaller chains at the ends of which depended little golden hands.
+These held up the front of the skirt artistically, at just the right height
+for dancing and to show flounces and ravishing petticoats beneath. It was
+an innovation of the sort the feminine heart delights in, a brand-new thing
+straight from Paris. Nan's gloves were of half length, the backs of the
+hands embroidered and displaying each several small sparkling jewels. The
+broad golden bracelets had been clasped outside the gloves. Around her
+little finger was a ring from which depended, on the end of a chain, a
+larger ring, and through this larger ring hung her dainty lace
+handkerchief. This was innovation number two. The men all stared at her
+proud, delicate, flowerlike effect of fresh beauty; but every woman
+present, and Nan knew it, noted first, the cut of her gown, second, the
+dangling little golden hands, and third, the handkerchief ring. She knew
+that not later than to-morrow at least a half-dozen urgent orders would be
+booked at Palmerston's; but she knew, also, that at least six months must
+elapse before those orders could be filled. As for the rest, her stockings
+were white, her slippers ribboned with cross-ties up the ankles, she
+carried a stiff and formal bouquet, as big around as a plate, composed of
+wired flowers ornamented with a "cape" of lace paper; but those things were
+common.
+
+Altogether, Nan looked extraordinarily well, made a sensation. Keith was
+pleased and proud of her. He picked one of the blazoned vellum cards from
+the table and scrawled his initials opposite half a dozen dances.
+
+"I'm going to hold you to those, you know," he said.
+
+They proceeded, leisurely across the floor, and Keith established her in
+one of the chairs.
+
+"I'll go get some of the men I want you to meet," said he. When he returned
+with Bernard Black he found Nan already surrounded, Ben Sansome was there,
+and Calhoun Bennett, and a half-dozen others, either acquaintances made on
+some of the Sundays, or young men brought up by Sansome in his capacity of
+Master of Ceremonies. She was having a good time laughing, her colour high,
+Keith looked about him with the intention of filling his own card.
+
+Mrs, Morrell, surrounded by a hilarious group of the younger fry, was just
+entering the room. She was dressed in flame colour, and her gown was cut
+very low, plainly to reveal the swell of her ample bosom. Her evening
+gloves and slippers were golden, as was a broad metallic woven band around
+her waist. Altogether, striking, rather a conspicuous effort than an
+artistic success, any woman would have said; but there could be no doubt
+that she had provided a glittering bait for the attentions of the men.
+
+Keith immediately made his way across to her.
+
+"You are ravishing this evening," he said, reaching for her card. It was
+full. Keith was chopfallen.
+
+"Take me to Mrs. Keith," asked Mrs. Morrell, taking the card again, "She
+looks charming to-night; that simple style just suits her wide-eyed
+innocence."
+
+She placed her fingers lightly on Keith's arm and moved away, nodding over
+her shoulder at the rather nonplussed young men who had come in with her.
+Thus rid of them, she turned again to Keith.
+
+"You didn't think I'd forget you!" she said, as though, reproachfully.
+"See, I kept you four dances. I put down those initials myself. Now don't
+you think I'm a pretty good sort?"
+
+"Indeed I do! Which ones are they?" asked Keith, opening his own card.
+
+"The third, seventh, ninth, and eleventh."
+
+Keith hesitated for an appreciable instant. The seventh and eleventh he had
+put down for Nan. But somehow in the face of this smiling, cynical-looking,
+vivid creature, he rather shrank from saying that he had them with his
+wife. He swiftly reflected that, after all, he had four others with Nan,
+that she was so surrounded with admirers that she could not go partnerless,
+and that he would explain.
+
+"Delightful!" he cried, pencilling his program.
+
+Mrs. Morrell fluttered down alongside Mrs. Keith with much small talk.
+After a moment the music started for the grand march. Everybody took the
+floor.
+
+"Where can Charley be!" cried Mrs. Morrell in apparent distress. "Don't
+wait here with me. I assure you I do not in the least mind sitting alone."
+
+But she said it in a fashion that made it impossible, and in this manner
+Nan lost her first engagement with her husband. Not that it mattered
+particularly, she told herself, grand marches were rather silly things, and
+yet she could not avoid a feeling of thwarted pique at being so tied to the
+wall.
+
+At the close of the march, and after the couples had pretty well resumed
+their seats, Mrs. Sherwood entered, unattended and very leisurely. She
+made, in her quieter manner, a greater sensation than had Mrs. Morrell.
+Quite self-possessed, carrying herself with her customary poise, dressed
+unobtrusively in black and gold, but with the distinction of an indubitable
+Parisian model, moving without self-consciousness in contrast to many of
+the other women, her small head high, her direct gaze a-smoulder with lazy
+amusement, she glided across the middle of the floor. The eyes of every
+woman in the ballroom were upon her. The "respectable" element stared
+shamelessly, making comments aside. Those a little _déclassé_, on the
+fringe of society, or the "faster" women like Mrs. Morrell--who might in a
+way be considered her rivals--were apparently quite unaware of her. She
+made her unhasting way to a vacant chair, sat down, and looked calmly about
+her.
+
+Immediately she was surrounded by a swarm of the unattached men. The
+attached men became very attentive to their partners.
+
+"Hullo," remarked Keith cheerfully. "There's Mrs. Sherwood. I must go over
+and say good-evening to her."
+
+On sudden impulse Nan rose with him. She instinctively disliked her present
+company and the situation; and a sudden pang of conscience had told her
+that not once since she had left the Bella Union had she laid eyes on the
+woman who had received her with so much kindness.
+
+"Take me with you," she said to Keith.
+
+"My dear!" cried Mrs. Morrell. "You wouldn't! Take my advice--you're young
+and innocent!"
+
+She sought one of those exclusive, private-joke glances at Keith, but
+failed to catch his eye.
+
+"She was very kind to me when I arrived," said Nan serenely. Keith,
+hesitated; then his impulsive, warm-hearted loyalty spoke.
+
+"Good for you, Nan!" he cried.
+
+They moved away, leaving Mrs. Morrell alone, biting her lip and planning
+revenges.
+
+The group around Mrs. Sherwood fell away at their approach. Nan sat down
+next her, leaning forward with a pretty and girlish, impulsiveness.
+
+"It's ages since I have seen you, and I have no excuse to offer," she said.
+"The days slip by."
+
+"I know," said Mrs. Sherwood. "New house, new Chinaman, even new dog--
+enough to drive the most important thoughts out of one's head. But you've
+come out to-night like a flower, my dear. Your gown is charming, and it
+suits you so well!"
+
+She chatted on, speaking of the floor, the music, the decorations, the
+crowd.
+
+"I love this sort of thing," she remarked. "People in the mass amuse me.
+Jack couldn't get away until midnight, but I wouldn't wait for him. I told
+him it didn't worry me a bit to come without an escort," smoothing away
+what little embarrassment might linger. The music started up again. The
+Keiths arose and made their adieux. Mrs, Sherwood looked after them, her
+bright eyes tender. Mrs. Keith was the only woman who had yet spoken to
+her.
+
+"Isn't she simply stunning?" cried Keith. "She has something about her that
+makes most of these others look cheap."
+
+"She's really wonderfully attractive and distinguished looking," agreed
+Nan.
+
+"If she were only a little less practical--a little softer; more feminine--
+she'd be a sure-enough man killer. As it is, she needs a little more--you
+know what I mean--"
+
+"More after Mrs. Morrell's fashion," suggested Nan a trifle wickedly. It
+popped out on the impulse, and the next instant Nan would have given
+anything if the words had not been said. Keith was arrested in mid-
+enthusiasm as though by cold water. He checked himself, looked at her
+sharply, then accepted the pseudo-challenge.
+
+"Well, Mrs. Morrell, for all her little vulgarities, impresses you as being
+a very human sort of person."
+
+He felt a sudden and unreasoning anger, possibly because the shot had hit a
+tender place.
+
+"Shall we dance?" he suggested formally.
+
+"I'm sorry," replied Nan, "I have this with Mr. Sansome; there he comes."
+
+For the first time Keith felt a little irritated at the ubiquitous Sansome;
+but his sense of justice, while it could not smooth his ruffled feelings,
+nevertheless made itself heard.
+
+"What I need is a drink," he told himself.
+
+At the buffet he found a crowd of the non-dancing men, or those who had
+failed to get the early numbers. Here were many of his acquaintances; among
+them, to his surprise, he recognized the grim features of Malcolm Neil. All
+were drinking champagne. Keith joined them. They chaffed him unmercifully
+about his purchases of clouded titles in water lots, and he answered them
+in kind, aware of Neil's sardonically humorous eye fixed on him. But at the
+first bars of the next dance he bolted in search of Mrs. Morrell, with
+whom, he remembered, he had this number.
+
+Mrs. Morrell danced smoothly and lightly for a woman of her size, but was
+inclined to snuggle up too close, to permit undistracted guidance to her
+partner. It was almost impossible to avoid collisions with other couples,
+unless one possessed a Spartan mind and an iron will. In spite of himself,
+Keith became increasingly aware of her breast pressing against his chest;
+her smooth arm against his shoulder; the occasional passing contact of her,
+scarcely veiled from the sense of touch by the thin flame-coloured silk;
+the perfume she affected; the faint odour of her bright blond hair. In an
+attempt to break the spell he made some banal remark, but she shook her
+head impatiently. She danced with her eyes half closed. When the music
+stopped she drew a deep sighing breath.
+
+"You dance--oh, divinely!" she cried. "I might have known it."
+
+She moved away, and Keith followed her, a trifle intoxicated.
+
+"Let me see your card," she demanded abruptly. "Why, you haven't done your
+duty; this is hardly a third filled!"
+
+"I hadn't started to fill it--and then you came in," breathed Keith.
+
+They were opposite the door leading into one of the numerous small rooms
+off the main floor of the armoury.
+
+"Let's sit here--and you can get me a punch," she suggested.
+
+He brought the punch, and she drank it slowly, leaning back in an easy
+chair. The place was dimly lighted, and her blond, full beauty was more
+effective than in the more brilliantly lighted ballroom. Mrs. Morrell
+exerted all her fascination. The next dance was half over before either
+Keith or--apparently--Mrs. Morrell became aware of the fact.
+
+"Oh, you must run!" she cried, apparently greatly exercised. "Don't mind
+me; go and find your partner."
+
+Keith replied, that he had this dance free, a fact of which her inspection
+of his card had perfectly informed her. In answer to his return
+solicitation as to her own partner, she shrugged her shoulders.
+
+"Oh, he'll find me," she said indifferently. "This is very cozy here."
+
+They resumed what had become an ardent flirtation. Toward the end of the
+dance Mrs. Morrell's partner came in, looking very flurried. Before he
+could say a word, Mrs. Morrell began reproachfully to chide him with lack
+of diligence.
+
+"I've been waiting just _rooted_ to this spot!" she said truthfully.
+
+"Shall we dance?" suggested the unfortunate young man.
+
+"It's nearly over," replied Mrs. Morrell carelessly. "Do sit down with us.
+Get yourself something to drink. _Don't go!_" she commanded Keith fiercely
+under her breath.
+
+At the beginning of the fourth dance, however, her next partner found her
+and led her away. She "made a face" over her shoulder at Keith.
+
+When a woman makes up her mind to monopolize a man who has not acquired the
+fine arts of rudeness and escape she generally succeeds. Keith's cordial
+nature was incapable of rudeness. Besides, being a perfectly normal man,
+and Mrs. Morrell experienced and attractive, he liked being monopolized. It
+crossed his mind once or twice that he might be in for a scolding when he
+got home. Nan might be absurd. But he was so secure in his essential
+loyalty to Nan that his present conduct was more in the nature of a
+delightfully naughty escapade than anything else. He stole the apples now,
+and later would go dutifully for his licking. Men of Keith's nature are
+easily held and managed by a wise woman, but the woman must be very wise.
+Keith loved celebrations. On the wings of an occasion he rose joyfully and
+readily to incredible altitudes of high-spirited but harmless recklessness.
+Birthdays, anniversaries, New Years, Christmas, arrivals, departures, he
+seized upon with rapture. Each had its appropriate ceremonial, its
+traditional drink, the painstaking brewing of which was a sacred rite. On
+such occasions he tossed aside the cloak of the everyday. A "celebration"
+meant that you were different. Humdrum life and habits must be relegated to
+the background. It was permitted that, unabashed, you be as silly, as
+frivolous, as inconsequential, as boisterous, as lighthearted, as
+delightfully irresponsible as your ordinary concealed boyishness pleased.
+Customary repressions had nothing to do here. This was a celebration! And
+in the aforementioned our very wise woman would have seen--a safety valve.
+
+Keith was off on a celebration to-night: an unpremeditated, freakish,
+impish, essentially harmless celebration, with a faint flavour of mischief
+in it because he had Nan in the back of his head all the time. He played up
+to Mrs. Morrell with exuberance, with honestly no thought except that he
+was having a whacking good time, and that old Nan was being teased. It was
+characteristic that for the time being he fell completely under Mrs.
+Morrell's fascination. They were together fully half the time, appearing on
+the floor only occasionally, then disappearing in one or the other of the
+many nooks. Mrs. Morrell "bolted" her dances shamelessly. Keith thought her
+awfully amusing and ingenious in the way she managed this. Sometimes they
+hid in out-of-the-way places. Sometimes she pretended to have mistaken the
+dance. "The sixth, are you very _sure_? I'm convinced it is only the
+fifth." Keith's conscience troubled him a little concerning the few names
+on his own card.
+
+"I have this with Mrs. Wilkins," said he. "I really ought to go and look
+her up."
+
+She took his card from him and deliberately tore it to small bits which she
+blew from the palm of her gloved hand. He protested in real dismay, but she
+looked him challengingly, recklessly, in the eye, until he laughed, too.
+
+All this was, of course, well noticed. Keith, again characteristically, had
+not taken into consideration the great public. Nan might have remained
+comparatively indifferent to Keith's philandering about for an evening with
+the Morrell creature--she had by now a dim but growing understanding of
+"celebrations"--but that he should deliberately neglect and insult her in
+the face of all San Francisco was too much. Her high, young enjoyment of
+the evening fell to ashes. She was furiously angry, but she was a
+thoroughbred. Only a heightened colour and a sparkling eye might have
+betrayed her to an astute woman. Observing her, Ben Sansome took heart. It
+was evident to him that the Keiths had long since reached an absolute
+indifference in their relations, that they lived the conventional,
+tolerant, separate lives of the majority of married couples in Ben
+Sansome's smart acquaintance. He ventured to apply himself more
+assiduously, and was by no means badly received.
+
+Keith remembered the next dance with his wife. He could not find her,
+although, a trifle conscience stricken, he searched everywhere. After the
+music had finished, she emerged from the dressing-room; the next time she
+could not be found at all. Evidently she was avoiding him with intention.
+
+Mrs. Sherwood, after each dance, returned invariably to the same chair near
+the middle of one wall. There, owing to the fact that the "respectables"
+withdrew from the chairs on either side, withdrew gradually and without
+open rudeness, she held centre of a little court of her own. This made of
+it a sort of post of observation from which she could review all that was
+going on. She had no lack of partners, for she danced wonderfully, and in
+looks was quite the most distinguished woman there. Keith's dance with her
+came and went, but no Keith appeared to claim it. Mrs. Sherwood smiled a
+little grimly, and her glance strayed down the wall opposite until it
+rested on Nan. She examined the girl speculatively. Nan was apparently
+completely absorbed in Ben Sansome; but there was in her manner something
+feverish, hectic, a mere nothing, which did not escape Mrs. Sherwood's keen
+eye.
+
+About midnight Sherwood appeared, and at once made his way to his wife's
+side. He was punctiliously dressed in the mode: a "swallowtail," bright,
+soft silk tie of ample proportions, frilled linen, and sparkling studs. He
+bent with an old-world formality over his wife's hand. She swept away her
+skirts from the chair at her side, her eyes sparkling softly with pleasure.
+
+"You won't mind," she said carelessly to the young men surrounding her, "I
+want to talk to Jack for a minute."
+
+They arose, laughing a little.
+
+"That is your one fault, Mrs. Sherwood," said one, "you are altogether too
+fond of your husband."
+
+"Well, how are things going?" asked Sherwood, as they moved away.
+
+"I'm having a good time. But you're very late, Jack,"
+
+"I know--I wanted to come earlier. Everything all right?"
+
+At the question a little frown sketched itself on her clear brow.
+
+"In general, yes," she said. "But they've got that Lewis boy out in the bar
+filling him up on champagne."
+
+"That's a pity."
+
+"It's a burning shame!" said she, "And I'd like to shake young Keith. He's
+dangled after the Morrell woman from start to finish in a manner scandalous
+to behold."
+
+Sherwood laughed.
+
+"The 'Morrell woman' will do his education good," he remarked.
+
+"Well, she isn't doing that poor little Mrs. Keith's education any good,"
+returned Mrs. Sherwood rather tartly.
+
+Sherwood surveyed Nan and Ben Sansome leisurely.
+
+"I must say she doesn't look crushed," he said, after a moment.
+
+"Do you expect her to weep violently?" asked Mrs. Sherwood.
+
+He accepted good naturedly the customary feminine scorn for the customary
+masculine obtuseness.
+
+"Well, I don't know that we can help it," said he, philosophically.
+
+Mrs. Sherwood appeared to come to a sudden resolution. She arose.
+
+"You go get that Lewis boy away from the bar," she commanded.
+
+Deliberately she shook and arranged her full skirts. The man with whom she
+had this dance, and who had been waiting dutifully for the conference to
+close, darted forward. She shook her head at him smilingly.
+
+"I'm going to let you off," she told him. "You won't mind. I have something
+extra special to do."
+
+She swept quite alone across the middle of the ballroom, serene, self-
+possessed; and walked directly toward Keith and Mrs.
+
+Morrell, who were seated together at the other end. A perceptible pause
+seemed to descend. The music kept on playing, couples kept on dancing, but,
+nevertheless, suddenly the air was charged with attention. Sherwood looked
+after her with mingled astonishment and fond pride.
+
+"A frontal attack, egad!" said he to himself.
+
+Keith and Mrs. Morrell pretended, as long as they decently could, not to
+see her. She swam leisurely toward them. Finally Keith arose hastily; Mrs.
+Morrell stared straight ahead.
+
+"Young man," accused Mrs. Sherwood, with a faint amusement in her rich, low
+voice, "do you know that this is our dance?"
+
+Keith excused his apparent lapse volubly, telling several times over that
+his program had been destroyed, that he was abject when he thought of the
+light this put him in.
+
+"It is only when angels like yourself condescend to reach me a helping hand
+that I have even a chance to right myself," he added. He thought this
+rather a good touch.
+
+Mrs. Sherwood stood before him easily, in perfect repose of manner, the
+half smile still sketching her lips. She said just nothing at all in
+response to his glib excuses; but when he had quite finished she laid her
+hand in his arm. Mrs. Morrell, her colour high, continued to stare straight
+ahead, immobile except for the tapping of one foot. To Keith's request to
+be excused she vouchsafed a stiff half nod, partly in his direction.
+
+They danced. Mrs. Sherwood, like most people who have command enough of
+their muscles to be able to keep them in graceful repose, danced
+marvellously well. When she stopped after a single turn of the room, Keith
+expostulated vigorously.
+
+"You are a perfect partner," he told her.
+
+"Take me in here and get me a sherbet," she commanded, without replying to
+his protests. "That's good," she said, when she had tasted it. "Now sit
+down and listen to me. You are making a perfect spectacle of yourself.
+Don't you know it?"
+
+Keith stiffened to an extreme formality.
+
+"I beg your pardon!" said he freezingly.
+
+"That may be your personal individual right"--went on Mrs. Sherwood's low,
+rich voice evenly. She was not even looking at him, but rather idly toward
+the open door into the ballroom. Her fan swung from one finger; every line
+of her body was relaxed. She might have been tossing him ordinary
+commonplaces from the surface of a detached mind--"making a spectacle of
+yourself," she explained; "but you're making a perfect spectacle of your
+wife as well--and in public. That is not your right at all."
+
+Keith sprang to his feet, furious.
+
+"You are meddling with what is really my own business, madam," said he.
+
+For the first time she looked up at him, dearly and steadily. In the eyes.
+
+"Very well. That is true. Stop a moment and think. Are you attending to
+your business yourself, even decently? Yes, I understand; you are angry
+with me. If I were a man, you would challenge me to a duel and all that
+sort of thing." She smiled indifferently. "Let's take that for granted and
+get on. Sweep it aside. You are man enough to do it, or I mistake you
+greatly. Look down into yourself for even one second. Are you playing fair
+all around? _Aren't you a little ashamed?_"
+
+She held him with, her clear, level gaze. His own did not fall before it,
+and his head went back, but slowly his face and neck turned red. Thus they
+stared at each other for a full half minute, she smiling slightly,
+perfectly cool; he seething with a suppressed emotion of some sort. Then
+she turned indolently away.
+
+"You're too fine to do things like that," she said, with a new softness in
+her voice; "we all have too much faith in you. The common tricks would not
+appeal to you, except in idleness; is it not so?"
+
+She smiled up at him, a little sidewise. Keith caught his breath. For a
+fleeting instant this extraordinary woman deigned to exert her feminine
+charms for the first time the coquette looked from her eyes; for the first
+time he saw mysteriously deep in her veiled nature a depth of possibility,
+of rich possibility--he could not grasp it--it was gone. But in spite of
+himself his pulses leaped like a flame. But now she was gazing again at the
+ballroom door, cool, indolent, aloof, unapproachable. Yet just at that
+instant, somehow, the other woman looked shallow, superficial, cold. His
+glance fell on Mrs. Morrell still sitting where he had left her. Something
+was wrong with her effect----
+
+Analysis was submerged in a blaze of anger. This anger was not now against
+the woman before him; his instinct prevented that. Nor against Mrs. Morrell
+nor his wife; reluctant justice prevented that. Nor against himself--where
+it really belonged. Things were out of joint; he felt cross-grained and
+ugly. Mrs. Sherwood rose.
+
+"You may take me back now," said she.
+
+As they glided across the floor together, her small sleek head came just
+above his shoulder. No embarrassment disturbed her manner. Keith could not
+find in him a spark of resentment against her. She moved by his side with
+an air of poise and detachment as a woman whose mind had long since weighed
+and settled the affairs of her own cosmos so that trifles could not disturb
+her.
+
+Leaving her in her accustomed chair, where Sherwood waited, Keith loyally
+returned to Mrs. Morrell, who still sat alone. Subconsciously he noticed
+something wrong with Mrs. Morrell. Her gowning was indeed rather a
+conspicuous effort than an artistic success. She had badly torn her dress--
+perhaps that was it.
+
+Mrs. Morrell received him with every appearance of sympathy.
+
+"You poor thing!" she cried. "What a fearful situation! Of course I know
+you couldn't help it."
+
+But Keith was grumpy and monosyllabic. He refused to discuss the situation
+or Mrs. Sherwood, returning with an obvious effort to commonplaces. Mrs.
+Morrell exerted all her fascination to get him back to the former level. A
+little cold imp sat in the back of Keith's brain and criticised
+sardonically; Why will big women persist in being kittenish? Why doesn't
+she mend that awful rent, it's fairly sloppy! Suppose she thinks that kind
+of talk is funny! I _do_ wish she wouldn't laugh in that shrill, cackling
+fashion! In short, the very tricks that an hour ago were jolly and amusing
+were now tiresome. Having been distrait, ungallant, masculinely put out for
+another fifteen minutes, he abruptly excused himself, sought out Nan, and
+went home.
+
+From her point of observation, Mrs. Sherwood watched them go. Nan looked
+very tired, and every line of Keith's figure expressed a grumpy moroseness.
+
+"Congratulations," said Sherwood.
+
+"He certainly is a child of nature," returned his wife. "Look at him! He is
+cross, so he _looks_ cross. That this is a ballroom and that all San
+Francisco is present is a mere detail."
+
+"How did you break it up?" asked Sherwood curiously.
+
+"Men are so utterly ridiculous! He had built up a lot of illusions for
+himself, but his instincts are true and good. It needed only a touch. It
+was absurdly simple."
+
+"He'll go back to the Morrell to-morrow," asserted Sherwood confidently.
+
+She shook her head.
+
+"Not to her. He _sees_ her now. And not to-morrow. But eventually to
+somebody, perhaps. He has curly hair."
+
+Sherwood laughed.
+
+"Shear him, like Sampson," he suggested. "But it strikes me he has about
+the most attractive woman--bar one--in town right at home."
+
+"She'd have no trouble in holding him if she were only _awake_. But she's
+only a dear little child--and about as helpless. She has very little
+subtlety. I'm afraid she'll follow the instincts of her training. She'll be
+too proud to do anything herself to attract her husband, once his
+attentions to her seem to drop off. She'll just become cold and proud--and
+perhaps eventually turn elsewhere."
+
+"I don't believe she's a bit that kind," asserted Sherwood positively.
+
+"Nor do I. But, Jack, a woman lonely enough has fancies, that in the long
+run may become convictions."
+
+
+
+
+XXII
+
+
+Mrs. Sherwood was completely right. Keith had _seen_ Mrs. Morrell. The
+glamour had fallen from her at a touch. He did not in the least understand
+how this had happened, and considered that it was his own fault. Mrs.
+Morrell had not changed in the least, but he had, somehow. He looked upon
+himself as fickle, disloyal, altogether despicable. Yet for the life of him
+he could not get up the slightest spark of enthusiasm for musical evenings,
+Sunday night suppers, or week-end excursions into the country. They had
+fallen dead to his taste; and with the sudden revolt to which such
+temperaments as his are subject, he could not bear even the thought of them
+without a feeling of incipient boredom. The blow administered to his self-
+respect put him quite out of conceit with himself and the world in general.
+If he had followed his natural instinct, he would instanter have thrown,
+overboard all the Morrell episode, bag and baggage.
+
+But that was, of course, impossible. Keith felt his obligations; he was a
+man of honour; he had respect for the feelings of others; he could not make
+friendly people the victims of his own outrageous freaks. That was out of
+the question!
+
+Mrs. Morrell sent for him. She had been puzzled by the episode of the
+evening before. It would have been absolutely incredible to her that a
+hundred words from a woman who was not her rival could have destroyed her
+influence over this man. She had considerable knowledge of men, and she had
+played her cards carefully. But she realized that something was the matter;
+and she thought that the time had come to use the power she had gained. A
+note dispatched by the Chinaman would do.
+
+Keith obeyed the summons. He knew himself well enough to realize that the
+intimacy, such as it was, must come to a pretty abrupt termination.
+Otherwise, he would shortly get very bored; and when he got very bored he
+became, in spite of himself, reserved and self-contained to the point of
+rudeness. For the exact reason that he saw thus clearly, his conscience was
+smiting him hard. Mrs. Morrell had done nothing to deserve this treatment.
+He was a dastard, a coward, ashamed of himself. If she wanted to see him,
+it was her due that he obey her summons promptly. He went with the vague
+idea of making amends by doing whatever she seemed to require--for this
+once.
+
+She entered the dim sitting-room clad in a flowing silken negligée, which
+she excused on the ground of laziness.
+
+"I'm still a little tired from last night," she said, with a laugh.
+
+The soft material and informal cut clung to and defined the lines of her
+figure, showing to especial advantage the long sweep of her hips, the
+pliancy of her waist, the swell of her fine bust. A soft lilac colour set
+off the glint of her fair hair. She was, in fact, feeling a little languid
+from the reaction of the ball and in a sudden rush of emotion she admired
+Keith's crisp freshness. Her eyes swam a little and her breast heaved.
+
+But the preliminary conversation went by jerks. Keith answered her advances
+with an effort toward ease and cordiality, but with a guarded, unnatural
+manner that sent a sudden premonitory chill to the woman's heart. Her
+instinct warned her. As the minutes passed, her uneasiness grew to the
+point of fear. Was she losing him? Why? This was no time for ordinary
+methods.
+
+She arose and went to sit by his side.
+
+"What's the matter, dear?" she asked.
+
+"Nothing."
+
+"Why are you acting in this manner? What have I done?"
+
+"I'm not; you haven't done anything--of course."
+
+She suddenly leaned forward, looking into his eyes, projecting all the
+force of her magnetism. She had before seen him respond, felt him quiver to
+her tentative, mischievous advances,
+
+"Kiss me," she breathed.
+
+Poor Keith was having a miserable enough time. He clung to his first
+thought--that this evening was her due, that he was in some way bound, in
+ending everything, to pay whatever coin he had left. He obeyed her,
+touching her lips lightly and coldly with his own. Never was chaster caress
+bestowed on melting mood!
+
+She flung him violently aside, her face writhing and contorted with fury.
+She was enlightened, completely, as she could have been enlightened in no
+other manner.
+
+"You can go!" she cried hoarsely. "Get out! Don't dare enter this house
+again!"
+
+He made some sort of spiritless, feeble protest, trying his best to put
+some convincing quality into it. But she did not even listen. The
+ungoverned tiger-cat part of her nature was in the ascendant, the fierce
+pride of the woman living near the edge of the half-world. She would gladly
+have killed him. At length he went, very confused, bewildered, miserable--
+and relieved! He left behind him a bitter enemy.
+
+
+
+
+XXIII
+
+
+In complete revulsion, Keith scuttled the frivolous world of women. As he
+expressed it, he was sick of women. They made him tired. Too much fuss
+trying to keep even with their vagaries. A man liked something he could
+bite on. He plunged with all the enthusiasm and energy of his vivid
+personality into his business deal of the water lots and into the
+fascinating downtown life of the pioneer city. The mere fact that he had
+ended that asinine Morrell affair somehow made him think he had made it all
+up to Nan, and he settled back tacitly and without further preliminaries
+into what his mood considered a most satisfactory domestic basis. That is,
+he took his home and his home life for granted. It was there when he needed
+it. He admired Nan greatly, and supplied her with plenty of money, and took
+her to places when he could get the time. Some day, when things were not
+quite so lively, they would go somewhere together. In the meantime he never
+failed to ask her every evening if she had enjoyed herself that day; and
+she never failed to reply that she had. Everything was most comfortable.
+
+After the Firemen's Ball Nan, somehow relieved of any definite uneasiness,
+felt that she should be made much of, should be a little wooed, that Keith
+should make up a little for having been somewhat of a naughty boy. When,
+instead, she was left more alone than before, she was hurt and depressed.
+Of course, Milton did not realize--but what was there for her? Wing Sam ran
+the house; she worked a good deal in the garden, assisted by Gringo.
+Probably at no time in modern history have wives been left so much alone
+and so free as during this period. The man's world was so absorbing; the
+woman's so empty.
+
+Ben Sansome dropped in quite often. He was always amusing, always
+agreeable, interested in all sorts of things, ready to give his undivided
+attention to any sort of a problem, no matter how trivial, to consider it
+attentively, and to find for it a fair and square deliberate solution. This
+is exceedingly comforting to the feminine mind. He taught Gringo not to
+"jump up"; he found out what was the matter with the _Gold of Ophir_
+cutting; he discovered and took her to see just the shade of hangings she
+had long sought for the blue room. Within a very short time he had
+established himself on the footing of the casual old-time caller, happening
+by, dropping in, commenting and advising detachedly, drifting on again
+before his little visit had assumed rememberable proportions. He had always
+the air of just leaning over the fence for a moment's chat; yet he
+contrived to spend the most of an afternoon. He spoke of Keith often,
+always in affectionate terms, as of a sort of pal, much as though he and
+Nan _both_ owned him, he, of course, in a lesser degree.
+
+One afternoon, after he had actually been digging away at a bulb bed for
+half an hour, Nan suggested that he come in for refreshment. Gradually this
+became a habit. Sansome and Nan sat cozily either side the little Chinese
+tea table. He visibly luxuriated.
+
+"You don't know what a privilege this is for me--for any lonesome bachelor
+in this crude city--to have a home like this to come to occasionally."
+
+He hinted at his situation, but made of its details a dark mystery. The
+final impression was one of surface lightness and gayety, but of inner
+sadness.
+
+"It is a terrible city for a man without an anchor!" he said. "Keith is a
+lucky fellow! If I only had some one, as he has, I might amount to
+something." A gesture implied what a discouraged butterfly sort of person
+he really was.
+
+"You ought to marry," said Nan gently.
+
+"Marry!" he cried. "Dear lady, whom? Where in this awful mixture they call
+society could one find a woman to marry?"
+
+"There are plenty of nice women here," chided Nan.
+
+"Yes--and all of them taken by luckier fellows! You wouldn't have me marry
+Sally Warner, would you--or any of the other half-dozen Sally Warners? I
+might as well marry a gas chandelier, a grand piano, and a code of
+immorals--but the standard of such women is so different from the standard
+of women like yourself."
+
+Nan might pertinently have inquired what Ben Sansome did in this gallery,
+anyhow; but so cold-blooded and direct an attack would have required a cool
+detachment incompatible with his dark, good looks, his winning, appealing
+manners, his thoughtfulness in little things, his almost helpless reliance
+on her sympathy; in other words, it presupposed a rather cynical, elderly
+person. And Nan was young, romantic, easily stirred.
+
+"All you need is to believe in yourself a little more," she said earnestly
+and prettily. "Why don't you undertake something instead of drifting? Some
+of the people you go with are not especially good for you--do you think
+so?"
+
+"Good for me?" he laughed bitterly. "Who cares if I go to the dogs? They'd
+rather like me to; it would keep them company! And I don't know that I care
+much myself!" he muttered in a lower tone.
+
+She leaned forward, distressed, her eyes shining with expostulation.
+
+"You mustn't hold yourself so low," she told him vehemently. "You mustn't!
+There are a great many people who believe in you. For their sake you should
+try. If you would only be just a little bit serious--in regard to yourself,
+I mean. A gay life is all very well----"
+
+"Gay?" he interrupted, then caught himself. "Yes, I suppose I do seem gay--
+God knows I try not to cry out--but, really, sometimes I'm near to ending
+it all----"
+
+She was excited to a panic of negation.
+
+"Oh, no! no!" she expostulated vehemently. ("Egad, she's stunning when
+she's aroused!" thought Sansome.) "You mustn't talk like that! It isn't
+fair to yourself; it isn't fair to your manhood! Oh, how you do need some
+one to pull you up! If I could only help!"
+
+He raised his head and looked directly at her, his dark, melancholy eyes
+lighting slowly.
+
+"You have helped; you are helping," he murmured. "I suppose I have been
+weak and a coward, I will try."
+
+"That's right. I am so glad," she said, glowing with sweetness and a desire
+to aid. "Now you must turn over a new leaf," she hesitated. "Every way, I
+mean," she added with a little blush.
+
+"I know I drink more than I ought," he supplied in accents of regret.
+
+"Don't you suppose you could do without?" she begged very gently.
+
+"Will you help me?" He turned on her quickly; then, his delicate instincts
+perceiving a faint, instinctive recoil at his advance, he added: "Just let
+me come here occasionally, into this quiet atmosphere, when it gets too
+hard and I can see no light; just to get your help, the strength I shall
+need to tide me over."
+
+He looked very handsome and romantic and young. He was apparently very,
+deeply in earnest. Nan experienced a rash of pity, of protective maternal
+emotion.
+
+"Yes, do come," she assented softly.
+
+
+
+
+XXIV
+
+
+All this time Keith was busy every minute of the day. The water-lot matter
+was absorbing all his attention. Through skilful and secret agents Neil had
+acquired a great deal of scrip issued by the city for various public works
+and services which the holders had not yet exchanged for the new bonds.
+These he turned over to Keith. Very quietly, by prearrangement, the latter
+sued and obtained judgments. When all this had been fully accomplished--and
+not before then--the veil of secrecy was rent. Rowlee's paper advertised a
+forthcoming sale of water lots to satisfy the judgments.
+
+Then followed, for Keith, an anxious period of three days. But at the end
+of that time the commissioners issued a signed warning that the titles
+conveyed by this sale would not be considered legal. On seeing this, Keith
+at once rushed around to Neil's office.
+
+"Here it is," he announced jubilantly. "They held off so long that I began
+to be afraid they did not intend to play our game for us. But it's all
+right."
+
+The matter was widely discussed; but next morning placards, bearing the
+text of the commissioners' warning, were posted on every blank wall in town
+and distributed as dodgers. These were attributed by the public to zeal on
+the part of those officials; but the commissioners knew nothing about it.
+
+"Some anonymous friend of the city must have done it," Hooper told his
+friends, and added, "We are delighted!"
+
+The unknown friend was Malcolm Neil himself.
+
+This warning had its effect. As Keith had predicted, nobody cared to put
+good money into what was officially and authoritatively announced as a bad
+title. At the sheriff's sale there were no bona fide bidders except the
+secret agents of Malcolm Neil. The sheriff's titles--such as they were--
+went for a song. Immediately the ostensible purchasers were personally
+warned by the commission; but they seemed satisfied.
+
+So matters rested until, a little later, the commissioners inserted in all
+the papers the customary legal advertisements setting forth a sale by them,
+under the State law, of these same water lots to satisfy the interest and
+fill the sinking fund for the bonds. The next morning appeared a statement
+signed by all the ostensible purchasers under the sheriff's sale. This
+stated dearly and succinctly the intention to contest any titles given by
+the commissioners, even to the highest courts. This was marked _advt_, to
+indicate the newspaper's neutrality in the matter. Rowlee commented on the
+situation editorially, He took the righteous and indignant attitude,
+expressing extreme journalistic horror that such a hold-up should be
+possible in a modern, civilized community, hurling editorial contempt on
+the dastardly robbers who were thus intending to shake down the innocent
+purchasers, etc. In fact, he laid it on thick, But he managed to insinuate
+a doubt. Between the lines the least astute reader could read Rowlee's
+belief that perhaps these first purchasers might have a case, iniquitous
+but legal. He hammered away at this for a week. By the end of that time he
+had, by the most effective, indirect methods--purporting all the time to be
+attacking the signers of the warning--succeeded in instilling into the
+public mind a substantial distrust of the stability of the titles to be
+conveyed at the commissioners' sale. Malcolm Neil complimented him highly
+at their final and secret interview.
+
+Again Keith's predictions were fulfilled to the letter. Nobody wanted to
+buy a lawsuit. There were a few bidders, it is true, but they were faint
+hearted. Another set of Malcolm's secret agents bid all the lots in at a
+nominal figure. That very afternoon they all met in Neil's stuffy little
+back office. Keith had the deeds prepared. All that was necessary was to
+affix the signatures. The purchasers under both sales conveyed their rights
+to Neil and Keith. The latter now possessed uncontested and incontestable
+title.
+
+
+
+
+XXV
+
+
+Having personally delivered the deeds to the recorder's office, Keith went
+home. In the relief from pressure, the triumph, and the exaltation, his
+instinct carried him to the actual background of his life--his genuine but
+preoccupied affection for Nan. The constraint, that had been so real to
+her, had never been anything but nebulous to him.
+
+He burst into the house, capered around the room boyishly, seized her, and
+waltzed her gayly about. Quite taken by surprise, Nan's first thought was
+that he had been drinking too much; so naturally she failed to rise
+instantly to the occasion.
+
+"Stop it, Milton!" she cried. "What has got into you! You're tearing me to
+ribbons!"
+
+He laughed heartily.
+
+"You must think I'm crazy," he acknowledged. "Sit down here, and learn what
+a great man your husband is." He poured out the story of the transaction,
+omitting no details of the clever schemes by which it had been worked. He
+was, above all, proud of his legal address and acumen--there was something
+in Eastern training, after all; this lay right under their noses, but none
+of them saw it until he came along and picked it up. "And there are some
+pretty smart men out here, too, let me tell you that," he added. "They're
+from all parts of the world, and they've had a hard practical education,
+their eye teeth are cut!" His egotism over being keener than the
+acknowledged big men was very fresh and charming. The money gained he
+mentioned as an afterthought, only when the other aspect of the situation
+had been exhausted. "The cold hard dollars are pretty welcome just now," he
+told her. "There's about a quarter million in those lots--and we can
+realize on all or part of them at any time. All came out of here!" He
+tapped his forehead, and paused in his rapid pacing to and fro to look down
+at her In the easy chair, "We are well off now. We needn't scrimp and
+save"--it did not for the moment occur to him that they had not been doing
+so--"I'm going to get you eight new gowns, and twelve new hats, and a
+bushel of diamonds----"
+
+"I'm glad, very glad!" she cried, catching his enthusiasm, her mind for the
+first time occupying itself seriously with the mechanism of the deal. At
+first, when he had been explaining, she had not thrown off the impression
+that he had been drinking, and so had paid little attention to his
+explanations. "It sounds like magic. Tell me again--how you did it,"
+
+Nothing loath, he went over it again, making clear the double clouding of
+the titles.
+
+But Nan, being much alone, had the habit, shared with few women of that
+time, of reading the newspapers. She had followed Rowlee's campaign, and
+she had taken seriously the editor's diatribes, Rowlee had been talking for
+effect. The ideals of ultimate civic honesty were yet fifty years in the
+future, but he had stumbled on their principle. Nan's mind, untrained in
+any business ethics, caught them; and her sure natural instincts had
+accepted their essential justice. In recognizing Milton's connection as
+promoter with just this deal, she was suddenly called upon to make
+adjustments for which there was no time. She knew Milton would do nothing
+wrong, and yet--he was waiting in triumph for her response.
+
+"It was very clever. And yet, somehow, it doesn't sound right--" she
+puzzled, "Are you sure it's honest?"
+
+"Honest?" he snorted, halted in mid-career, "Of course it's honest! Why
+isn't it honest?"
+
+Confronted with the direct question, she really did not know. She groped,
+proffering tentatively some of the arguments half remembered from Rowlee's
+editorial columns. But she confronted now a lawyer, sure of himself. Keith
+explosively, and contemptuously demolished her contentions. Everything was
+absolutely legal, every step of it. If a man hadn't a right to buy in
+property at any sale and sell it again where he wanted, where in thunder
+was our boasted liberty? Just the kind of fool notion women get! Keith in
+his honest pride and triumph had come for sympathy and admiration. Turned
+back on himself, he became vaguely resentful, and shortly left the house.
+
+Hardly had the front door closed after him when Nan burst into tears. She
+had not meant it to come out that way at all. Of course she had had no real
+thought that Milton would do anything dishonest; how absurd of him to take
+it that way! She had simply expressed a queer instinctive thought that had
+flashed across her mind; and now she could not for the life of her guess
+how she had come to do so. Miserably and passionately she realized that she
+had bungled it.
+
+
+
+
+XXVI
+
+
+But if Keith missed the appreciation of his triumph at home, he received
+full meed of it downtown. In a corner of the Empire a dozen of the biggest
+men in town were gathered. They were Sam Brannan; Palmer, of Palmer, Cook &
+Co.; Colonel E. D. Baker, the original "silver-tongued orator"; Dick
+Blatchford, the contractor; Judge Terry, of the Supreme Court; oily, coarse
+Ned McGowan; Nugent and Rowlee, editors, and some others. They were doing
+an exceedingly important part of their daily business: sipping their late
+afternoon cocktails. Calhoun Bennett joined them.
+
+"Little item of news to interest you-all," drawled the Southerner. "I've
+just come down from the recorder's office. The deeds for the water lots
+have just been recorded." He paused.
+
+"Have a drink, Cal," urged Dick Blatchford, "and sit down. What of it?"
+
+"They were recorded in the names of Malcolm Neil and young Keith. I'll have
+a cocktail."
+
+"That so? Pretty shaky title. Which sale did they record under?"
+
+"Both!" said Bennett.
+
+He stood until he saw that the significance of this had soaked in; then he
+drew out a chair and sat down. Ned McGowan chuckled hoarsely.
+
+"Pretty slick!" said he. "Wonder some of us didn't think of that! I suppose
+they went around and scared the purchasers until they got them, pretty
+cheap. Trust old Neil to drive a bargain!"
+
+But Palmer, the banker, who had been thinking, here spoke up:
+
+"The purchasers were undoubtedly their agents," he surmised quietly.
+
+"By God, you're right!" cried Terry. "Old Malcolm is certainly the devil
+without a tail!"
+
+"Speak of him and you get him," remarked Colonel Baker, pointing out Neil,
+who had just entered.
+
+They raised a shout at him, until finally the old man, reluctantly and
+crabbedly, sidled over to join them.
+
+"You're discovered, old fox!" cried Terry; "and the outraged dignity of the
+law demands a drink."
+
+They plied him with half-facetious, half-envious congratulations. But Neil
+would have none of them.
+
+"Not my scheme," he growled. "Entirely Keith's. I'm a sleeping partner
+only. He engineered it all, thought of it all, dragged me in."
+
+"You must have made a good thing out of it, Mr. Neil," suggested Palmer
+respectfully.
+
+The formidable old man eyed the speaker grumpily for a moment.
+
+"About a quarter million, cool, between us," he vouchsafed finally. He was,
+for some reason, willing to brag a bit.
+
+This statement was received in admiring silence by all but Terry. Everybody
+but that devil-may-care and lawless pillar of the law was afraid of Neil.
+But Terry would joke with anybody.
+
+"I hope you're going to let him have a little of it, Neil," he laughed.
+
+The old man shifted his eyes from Palmer to Terry with much the air of
+restraining heavy guns. Terry met the impact untroubled.
+
+"Judge," grunted the financier at last, "that young man will get his due
+share. He has tied me up in a contract that even your honoured court would
+find difficulty in breaking."
+
+With this parting shot he arose and stumped out.
+
+"If Malcolm Neil acknowledges he is tied up," observed Terry, who had not
+been in the slightest degree disturbed, "he is certainly tied up!"
+
+"Consider the man who tied him," begged Colonel Baker. "He must, in the
+language of the poets, be a lallapaloozer."
+
+"He's worth getting hold of," said Dick Blatchford.
+
+Therefore, when, a little later, Keith appeared, he was hailed jovially,
+and invited to drink. Everybody was very cordial. Within five minutes he
+was hail fellow with them all, joking with the most august of them on terms
+of equality. Judge Terry, in whose court he had stood abashed, plied him
+with cocktails; Colonel Baker told several stories, one of which was new;
+Sam Brannan, with the mixture of coarseness, overbearing manners, and
+fascination that made him personally attractive to men and some women,
+called him "my boy"; and the rest of the party had whole-heartedly taken
+him in and were treating him as one of themselves. Keith had known all
+these men, of course, but they had been several cuts above him in
+importance, and his relations with most of them had been formal. His whole
+being glowed and expanded. After the first cocktail or two, and after a
+little of this grateful petting, he had some difficulty in keeping himself
+from getting too expansive, in holding himself down to becoming modesty, in
+not talking too much. He quite realized the meaning of this sudden
+cordiality; but he welcomed it as another endorsement, from the highest,
+most unimpeachable sources, of his cleverness and legal acumen.
+
+They drank and talked until twilight. Then Keith began to make his excuses.
+They shouted him down.
+
+"You're going to dinner with us, my son," stated Brannan. "They've opened
+an oyster palace down the street, and we're going to sample it."
+
+"But my wife--" began Keith.
+
+"Permit me," interrupted Terry, bending his tall form in courtesy. "I am
+about to dispatch a messenger to Mrs. Terry, and shall be pleased to
+instruct him to call at your mansion also."
+
+It was so arranged. Immediately they adjourned to the new "Oyster Palace,"
+a very gaudy white and gilt monstrosity with mirrors and negro minstrels.
+There were small private rooms, it seemed, and one of these was bespoken
+from the smiling manager, flattered at the patronage of these substantial
+men.
+
+San Francisco lived high in those days. It could pay, and for pay the best
+will go anywhere. The dinner was quite perfect. There were more cocktails
+and champagne. Under the influence of good fellowship and drinks, Keith was
+finally prevailed upon to give the details of the whole transaction.
+Perhaps this was a little indiscreet, but he was carried away by the
+occasion. The noisy crowd suddenly became quiet, and listened with the
+deepest attention. When Keith had finished, there ensued a short silence.
+Then Judge Terry delivered his opinion.
+
+"Sound as a dollar," he pronounced at last. "Not a hole in it. Is that your
+opinion, Colonel Baker?"
+
+"Clever piece of work," nodded the orator gravely. After this interim of
+sobriety the dinner proceeded more and more noisily. The drink affected the
+different men in different ways. A flush appeared high on the cheek bones
+of Terry's lean face and an added dignity in his courtly manner. Brannan
+became louder and more positive. On Blatchford his potations had no
+appreciable effect except that his round face grew redder. Ned McGowan
+dropped even his veneer of good breeding, became foul mouthed and profane,
+full of unpublishable reminiscence to which nobody paid any particular
+attention. Calhoun Bennett's speech became softer, more deliberate, more
+consciously Southern. Keith, who was really most unaccustomed to the heavy
+drinking then in vogue, was filled with a warm and friendly feeling toward
+everybody. His thoughts were a bit vague, and he had difficulty in
+focussing his mind sharply. The lights were very bright, and the room warm.
+
+Suddenly they were all in the open air under the stars. There seemed to
+have been an unexplained interim. Everybody was smoking cigars. Keith was
+tugging at his pocket and expostulating something about payment--something
+to do with the dinner. Evidently some part of him had gone on talking and
+thinking. The fresh air brought him back to the command. Various
+suggestions were being proffered. Blatchford was for hiring rigs and
+driving out to the Mission; Calhoun Bennett suggested the El Dorado; but
+Sam Brannan's bull voice decided them.
+
+"I'm going to Belle's!" he roared, and at once started off up the street.
+The idea was received with acclamation. They straggled up the street toward
+the residential portion of town.
+
+Keith followed. The delayed action of the drink had thrown him into a
+delicious whirling haze. He felt that he could be completely master of
+himself at any moment merely by making the effort; only it did not at
+present seem worth while. He knew where Belle's was: it was the ornate
+house diagonally across the street from his own, the one concerning which
+the clerk had been so evasive when they were house hunting.
+
+Belle's was a three-story frame building, differing in no outward essential
+from the fashionable residences around it. On warm evenings there sometimes
+came through the opened windows the sound of a piano, the clink of glasses,
+loud laughter or singing. The chance bystander might have heard identically
+the same from any other house in the neighbourhood. Only Belle's
+occasionally--rarely occasionally--contributed a crash or an oath. Such
+things were, however, quickly hushed. Belle's was run on respectable lines.
+Men went in and out quite openly, with the tolerance of most, but to the
+scandal of a few. Those curious, consulting the yellowed files of the
+newspapers, can read little protests--signed with _nom de plumes_--from
+young women, complaining that young men of their acquaintance, after
+calling decorously on them, would cross quite openly to the house over the
+way. Yet they were powerless, for a year or so at least, to break up the
+custom.
+
+For Belle's was a carry-over from the 49-51 days when of social life there
+was none at all. It differed from the merely disreputable house. Belle
+prided herself on quiet conduct and many friends. In person she was a
+middle-aged, still attractive Frenchwoman. She had furnished her parlours
+very elaborately, and she insisted that both her employees and clients
+should behave in the public rooms with the greatest circumspection.
+
+Indeed, a casual visitor, unacquainted with the character of the place,
+might well have been deceived. The women sitting about were made up and
+very décolleté, to be sure, but their conduct, while not always of the
+highest tone, was nevertheless quite devoid of freedom. Belle permitted no
+overt word or action; nor was any visitor subjected to another expectation
+than the occasional opening of a bottle of wine "for the good of the
+house."
+
+But outside of the one fundamental rule of decency, the caller could make
+himself comfortable in his own way. He could lounge, pound the piano, joke,
+play games, smoke where he pleased, and enjoy what was then a rarity--the
+company and conversation of nimble-witted, well-dressed, beautiful women
+whose ideas were not narrow. Ultimate possibilities were always kept very
+much in the background, but that there were possibilities made for present
+relaxation or freedom.
+
+Twice a year Belle was in the habit of giving a grand party. The
+invitations were engraved. Entertainment was on a sumptuous scale. There
+were dancing, all sorts of card games, an elaborate supper, the best of
+music, often professional entertainers of great merit. Everything was free
+except wine. Nearly the whole masculine population turned out for Belle's
+big party--judges, legislators, bankers, merchants, as well as the
+professional politicians and the gamblers. The most prominent men of the
+city frequented Belle's at other times openly, without fear of public
+opinion--many of them merely for the sense of freedom and relaxation they
+there enjoyed. Everybody was welcome.
+
+Keith, however, knowing the character of the place, had never been inside
+its doors. Now, enveloped in his rosy haze, exceedingly contented with his
+company, he followed where they led. At the door a neat coloured maid
+relieved him of his hat and coat, and smiled a welcome. His dazzled vision
+took in a long drawing-room, soft red carpets, red brocade curtains of
+heavy material, with edges of gold fringe and with gold cords, chandeliers
+of many dangling prisms, a white marble mantel, a grand piano, a few
+pictures of the nude, and many chairs. Ravishingly beautiful, wonderfully
+dressed women sat about in indolent attitudes.
+
+The hilarious party at once scattered through the room, Calhoun Bennett
+went to the piano and began to play sentimental airs. Ned McGowan, his face
+very red, enthroned himself in an easy chair, clasping girls who perched on
+either arm. He talked to them in a low voice. They leaned over to hear, and
+every moment or so they burst into shrieks of laughter. Judge Terry was
+listening intently to some serious communication Belle herself was making
+to him. Sam Brannan was roaring for champagne. The others were circulating
+here and there, talking, playing practical jokes. Altogether, to Keith's
+rosy vision, a colourful and delightful scene. Nobody paid him the least
+attention.
+
+How long he stood there he did not know. The groups before him shifted and
+changed confusedly. The lights seemed to blaze and to dim, and then to
+blaze again. After a long interval he became aware of a touch on his arm.
+He looked down. A piquant, dark-eyed, tilt-nosed girl was smiling up at
+him.
+
+"Wat you do?" she was begging. "You come wiz me?"
+
+He focussed his attention on the room. It was almost empty. He saw the back
+of Judge Terry disappearing into the street. He passed his hand across his
+eyes.
+
+"Where are the others?" he asked confusedly.
+
+She laughed with significance. He looked down at her again. Her complexion
+was a sort of dead white, her lips were red and glistening, her eyes were
+darkened. He turned suddenly and left the house. The coloured maid,
+disappointed in a tip, stood in the doorway, his hat and coat in her hands,
+staring after him. The cool air a little cleared his brain. He stopped
+short in the middle of the street, trying to collect himself.
+
+"I'm drunk," he solved finally, and proceeded very carefully toward his own
+house. After each dozen steps he paused to collect his thoughts before
+proceeding. In one of these pauses he distinctly heard a window slam shut;
+there were plenty of louder things, he heard only the window. He hadn't the
+least idea of the time of night, except that it must be very late. As a
+matter of fact, it was not more than half-past ten. Near his own gate he
+nearly ran into a woman strolling. With some instinct of apology, he turned
+in her direction. As his bare head was revealed in the dim light, the woman
+uttered a low laugh.
+
+"And was Belle as charming as ever?" demanded Mrs. Morrell sweetly but
+icily. "Go in carefully now, so dear little wifey won't know."
+
+She laughed again and moved past him. He stared after her with a vague
+sense of injustice, somehow; then went on.
+
+
+
+
+XXVII
+
+
+Keith was sorry next morning, but he was not repentant, in the sense of
+feeling that he had done anything fatally wrong. He was disgusted with
+himself. He wasted no regrets, but did register a very definite intention
+not to let _that_ happen again! It was all harmless enough, once in a way,
+but it was not his sort of thing. Nan would not understand it a bit--why
+should she? His head ached, and he was feeling a little conscience-stricken
+about Nan, anyway. He must take her around more, see more of her. Business
+had been very absorbing lately, but now that this deal had been brought off
+successfully, it was only due her and himself that he take a little time
+off. In his present mood he convinced himself, as do most American business
+or professional men, that he was being driven in his work, and that he
+wanted nothing better than a let-up from the grind. As a matter of fact,
+he--and they--love their work.
+
+In this frame of mind he started downtown, rather late. On the street he
+met a number of his friends. A good many of them chaffed him good-naturedly
+about the night before. By the time he reached his office he was feeling
+much better. Things were assuming more of an everyday comfortable aspect.
+He had not been seated ten minutes before Dick Blatchford drifted in,
+smoking a black cigar that gave Keith a slight qualmish feeling. Dick
+seemed quite unaffected by the evening before.
+
+"Hullo, Milt!" he boomed, rolling his heavy form into a chair, his round,
+red face beaming. "How's the wild Injin this morning? Say, you're a wonder
+when you get started! You needn't deny it; wasn't I there?" He shook his
+head, chuckling fatly. "Look here," he went on, "I'm busy this morning--got
+to get down to North Beach to see Harry Meigs--and I guess you are." He
+tossed over a package of papers that he produced from an inside pocket.
+"Look those over at your leisure. I think we better sue the sons of guns.
+Let me know what you think." He fished about in a tight-drawn waistcoat
+pocket with a chubby thumb and forefinger, pulled out a strip of paper, and
+flipped it to Keith as casually as though it were a cigarette paper.
+"There's a little something as a retainer," said he. "Well, be good!"
+
+After he had lumbered out, Keith examined the check. It was for one
+thousand dollars. If anything were needed to restore his entire confidence
+in himself, this retainer would have sufficed. The little spree was
+regrettable, of course, but it had brought him a client--and a good one!
+
+Two days later Keith, who now had reason to spend more time in his office,
+received another and less welcome visitor: this was Morrell. The young
+Englishman, his clean-cut face composed to wooden immobility, his too-
+close-set eyes squinting watchfully, came in as though on a social call.
+
+"Just dropped around to look at your diggin's," he told the surprised
+Keith. "Not badly fixed here; good light and all.".
+
+He accepted a cigar, and sat for some moments, his hat and stick carefully
+disposed on his knees.
+
+"Look here, Keith," he broke into a desultory chat after a few minutes.
+"Deucedly awkward, and all that, of course; but I've been wondering whether
+you would, be willing to tide me over--remittances late, and all that sort
+of thing. Stony for the moment. Everything lovely when the mails arrive.
+Neighbours, see a lot of each other, and that sort, you know."
+
+Keith was totally unprepared for this, and floundered. Morrell, watching
+him calmly, went on:
+
+"Of course I wouldn't think of coming to you, old chap--plenty of people
+glad to bank for me temporarily--but I wanted you to know just how we
+stand--Mrs. Morrell and I--that we feel friendly to you, and all that sort
+of thing, you know! You can rely on us--no uneasiness, you know."
+
+"Why, that's very kind of you," returned Keith, puzzled.
+
+"Not a bit! The way I looked at it was that a chap wouldn't borrow from a
+man he wasn't friendly with, it isn't done." He laughed his high, cackling
+laugh, "So I said to Mimi, 'the dear man must be worryin' his head off.' It
+was lucky for you, old top, that a woman of the world with some sense saw
+you the other night instead of some feather-headed gossipin' fool. But
+Mimi's not that."
+
+Keith was slowly beginning to suspect, but as yet he considered his
+suspicion unjust.
+
+"How much do you need?" he asked,
+
+"Five hundred dollars," replied Morrell coolly.
+
+"I doubt I have that sum free in ready cash."
+
+Morrell looked him in the eye.
+
+"I fancy you will be able to raise it," he said very deliberately.
+
+The men looked at each other.
+
+"This is blackmail, then," said Keith without excitement.
+
+Morrell became very stiff and English in manner.
+
+"Words do not frighten me, sir. This is a personal loan. It is an action
+between friends, just as my silence on the subject of your peccadillo is a
+friendly action. I mention that silence, not as a threat, but as an
+evidence of my own friendly feeling. I see I have made a mistake."
+
+He arose, his bearing very frigid. Keith was naturally not in the least
+deceived by this assumption of injured innocence, but he had been thinking.
+
+"Hold on!" he said. "You must forgive my being startled; and you must admit
+you were a little unfortunate in your presentation. For this loan, what
+security?"
+
+"My personal note," replied Morrell calmly.
+
+"I must look into my resources. I will let you know to-morrow."
+
+"Not later than to-morrow. I'll call at this hour," said Morrell with
+meaning.
+
+After the Englishman had gone Keith considered the matter at leisure.
+Although of a sanguine and excitable temperament When only little things
+were involved, he was clear headed and uninfluenced by personal feeling in
+real emergencies.
+
+First, would the Morrells carry out the implied threat? His instinct
+supplied that answer. Of Morrell himself he had never had any trust. Now he
+remembered what had never really struck him before: that Morrell, even in
+this fast and loose society, had never been more than tolerated, and that,
+apparently, only because of the liveliness of his wife. He had the
+indefinable air of a bad 'un. And Keith's knowledge of women was broad
+enough to tell him that Mrs. Morrell would be relentless.
+
+Second, would a denial avail against their story? His commonsense told him
+that if the Morrells started this thing they would carry it through to a
+finish. There was no sense in it otherwise, for such an attack would mean
+the burning of most of their social bridges. Morrell could get witnesses
+from Belle's--say, the coloured maid whom he had not tipped--and there were
+his hat and coat.
+
+Third, could he afford to let them tell the tale? As far as his position in
+the city, either professionally or socially, most decidedly yes. But at
+home, as decidedly no. In her calmest, most judicial, trusting, loving
+mood, Nan could never understand. Her breeding and upbringing were against
+it. She could never comprehend the difference between such a place as
+Belle's and any disreputable house--if there was a difference. This point
+needed little argument.
+
+Then he must pay.
+
+Having definitely decided this, he repressed his natural inclinations
+toward anger, drew the money, laid it aside in his drawer, and went on with
+his work. When Morrell came, in next morning, very easy and debonair, he
+handed out the gold pieces and took in return the man's note, without
+relaxing the extreme gravity and formality of his manner.
+
+"Thanks, old chap!" cried Morrell. "You've saved my life. I won't forget."
+He paused; then cackled harshly: "Good joke that! No, _I won't_ forget!"
+
+Keith bowed coldly, waiting. Morrell, with, a final cackle, made leisurely
+for the door. As he laid his hand on the knob, Keith spoke:
+
+"By the way, Morrell."
+
+Morrell turned.
+
+"Take care you don't overdo this," advised Keith, very deliberately.
+
+Morrell examined him. Keith's face was grim. He smiled enigmatically.
+
+"Tact is a blessed gift, old top," said he, and went out.
+
+
+
+
+XXVIII
+
+
+This whole episode proved to be a turning-point in Keith's career. His
+revulsion against the feminine--hence society--side of life brought about
+by the affair of Mrs. Morrell, might soon have passed, and he might soon
+have returned to the old round of picnics, excursions, dinners, and
+parties, were it not that coincidentally a new and absorbing occupation was
+thrust upon him. Dick Blatchford's case was only one of many that came to
+him. He became completely immersed in the fascinating intricacies of the
+law.
+
+As has been previously pointed out, nowhere before nor since has pure
+legality been made such a fetish. It was a game played by lawyers, not an
+attempt to get justice done. Since, in all criminal cases at least, the
+prosecution was carried on by one man and his associates, poorly paid and
+hence of mediocre ability, and the defence conducted by the keenest brains
+in the profession, it followed that convictions were rare. Homicide in
+various forms was little frowned upon. Duels were of frequent occurrence,
+and, in several instances, regular excursions, with tickets, were organized
+to see them. Street shootings of a more informal nature were too numerous
+to count. Invariably an attempt, generally successful, was made to arrest
+the homicide. If he had money, he hired the best lawyers, and rested
+secure. If he had no money, he disappeared for a time. Almost everybody had
+enough money, or enough friends with money, to adopt the former course. Of
+1,200 murders--or "killings"--committed in the San Francisco of those days,
+there was just _one_ legal conviction!
+
+It was a point of professional pride with a lawyer to get his client free.
+Indeed, to fail would be equivalent to losing a very easy game. The whole
+battery of technical delays, demurrers, etc., was at his command; a much
+larger battery than even the absurd criminal courts of our present day can
+muster. Delays to allow the dispersal of witnesses were easily arranged
+for, as were changes of venue to courts either prejudiced in favour of the
+strict interpretation of "law" or frankly venal. Of shadier expedients,
+such as packing juries, there seemed no end.
+
+Your honourable, high-minded lawyers--which meant the well-dressed and
+prosperous--had nothing to do with such dirty work; that is, directly.
+There were plenty of lawyers not so honourable and high minded called in as
+"counsel." These little lawyers, shoulder strikers, bribe givers and
+takers, were held in good-humoured contempt by the legal stars--who
+employed them! Actual dishonesty was diluted through a number of men.
+Packing a jury was a fine art. Initially was needed connivance at the
+sheriff's office. Hence lawyers, as a class, were in politics. Neither the
+stellar lawyer nor the sheriff knew any of the details of the transaction.
+A sum of money went to the former's "counsel" as expenses, and emerged,
+considerably diminished, in the sheriff's office as "perquisites." It had
+gone from the counsel to somebody like Mex Ryan, from him to various plug-
+uglies, ward heelers, shoulder strikers, from them to one or another of the
+professional jurymen, and then on the upward curve through the sheriff's
+underlings who made out the jury lists to Webb himself. The thing was done.
+
+In this tortuous way many influences were needed. The most honest lawyer's
+limit as to the queer things he would do depended on his individual
+conscience. It is extraordinary what long training and the moral support of
+a whole profession will do toward educating a conscience. Do not despise
+unduly the lawyers of that day. We have all of us good friends in the legal
+profession who will defend in court a criminal they know to be guilty as
+charged. They will urge that no man should go undefended; and will argue
+themselves into a belief that in such a case "defence" means not merely
+fair play, but a desperate effort to get him off anyhow--trained
+conscience. If such sophistries are sincerely believed by honest men
+nowadays, it cannot be wondered at that queerer sophistries passed current
+in a community not five years old. It was difficult to draw the line
+between the men who mistakenly believed themselves honest and those who
+knew themselves dishonest.
+
+But once in politics there could be no end. In this field the law rubbed
+shoulders with big contracts, big operations. A city was being built, in a
+few years, out of nothing, by a busy, careless, and shifting population.
+The opportunities for making money on public works--either honestly or by
+jobbery--were almost unlimited. The mood of the times was extravagant. From
+the still unexhausted placers poured a flood of gold, hard money, tangible
+wealth; and a large percentage of it paused in San Francisco, changed hands
+before continuing its journey. Immigrants brought with them a lesser but
+still significant sum. Money was easy. People could and would pay high
+taxes without a thought, for they would rather pay well to be let alone
+than bother with public affairs. The city treasury should have been full to
+bursting. In addition, the municipality was rich in its real estate. The
+value of all land had gone up immensely; any time more cash was needed it
+could quickly be raised by the sale of public lots. The supply seemed
+inexhaustible.
+
+Like hyenas to a kill the public contractors gathered. Immense public works
+were undertaken at enormous prices. Paving, sewers, grading, filling,
+lighting, wharves, buildings Were all voted; and the work completed in the
+quickest, flimsiest, most slipshod fashion; and at terrible prices. The
+Graham House, a pretentious frail structure that had failed as a hotel
+because a swamp lay between it and the city, was bought at a huge price to
+serve as city hall. It was a veritable white elephant, and even the busy
+populace spared time to grumble at the flagrant steal. Nobody knew what it
+would cost to make the thing habitable even. Soon, to every one's relief,
+it burned down. The property was then swindled over to Peter Smith. The
+Jenny Lind Theatre, an impossible, ramshackle structure, was purchased over
+the vigorous protest of every decent citizen, for the enormous sum of
+$300,000. Another $100,000 was alleged to have been spent in remodelling
+and furnishing it. Then it was solemnly declared "unsuited to the purpose."
+It also burned down in one of the numerous fires. But the money was safe!
+
+To get such deals as these through "legally" it was of course necessary
+that officials, councilmen, engineers, etc., should be sympathetic.
+Naturally the big operators, as well as the big lawyers, had to go into
+politics. Elections came soon to be so many farces. In some wards no decent
+citizen dared show his face. "Shoulder strikers" were openly hired for
+purposes of intimidation. Bribery was scarcely concealed. And if things
+looked doubtful, there were always the election inspectors and judges in
+reserve who could be relied upon to make things come out right in the final
+count. The proper men were always returned as elected. If violence or fraud
+were alleged, lawyers always got the accused off in a strictly legal
+manner.
+
+In these matters, it must be repeated, no opprobrium ever rested on either
+the big lawyers or the big operators. "Expenses" went to the underlings,
+and after some mysterious subterranean manipulation, of which the big
+fellows remained blandly unconscious, results came back.
+
+In the world of public works Keith rapidly made himself a position. He was
+leading counsel for Dick Blatchford and one or two others. His job was to
+know all the rules of the game so well that there were no comebacks; to set
+the machinery in motion by which the contracts were procured; and to
+straighten out any irregularities that might arise afterward. His position
+was almost academic. The matters he fought and decided were so detached
+from actuality, as far as he was concerned, that they might have been
+hypothetical cases. When Dick wanted anything specific, Keith instructed
+Patsy Corrigan to see that the proper officials awarded the contract. If
+the matter ever came to the courts, Keith furnished the brains and Patsy
+somehow "saw" the sheriff and whoever was necessary from the mysterious
+underworld. Everybody was doing the same thing. In the minds of men profits
+of any sort were legitimate provided they were "legal," but especially
+against so vague an entity as a community. Civic consciousness had not been
+born in them, for the simple reason that the city was constituted perfectly
+to suit them. Only when men are dissatisfied with their government do they
+seek to become responsible for it. There was no active public opinion
+against them. Men were too busy to bother with such things. Occasionally a
+fairly vigorous protest against some peculiarly outrageous steal made
+itself heard, but the men who made it were either cranks or it was
+suspected they had been pinched in some way. They merely represented the
+opposition any active man expects.
+
+And every last one of these merry, jovial pirates was inordinately proud of
+the ship he was helping to scuttle! That one fact, attentively considered,
+explains much.
+
+The city was growing, it was taking on a permanent character. In spite of
+waste, shoddy work, and frequent fires, its vitality was triumphant. The
+sand hills had all been graded flat, and the material from them had filled
+in the water lots of the bay; miles of fireproof brick structures had been
+built on four or five streets; there were now a half score of long wharves
+instead of one; omnibuses ran everywhere; fine steamers plied to
+fashionable watering places about the bay; the planks in the streets were
+being replaced by cobblestones; telegraph service had been inaugurated to
+San José and Sacramento; several new theatres had been built; gas lamps
+were being placed about the streets; huge wooden palaces with much
+scrollwork ornamentation were being built on Stockton Street and the Rincon
+Hill. All these things, as well as the climate, the mines, the agricultural
+resources, the commerce, the scenery, were fully appreciated and
+enthusiastically made the most of by every mother's son. Any man among them
+was ready at a moment's notice to wax enthusiastic about the resources and
+the future of the place. They were "boosters" in the modern acceptation of
+the term.
+
+
+
+
+XXIX
+
+
+In this eager, fast-living, nervous, high-strung man's world Keith took to
+himself a prominent part. He was so fully-occupied in other directions that
+his practice did not lead him into criminal law, so he missed an influence
+that must have either ended by blunting or repelling him. He corresponded
+to what nowadays would be called a corporation lawyer. His clients were
+few, but wealthy, powerful, and remunerative; his cases were subtle and
+hard fought, He enjoyed the intricate game for its own sake, and he enjoyed
+his success in it. In the inevitable give and take of a complicated world
+he knew, of course, of shady doings beneath; but he was not personally
+involved; he accepted them as part of the make-up of society, human nature,
+the medium--of work.
+
+But Nan was necessarily left more and more to her own devices. And,
+further, she was left alone without even the preoccupation furnished her
+domestic side by such an affair as that with Mrs. Morrell. She knew that
+Keith was wholly absorbed in his business. She was loyal to his unexpressed
+idea that in these propitious beginnings he must devote all his energies to
+his career. She was loyal to his preoccupation. It was the only way in
+which she could help. And yet, without being given cause for grievance, she
+was temporarily thrust outside his life, put in cold storage, as it were,
+until she should be wanted. He bolted immediately after breakfast; often he
+did not come home to lunch; was quite likely to go out again in the
+evening.
+
+It followed that Nan had to make her own life out of the materials at hand.
+This was at first difficult, for all the materials were novel to her.
+Gradually, however, she fitted herself into the social transformation that
+was taking place.
+
+Heretofore, society had not existed. Now, vaguely, it was beginning to take
+coherence and form. A transition period was on. The "nobs" were evolving
+from chaos. People of the fast Morrell type were losing their influence and
+ascendency, were being pushed aside to the fringes by the more "solid"
+elements. Wealth and arrogant dignity were coming into their innings.
+Formal functions, often on an elaborate scale, were taking the place of the
+harum-scarum informal parties. There came up some questions of social
+leadership. In short, social life was developing into the usual game.
+Lacking other interests, Nan found it amused her to play at it, to contend
+with the leaders, to form alliances, to declare war, to assume by right and
+talent her place among the best.
+
+This pleased Keith. Social standing helped him in business; and he enjoyed
+the sight of his beautiful young wife queening it serenely over the city's
+best. He was always eager to advance money for new gowns or expensive
+parties. At first he went out with her, but soon found that three o'clock
+in the morning meant a next day's brain dulled of its keenest edge. But he
+would not hear of her staying at home on his account.
+
+"I'm tired, and I'm going to bed right away," he told her. "You go and
+uphold the splendour of the family. Get Ben to take you."
+
+Ben Sansome was to Keith a tremendous convenience. He was the only idle man
+in town, always on tap, ready to stay out any and every night until the
+cocks crowed. Why shouldn't he? He had nothing to do all next day, except,
+perhaps, to decide which stick he should carry! With a busy man's good-
+humoured contempt for the mere idler, Keith looked upon Sansome as a
+harmless household-pet sort of person; good natured, accommodating,
+pleasant to talk to, good looking, foppish in dress, but beneath any
+serious human being's notice. Sansome was on easy terms of intimacy with
+the Keiths. It was mighty good of him to look out for Nan. If he did not,
+Keith would have to.
+
+In this formative period Ben Sansome was, however, a very important figure
+in the woman's world. Social construction was a ticklish matter. There were
+so many things to be decided; small items of etiquette, the "proper thing"
+--procedure, decorations, good form, larger matters as to whether so-and-so
+should be received, and if so, how extensively. Ben Sansome was past master
+of such things. He was the only man in town who knew--or cared--how to
+"draw lines." He became truly a modern _arbiter elegantiarum_. For San
+Francisco had begun in real earnest to "draw lines."
+
+They were rather strange lines at times. Of course such people as the
+Brannans, Montgomerys, Terrys, Bushs, Bakers, Caldwells, and other "old
+families" (three or four years old), went without saying. Also were
+included the greater merchants and their feminine representatives, such as
+Palmer, Cook, Adams, Wilkins, and the like. Also there seemed to be a solid
+foundation of those respectable and powerful with plenty of wealth--"but
+hopeless, my dear, absolutely hopeless!" groaned some of the livelier
+members.
+
+Lightning struck capriciously at those on whom this new society might
+frown, on those who as lately as last year had ridden the crest of the
+wave. For example, it spared Sally Warner, with her spotted veils drawn
+close around her face, her red belts, and her red tufts on her small
+toques, but it blasted the Morrells. Mrs. Morrell clung tenaciously to the
+outskirts, but she knew only too well that she did not "belong." In her
+heart she ascribed this fact to Mrs. Keith. This was unjust, but it added
+to her bitterness against her neighbours.
+
+Perhaps her suspicions were not unnatural, for Nan won easily in this game.
+She was undoubtedly the social leader. It seemed eminently fitting that,
+lacking her husband, she should go out much with Ben Sansome. Most women
+thought her lucky to have acquired so valuable a social acquisition. Some
+people, like fat, coarse, sensible Mrs. Dick Blatchford, were a little
+doubtful.
+
+"Shucks!" snorted Sally Warner, slapping her little riding boot dashingly
+with her latest novelty, an English hunting crop, "Nan Keith impresses me
+as one who knows her way about. And, anyway, as long as Mr. Keith is
+satisfied, I'm sure we should be!"
+
+
+
+
+XXX
+
+
+To his surprise Ben Sansome found himself warming to what he considered a
+real passion. At least it was as real a passion as he was capable of
+feeling. Sansome had always been spoiled. Accustomed as he was to easy
+conquests, especially of late among the faster San Francisco women of the
+early days, Nan Keith's very aloofness attracted him. She dwelt in a serene
+atmosphere of unsuspicion, going about freely with him, taking their right
+relations for granted, and not thinking about them. Contemplating this,
+Sansome was clever enough to see that, a false move at the wrong time would
+do for him. Therefore, he occupied himself at first merely in making
+himself useful. He accepted Keith's rôle for him, becoming the friend of
+the family, dropping in often and informally, happening on the spot at just
+the right time to relieve Keith of the necessity of escorting Nan to this
+or that tea or ball. So well did he play his part that at last there came a
+time when Keith said:
+
+"I'm dead tired to-night, Nan. Seems as if I couldn't stand chatter. Can't
+you send a note around to Ben and see if he can't get you there and back?"
+
+This came to be a regular thing. If Sansome did not happen to be there, he
+was sent for. And his engagements were never such that he failed to accept.
+
+He and Keith called each other by their given names; but even after a close
+intimacy had been established, he never addressed Nan by hers.
+
+"You sound very formal," she hinted to him at last.
+
+"To me the privilege of calling you by your 'little name' is so great an
+evidence of friendship, that it actually seems like flaunting that
+friendship to call you so before others" he replied.
+
+Always after that he called her "Nan" when they were alone together, but
+"Mrs. Keith" when a third, even Keith himself, was present. In that way
+their tęte-ŕ-tętes were marked off a little. When alone with her he
+maintained the pose of one struggling manfully against tremendous
+temptations held back only by her sweet influence. But he never overdid it.
+As they came to know each other better, he talked ever the more freely of
+men's mysterious temptations. Nan could not define to herself exactly what
+they might be.
+
+"Yesterday I couldn't see you," he told her. "I struggled with myself all
+day. Good God, what does a woman like you know of a man's weaknesses and
+temptations--But I conquered."
+
+Nan was uneasy. She did not know quite what it was all about, but her
+instincts warned her.
+
+"I am glad," she replied; and went on hastily, "but you must tell me what
+you think about having the tea served in the arbour on the seventh, I've
+been dying to ask you."
+
+With an obvious effort to be cheerful about this fresh subject, he wrenched
+himself into a new mood. They consulted on the party for the seventh. He
+broke off abruptly to say: "Do you know you're an extraordinary person--but
+you are!" he overrode her protests. "Don't I know the ordinary kind? Women
+have a deep strength of their own that men cannot understand."
+
+He stayed only a few minutes after that. On parting he for the first time
+permitted himself a lingering gaze into her eyes as he reluctantly
+relinquished her hand. She turned away, distinctly uneasy. Yet so skilfully
+had he woven, his illusion of dependence on her that she shook it off with
+a tender and maternal smile.
+
+"Poor boy," she murmured. "He is so unhappy and alone!"
+
+Sansome was an accomplished equestrian. Finding that Nan knew nothing
+whatever about riding, he procured her a gentle horse, and took the
+greatest trouble and pleasure in teaching her. She proved apt, for she had
+good natural control of her body. After the first uncertainty and the first
+stiffness had worn off, she delighted in long rides toward different parts
+of the peninsula. Gringo, now a full-grown dog inclining toward the
+shepherd more than anything else, delighted in them, too. He ranged far and
+wide in front of the horses, exploring every ditch and thicket, wallowing
+happily in every mudhole, returning occasionally to roll his comical eyes
+at them as though to say, "Aren't we having a good time?" for Gringo was a
+dog with a sense of humour. On these excursions she renewed acquaintance
+with the sand dunes, and the little cańons with birds, and the broad beach
+at low tide on which it was glorious to gallop. Once or twice they even
+stopped at the little rancho where the Keiths had lunched. There Nan,
+through Sansome, who talked Spanish, was able to communicate with her
+kindly hosts; and Gringo met his honoured but rather snappy mother. The
+mother disowned him utterly. As the days grew shorter they often rode on
+the Presidio hills, watching the sun set beyond the Golden Gate.
+
+One such evening they had reined up their horses atop one of the hills next
+the Gate. The sun had set somewhere beyond the headlands. Tamalpais was
+deep pink with the glow; the water in the Gate was pale lilac; the sky
+close to the horizon burned orange, but above turned to a pale green that
+made with its lucent colour alone infinite depths and spaces. Below, the
+darker waters twisted and turned with the tide. The western headlands were
+black silhouettes.
+
+"Oh, but it is beautiful!" she said at last.
+
+"Yes, it is beautiful," he agreed somberly; "but when one is lonely,
+somehow it hurts."
+
+There ensued a short, tense silence, broken only by the soft rolling of the
+bit wheels in the horses' mouths.
+
+"Yes," she agreed softly, after a moment, "I feel that, too. Yet sometimes
+I wonder if one doesn't see and feel more keenly when one is not too
+happy--" She hesitated.
+
+"Yes, yes! Go on!" he urged in a low voice. His tone, his attitude,
+suddenly seemed to envelop her with understanding. He appeared to offer her
+aid, chivalrous aid, although no word was spoken. She had not quite meant
+it that way; in fact, her thought was to offer _him_ sympathy. But somehow
+it was grateful. It would do no harm to enjoy it, secretly, for a moment.
+His unexpressed sympathy--for what she would have been unable to say--was
+attractive to her isolation.
+
+Often on returning from these rides she asked him in for a cup of tea.
+Occasionally, when she was overheated, or damp from the fog, she would
+excuse herself and slip into a soft negligee. With lamp and fire lit they
+made a very cozy tęte-ŕ-tęte. He smoked contemplatively; she stitched at
+the inevitable embroidery of the period. Occasionally they talked
+animatedly; quite as frequently they sat in sociable silence. Gringo slept
+by the fire dreaming of rabbits and things, his hind legs twitching as he
+triumphantly ran them down. One evening she caught sight of a rip in the
+sewing of his tobacco pouch. In spite of his protests, she insisted on
+sewing it up for him. She was conscious of his eyes on her while she plied
+the needle, and felt somehow very feminine and sure of her power.
+
+"There!" she cried, when she had finished. "You certainly do need somebody
+to take care of you!"
+
+He took it without spoken thanks, and put it slowly away in his pocket--as
+though, he would have kissed it. A pregnant silence followed, he sitting
+staring at her, she jabbing the needle idly into the arm of her chair.
+Suddenly, as though taking a tremendous resolution, he spoke:
+
+"Nan, I am going to ask you a question. You must not be offended. Do you
+really love your husband?" At her hasty movement he hurried on: "I imagine
+I feel something unsatisfied about you--besides, lots of women don't."
+
+As he probably expected, her indignation was thoroughly aroused. He took
+his castigation and dismissal meekly, and found some interest in the
+ensuing negotiations toward reconciliation. No one knew better than he how
+to sue for forgiveness. But he was quite satisfied to have implanted the
+idea, for Ben Sansome was content with slow coral-insect progress. A busy
+man, engaged in men's occupations, would never have had the patience for
+this leisurely establishment of atmosphere and influence; his impatience or
+passion would have betrayed him to an early outbreak. But with Sansome it
+was the practice of a fine art. He knew just how far to go. No one could
+more skilfully ingratiate himself in small ways. He always knew what gown
+she should wear or had worn, and always commented appreciatively on what
+she had on. Keith merely knew vaguely whether she looked well or ill.
+Sansome noticed and praised little things--her well-shod feet, the red
+lights in her hair, an unusual flower in her belt. He knew every hat she
+owned, and he had his well-marked preferences. He never made direct love,
+nor attempted to touch her. She felt the growing attraction, enjoyed it,
+but did not analyze it. She merely considered Ben Sansome as "nice," as
+needing guidance, as romantic----
+
+Occasionally, after seeing more than usual of him, some feeling of reaction
+or some faint stirring of conscience would impel her--perhaps to convince
+herself of the harmlessness of it all--to make an especial effort to draw
+her husband out of his preoccupation into more human relations. She dressed
+with great care, earlier than usual; she gathered flowers for the vases,
+she fussed about lighting lamps, placing ash trays and chairs, generally
+arranging the setting for his welcome home. The preparations kindled her
+own enthusiasm. She became herself quite worked up in anticipation. When
+she heard his step, she ran to meet him in the hall. Keith happened to be
+tired to the point of exhaustion.
+
+"Good heavens!" was his comment; "are we having company to-night? Why all
+the clothes and illumination?"
+
+His relaxed, dispirited manner of removing and hanging up his coat reacted
+upon her instantly. Her high spirits sank to the depths. They ate their
+meal in almost complete silence. Nan could not help visualizing Sansome's
+appreciation of such an occasion.
+
+
+
+
+XXXI
+
+
+The new coherence in society began to manifest itself in one important way:
+public gambling declined. In the "old days" it was said that everybody but
+clergymen frequented the big gambling halls. They were a sort of club. But
+now the most influential citizens began to stay away. Probably they gambled
+as much as ever, but they took such pleasures in private. Two or three only
+of the larger places remained in business. Save for them, open gambling was
+confined to the low dives near the water front. There was no definite
+movement against the practice. It merely fell off gradually.
+
+During these busy years the Sherwoods had quite methodically continued to
+lead their customary lives. He read his morning paper on the veranda of the
+Bella Union, talked his leisurely politics, drove his horses, and in the
+evening attended to his business. She drove abroad, received her men
+friends, gave them impartial advice and help in their difficulties, dressed
+well, and carried on a life of many small activities. The Sherwoods were
+always an attractive looking and imposing couple, whenever they appeared.
+About three or four times a year they drove into the residential part of
+town and made a half-dozen formal calls--on the Keiths among others.
+Probably their lives were more nearly ordered on a routine than those of
+any other people in the new city.
+
+One afternoon Sherwood came in at the usual hour, deposited his high hat
+carefully on the table, flicked the dust off his boots, and remarked
+casually:
+
+"Patsy, I've sold the business."
+
+Mrs. Sherwood was pinning on her hat. She stopped short, her hand halfway
+to her head, as though turned to marble. After a moment she asked in a
+quick, stifled voice:
+
+"What do you mean?"
+
+"Well," replied Sherwood, continuing methodically to readjust his dress,
+"I've been thinking for some time that times were changing. The gambling
+business is losing tone. I don't see the same class of people I used to
+see. Public sentiment--of the very best people, I mean--is drifting away
+from it. In the future, in my judgment, it's not going to pay as it ought.
+I've been thinking these things for some time. So when a bona fide
+purchaser came along----"
+
+But he got no further. With a smothered cry she let her arms drop. Her
+customary poise had vanished. She flung herself on him, laughing, crying,
+gasping.
+
+"Why, Patsy! Patsy!" he cried, patting her small, sleek head as it pressed
+against his shoulder. "What is it, dearie? Tell me? What's wrong?"
+
+He was vastly perturbed and anxious, for she was not at all the type that
+loses control readily.
+
+"Nothing! nothing!" she gasped. "I'll be all right in a minute. Don't mind
+me. Just let me alone. Only you told me so suddenly----"
+
+"Don't you want me to sell?" he asked, utterly bewildered.
+
+Gradually he gathered from her disjointed exclamations that this was just
+the one thing she had wanted, secretly, for years; the thing she had
+schooled herself not to hope for; the last thing in the world she had
+expected. And to his astonishment he gathered further that now she was free
+she could take her place with the other women----
+
+"But I hadn't the slightest idea you wanted to!" he interrupted at this
+point. "You've never showed any signs of paying the slightest attention to
+them before!"
+
+She was drying her eyes, and looking a little happily foolish.
+
+"I knew better than to give them a chance to snub me," she told him. "Now
+I'm respectable."
+
+But at this Sherwood reared his crest.
+
+"Respectable!" he snorted, "What do you mean? Haven't you always been
+respectable? I'd like to see anybody who would hint--"
+
+"You're a dear, but you're a man," she broke in more calmly. "Don't you
+know that a gambler's wife isn't respectable--in their sense of the word?"
+
+"But every mother's son of them gambles!" cried Sherwood. "It's a perfectly
+legal and legitimate occupation!"
+
+"The men do; we'd always get along if it was only a question of the men.
+But the women make distinctions--"
+
+"Look here!" he broke out wrathfully. "There's Dick Blatchford mixed up in
+dirty work for dirty money I wouldn't lay my fingers on; and Terry, or
+Brannan, or McGowan, or all the rest of the boodling, land-grabbing,
+pettifogging crew! Why, if I made my living or spare cash the way that gang
+of pirates and cutthroats do I'd carry a pair of handcuffs for myself.
+Honest! Respectable! I've got no kick on their methods; it's, none of my
+business. But their wives are all right. I don't see it!"
+
+"It's all names, I acknowledge," she soothed, "just names, I attach no more
+weight to them than you do. Don't you suppose I'd have said something if I
+had thought you were doing anything wrong? But that's the way they play the
+game, and it is their game. If we play it we've got to accept their rules.
+Don't you see?"
+
+"Well, it's a mighty poor game," grumbled Sherwood, "and they strike me as
+an exceptionally stupid lot of women. They'd drive me to drink. I don't see
+what you want to bother with them for."
+
+"They are," she agreed. "They won't amuse me much--you couldn't understand
+--it's just the _idea_ of it--But I won't be looked down on, even by my
+inferiors! Tell me, Jack, when we sell the business are we going to be
+wealthy, will we have plenty of money?"
+
+A hurt look came into his fine, straightforward eyes.
+
+"Haven't you always had all you wanted, Patsy?" he inquired.
+
+"Of course I have, you old goose! But I want to know what our resources are
+before I plan my campaign."
+
+"Going in up to your neck, are you?" he commented ruefully.
+
+She nodded. Her eyes were bright, and a spot of colour glowed in either
+cheek.
+
+"Course I am. What can I spend?"
+
+"You can have whatever you want."
+
+"That's too vague, too indefinite. How rich--or poor--are we going to be?"
+
+"We'll be rich enough."
+
+"Very?"
+
+"Well--yes, very. The business has paid, investments have panned out. I got
+a good cash purchase price."
+
+"How much can I spend a year?" she persisted. "It doesn't matter whether
+it's much or little, but I want to know."
+
+"What a mercenary little creature!" he cried facetiously, then sobered as
+he saw by the expression of her face that this, apparently trivial thing
+meant a great deal to her. "Oh, fifty thousand or so won't cripple us."
+
+"A year?" she breathed, awed.
+
+He nodded.
+
+"Oh!" she cried rapidly. "Then we'll have a house--a house built for our
+very own selves, our very own plans!"
+
+"Why, I thought we were very comfortable here!" he protested, a little
+dismayed. "Haven't we room enough? I'll make Rebinot cut a door----"
+
+"No! no! no! a house of my own!" She was on fire with excitement, walking
+restlessly up and down. He watched her a moment or so. His slower
+imagination was kindling. He was beginning to grasp the symbolism of it,
+what it meant to her, the release of long-pent secret desires. As she
+passed him, he seized her and drew her gently to his knee.
+
+"Patsy!" he cried contritely, "I didn't realize! I didn't guess you weren't
+perfectly contented here!"
+
+She brushed his cheek with hers.
+
+"Of course you didn't," she reassured him.
+
+"If you'd the slightest----"
+
+She threw her head back proudly, her breast swelled.
+
+"I married you to lead your life. Jack, whatever it was," she told him, "to
+be your _help_mate."
+
+"You're the game little sportsman in this town!" he cried. "And if you want
+to make those flub-dubs crawl, by God you sail in! I'll back you!"
+
+Ten minutes later she asked him:
+
+"What are you going to do, yourself, Jack? Somehow, I can't imagine you
+idle."
+
+"Well," said Sherwood, "the boys are organizing a stock exchange, and it
+struck me that it might be a good idea if I went into that."
+
+She began to laugh softly, in affectionate amusement.
+
+"Stop it!" he commanded indignantly. "I know that laugh, What have I done
+now?"
+
+"I was just thinking what a nice, _respectable_ gambler you are going to be
+now," she said, "It's in your blood, Jack, and I love it--but it's funny!"
+
+
+
+
+XXXII
+
+
+But now, at the very sources, the full flood of the somewhat turbid tide of
+prosperity was beginning to fail. The ebb had not yet reached the civic
+consciousness. It would have required a philosopher, and a detached
+philosopher at that, to have connected cause and effect, to have forecast
+the inevitable trend of events. If there were any philosophers they were
+not detached! Nobody had discovered the simple truth that extravagance,
+graft, waste, cost money; and that the money must come from somewhere.
+Realization on its property and taxes were the twin sources of the city's
+revenues. The property was now about all sold or swindled away. Remained
+the taxes. And it is a self-evident truth that people will pay high taxes
+cheerfully only so long as they themselves are making plenty of money
+easily.
+
+Up to this period such had been the case. Prices had been high, wages had
+been high, opportunities had been many. Enormous profits had been the rule.
+Everybody had invariably made money. These conditions upset the mental
+balance of the shipping merchants back East. A madness seemed to obsess
+them for sending goods to California. The mere rumour of a want or a lack
+was answered by immense shipments of that particular commodity. The first
+cargo to arrive supplied the want; all the rest simply broke the market. It
+was a gamble as to who should get there first. The immediate and
+picturesque consequence was a fleet of beautiful clipper ships, built like
+racing yachts, with long clean lines and snowy sails. They made
+extraordinarily fast voyages, and they promptly condemned to death the old-
+fashioned, slow freight carriers. Indeed, four-hundred odd of these
+actually rotted at anchor in the bay; it had not paid to move them! Some of
+these clippers gained vast reputations: the _Flying Cloud_, the _White
+Squall_, the _Typhoon_, the _Trade Wind_. The markets were continually in a
+state of glut with goods sold at auction. This condition tightened the
+money market, which in turn reacted on other branches of industry. Again,
+the great fires of '49-'53 resulted in the erection of too many fireproof
+buildings. Storage was needed, and rentals were high, so everybody plunged
+on storehouses. By '54 many hundreds of them stood vacant, representing
+loss. At that period the first abundance of the placers began to fall off.
+
+Agriculture was beginning to be undertaken seriously; and while this would
+be an ultimate source of wealth, its immediate effect was to diminish the
+demand for imported foodstuffs--another blow to a purely mercantile city.
+
+All this made for excitement, some immediate gain, but a sure ultimate
+loss. Markets fluctuated wildly. A ship in sight threw operators into a
+fever. No one knew what she might be carrying, or how she would, affect
+prices. It was, therefore, positively unsafe to keep-many goods is stock.
+Quick, immediate sales were the rule. And failures were many.
+
+Now in these middle fifties the pinch was beginning at last to itself felt.
+Everybody was a little vague about it all, and nobody had gone so far as to
+formulate his dissatisfactions or his remedies. The tangible result was the
+formation of two as yet inchoate elements, representing the extremes of
+ideas and of interests.
+
+The first of these elements--that can with equal justice be called the
+parasitic or the middleman class--consisted in itself of several sorts of
+people. The nucleus was a small, intellectually honest set of men who
+believed, in the law _per se_, in the sacredness of formal institutions in
+the constitution, and in the subservience of the individual to the
+institution. This was temperamental. Behind them were many much larger
+groups of those needed either the interpretation or the protection of the
+law for their private interests. These were of all sorts from honest
+literal-minded dealers, through shady contractors and operators, down to
+grafters and the very lowest type of strong-arm bullies. The tone and
+respectability came from the first, the practical results from the second.
+The first class had a genuine intellectual contempt for men whose minds
+could not see--or at least would not accept--the same subtleties that it
+did. Its members were fond of such phrases as the "lawless mob," or the
+"subversion of time-honoured institutions." This small, subjectively
+honest, conservative, specially trained element must not be forgotten in
+the final estimate of what later came to be known as the "Law and Order"
+party.
+
+On the other hand was first of all an equally small nucleus of thinking men
+whose respect for the law, merely as law, was not so profound; men who
+were, reluctantly, willing to admit that when law completely broke down in
+encompassing justice, individualism was justified in stepping in. Behind
+them was a vast body of more or less unthinking men who recognized the
+indubitable facts that the law had become a farce, that justice had
+degenerated to tricks, and who were, therefore, instinctively against law,
+lawyers, and everybody who had anything to do with them.
+
+Strangely enough this made for lawlessness on both sides. Those who
+believed in "law and order" committed crime or misdemeanour or mere
+injustice, sure of escape through some technicality. Those who distrusted
+courts administered justice illegally with their own hands! Nor was this
+merely in theory. San Francisco at that time was undoubtedly the most
+corrupt and lawless city in the world. Street shootings, duels, robberies,
+ballot-box stuffing, bribery, all the crimes traceable to a supine police
+and venal or technical courts were actually so commonplace as to command
+but two or three lines in the daily papers. Justice was completely
+smothered under technicalities and delays.
+
+The situation would have been intolerable to any people less busy than the
+people of that time. For political corruption in a vigorous body politic is
+not, as pessimists would have us believer an indication of incipient decay,
+but only an indication that a busy people are willing to pay that price to
+be left alone, to be relieved of the administration of their public
+affairs, When they get less busy, or the price in corruption becomes too
+high, then they refuse to pay. The price Francisco was paying becoming very
+high, not only in money, but in other and spiritual things. She could still
+afford to pay it; but at the least pressure she would no longer afford it.
+Then she would act.
+
+
+
+
+XXXIII
+
+
+In the second year of his residence Keith had a minor adventure that
+shifted a portion of his activities to other fields. He was in attendance
+at a council meeting, following the interests of certain clients. The
+evening was warm, the proceedings dull. Opened windows let in the sounds
+from the Plaza and a night air that occasionally flared the smoky lamps.
+The clerk's voice was droning away at some routine when the outer door
+opened and a most extraordinary quartette entered the chamber. Three of
+these were the ordinary, ragged, discouraged, emaciated, diseased "bums,"
+only too common in that city. In early California a man either succeeded or
+he failed into a dark abyss of complete discouragement; the new
+civilization had little use for weaklings. The fourth man can be no better
+described than in the words of a chronicler of the period. Says the worthy
+diarist:
+
+"He was a man of medium stature, slender but very graceful, with almost
+effeminate hands and feet--the former scrupulously kept, the latter neatly
+shod--and with a certain air of fragility; very soft blue eyes with sleepy
+lids; a classically correct nose; short upper lip; rosy, moist lips. His
+clothes: a claret-coloured coat, neither dress nor frock, but mixed of both
+fashions, with a velvet collar and brass buttons; a black vest, double
+breasted; iron-gray pantaloons; fresh, well-starched, and very fine linen;
+plain black cravat, negligently tied; a cambric handkerchief; and dark kid
+gloves. He wore gold spectacles, and carried a malacca cane."
+
+Instead of slipping into the seats provided for spectators, this striking
+individual marched boldly to the open space before the mayor's chair,
+followed, shamefaced and shambling, by the three bums.
+
+"Your honours and gentlemen," he cried in a clear, ringing voice, to the
+scandal of the interrupted legislators, "we are very sick and hungry and
+helpless and wretched. If somebody does not do something for us, we shall
+die; and that would be bad, considering how far we have come, and how hard
+it was to get here, and how short a time we have been here, and that we
+have not had a fair chance. All we ask is a fair chance, and we say again,
+upon our honour, gentlemen, if somebody does not do something for us, we
+shall die, or we shall be setting fire to the town first and cutting all
+our throats."
+
+He stood leaning lightly against his malacca cane, surveying them through
+his sleepy blue eyes. The first astonishment over, they took up a
+collection, after the customary careless, generous fashion. The young man
+saluted with his cane, and herded his three exhibits out.
+
+Keith, much struck, followed them, overtaking the quartette on the street.
+
+"My name is Keith," he said, "I should like to make your acquaintance."
+
+"Mine is Krafft," replied the unknown, "and I am delighted to accept your
+proffer."
+
+He said nothing more until he had marshalled his charges, into a cheap
+eating-house, ordered and paid for a supper, and divided the remainder of
+the amount collected. Then he dusted his fingers daintily with a fine
+handkerchief, and sauntered out into the street, swinging his malacca cane.
+
+"Incidents of that sort restore one's faith in the generosity of our
+people," Keith remarked, in order to say something.
+
+"Nobody has been generous," denied Krafft categorically, "and no particular
+good has been accomplished. Filled their bellies for this evening; given
+them a place to sleep for this night; that's all."
+
+"That's something," ventured Keith. "It helps."
+
+"The only way to help we have not undertaken. We have done nothing toward
+finding out why there are such creatures--in a place like this. That's the
+only way to help them: find out why they are, and then remove the why."
+
+This commonplace of modern charity was then a brand-new thought. Keith had
+never heard it expressed, and he was much interested.
+
+"I suppose there are always the weak and the useless," he said vaguely.
+
+"If those men were wholly weak and useless, how did they get out here?"
+countered Krafft. "To compass such a journey takes a certain energy, a
+certain sum of money, a certain fund of hope. The money goes, the energy
+drains, the hope fades. Why?"
+
+They stopped at a corner.
+
+"I live just near here," said Krafft. "If you will honour me."
+
+He led the way down a narrow dark alley, along which they had fairly to
+grope their way. It debouched, however, into the forgotten centre of the
+square. All the edges had been built close with brick stores, warehouses,
+and office buildings. But in the very middle had been left a waste piece of
+ground, occupied only by a garden and a low one-room abode, with a veranda
+and a red-tiled roof. Under the moonlight and the black shadows from the
+modern buildings it slept amid its bright flowers with the ancient air of
+another world. Krafft turned a key and lighted a lamp. Keith found himself
+in a small, neat room, with heavy beams, fireplace, and deep embrasured
+windows. An iron bed, two chairs, a table, a screen, a shelf of books, and
+a wardrobe were its sole furnishings. In the fireplace had been laid, but
+not lighted, a fire of sagebrush roots.
+
+Krafft touched a match to the roots, which instantly leaped into eager and
+aromatic flames. From a shelf he took a new clay pipe which he handed to
+Keith.
+
+"Tobacco is in that jar," he said.
+
+He himself filled and lighted a big porcelain pipe with wexelwood stem.
+
+"What would you do about it?" asked Keith, continuing the discussion.
+
+"What would you most want, if you were those poor men?" retorted Krafft,
+blowing a huge cloud.
+
+Keith laughed.
+
+"Drink, food, clothes, bed," he stated succinctly.
+
+"And work wherewith to get them," supplemented Krafft.
+
+Keith laughed again.
+
+"Not if I know their sort! Work is the one thing they _don't_ want."
+
+Krafft leaned forward, and tapped the table with one of his long
+forefingers,
+
+"The lazy part of them, the earthen part of them, the dross of them--yes,
+perhaps. But let us concede to them a spark that smoulders, way down deep
+within them--a spark of which they think they are ashamed, which they do
+not themselves realize the existence of except occasionally. What is the
+deep need of them? It is to feel that they are still of use, that they
+amount to something, that they are men. That more than mere food and
+warmth. Is it not so?"
+
+"I believe you're right," said Keith, impressed.
+
+"Then," said Krafft triumphantly, "it _is_ work they want, work that is
+useful and worth paying for."
+
+"But there's plenty of work to be had," objected Keith, after a moment. "In
+fact, there's more work in this town than there are men to do it."
+
+"True, But it is the hard work these men have failed at. It is too hard.
+They try; they are discouraged; they fall again, and perhaps they never get
+up. Such men must be led, must be watched, must be stopped within their
+strength."
+
+"Who's there to do that sort of dry nursing of bums?" demanded Keith with a
+half laugh.
+
+"He who would help," said Krafft quietly.
+
+They smoked for some time in silence; then Keith arose to go.
+
+"It is a big idea; it requires thought," said he ruminativeiy. "You are a
+recent arrival, Mr. Krafft? What is your line of activity?"
+
+The slight, elegant little man smiled.
+
+"I am one of the--what is it you called, them--bums of whom we talk. I try
+to do what is within my power, within my strength-lest I, too, become
+discouraged, lest I, too, fall again--and not get up."
+
+"I have not seen you about anywhere," said Keith, puzzled by this speech.
+
+"I do not go anywhere; I should be eaten. You do not understand me, and I
+am a poor host to talk in riddles. I am a philosopher, not a man of action;
+egotist, not an egoist; one who cannot swim in your strong waters. As I
+said, one of that same class whom your bounty helped this evening."
+
+"Good Lord, man!" cried Keith, looking about the little room. "You're not
+in want?"
+
+Krafft laughed gently.
+
+"In your sense, no. I have my meals. Enough of me. Go, and think of what I
+say."
+
+Keith did so, and the result was the first organized charity in San
+Francisco. Since 1849 men had always been exceptionally generous in
+responding to appeals for money. Huge sums could easily be raised at any
+time. Hospitals and almshouses dated from the first. But having given,
+these pioneers invariably forgot. The erection of the buildings cost more
+than they should, and management being venal, conditions soon became
+disgraceful. Alms reached the professional pauper. The miner or immigrant,
+diseased, discouraged, out of luck, more often died--either actually or
+morally.
+
+So much had this first interview caught his interest that Keith dropped in
+on his new acquaintance quite often. It soon became evident that Krafft
+lived in what might be called decent poverty. The one fine rig-out in which
+he made his public appearances was most carefully preserved. Indoors he
+always promptly assumed a dressing-gown, a skull cap with a gold tassel,
+and his great porcelain pipe. His meals he cooked for himself. Never did he
+leave his house until about three o'clock. Then, spick and span,
+exquisitely appointed, he sauntered forth swinging his malacca cane. After
+a promenade of several hours he returned again to his dressing-gown, his
+porcelain pipe, and his books. Keith enjoyed hugely his detached,
+reflective, philosophical, spectator-of-life conversation. They talked on
+many subjects besides sociology. At his fourth visit Krafft made a
+suggestion.
+
+"You shall come with me and see," said he.
+
+He led the way to the water front under Telegraph Hill, the newest and the
+most squalid part of town. The shallow water was in slow process of being
+filled in by sand from the grading uptown and with all sorts of
+miscellaneous debris, Pending solidity, this sketchy real estate swarmed
+with squatters. There were lots sunken below the street level, filled with
+stagnant water, discarded garments, old boxes, ashes, and rubbish; houses
+huddled closely together with stale water beneath; there were muddy alleys;
+murderous cheap saloons; cheaper gambling joints; rickety, sagging
+tenements. The people corresponded to their habitations. All the low
+elements lurked here, the thugs, strong-arm men, the hold-ups, the heelers,
+the weaklings, the bums, the diseased. In ordinary times they here dwelt in
+a twilight existence; but at periods of excitement--as when the city
+burned--they swarmed out like rats for plunder.
+
+Krafft held his way steadily to the wharves. There he left the causeway and
+descended to the level of the beach. Beneath the pilings, and above the
+high-water mark, was a little hut. It was not over six feet square,
+constructed of all sorts of old pieces of boxes, scraps of tin, or remnants
+of canvas. Overhead rumbled continuously the heavy drays, shaking down,
+through the cracks the dust of the roadway. Against one outside wall of
+this crazy structure an old man sat, chair tilted in the sun. Even the
+chair was a curiosity, miraculously held together by wires. The man was
+very old, and very feeble, his knotted hands clasping a short, black clay
+pipe. Inside the hut Keith, saw a rough bunk on which lay jumbled a quilt
+and a piece of canvas.
+
+"Well, John," greeted Krafft cheerfully, "I've brought a friend to see
+you."
+
+The old man turned on Keith a twinkling blue eye.
+
+"Glad to see you," he said briefly.
+
+"Getting on?" pursued Krafft.
+
+"Fine."
+
+"Here's a new kind of tobacco I want you to try. I should value your
+opinion."
+
+Keith's hand wandered toward his pocket, but stopped at a sharp look from
+Krafft. After a moment's chat they withdrew.
+
+"What a pathetic old figure! What utter misery!" cried Keith.
+
+"No!" said Krafft positively. "There you are wrong. Old John is in no need
+of us. He has his house and his bed, and he gets his food. How, I do not
+know, but he gets it. The spark is burning clear and steady. He has not
+lost his grip. He gets his living with confidence. Let him alone."
+
+"But he must be very miserable--especially when it rains," persisted Keith.
+
+Krafft shrugged his shoulders.
+
+"As to that, I know not," he returned indifferently. "That does not matter
+to the soul. I will now show you another man."
+
+They retraced their steps. On a corner of Montgomery Street Krafft stopped
+before a one-armed beggar, the stump exposed, a placard around his neck.
+
+"Now here's another John," said Krafft. "What he wants is work, and
+somebody to see that he does it."
+
+The one-armed beggar, who was fat, with a good-natured countenance,
+evidently considered this a joke. He grinned cheerfully.
+
+"Don't have to, guvenor," said he.
+
+"How much did you take in yesterday, John?" asked Krafft; then, catching
+the beggar's look of suspicion, he added, "This is a friend of mine; he's
+all right."
+
+"Twenty-two dollars," replied the beggar proudly. "Pretty good day's
+wages!"
+
+"I'm afraid the spark is about out with you, John," said Krafft
+thoughtfully. He walked on a few steps, then turned back. "John," he asked,
+"what is your contribution to society?"
+
+The beggar stared, uncertain of this new chaff.
+
+"The true theory of business, John, is that traffic which does not result
+In reciprocal advantages to buyer and seller is illegitimate, or at least
+abnormal."
+
+They walked on, Keith laughing at the expression on the beggar's face.
+
+"That was considerably over his head," he observed.
+
+Nothing more was said for half a block.
+
+"I wonder if it was over yours," then said Krafft, unexpectedly.
+
+"Eh?" ejaculated Keith, bewildered.
+
+These walks with Krafft finally resulted in the institution of a fund which
+Keith raised and put into Krafft's hands for intelligent use. The effects
+were so interesting that Keith, thoroughly fascinated, began to pester his
+friends for positions for some of his protégés. As he was well-liked and in
+earnest, these efforts were taken good-humourediy.
+
+"Here comes Milt Keith," said John Webb to Bert Taylor. "Bet you a beaver
+hat he's got a highly educated college professor that he wants a job for."
+
+"'A light job, not beyond his powers,'" quoted Taylor.
+
+"Like cleaning genteel spittoons," supplemented Webb.
+
+"The engine house is full of 'em polishing brass," complained Taylor.
+
+"Well, he's a young felly, and I like him," concluded Webb heartily.
+
+Of course many of the experiments failed, but fewer than might have been
+anticipated. Part of Krafft's task was to keep in touch with the men. His
+detached, philosophical method of encouragement and analysis of the
+situation seemed just the thing they needed.
+
+
+
+
+XXXIV
+
+
+These activities gave Keith just the required door out into a world other
+than his own. Were it not for something of the sort he might, like many
+modern corporation lawyers, have confined himself entirely to his own
+class. And this, of course, would eventually have meant narrowness.
+
+But through Krafft, and especially through his desire to help Krafft's
+work, he came in contact with all sorts of people; and, what was more
+important, he found that he liked a great many of them. So it happened that
+when it seemed expedient to the ruling caste to put him in as Assistant
+District Attorney, his inevitable election met with wider approval than
+such elections usually enjoy.
+
+For it must be understood that in the fifties any candidate selected by the
+ruling caste was absolutely sure of election. The machinery was thoroughly
+in their hands. Diplomacy in party caucuses, delicate manipulation at
+primaries, were backed by cruder methods if need be. Associations were
+semi-publically formed for the sale of votes; gangs of men were driven from
+one precinct to another, voting in all; intimidation, and, indeed, open
+violence, was freely used. Only the most adventurous or the most determined
+thought it worth while even to try to vote in the rough precincts. And if
+the first and second lines of defence failed, there was still the third to
+fall back on when the booths were dosed and the ballots counted: the boxes
+could still be "stuffed," the count could still be scientifically juggled
+to bring about any desired result.
+
+This particular election was one of the worst in the history of the place.
+All day fighting was kept up, and the rowdies swaggered everywhere. Whiskey
+was to be had for the asking; and the roughs who surrounded the polls fired
+shots, and in some places started what might fairly be called riots. Yankee
+Sullivan returned James Casey as elected supervisor, which was probably a
+mistake, for Casey was not a candidate, his name was on none of the
+official ballots, and nobody could be found who had voted for him.
+Everybody was surprised, Casey most of all! The sixth ward count was
+delayed unconscionably, its returns being withheld until nearly morning. It
+was more than hinted that this delay was prolonged until the returns had
+been received from all other precincts, so that any deficiencies might be
+made up by the sixth. The "slate" went through unbroken.
+
+Of all the candidates, Keith received the most votes, for the simple reason
+that his total included both the honest and dishonest ballots. Blanchford,
+Neil, Palmer, Adams, all the political overlords of the city were
+satisfied, as well they might be, for they had issued the fiat that he be
+chosen.
+
+"He's one of us," said they.
+
+But what was more unusual, the rank and file of decent, busy, hard-working
+citizens approved, too.
+
+"Keith is not stuck up," they told each other. "He is the _commonest_ man
+in that bunch. And he's square."
+
+The position carried some social as well as political significance. Society
+made another effort to take him up. His rare appearances were rather in the
+nature of concessions. They served to make him more regretted, for he had
+an easy, jolly way of moving from one group or one woman to another, of
+paying flattering, monopolizing, brief attention to each in turn, and then
+disappearing, very early! His bold rather florid countenance radiated
+energy and quizzical good humour; his tight, closely curled hair crisped
+with virile alertness; he carried himself taut and eager--altogether a
+figure to engage the curiosities of women or the interest of men.
+
+Mrs. Sherwood alone was shrewd enough to penetrate to his true feelings.
+She had experienced no difficulty in pushing to a social leadership shared
+--indolently and indifferently--with Nan Keith. Already her past was
+growing dim in a tradition kept alive only by a few whisperers. Her wealth,
+her natural tact and poise, her calm assumption of the right to rule, her
+great personal charm, beauty, and taste were more than sufficient to get
+her what she wanted. The game was almost too easy, when one held the cards.
+
+"Yes, he's very charming," she told her husband, "but that manner of his
+does not impress me. As a matter of fact, he doesn't care a snap of his
+finger about any of them. He does it too well. It's a stencil. Only the
+outside of him does it. He's just as bad as you are; only _he_ doesn't hold
+up a corner of the doorway all the evening, and beam vaguely in general,
+like a good-natured, dear old owl."
+
+
+
+
+XXXV
+
+
+A few clear-headed men--not the "chivalry," as the fire-eating professional
+politicians and lawyers from the South were almost uniformly designated--
+were able to see exactly the problem that must eventually demand Keith's
+solution. Some of them talked it over while lounging and smoking in the
+Fire Queen reading-room. There were present Talbot Ward and his huge
+satellite, Munro; Coleman, quiet, grim, complacent, but looking, with his
+sweeping, inky moustache and his florid, complexion, like a flashy "sport";
+Hossfros, soon to become an historic character; and the banker, James King
+of William.
+
+The latter had recently come in for considerable public discussion. He had
+for some time conducted a banking business, but becoming involved in
+difficulties, he had turned over all his assets, all his personal fortune,
+even his dwelling-house, to another bank as trustee to take care of his
+debts. Almost immediately after, that bank had failed. Opinion in the
+community divided according to the interests involved. The majority
+considered that King had been almost quixotically conscientious in
+stripping himself; but there did not lack those who accused him of sharp
+practice. In the course of ensuing discussions and recriminations King was
+challenged to a duel. He declined to fight, basing his refusal on
+principle. As may be imagined, such an action at such a time was even more
+widely commented upon than even his refusal to take advantage of the
+bankruptcy laws. It was, as far as known, the first time any one had had
+the moral courage to refuse a duel. King had gone quietly about his
+business, taking an ordinary clerkship with Palmer, Cook & Co. In the eyes
+of the discriminating few he had gained prestige, but most people thought
+him down and out.
+
+"What do you think of our new Assistant District Attorney?" Ward had begun
+the conversation.
+
+"He's a lawyer," growled Hossfros.
+
+"A pretty fairly honest one, I think," ventured King. "His training may be
+wrong, but his instincts are right."
+
+"Fat chance anything's got when it mixes up with legalities," supplemented
+Frank Munro.
+
+"Nevertheless," remarked Coleman seriously, "I believe plain justice has
+more of a chance with him in charge than with another."
+
+"What sort of justice?" queried King. "Commercial?" He laughed in answer to
+his own question. "Criminal? I'd like to think it, gentlemen, but I cannot.
+You know as well as I do that any of us could this evening go into the
+streets, select our victim, and shoot him down secure in the knowledge that
+inconvenience is all the punishment we need expect--if we have money or
+friends. Am I not right, Coleman?"
+
+Coleman smiled sardonically, lifting his blue-black moustache.
+
+"Were Herod for the slaughter of the Innocents brought before a jury of
+this town, he would be acquitted," he said half-seriously. "Judas Iscariot
+would pass unscathed so long as any portion of his thirty pieces of silver
+remained with him."
+
+They laughed at this remarkable pronouncement, but with an undernote of
+seriousness.
+
+"No man, even exceptionally equipped as this young man seems to be," went
+on Coleman after a moment, "can accomplish _that_"--he snapped his fingers
+--"against organized forces such as those of 'Law and Order.'"
+
+"We can't stand this sort of thing forever!" cried Hossfros hotly. "It's
+getting worse and worse!"
+
+"We probably shall not stand it forever," agreed Coleman equably, "but we
+are powerless--at present."
+
+They looked toward him for explanation of this last.
+
+"When the people at large find that _they_ cannot stand it either, then we
+shall be no longer powerless. A single man can do something then--a single
+child!"
+
+"What will happen then?" asked Munro. "Vigilantes? '51 again?"
+
+Coleman, the leader of the Vigilantes of '51, turned on him a grave eye.
+
+"God forbid! We were then a frontier community. We are now an organized,
+civilized city. We have rights and powers through the regular channels--at
+the ballot box for example."
+
+Hossfros laughed skeptically.
+
+"It must wait," continued Coleman; "it must wait on public opinion."
+
+"Well," spoke up King, "it's all very well to wait, but public opinion left
+to itself is a mighty slow growth. It should be fostered. The newspapers--"
+
+"Don't let's lose our sense of humour," cut in Talbot Ward. "Can you see
+Charley Nugent or Mike Rowlee crusading for the right?"
+
+"But my point is good," insisted King. "An honest, fearless editor, not
+afraid to call a spade a spade--"
+
+"Would be shot," said Coleman briefly.
+
+"The chances of war," replied King.
+
+"They don't grow that kind around here," grinned Ward.
+
+"Well," concluded Coleman, "this young Keith probably won't help any, but
+he's going to be interesting to watch, just the same, to see what he'll do
+the first time they crack the whip over him. That's the vital point as far
+as he is concerned."
+
+
+
+
+XXXVI
+
+
+Keith's activities did not immediately confront him with anything in the
+nature of a test, however. His superiors confined him to the drawing of
+briefs and the carrying through of carefully selected cases. It was
+considered well to "work him in" a little before putting responsibility on
+him.
+
+He enjoyed it, for now he had at his call all the civil and police
+resources of the city. This gave him a pleasant feeling of power. He was at
+the centre of things. And through his office he came into contact with
+ever-widening circles of people, all of whom were disposed, even anxious,
+to treat him well, to get in his good graces. Possibly most of these were
+what we would call the worst elements; and by that we would mean not only
+the roughnecks of the police or sheriff's offices, but also the
+punctilious, smooth-mannered Southerners who practically monopolized the
+political offices. These men would have been little considered in the
+South; in fact, in many cases, they had left their native states under a
+cloud or even with prison records; but their natural charm, their audacity,
+and their great punctilio as to "honour" deeply impressed the ordinary
+citizen. As one chronicler of the times puts it, they had "fluency in
+harangue, vigour in invective, ostentatious courage, absolute confidence
+about all matters of morals, politics, and propriety"--which is an
+excellent thumbnail sketch. Many of these ex-jailbirds rose to wealth and
+influence, so that to this day the sound of their names means aristocracy
+and birth to those ignorant of local history. Their descendants may be seen
+to-day ruffling it proudly on the strength of their "birth!"
+
+They, and the classes they directly and indirectly encouraged, had at last
+brought the city fairly on the financial rocks. There was no more revenue.
+Everything taxable had been taxed. The poll tax was out of all reason;
+property paid 4 per cent. on an actual valuation; theatres, bankers,
+brokers, freight, miners, merchants, hotel, keepers, incorporations, every
+form of industry was levied upon heavily. Still that was not enough. Even
+labour was paid now in scrip so depreciated that the cost of the simplest
+public works was terrible.
+
+And to heap up the measure, the year of 1855 was one of financial
+stringency. The season of '54-'55 had been one of drought. For lack of
+water most of the mining had ceased. The miners wanted to be trusted for
+their daily needs; the country stores had to have credit because the miners
+could not pay; and so on up to the wholesalers in the city. Goods were
+therefore sold cheap at auction, and the gold went East to pay at the
+source. Money, actual physical money, became scarce. The gold was gone, and
+there existed no institution legally entitled to issue the paper money that
+might have taken its place. All the banking was done by private firms.
+These took deposits, made loans, issued exchange, but could not issue
+banknotes.
+
+Still, things had looked a bit squally many times before, but nothing had
+happened. Men had the habit of optimism. No one stopped to analyze the
+situation, to realize that the very good reason nothing had happened was
+that the city had always had behind it the strength of the mines, and that
+now the mines had withdrawn.
+
+Out of a clear sky came the announcement that Adams & Co. had failed!
+
+At first nobody believed it. Adams & Co. had occupied in men's minds from
+the start much the same position as the Bank of England. The confirmation
+of the news caused the wildest panic and excitement. If Adams & Co. were
+vulnerable, nobody was secure. Small merchants began to call in their
+credits. The city caught up eagerly every item of news. All the assets of
+the bankrupt firm were turned over to Alfred Cohen as receiver. Some
+interested people did not trust Cohen. They made enough of a fuss to get H.
+M. Naglee appointed in Cohen's place. Naglee, demanding the assets, was
+told they had been deposited with Palmer, Cook & Co. The latter refused to
+give them up, denying Naglee's jurisdiction in the matter. The case was
+brought into court. Then suddenly it was found that Palmer, Cook & Co. had
+mysteriously lost their paramount interest in the courts. They had counted
+on the case being brought before their own judges; but it was cited before
+Judges Hazen and Park, both of whom, while ultra-technical, were honest.
+The truth of the matter was that the rats suspected Palmer, Cook & Co. of
+sinking, too, and had deserted. Judges Hazen and Park called upon the firm
+to turn over to Naglee the assets of Adams & Co. They still refused. One of
+the partners, named Jones, and Cohen were imprisoned. Some where $269,000
+was missing. Nobody knew anything about it. The books having to do with the
+transaction had mysteriously disappeared. Two days later an Irishman found
+them floating in the bay, and brought them to the court. But the crucial
+pages were missing. And then suddenly, while both Judge Hazen and Judge
+Park were out of town, application was made to the Supreme Court--of which
+Judge Terry was head--for the release of Jones and Cohen. The application
+was granted.
+
+So an immense sum of money disappeared; nobody was punished; it was all
+strictly legal; and yet the dullest labourer could see that the whole
+transaction amounted to robbery under arms. Failures resulted right and
+left. Wells Fargo & Co. closed their doors, but resumed within a few days.
+A great many pocketbooks were hit. There was much talk and excitement.
+
+
+
+
+XXXVII
+
+
+On an evening in October, returning home at an early hour, Keith found Nan
+indignant and excited. She held in her hand a tiny newspaper, not half the
+usual size, consisting only of a single sheet folded.
+
+"Have you seen this?" she burst out as Keith entered. "Isn't it
+outrageous!"
+
+Keith was tired, and sank into an easy chair with a sigh of relaxation.
+
+"No, what is it?" he asked, reaching his hand for the paper. "Oh, the new
+paper. I saw them selling it on the street yesterday."
+
+It was the _Bulletin_, Vol. 1, No. 2. Like all papers of that day, and like
+some of the English papers now, its first page was completely covered with
+small advertisements. A thin driblet of short local items occupied a column
+on the third and fourth pages, a single column of editorial on the second.
+
+"Seems a piffling little sheet," he observed, "to be read in about eight
+seconds by any one not interested in advertisements. What is it that
+agitates you, Nan?"
+
+"Read that." She pointed to the editorial.
+
+The article in question proved to be an attack on Palmer, Cook & Co. It
+said nothing whatever about the Cohen-Naglee robbery. Its subject was the
+excessive rentals charged the public by Palmer, Cook & Co. for postal
+boxes. But it mentioned names, recorded specific instances, avoided
+generalities, and stated plainly that this was merely beginning at the
+beginning in an exposé of the methods of these "Uriah Heeps."
+
+"Why do they permit such things?" cried Nan, scarcely waiting for Keith to
+finish his reading, "What is Mr. Palmer going to do about it?"
+
+"Survive, I guess," replied Keith, with a grin. "I take back my opinion of
+the paper. It certainly has life." He turned to the head of the page.
+"Hullo!" he cried in surprise. "James King of William running this, eh?" He
+whistled, then laughed. "That promises to be interesting, sure. He was in
+business with that crowd for some time. He ought to have information from
+the inside!"
+
+"Mrs. Palmer is simply furious," said Nan.
+
+"I'll bet she is. Are we invited out this evening?"
+
+"The Thurstons' musicale. I thought you'd be interested in that."
+
+"Let me off, Nan, that's a good fellow," pleaded Keith, whose weariness had
+vanished. "I'd be delighted to go at any other time. But this is too rich.
+I must see what the gang has to say."
+
+"I suppose I could drop Ben Sansome a note," assented Nan doubtfully.
+
+"Do! Send the Chink around with it," urged Keith, rising. "I'll get a bite
+downtown and not bother you."
+
+The gang--as indeed the whole city--took it as a great joke. Of those Keith
+met, only Jones, the junior partner, failed to see the humour, and he
+passed the affair off in cavalier fashion. That did not save him from the
+obligation of setting up the drinks.
+
+"I'm going to fix this thing up in the morning," he stated confidently.
+"Between you and me, there's evidently been a slip somewhere. Of course it
+ought never to have been allowed to go so far. I'll see this man King first
+thing in the morning, and buy him off. Undoubtedly that's about the only
+reason his paper exists. Wonder where he got the money to start it? He's
+busted. It can't last long."
+
+"If it keeps up the present gait, it'll last," said Judge Caldwell
+shrewdly. "Me--I'm going to send in a subscription tomorrow. Wouldn't miss
+it for anything."
+
+"It'll last as long as he does," growled Terry, "and that'll be about as
+long as a snowball in hell. What you ought to do, Jones, is what any man of
+spirit ought to do--call him out!"
+
+"He announces definitely that he won't fight duels," said Calhoun Bennett.
+
+"Then treat him like the cowardly hound he is," flared the uncompromising
+Terry. "Take the whip to him; and if that isn't effective, shoot him down
+as you would any other mad dog!"
+
+"Surely, that's a little extreme, Judge," expostulated Caldwell. "He hasn't
+done anything worse than stir up Jonesy a little."
+
+"But he will, sir," insisted Terry, "you mark my words. If you give him
+line, he'll not only hang himself, but he'll rope in a lot of bystanders as
+well."
+
+"I'll bet he sells a lot of papers to-morrow, anyhow," predicted Keith.
+
+"I hope so," bragged Jones. "There'll be the more to read his apology."
+
+Evidently Jones fulfilled his promise, and quite as evidently Keith's
+prediction was verified. Every man on the street had a copy of the next
+day's _Bulletin_ within twenty minutes of issue.
+
+A roar of delight went up. Jones's visit was reported simply as an item of
+news, faithfully, sarcastically, and pompously. There was no comment. Even
+the most faithful partisans of Palmer, Cook & Co. had to grin at the
+effectiveness of this new way of meeting the impact of such a visit,
+
+"It's clever journalism," Terry admitted, "but it's blackguardly; and I
+blame Jones for passing it over."
+
+The fourth number--eagerly purchased--proved more interesting because of
+its hints of future disclosures rather than for its actual information.
+Broderick was mentioned by name. The attention of the city marshal was
+succinctly called to the disorderly houses and the statutes concerning
+them; and it was added, "for his information," that at a certain address a
+structure was actually building at a cost of $30,000 for improper purposes.
+Then followed a list of personal bonds and sureties for which Palmer, Cook
+& Co. were standing voucher, amounting to over two millions.
+
+The expectations of disclosures, thus aroused, were not immediately
+gratified, except in the case of Broderick. His swindles in the matters of
+the Jenny Lind Theatre and the City Hall were traced out in detail. Every
+one knew these things were done, but nobody knew just how; so these
+disclosures made interesting reading if only as food for natural curiosity.
+However, the tension somewhat relaxed. It was generally considered that the
+coarse fibre of the ex-stone-cutter, the old Tammany heeler, and the thick
+skins of his political adherents could stand this sort of thing. Nobody
+with a sensitive honour to protect was assailed.
+
+The position of the new paper was by now firmly established. It had a large
+subscription list; it was eagerly bought on the streets; and its
+advertising was increasing. King again turned his attention to Palmer, Cook
+& Co. Each day he treated succinctly, clearly, without rhetoric, some
+branch of their business. By the time he had finished with them he had not
+only exposed their iniquities, he had educated the public to an
+understanding of the financial methods of the times. His tilting at this
+banking firm had inevitably led him to criticism of certain of their
+subterfuges to avoid or take advantage of the law; and that as inevitably
+brought him to analysis and condemnation of the firm's legal advisers,
+James, Doyle, Barber & Boyd, a firm which had heretofore enjoyed a good
+reputation. Incidentally he called attention to duelling, venal newspapers,
+city sales, gambling, Billy Mulligan, Wooley Kearney, Casey, Cora, Yankee
+Sullivan, Martin Gallagher, Tom Cunningham, Ned McGowan, Charles Duane, and
+many other worthies, both of high and low degree. Never did he fear to name
+names and cite specific instances plainly. James King of William dealt in
+no innuendoes. He had found in himself the editor he had wished for, the
+man who would call a spade a spade.
+
+The _Bulletin_ twice enlarged its form. It sold by the thousand. Its weapon
+of defence was the same as its weapon of offence--pitiless and complete
+publicity. Measures of reprisal, either direct or underhand, undertaken
+against him, King published often without comment.
+
+At the first some of the cooler heads thought it might be well to reason
+with him.
+
+"The man has run a muck," said old Judge Girvin, "and while I am far from
+denying that In many--perhaps in most--cases his facts are correct, still
+his methods make for lawlessness among the masses. It might be well to meet
+him reasonably, and to expostulate."
+
+"I'd expostulate--with a blacksnake," growled the fiery Terry.
+
+A number waited on King. Keith was among them. They found his office in a
+small ramshackle frame building, situated in the middle instead of
+alongside one of the back streets. It had probably been one of the early
+small dwelling-houses, marooned by a resurvey of the streets, and never
+since moved. King sat in his shirtsleeves before a small flat table. He
+looked up at them uncompromisingly from his wide-apart steady eyes.
+
+"Gentlemen," he greeted them tentatively.
+
+Judge Girvin seated himself impressively, his fat legs well apart, his
+beaver hat and cane poised in his left hand; the others, grouped themselves
+back of him. The judge stated the moderate case well. "We do not deny any
+man the right to his opinion," he concluded, "but have you reflected on the
+effect such an expression often has on the minds of those not trained to
+control?"
+
+King listened to him in silence.
+
+"It seems to me, sir," he answered, when Judge Girvin had quite finished,
+"that if abuses exist they should be exposed until they are remedied; and
+that the remedy should come from the law."
+
+"What is your impelling motive?" asked the judge. "Why have you so suddenly
+taken up this form of activity? Do you feel aggrieved in any way--
+personally?"
+
+"My motive in starting a newspaper, if that is what you mean, is the plain
+one of making an honest if modest living. And, incidentally, while doing
+so, I have some small idea of being of public use. I have no personal
+grievance; but I am aggrieved, as every decent man must be, at the way the
+lawyers, the big financial operators, and the other blackguards have robbed
+the city," stated King plainly.
+
+Judge Girvin, flushing, arose with dignity,
+
+"I wish you good-day, sir," he said coldly, and at once withdrew.
+
+Keith had been watching King with the keenly critical, detached, analytical
+speculation of the lawyer. He carried away with him the impression of a man
+inspired.
+
+At the engine house, to which the discomfited delegation withdrew, there
+was more discussion.
+
+"The man is within his legal rights so far," stated Judge Girvin. "If any
+of his statements are libellous, it is the duty of the man so libelled to
+institute action in the courts."
+
+"He's too smooth for that," growled Jones.
+
+"He'll bite off more than he can chew, if he keeps on," said Dick
+Blatchford comfortably. "He's stirring up hornets' nests when he monkeys
+with men like Yankee Sullivan. He's about due for an awful scare, one of
+these days, and then he'll be good."
+
+"Do you know, I don't believe he'll scare," said Keith suddenly, with
+conviction.
+
+
+
+
+XXXVIII
+
+
+As Keith surmised, intimidation had no effect. In such a city of fire-
+eaters it was promptly tried. A dozen publically announced that they
+thirsted for his blood, and intended to have it; and the records of the
+dozen were of determination and courage in such matters. In the gambling
+resorts and on the streets bets were made and pools formed on the probable
+duration of King's life. He took prompt notice of this fact. Said the
+_Bulletin's_ editorial column:
+
+ Bets are now being offered, we are told, that the editor of the
+ _Bulletin_ will not be in existence twenty days longer, and the case
+ of Doctor Hogan, of the Vicksburg paper, who was murdered by gamblers
+ of that place, is cited as a warning. Pah! War, then, is the cry, is
+ it? War between the prostitutes and gamblers on one side, and the
+ virtuous and respectable on the other! Be it so, then! Gamblers of San
+ Francisco, you have made your election, and we are ready on our side
+ for the issue!
+
+Keith read this over John Sherwood's shoulder at the
+Monumental. The ex-gambler, his famous benign spectacles atop his nose,
+chuckled over it.
+
+"He doesn't scare for a cent, does he?" was his comment. "Strikes me I got
+out of the ranks of the ungodly just in time. If I were still gambling, I
+believe I'd take some of those bets he speaks of. He won't last--in this
+town. But I like his pluck--kind of. Only he's damn bad for business!"
+
+Saying which, John Sherwood, late gambler but now sincerely believing
+himself a sound and conservative business man, passed the sheet over to
+Keith.
+
+From vague threats the situation developed rapidly to the definite and
+personal. One Selover sent a challenge to King, which was refused. Selover
+then announced his intention of killing King on sight. The _Bulletin_
+published this:
+
+  Mr. Selover, it is said, carries a knife. We carry a pistol. We hope
+  neither will be required, but if this encounter cannot be avoided, why
+  will Mr. Selover insist on imperilling the lives of others? We pass
+  every afternoon, about half-past four to five o'clock, along Market
+  Street from Fourth to Fifth streets. The road is wide, and not so much
+  frequented as those streets farther in town. If we are to be shot or
+  cut to pieces, for heaven's sake let it be done there. Others will not
+  be injured, and in case we fall, our house is but a few hundred yards
+  beyond, and the cemetery not much farther.
+
+These detailed attacks and bold defiances had the effect of greatly
+angering those who were the specific objects of attention; of making very
+uneasy the class to which these victims belonged; of focussing on public
+matters a public sentiment that was just becoming conscious of itself
+because of the pinch of hard times; and of rendering contemptuously
+indignant all of "higher" society.
+
+To this latter category Keith would undoubtedly have belonged--as did his
+wife and practically all his friends--had it not been for his association
+with Krafft. Through him the young lawyer came into intimate personal touch
+with a large class of people who would otherwise have been remote from him.
+He heard of their difficulties and problems at first hand, saw the actual
+effect of abuses that, looked at from above, were abstract or academic.
+Police brutality as a phrase carried little significance; police brutality
+as a clubbing of Malachi Hogan, who was brought in with his skull crushed,
+and whose blood stained Keith's new coat, meant something. Waste of public
+funds, translated before his eyes into eviction for nonpayment of taxes,
+took on a new significance. Keith saw plainly that a reform was needed. He
+was not, on that account, in the least sympathetic with King's methods.
+Like Judge Girvin, he felt them revolutionary and subversive. But he could
+not share the contempt of his class; rather he respected the editor as a
+sincere but mistaken man. When his name came up for discussion or bitter
+vituperation, Keith was silent. He read the _Bulletin_ editorials; and
+while he in no way endorsed their conclusions or recommendations, he could
+not but acknowledge their general accuracy. Without his knowing it, he was
+being educated. He came to realize the need for better administration by
+the city's officers and a better enforcement of the laws. Very quietly,
+deep down within himself, he made up his mind that in the Assistant
+District Attorney's office, at least, the old order of things should cease.
+
+
+
+
+XXXIX
+
+
+One afternoon Keith walked down Kearney Street deep in discussion of an
+important Federal case with his friend, Billy Richardson, the United States
+Marshal. Although both just and an official, Richardson was popular with
+all classes save those with whom his duty brought him into conflict. They
+found their way deliberately blocked, and came out of the absorption of
+their discussion to recognize before them Charles Cora, an Italian gambler
+of considerable prominence and wealth. Cora was a small, dark man,
+nervously built, dressed neatly and carefully in the height of gambler
+fashion. He seemed to be terribly excited, and at once launched a stream of
+oaths at Richardson.
+
+"What's the matter with you, Charley?" asked the latter, as soon as he had
+recovered from his surprise.
+
+Cora, evidently too incoherent to speak, leaped at the marshal, his fist
+drawn back. Keith seized him around the body, holding his arms to his
+sides.
+
+"Hold on; take it easy!" he panted. "What's up, anyway?"
+
+Cora, struggling violently, gritted out:
+
+"He knows damn well what's up."
+
+"I'll swear I don't!" denied Richardson.
+
+"Then what do you mean telling every one that my Belle insulted your wife
+last night at the opera house?" demanded Cora, ceasing to struggle.
+
+"Belle?" repeated Richardson equably. "I don't know what you're talking
+about. Be reasonable. Explain yourself."
+
+"Yes, I got it straight," insisted the Italian. "Your wife says it insults
+her to sit next to my Belle, and you go everywhere telling it. What right
+you got to do that? Answer me that!"
+
+"Now look here," said Richardson. "I was with Jim Scott all last evening.
+My wife wasn't with me. If you don't believe me, go ask Scotty."
+
+Cora had apparently cooled off, so Keith released him. He shook his head,
+grumbling, only half convinced. After a moment he moved away. The two men
+watched him go, half vexed, half amused.
+
+"He's crazy as a pup about that woman," observed Richardson.
+
+"Who is she?" inquired Keith.
+
+"Why, Belle--you know Belle, the one who keeps that, crib up your way."
+
+"That woman!" marvelled Keith.
+
+He spent the afternoon in court and in his office. About half-past six, on
+his way home, he saw Cora and Richardson come out of the Blue Wing saloon
+together. They were talking earnestly, and stopped in the square of light
+from the window. Richardson was explaining, and Cora was listening
+sullenly. As Keith passed them he heard, the marshal say, "Well, is it all
+right?" and Cora reply, "Yes." Something caused him to look back after he
+had gone a dozen yards. He saw Cora suddenly seize Richardson's collar with
+his left hand, at the same time drawing a derringer with his right.
+
+"What are you going to do?" cried Richardson loudly and steadily, without
+straggling, "Don't shoot; I am unarmed!"
+
+Without reply Cora fired into his breast. The marshal wilted, but with iron
+strength Cora continued for several moments to hold up his victim by the
+collar. Then he let the body drop, and moved away at a fast walk, the
+derringer still in his right hand.
+
+Keith ran to his friend, and with others carried him into a nearby drug
+store. The sound of the shot almost immediately brought out a crowd. Keith,
+bending over the body of the murdered man, could see them pressing about
+the windows outside, their faces showing white from the lamps in the drug-
+store window or fading into the darkness  beyond. They crowded through the
+doorway until driven out again by some of the cooler heads. Conjectures and
+inquiries flew thick. All sorts of reports were current of the details, but
+the crowd had the main facts--Cora had shot Richardson, Richardson was
+dead, Cora had been taken to jail.
+
+"Then he's safe!" they sneered savagely.
+
+Men had been shot on the streets before, many men, some of them as well
+known and liked as Richardson; but not after public sentiment had been
+aroused as the _Bulletin_ had aroused it. The crowds continued to gather.
+Several men made violent street-corner speeches. There was some talk of
+lynching. A storm of yes and no burst forth when the question was put.
+Bells rang. A great mob surged to the jail, were firmly met by a strong
+armed guard, and fell back muttering.
+
+"Who will be the next victim?" men asked. "What a farce!" cried some, in
+deep disgust. "Why, the jailer is Cora's especial crony!" stated others,
+who seemed to know. "If the jury is packed, hang the jury!" advised certain
+far-seeing ones. A grim, quiet, black-bearded man expressed the
+undercurrent of opinion: "Mark my words," said he, "if Charles Cora is left
+for trial, he will be let loose on the community to assassinate his third
+victim!" It seemed that Cora had been involved in a previous shooting
+scrape. But to swing a mob to action there must be determined men at its
+head, and this mob had no leaders. Sam Brannan started to say something in
+his coarse, roaring voice, and was promptly arrested for inciting a riot.
+Nobody cared enough seriously for the redoubtable Sam to object to this.
+The situation was ticklish, but the police handled it tactfully for once,
+opposing only a passive opposition, leaving the crowd to fritter its
+energies in purposeless cursing, surging to and fro, and in harmless
+threats.
+
+Keith did not join the throngs on the streets. Having determined that
+Richardson was dead, he accompanied the body home. He was deeply stirred,
+not only by the circumstances of the murder, but also by the scene at which
+he had to assist when the news must be broken to Mrs. Richardson. From the
+house he went directly to King's residence, where he was told that the
+editor had gone downtown. After considerable search and inquiry he at last
+got sight of his man standing atop a wooden awning overlooking the Plaza in
+front of the jail. King nodded to him as he climbed out of the second-story
+window to take his position at the newspaper man's side.
+
+The square was a wild sight, filled, packed with men, a crowd of men tossed
+in constant motion. A mumbling growl came from them continuously, and
+occasionally a shout. Many hands were upraised, and in some of them were
+weapons. Opposite, the blank front of the jail.
+
+King's eyes were shining with interest and a certain quiet exultation, but
+he seemed not at all excited.
+
+"Will they storm the jail?" asked Keith.
+
+King shook his head.
+
+"No, these people will do nothing. But they show the spirit of the time.
+All it needs now is organization, cool, deliberate organization--to-
+morrow."
+
+"That's just what I've hunted you out to talk about," said Keith earnestly.
+"There is much talk of a Vigilance Committee. As you say, all it needs is
+the call. That means lawlessness, bloodshed."
+
+"Conditions at present are intolerable," said King briefly.
+
+"I agree with you," replied Keith. King stared. "But in this case I assure
+you the law will do its duty. It is an absolutely open and shut case.
+Acquittal is impossible. Why, I myself was witness of the affair."
+
+King looked skeptical.
+
+"Hundreds of such cases have been acquitted, or the indictment quashed."
+
+"But this is entirely different. In the first place, the case will come
+before Judge Norton and Judge Hazen, both of whom you will acknowledge are
+honest. In the second place, this case will be in my hands as Assistant
+District Attorney. I myself shall do the prosecuting, and I promise you on
+my honour that every effort will be made for a deserved and speedy
+conviction. I acknowledge justice has sometimes gone wrong in the past; but
+that has not been the fault of the law, but of the administration of the
+law. If you have the least confidence in Judge Norton and Judge Hazen, and
+if you can be brought to believe me, you will see that this one case of all
+cases should not be taken from the constituted authorities or made the
+basis for a movement outside the law."
+
+"Well?" said King, half convinced.
+
+"The _Bulletin_ has the greatest influence with these people. Use it. Give
+the law, the honest law, a chance. Do not get back of any Vigilante
+movement. In that way, I am convinced, you will be of the greatest public
+service."
+
+Next day the _Bulletin_ came out vigorously counselling dependence on the
+law, expressing confidence in the integrity of Hazen and Norton, and
+enunciating a personal belief that the day had passed when it would be
+necessary to resort to arbitrary measures. The mob's anger had possessed
+vitality enough to keep it up all night; but the attitude of the
+_Bulletin_, backed by responsible men like Ward, Coleman, Hossiros,
+Bluxome, and others, averted a crisis. Nevertheless, King added a paragraph
+of warning:
+
+Hang Billy Mulligan! That's the word! If Mr. Sheriff Scannell does not
+remove Billy Mulligan from his present post as keeper of the county jail,
+and Mulligan lets Cora escape, hang Billy Mulligan, and if necessary to get
+rid of the sheriff, hang him--hang the sheriff!
+
+
+
+
+XL
+
+
+The popular excitement gradually died. It had no leaders. Coleman and men
+of his stamp, who had taken command of similar crises in former times,
+counselled moderation. They were influenced, partly by the fact that
+Richardson had been a public official and a popular one. Conviction seemed
+certain.
+
+Keith applied himself heart and soul to the case. Its preparation seemed to
+him, at first an easy matter. It was open and shut. Although at the moment
+of the murder the street had not been crowded, a half-dozen eye-witnesses
+of the actual shooting were easily found, willing to testify to the
+essential facts. No defence seemed possible, but Cora remained undisturbed.
+He had retained one of the most brilliant lawyers of the time, James
+McDougall. This fact in itself might have warned Keith, for McDougall had
+the reputation of avoiding lost causes and empty purses. The lawyer
+promptly took as counsel the most brilliant of the younger men, Jimmy Ware,
+Allyn Lane, and Keith's friend, Calhoun Bennett. This meant money, and
+plenty of it, for all of these were expensive men. The exact source of the
+money was uncertain; but it was known that Belle was advancing liberally
+for her lover, and that James Casey, bound by some mysterious obligation,
+was active in taking up collections. Cora lived in great luxury at the
+jail. He had long been a personal friend of Sheriff Webb and his first
+deputy, Billy Mulligan.
+
+Several months passed before the case could be forced to trial. All sorts
+of legal and technical expedients were used to defer action. McDougall and
+his legal assistants were skilful players at the game, and the points they
+advanced had to be fought out according to the rules, each a separate
+little case with plenty of its own technicalities. Some of Keith's
+witnesses were difficult to hold; they had business elsewhere, and
+naturally resented being compelled, through no fault of their own, to
+remain. Keith had always looked on this play of legal rapiers as a part--an
+interesting part--of the game; but heretofore he had always been on the
+obstructing side. He worried a great deal. At length, by superhuman
+efforts, he broke through the thicket of technicalities and brought the
+matter to an issue. The day was set. He returned home so relieved in spirit
+that Nan could not but remark on his buoyancy.
+
+"Yes," he responded, "I've managed to drive that old rascal, McDougall,
+into the open at last."
+
+Nan caught at the epithet.
+
+"But you don't mean that--quite--do you?" she asked. "The McDougalls are
+such delightful people."
+
+"No, of course not. Just law talk," said Keith, quite sincerely. "He's
+handled his case well up to now. I'm just exasperated on that account,
+that's all."
+
+But setting the day irrevocably was only a beginning. The jury had to be
+selected. Sheriff Webb had in his hands the calling of the venire. While it
+was true that the old-time, "professional jurymen"--men who hung around the
+courthouse for no other purpose--were no longer in existence, it can be
+readily seen that Webb was able, if it were worth while, to exercise a
+judicious eye in the selection of "amenables." The early exhaustion of
+Keith's quota of peremptory challenges was significant, for McDougall
+rarely found it desirable to challenge at all! Keith displayed tremendous
+resource in last-moment detective work concerning the records of the panel.
+In this way he was enabled to challenge several for cause, after all his
+peremptory challenges had been used. At first he had great difficulty in
+getting results, for the police detectives proved supine. It was only after
+he had hired private agents, paying for them from his own pocket, that he
+obtained information on which he could act. The final result was a jury
+better than he had dared hope for, but worse than he desired. He had gone
+through a tremendous labour, and realized fully the difference between
+being for or against the powers.
+
+The case came to trial, Keith presented six witnesses--respectable, one of
+them well-known. These testified to the same simple facts, and their
+testimony remained unshaken under cross-examination. McDougall offered the
+plea of self-defence. He brought a cloud of witnesses to swear that Cora
+had drawn his weapon only after Richardson had produced and cocked a
+pistol. By skilful technical delays Keith gained time for his detectives,
+and succeeded in showing that two of these witnesses had been elsewhere at
+the time of the killing, and therefore had perjured themselves. He recalled
+his own witnesses, and found two willing to swear that Richardson's hands
+had been empty and hanging at his sides, The defence did not trouble to
+cross-examine this statement.
+
+At last, with a perfunctory judicial charge, the case went to the jury.
+Keith, weary to the bone, sat back in grateful relaxation. He had worked
+hard, against odds, and had done a good job. He was willing now to spare a
+little professional admiration for McDougall's skilful legal manoeuvring.
+There could be no earthly doubt of the result. He idly watched the big
+bland-faced clock, with its long second hand moving forward by spaced
+jerks. The jury was out a very long time for so simple a verdict, but that
+was a habit of California juries. It did not worry Keith. He was glad to
+rest. The judge stared at the ceiling, his hands clasped over his stomach.
+Cora's lawyers talked together in a low voice. Flies buzzed against dusty
+window-panes. The spectators watched apathetically. Belle, in a ravishing
+toilet, was there.
+
+The opening of the door broke the spell almost rudely. Keith sat up,
+listening to the formal questions and answers. They had disagreed!
+
+For a moment the import of this did not penetrate to Keith's understanding.
+Then he half rose, shouted "What!" and sank back stunned. His brain was in
+confusion. Only dimly did he hear the judge dismissing the jury, remanding
+Cora for retrial, adjourning court. Instantly Cora was surrounded by a
+congratulatory crowd. Keith sat alone. McDougall, gathering up his papers
+from the table assigned to counsel, made some facetious remark. Keith did
+not reply. McDougall looked at him sharply, and as he went out he remarked
+to Casey:
+
+"Keith takes this hard."
+
+"He does!" cried Casey, genuinely astonished. "They were trying to tell me
+he was altogether too active in this matter; but I told them he was young
+and had his way to make, and was playing to the gallery."
+
+He sauntered across the room.
+
+"Well, Milt," he cried in a jovial voice, but watching the young lawyer
+narrowly, "the Lord's on the side of true virtue, as usual."
+
+Keith came to himself, scowled, started to say something, but refrained
+with an obvious effort.
+
+Casey wandered back to McDougall.
+
+"You're right, Mac," he said. "I guess he's got the swell head. We'll have
+to call him off gently, or he'll make a nuisance of himself at the next
+trial. He makes altogether too much trouble."
+
+But McDougall was tolerant.
+
+"Oh, let him alone, Jim. He's got his way to make. Let him alone. We can
+handle the situation."
+
+
+
+
+XLI
+
+
+Keith left the courtroom in a daze of incredulity. This was his first
+serious defeat; and he could not understand it. The case was absolutely
+open and shut, a mere question of fact to which there were sufficient and
+competent witnesses. For the moment he was completely routed.
+
+As he emerged to the busy crowds on Kearney Street a sudden repugnance to
+meeting acquaintances overcame him. He turned off toward the bay, making
+his way by the back streets, alleys, and slums of that unsavoury quarter.
+But even here he was not to escape. He had not gone two blocks before he
+descried Krafft's slight and elegant figure sauntering toward him. Keith
+braced himself for the inevitable question.
+
+"Well," it came, "how goes the trial?"
+
+The words released Keith's pent flood of bitterness. Here was an outlet;
+Krafft was "safe." He poured out his disappointment, his suspicion, his
+indignation. The little man listened to him in silence, a slight smile,
+sketching his full, red lips. When Keith had somewhat run down, Krafft,
+without a word, took him by the arm and led him by devious ways down to the
+water-front portion of the city. There he planted him near the entrance of
+a dark alley.
+
+"Now you wait here," Keith was told.
+
+Keith obeyed. The interval was long, but he had much to occupy his mind.
+After a time Krafft returned in company with a slouching, drink-sodden
+bummer of powerful build and lowering mien, the remains of a forceful
+personality. This individual shambled along in the wake of the dapper
+little Krafft quite meekly and submissively.
+
+"Here you are," said the latter briskly, and with a sort of nonchalant
+authority. "Come, now, Mex, tell Mr, Keith what you know about the Cora
+trial. Go on!" he urged, as the man hesitated. "He's not going to 'use'
+you--he doesn't even know who you are or where you're to be found, and I'm
+not going to tell him. Speak up, Mex! I tell you I want him to know how
+things stand."
+
+Keith by now was acquainted with many of Krafft's protégés, but he had
+never met the delectable Mex. Evidently the latter had long known Krafft,
+however, for he acknowledged his authority unquestioningly.
+
+"It's like this, boss," he began in a hoarse voice. "You don't know me,
+like Mr. Krafft says, but there's plenty that do. I got a lot of infloonce
+down here, and when anybody wants anything they know where to come to get
+it, which is right to headquarters--here," he slapped his great chest.
+
+"Get on," interrupted Krafft impatiently. "We'll take it for granted that
+you are a great man."
+
+Mex looked at him reproachfully, but went on:
+
+"About this Cora trial: they come to me for good, reliable witnesses, and I
+got 'em, and drilled 'em. There ain't nobody in it with me for making any
+witness watertight."
+
+"How many witnesses?" prompted Krafft.
+
+"Eight," replied Mex promptly.
+
+"How much?"
+
+"Well, they give me five thousand fer to git the job done," admitted Mex,
+with some reluctance.
+
+"Hope they got some of it," commented Krafft.
+
+"Who gave you the money?" demanded Keith.
+
+But Krafft interposed.
+
+"Hold on, my son, that isn't ethics at all! You mustn't ask questions like
+that, must he, Mex? Very bad form!" He turned to Keith with a crisp air of
+decision. "That's what was the matter with your trial; I just thought I'd
+show you. Go on, Mex, get out," he commanded that individual, good-
+humouredly. "I'm not particularly proud of you, but I suppose I've got to
+stand you. Only remember this: Mr. Keith is my friend. Swear him out of the
+high seats of heaven--if you can--because that's the nature of you; but let
+him walk safely. In other words, no strong-arm work; do you understand?"
+
+The man mumbled and growled something.
+
+"Nonsense, Mex," interrupted Krafft sharply. "Do as I say.
+
+"It's a matter of a tidy sum," blurted out Mex at last.
+
+Krafft laughed.
+
+"You see, you were already marked for the slaughter," he told Keith; then
+to Mex:
+
+"Well, you let him alone; he's my friend."
+
+"All right, if you say so," growled the man.
+
+"You're safe--as far as Mex and all his people are concerned," said Krafft
+to Keith. "Our word is always good, when given to a friend; isn't it, Mex?"
+
+The man nodded, awkwardly and slouched away.
+
+Keith's depression had given place to anger. He had been beaten by unfair
+means; his opponent had cheated at the game, and his opponent enjoyed the
+respect of the community as a high-minded, able, dignified member of the
+bar. It was unthinkable! A man caught cheating at cards would most
+certainly be expelled from any decent club.
+
+"I'll disbar that man if it's the last act of my life!" He cried, "He's not
+fit to practise among decent men!"
+
+He left Krafft standing on the corner and smiling quietly, and hurried back
+to his office.
+
+
+
+
+XLII
+
+
+It was unfortunate for everybody that Morrell should have chosen that
+particular afternoon to pay one of his periodical calls. Morrell had been
+tactful and judicious in his demands. Keith was not particularly afraid of
+his story or the effect of it if told, but he disliked intensely the fuss
+and bother of explanations and readjustments. It had seemed easier to let
+things drift along. The transactions were skilfully veiled, notes were
+always given, Morrell was shrewd enough to take care that it did not cost
+too much. There existed not the slightest cordiality between the men, but a
+tacit assumption of civil relations.
+
+But this afternoon the sight of Morrell, seated with what seemed to Keith a
+smug, superior, supercilious confidence in the best of the office chairs,
+was more than Keith could stand. He was bursting with anger at the world in
+general.
+
+"You here?" he barked at Morrell, without waiting for a greeting. "Well,
+I'm sick of you! Get out!"
+
+Morrell stared at him dumbfounded.
+
+"I don't believe I understand," he objected.
+
+"Get out! Get out! Get out! Is that plain enough?" shouted Keith.
+
+Morrell arose with cold dignity.
+
+"I cannot permit--" he began.
+
+Keith turned on him abruptly.
+
+"Look here, don't try to come that rot. I said, get out--and I mean it!"
+
+So menacing was his aspect that Morrell drew back toward the door.
+
+"I suppose you know what this means?" he threatened, an ugly note in his
+quiet voice.
+
+"I don't give a damn what it means," rejoined Keith with deadly
+earnestness, "and if you don't get out of here I'll throw you out!"
+
+Morrell went hastily.
+
+Keith slammed his papers into a drawer, locked it and his office door, and
+went directly to the office of the _Bulletin_. There, seated in all the
+chairs, perched on the tables and window ledges, he found a representative
+group. He recognized most of them, including James King of William,
+Coleman, Hossfros, Isaac Bluxome, Talbot Ward, and others. A dead silence
+greeted his appearance. He stopped by the door.
+
+"You have, of course, heard the news," he said. "I have come here to state
+unequivocally, and for publication, that the Cora trial will be pushed as
+rapidly and as strongly as is in the power of the District Attorney's
+office. And if legal evidence of corruption can be obtained, proceedings
+will at once be inaugurated to indict the bribe givers."
+
+A short silence followed this speech. Several men looked toward one
+another. The tension appeared to relax a trifle.
+
+"I am glad to hear this, sir, from your own lips," at last said Coleman
+formally, "and I wish you every success."
+
+Another short and rather embarrassed silence fell.
+
+"I should like to state privately to you gentlemen, and not for
+publication"--Keith, paused and glanced toward King, who nodded
+reassuringly--"that I have evidence, but unfortunately not legal, that
+James McDougall has been guilty, either personally or through agents, of
+bribery and corruption; and it is my intention to undertake his disbarment
+if I can possibly get proper evidence."
+
+"Whether he bribed or didn't bribe, he knew perfectly well that Cora was
+guilty," stated King positively. "And he had no right to take the case."
+
+But at that period this was an extreme view, as it still is in the legal
+mind.
+
+"I suppose every man has a moral right to a defence," said Coleman
+doubtfully. "If every lawyer should refuse to take Cora's case, as you say
+McDougall should have refused, why the man would have gone undefended!"
+
+"That's all right," returned King, undaunted, "He ought to have a lawyer--
+appointed by the court--to see merely that he gets a fair trial; not a
+lawyer--hired, prostituted, at a great price--to try by every technical
+means to get him off."
+
+"A lawyer must, by the ethics of his profession, take every case brought
+him, I suppose," some one enunciated the ancient doctrine.
+
+"Well, if that is the case," rejoined King hotly, "the law warps the
+thinking and the morals of any man who professes it. And if I had a son to
+place in life, I most certainly should not put him in a calling that
+deliberately trains his mind to see things that way!"
+
+"I am sorry you have so low an opinion," spoke up Keith from the doorway.
+"I am afraid I must hold the contrary as to the nobility of my chosen
+profession. It can be disgraced, I admit. That it has been disgraced, I
+agree. That it can be redeemed, I am going to prove."
+
+He bowed and left the office.
+
+
+
+
+XLIII
+
+
+Morrell went directly from Keith's office to Keith's house. He was not
+particularly angry; for some time he had expected just this result, but
+since he had threatened, he intended to accomplish. Finding Nan Keith at
+home, he plunged directly at the subject in his most direct and English
+fashion. She listened to him steadily until he had finished.
+
+"Is that all?" she then asked him quietly,
+
+"That's all," he acknowledged.
+
+She arose.
+
+"Then I will say, Mr. Morrell, that I do not believe you. I know my husband
+thoroughly, and I am beginning to know you. I believe that is my only
+comment. Good afternoon."
+
+He made a half attempt to point to her the way to corroborative evidence,
+but she swept this superbly aside, Finally he took his correct leave, half
+angry, half amused, wholly cynical, for to his mind the reason for her
+indifference to the news he brought lay in what he supposed to be her
+relations with Ben Sansome.
+
+"Bally ass!" he apostrophized himself. "Might have known how she'd take
+it."
+
+His reading of Nan's motives was, of course, incorrect. Her first feeling
+was merely a white heat of anger against Morrell, whom she had never liked.
+Perhaps after a little this emotion might have carried over into, not
+distrust, but an uneasiness as to the main issue; but before she had
+arrived at this point Keith came in to deliver an ill-timed warning. As ill
+luck would have it, and as such coincidences often come about in the most
+perverse fashion, Keith had, down the street, met some malicious fool who
+had dropped a laughing remark about Sansome. It was nothing in itself.
+Ordinarily, Keith would have paid no attention to it. To-day it clashed
+with his mood. Even now his jealousy was not stirred in the least, but his
+sense of appearances was irritated. By the time he had reached home he had
+worked up a proper indignation.
+
+"Look here, Nan," he blurted out as soon as he had closed the door behind
+him, "you're seeing too much of Sansome. Everybody's talking."
+
+"Who is everybody?" she asked very quietly.
+
+"Of course I know it's all right," he blundered ahead tactlessly--the gleam
+in her eye should have warned him that he might have omitted that
+reassurance--"but just the looks of the thing. And he's such a weak and
+wishy-washy little nonentity!"
+
+Her sense of justice aroused by this, she sprang to the defence of Sansome.
+
+"You are quite mistaken there," she said with dignity. "Men of that type
+are never understood by men of yours. He is my friend--and yours. And he
+has been very kind to both of us."
+
+"Well, just the same, you ought not to get yourself talked about," repeated
+Keith stubbornly.
+
+"Do you distrust me?" she demanded.
+
+"Heavens, no! But you don't realize how it looks to others. He's coming
+here morning, noon, and night."
+
+"It seems to me I may be the best judge of my own conduct."
+
+"Well," said Keith deliberately, "I don't know that you are. You must
+remember that you are my wife, and that you bear my name. I have something
+to say about it. I'm telling you; but if you cannot manage the matter
+properly, I'll just have to drop a hint to Sansome."
+
+At that she blazed out.
+
+"Do that and you will regret it to the last day of your life!" she flared.
+"If you'd be as careful with the name of Keith as I am, it would not
+suffer!"
+
+"What do you mean by that?" he asked? after a blank pause.
+
+She had not intended to use that weapon, but now she persisted placidly.
+
+"I mean that if our name has been talked about, it has not been because of
+any action of mine."
+
+His heart was beating wildly. In the multiplicity of fighting interests he
+had actually forgotten (for the moment) all about his office visitor. But
+he, too, had pluck.
+
+"I see you have had a call from our friend Morrell," he ventured.
+
+"Well!" she challenged.
+
+Her head was back, and her breath was short. This crisis had come upon them
+swiftly, unexpectedly, unwanted by either. Now it loomed over them in a
+terrible, because unknown, portent. Each realized that a misstep might mean
+irreparable consequences, but each felt constrained to go on. The situation
+must now be developed. Keith, faced with this new problem, lost his heat,
+and became cool, careful, wary, as when in court his faculties marshalled
+themselves. Nan, on the other hand, while well in control of her mind,
+poised on a brink.
+
+"I don't know what he told you," said Keith, the blood suffusing his face
+and spreading over his ears and neck, "but I'm going to tell you everything
+he would be justified in telling you. One evening a number of years ago, in
+company with a crowd, I went inside the doors of a disreputable place, and
+immediately came out again. It was part of a spree, and harmless. That was
+all there was to it. You believe me?" In spite of his iron control, a deep
+note of anxiety vibrated in his voice as he proffered the question.
+
+Her heart gave a leap for pride as he made this confession, his face very
+red, but his head back,  She knew he spoke the truth, the whole truth.
+
+"Of course I believe you," she said, trying to speak naturally, but with a
+mad impulse to laugh or cry. She swallowed, gripped her nerves, and went
+on. "But, naturally," she told him,
+
+"I consider myself as good a custodian of the family reputation as
+yourself."
+
+There the matter rested. By mutual but tacit consent they withdrew
+cautiously from the debated ground, each curiously haunted by a feeling
+that catastrophe had been fortunately and narrowly averted.
+
+
+
+
+XLIV
+
+
+Keith immediately moved for a retrial, and began anew his heartbreaking
+labours in forcing a way to definite action through the thorn thicket of
+technicalities. At the same time, on his own account, and very secretly, he
+commenced a search for evidence against the attorneys for the defence. By
+now he possessed certain private agents of his own whom he considered
+trustworthy.
+
+Early in his investigations he abandoned hope of getting direct evidence
+against McDougall himself. That astute lawyer had been careful to have
+nothing whatever to do with actual bribery or corruption, and he was crafty
+enough to disassociate himself from direct dealing with agents. Indeed,
+Keith himself was in some slight doubt as to whether McDougall had any
+actual detailed knowledge of the underground workings at all. But
+McDougall's. associates were a different matter. Here, little by little,
+real evidence began to accumulate, until Keith felt that he could, with
+reasonable excuse, move for an official investigation. To his genuine grief
+Calhoun Bennett seemed to be heavily involved. He could not forget that the
+young Southerner had been one of his earliest friends in the city, nor had
+he ever tried to forget the real liking he had felt for him. It was not
+difficult to recognize that according to his code Cal Bennett had merely
+played the game as the game was played, carrying out zealously the
+intentions of his superiors, availing himself of time-honoured methods,
+wholeheartedly fighting for his own side. Yet there could be no doubt that
+he had made himself criminally liable. Keith brooded much over the
+situation, but got nowhere, and so resolutely pushed it into the back of
+his mind in favour of the need of the moment.
+
+But quietly as he conducted his investigations, some rumour of them
+escaped. One afternoon he received a call from Bennett. The young man was
+evidently a little embarrassed, but intent on getting at the matter.
+
+"Look heah, Keith," he began, dropping into a chair, and leaning both arms
+on the table opposite Keith, "I don't want to say anything offensive, or
+make any disagreeable implications, or insult you by false suspicions, but
+there are various persistent rumours about, and I thought I'd better come
+to you direct."
+
+"Fire away, Cal," said Keith.
+
+"Well, it's just this: they do say yo're tryin' to fasten a criminal charge
+of bribery on me. You and I have been friends--and still are, I hope--but
+if yo're goin' gunnin' foh me, I want to know it."
+
+His face was slightly flushed, but his fine dark eyes looked hopefully to
+his friend for denial. Keith was genuinely distressed. He moved an inkwell
+to and fro, and did not look up; but his voice was steady and determined as
+he replied:
+
+"I'm not gunning for you, Cal, and I wish to heaven you weren't mixed up in
+this mess." He looked up. "But I _am_ gunning for crooked work in this Cora
+case!"
+
+Bennett took his arms from the table, and sat erect.
+
+"Do you mean to imply, suh, that I am guilty of crooked work?" he inquired,
+a new edge of formality in his voice.
+
+"No, no, of course not!" hastened Keith. "I hadn't thought of you in that
+connection! I am just looking the whole matter up----"
+
+"Well, suh, I strongly advise you to drop it," interrupted Bennett curtly.
+
+"But why?"
+
+"It isn't ethical. You will find great resentment among yo' colleagues of
+the bar at the implication conveyed by yo' so-called investigation, suh."
+
+Calhoun Bennett had become stiff and formal. Keith still tried desperately
+to be reasonable and conciliatory.
+
+"But if there proves to be nothing out of the way," he urged, "surely no
+one could have anything to fear or object to."
+
+"Nobody has anything to fear in any case," said Bennett, "but any
+gentleman--and I, most decidedly--would object to the implication."
+
+At this Keith, stiffened a little in his turn.
+
+"I am sorry we differ on that point, I have good reason to believe there
+has been crooked work somewhere in this Cora trial. I do not know who has
+done it; I accuse nobody; but in the public office I hold it seems my plain
+duty to investigate."
+
+"Yo' public duty is to prosecute, that is all," argued Bennett. "It is the
+duty of the grand jury to investigate or to order investigations."
+
+Here spoke the spirit of the law, for technically Bennett was correct.
+
+"Whatever the rigid interpretation"--Keith found himself uttering heresy--
+"I still feel it my duty to deal personally with whatever seems to me
+unjustly to interfere with, proper convictions." Then he stopped, aghast at
+the tremendous step he had taken. For to a man trained as was Keith, in a
+time when all men were created for the law, and not the law for men, in a
+society where the lawyer was considered the greatest citizen, and subtle
+technicality paramount to justice or commonsense, this was a tremendous
+step. At that moment, and by that spontaneous and unconsidered statement,
+Keith, unknown to himself, passed from one side to the other in the great
+social struggle that was impending.
+
+"I wa'n you, suh," Bennett was repeating, "yo' course will not meet with
+the approval of the members of the bar."
+
+"I am sorry, Cal," said Keith sadly.
+
+Bennett rose, bowed stiffly, and turned to the door. But suddenly he
+whirled back, his face alight with feeling,
+
+"Oh, see heah, Milt, be sensible!" he cried. "I know just how yo're feelin'
+now. Yo're sore, and I don't blame you. You put ap a hard fight, and though
+you got licked, I don't mind tellin' you that the whole bar appreciates
+yo're brilliant work. You must remember you had to play a lone hand against
+pretty big men--the biggest we've got! We all appreciate the odds. Cora has
+lots of friends. You'll never convict him, Milt; but go in again for
+another trial, if it will do yo're feelin's any good, with our best wishes.
+Only don't let gettin' licked make you so sore! Don't go buttin' yo're haid
+at yo're friends! Be a spo't!"
+
+A half hour ago this appeal might have gained a response if not a practical
+effect, but the spiritual transformation in Keith was complete.
+
+"I'm sorry," he replied simply, "but I must go ahead in my own way."
+
+Calhoun Bennett's face lost its glow, and his tall figure stiffened.
+
+"I must wa'n you not to bring my name into this," said he. "I do not intend
+to have my reputation sacrificed to yo' strait-laced Yankee conscience. If
+my name is ever mentioned, I shall hold you responsible, _personally_
+responsible. You understand, suh?"
+
+He stood stiff and straight, staring at Keith. Keith did not stir. After a
+moment Calhoun Bennett went out.
+
+
+
+
+XLV
+
+
+After this interview Keith experienced a marked and formal coldness from
+nearly all of his old associates, Those with whom he came into direct
+personal contact showed him scrupulous politeness, but confined their
+conversation to the briefest necessary words, and quit him as soon as
+possible. He found himself very much alone, for at this period he had lost
+the confidence of one faction and had not yet gained that of the other.
+
+His investigations encountered always increasing difficulties. In his own
+department he could obtain little assistance. A dead inertia opposed all
+his efforts. Nevertheless, he went ahead doggedly, using Krafft and some of
+Krafft's protégés to considerable effect.
+
+But soon pressure was brought on him from a new direction: his opponents
+struck at him through his home.
+
+For some days Nan had been aware of a changed atmosphere in the society she
+frequented and had heretofore led. The change was subtle, defied analysis,
+but was to the woman's sensitive instincts indubitable. At first she had
+been inclined to consider it subjective, to imagine that something wrong
+with herself must be projecting itself through her imagination; but finally
+she realized that the impression was well based. In people's attitude there
+was nothing overt; it was rather a withdrawl of intimacy, a puzzling touch
+of formality. She seemed overnight to have lost in popularity.
+
+Truth to tell, she paid little attention to this. By now she was
+experienced enough in human nature to understand and to be able to gauge
+the slight fluctuations, the ebbs and flows of esteem, the kaleidoscopic
+shiftings and realignments of the elements of frivolous and formal society.
+Mrs. Brown had hired away Mrs. Smith's best servant; for an hour they
+looked askance on Mrs. Brown; then, the episode forgotten, Mrs. Brown's
+cork bobbed to the surface company of all the other corks. It was very
+trivial. Besides, just at this moment, Nan was wholly occupied with
+preparations for her first "afternoon" of the year. She intended as usual
+to give three of these formal affairs, and from them the season took its
+tone. The list was necessarily far from exclusive, but Nan made up for that
+by the care she gave her most original arrangements. She prided herself on
+doing things simply, but with a difference, calling heavily on her
+resources of correspondence, her memory, and her very good imagination for
+some novelty of food or entertainment. At the first of these receptions,
+too, she wore always for the first time some new and marvellous toilet
+straight from Paris, the style of which had not been shown to even her most
+intimate friends. This year, for example, she had done the most obvious
+and, therefore, the most unlikely thing: she had turned to the
+contemporaneous Spanish for her theme. Nobody had thought of that. The
+Colonial, the Moorish, the German, the Russian, the Hungarian--all the rest
+of the individual or "picturesque"--but nobody had thought to look next
+door. Nan had decorated the rooms with yellow and red, hung the walls with
+riatas, strings of red peppers and the like, obtained Spanish guitar
+players, and added enough fiery Mexican dishes to the more digestible
+refreshments to emphasize the Spanish flavour. She wore a dress of golden
+satin, a wreath of coral flowers about her hair, and morocco slippers
+matched in hue.
+
+The afternoon was fine. People were slow in coming. A few of the
+nondescripts that must be invited on such occasions put in an appearance,
+responded hastily to their hostess's greeting, and wandered about furtively
+but interminably. Patricia Sherwood, who had come early, circulated nobly,
+trying to break up the frozen little groups, but in vain. The time passed.
+More non-descripts--and not a soul else! As five o'clock neared, a cold
+fear clutched at Nan's heart. No one was coming!
+
+She worked hard to cover with light graciousness the cold-hearted dismay
+that filled her breast as the party dragged its weary length away. All her
+elaborate preparations and decorations seemed to mock her. The Spanish
+orchestra tinkled away gayly until she felt she could throw something at
+them; the caterer's servants served solemnly the awed nondescripts. Nan's
+cheeks burned and her throat choked with unshed tears. She could not bear
+to look at Patsy Sherwood, who remained tactfully distant.
+
+About five-thirty the door opened to admit a little group, at the sight of
+whom Nan uttered a short, hysterical chuckle. Then she glided to meet them,
+both hands outstretched in welcome, Mrs. Sherwood watched her with
+admiration. Nan was game.
+
+There were three in the party: Mrs. Morrell, Sally Warner, and Mrs.
+Scattergood. Sally Warner was of the gushing type of tall, rather
+desiccated femininity who always knows you so much better than you know
+her, who cultivates you every moment for a week and forgets you for months
+on end, who is hard up and worldly and therefore calculating, whose job is
+to amuse people and who will therefore sacrifice her best, perhaps not most
+useful, friend to an epigram, whose wit is barbed, who has a fine nose for
+trouble, and who is always in at the death. Mrs. Scattergood was a small
+blond woman, high voiced, precise in manner, very positive in her
+statements which she delivered in a drawling tone, humourless, inquisitive
+about petty affairs, the sort of "good woman" with whom no fault can be
+found, but who drives men to crime. Mrs. Morrell we know.
+
+These three, after greeting their hostess gushingly, circulated compactly,
+talking to each other in low voices. Nan knew they were watching her, and
+that they had come for the sole purpose of getting first-hand details of
+her fiasco for later recounting in drawing-rooms where, undoubtedly, even
+now awaited eager auditors. She came to a decision. The matter could not be
+worse. When, the three came to make their farewells, she detained them.
+
+"No, I'm not going to let you go yet," she told them, perhaps a little
+imperiously. "I haven't had half a visit with you. Wait until this rabble
+clears out."
+
+She hesitated a moment over Mrs. Sherwood, but finally let her go without
+protest. When the last guest had departed she sank into a chair. As she was
+already on the verge of hysterics, she easily kept up an air of gayety.
+
+"Girls, what an awful party!" she cried. "I could tear my hair! It was a
+perfect nightmare." Struggling to control her voice and keep back her
+tears, she added abruptly: "Now tell me what it is all about."
+
+Mrs. Morrell and Sally Warner were plainly uneasy and at a loss how to meet
+this situation, but Mrs. Scattergood remained quite composed in her small,
+compact way.
+
+"What's what all about, Nan, dear?" asked Sally Warner in her most
+vivacious manner. She keenly felt the dramatic situation and was already
+visualizing herself in the role of raconteuse.
+
+"You know perfectly well. Why this funeral? Where are they all? Why did
+they stay away? I have a right to know."
+
+"I'm sure there's nothing _I_ can think of!" replied Sally artificially.
+"The idea!"
+
+But Mrs. Scattergood, with all the relish of performing a noble and
+disagreeable duty, broke in:
+
+"You know, dear," she said in her didactic, slow voice, "as well as we do,
+what the world is. Of course _we_ understand, but people will talk!"
+
+"In heaven's name what are you driving at? What are they talking about?"
+demanded Nan, as Mrs. Scattergood apparently came to a full stop.
+
+A pause ensued while Sally and Mrs, Scattergood exchanged glances with Mrs.
+Morrell.
+
+"Well," at last said Sally, judicially, buttoning her glove, her head on
+one side, "if I had a nice husband like yours, I wouldn't let him run
+around getting himself disliked for nothing."
+
+"You ought to use your influence with him before it is too late," added
+Mrs. Morrell.
+
+Nan looked helplessly from one to the other, too uncertain of her ground
+now to risk another step,
+
+"So that's it," she ventured at last. "Some one has been telling lies about
+us!"
+
+"Oh, dear no!" disclaimed Mrs. Scattergood, "It is only that your friends
+cannot understand your taking sides against them. Naturally they feel hurt.
+Forgive me, dear--you know I say it with all affection--but don't you think
+it a mistake?"
+
+Nan was thoroughly dazed and mystified, but afraid to press the matter
+further. She had a suspicion Mrs. Morrell was again responsible for her
+difficulties, but was too uncertain to urge them to stay for further
+elucidation. They arose. These were the days of hoop skirts, and the set of
+the outer skirt had to be carefully adjusted before going out. As they
+posed in turn before the hall pier glass they chattered. "How lovely the
+house looks." "You certainly have worked hard, and must be tired, poor
+dear!" "Well, we'll see you to-morrow at Mrs. Terry's. You're _not asked_?
+Surely there is some mistake! Well, those things always happen in a big
+affair, don't they?" "See you soon." "Good-bye." "Good-bye."
+
+Outside the house they paused at the head of the steps.
+
+"Well, what do you think of that?" said Sally. "I really believe the poor
+thing doesn't know, I believe I'll just drop in for a minute at Mrs.
+Caldwell's. Sorry you're not going my way."
+
+After a fashion Nan felt relieved by this interview, for she thought she
+discerned only Mrs. Morrell's influence, and this, she knew, she could
+easily overcome. While she waited for Keith's return from whatever
+inaccessible fastnesses he always occupied during these big afternoon
+receptions, she reviewed the situation, her indignation mounting.
+Downstairs, Wing Sam and his temporary assistants were clearing things
+away. Usually Nan superintended this, but to-day she did not care. When
+Keith finally entered the room, she burst out on him with a rapid and angry
+account of the whole situation as she saw it; but to her surprise he did
+not rise to it. His weary, spiritless, uninterested: acceptance of it
+astonished her to the last degree. To him her entanglement with the Cora
+affair--for at once he saw the trend of it all--seemed the last straw. Not
+even his own home was sacred. His spirit was so bruised and wearied that he
+actually could not rise to an explanation. He seemed to realize an utter
+hopelessness of making her see his point of view. This was not so strange
+when it is considered that this point of view, however firmly settled, was
+still a new and unexplained fact with himself. He contented himself with
+saying: "The Morrells had nothing whatever to do with it." It was the only
+thing that occurred to him as worth saying; but it was unfortunate, for it
+left Nan's irritation without logical support. Naturally that irritation
+was promptly transferred to him.
+
+"Then what, in heaven's name, is it?" she demanded. "My friends are all
+treating me as if I had the smallpox."
+
+"Cheerful lot of friends we've made in this town!" he said bitterly.
+
+"What is the matter with them?" she persisted.
+
+"The matter is they've taken me for a fool they could order around to suit
+themselves. They found they couldn't. Now they're through with me, even Cal
+Bennett," he added in a lower tone that revealed his hurt.
+
+She paused, biting her underlip.
+
+"Is the trouble anything to do with this Cora case?" she asked, suddenly
+enlightened by some vague, stray recollection.
+
+"Of course!" he replied crossly, exasperated at the nagging necessity of
+arousing himself to explanations. "There's no use arguing about it. I'm
+going to see it through in spite of that hound McDougall and his whole pack
+of curs!"
+
+"But why have you turned so against your friends?" she asked more gently,
+struck by his careworn look as he sprawled in the easy chair under the
+lamp. "I don't see! You'll get yourself disliked!"
+
+She did not press the matter further for the moment, but three days later
+she brought up the topic again. In the interim she had heard considerable
+direct and indirect opinion. She selected after dinner as the most
+propitious time for discussion. As a matter of fact, earlier in the day
+would have been better, before Keith's soul had been rubbed raw by downtown
+attrition.
+
+"I don't believe you quite realize how strongly people feel about the Cora
+case," she began. "Isn't it possible to drop it or compromise it or
+something, Milton?"
+
+In the reaction from argument and--coldness downtown he felt he could stand
+no more of it at home.
+
+"I wish you'd let that matter drop!" he said decidedly. "You couldn't
+understand it."
+
+She hesitated. A red spot appeared in either cheek.
+
+"I must say I _don't_ understand!" she countered. "It is inconceivable to
+me that a man like you should turn so easily against his class!"
+
+"My class?" he echoed wearily.
+
+"What do such creatures as Cora and Yankee Sullivan amount to?" she cried
+hotly, "I suppose you'll say _they_ are in your class next! How you can
+consider them of sufficient importance to go dead against your best friends
+on their account!"
+
+"It is because I am right and they are wrong."
+
+She was a little carried beyond herself.
+
+"Well, they all think the same way," she pointed out. "Aren't you a little
+--a little--"
+
+"Pig-headed," supplied Keith bitterly.
+
+"--to put your opinion against theirs?" she finished.
+
+Keith did not reply.
+
+This was Nan's last attempt. She did not bring up the subject again. But
+she withdrew proudly and completely from all participation in society. She
+refused herself to callers. Once the situation was thoroughly defined, she
+accepted it. If her husband decided to play the game in this way, she, too,
+would follow, whether she approved or not. Nan was loyal and a
+thoroughbred. And she was either too proud or too indifferent to fight it
+out with the other women, in the rough and tumble of social ambition.
+
+
+
+
+XLVI
+
+
+In this voluntary seclusion Nan saw laterally only two persons. One of
+these was Mrs. Sherwood. The ex-gambler's wife called frequently; and, for
+some reason, Nan never refused to see her, although she did not make her
+visitor particularly welcome. Often an almost overmastering impulse seized
+her to open her soul to this charming, sympathetic, tactful woman, but
+something always restrained her. Her heart was too sore. And since an
+inhibited impulse usually expresses itself by contraries, her attitude was
+of studied and aloof politeness. Mrs. Sherwood never seemed to notice this.
+She sat in the high-ceilinged "parlour," with its strange fresco of painted
+fish-nets, and chatted on in a cheerful monologue, detailing small gossipy
+items of news. She always said goodbye cordially, and went out with a
+wonderful assumption of ignorance that anything was wrong. Her visits did
+Nan good, although never could the latter break through the ice wall of
+reserve. Nan's conscience often hurt her that she could answer this genuine
+friendship with so little cordiality. She wondered dully how Mrs. Sherwood
+could bring herself to be so good to so cross-grained a creature as
+herself. As a matter of fact, the women were marking time in their
+relations--Mrs. Sherwood consciously, Nan unconsciously--until better days.
+
+The other regular caller was Ben Sansome. His attitude was in some sense
+detached. He was quietly, deeply sympathetic in his manner, never
+obtrusive, never even hinting in words at his knowledge of the state of
+affairs, but managing in some subtle manner to convey the impression that
+he alone fully understood. Nan found that, without her realization, almost
+in spite of herself, Sansome had managed to isolate her with himself on a
+little island of mutual understanding, apart from all the rest of the
+world.
+
+Her life was now becoming circumscribed. Household, books, some small
+individual charities, and long afternoon walks filled her days. At first
+Sansome had accompanied her on these tramps, but the unfailing, almost
+uncanny insight of the man told him that at such times her spirit really
+craved solitude, so he soon tactfully ceased all attempts to join her. Her
+usual walk was over the cliffs toward the bay, where, from some of the
+elevations near Russian Hill, she could look out to the Golden Gate, or
+across to Tamalpais or the Contra Costa shores. The crawl of the distant
+blue water, the flash of wing or sail, the taste of salt rime, the cańon
+shadows of the hills, the flying murk, or the last majestic and magnificent
+blotting out of the world as the legions of sea fog overtoiled it, all
+answered or soothed moods in her spirit. Sometimes she forgot herself and
+overstayed the daylight. At such times she scuttled home half fearfully for
+the great city, like a jungle beast, was most dangerous at night.
+
+One evening, returning thus in haste, she was lured aside by the clang of
+bells and the glare of a fire. No child ever resisted that combination, and
+Nan was still a good deal of a child. Almost before she knew, it she was
+wedged fast in a crowd. The pressure was suffocating; and, to her alarm,
+she found herself surrounded by a rough-looking set of men. They were
+probably harmless workingmen, but Nan did not know that. She became
+frightened, and tried to escape, but her strength was not equal to it.
+Near the verge of panic, she was fairly on the point of struggling, when
+she felt an arm thrown around her shoulder. She looked up with a cry, to
+meet Ben Sansome's brown eyes.
+
+"Don't be afraid; I'm here," he said soothingly.
+
+In the revulsion Nan fairly thrilled under the touch of his manly,
+protection. This impulse was followed instantly, by an instinct of
+withdrawal from the embrace about her shoulder, which was in turn succeeded
+by a fierce scorn of being prudish in such circumstances. Sansome
+masterfully worked her out through the press. At the last tactful moment he
+withdrew his arm. She thanked him, still a little frightened.
+
+"It was certainly lucky you happened to be here!" she ended.
+
+"Lucky!" he laughed briefly. "I knew that sooner or later you'd need me."
+
+He stopped at that, but allowed her questions to elicit the fact that every
+afternoon he had followed her at a discreet distance, scrupulously
+respecting her privacy, but ready for the need that sooner or later must
+surely arrive. Nan was touched.
+
+"You have no right to endanger yourself this way!" he cried, as though
+carried away. "It is not just to those who care for you!" and by the tone
+of his voice, the look of his eye, the slight emphasizing pressure of his
+hand he managed to convey to her, but in a manner to which she could not
+possibly object, his belief that his last phrase referred more to himself
+than to any one else in the world.
+
+It was about this period that John Sherwood, dressing for dinner, remarked
+to his wife:
+
+"Patsy, the more I see of you the more I admire you. Do you remember that
+Firemen's Ball when you started in to break up that Keith-Morrell affair?
+He dropped her so far that I haven't heard her _plunk_ yet! I don't know
+what made me think of it--it was a long time ago."
+
+"Yes, that was all right," she replied thoughtfully, "but I'm not as
+pleased as I might be with the Keith situation."
+
+Sherwood stopped tying his cravat and turned to face her.
+
+"He's perfectly straight, I assure you," he said earnestly. "I don't
+believe he knows that any other woman but his wife exists. I _know_ that.
+But I wish he'd go a little easier with the men."
+
+"Oh, I wasn't thinking of him. She's the culprit now."
+
+"What!" cried Sherwood, astonished, "that little innocent baby!"
+
+"That 'little innocent baby' is seeing altogether too much of Ben Sansome."
+
+Sherwood uttered a snort of masculine scorn.
+
+"Ho! Ben Sansome?"
+
+"Yes, Ben Sansome."
+
+"Why, he's a notorious butterfly."
+
+"Well, it looks now as though he intended to alight."
+
+"Seriously?"
+
+She nodded. Sherwood slowly went on with his dressing.
+
+"I like that little creature," he said at last. "She's the sort that
+strikes me as born to be treated well and to be happy. Some people are that
+way, you know; just as others are born painters or plumbers." She nodded in
+appreciation. "And if you give the word, Patsy, I'll go around and have a
+word with Keith--or spoil Sansome--whichever you say----"
+
+She laughed.
+
+"You're a dear, Jack, but if you love me, keep your hands off here."
+
+"Are you bossing this job?" he asked gravely.
+
+"I'm bossing this job," she repeated, with equal gravity.
+
+He said nothing more for a time, but his eyes twinkled.
+
+
+
+
+XLVII
+
+
+Keith's investigations proceeded until at last he felt justified in
+preferring before the Bar Association charges of irregular practice against
+James Ware, Bernard Black, and--to his great regret--Calhoun Bennett. He
+conceived he had enough evidence to convict these men legally, but he as
+yet shrank from asking for an indictment against them, preferring at first
+to try for their discipline before their fellow lawyers. If the Bar
+Association failed, however, he had every intention of pressing the matter
+in the courts.
+
+Almost immediately after the filing of the complaint he was waited on in
+his office by a man only slightly known to him, Major Marmaduke Miles. The
+major's occupation in life was obscure. He was a red-faced, tightly
+buttoned, full-jowled, choleric Southerner of the ultra-punctilious brand,
+always well dressed in quaint and rather old-fashioned garments, with
+charming manners, and the reminiscence of good looks lost in a florid and
+apoplectic habit. This person entered Keith's office, greeted him formally,
+declined a chair. Standing very erect before Keith's desk, his beaver hat
+poised on his left forearm, he said:
+
+"I am requested, suh, to enquiah of yo' the name of a friend with whom I
+can confer."
+
+"If that means a challenge, Major, I must first ask the name of your
+principal," returned Keith.
+
+"I am actin' fo' Mr. Calhoun Bennett, suh," stated the major.
+
+"Tell Cal Bennett I will not fight him," said Keith quietly.
+
+The major was plainly flabbergasted, and for a moment puffed his red cheeks
+in and out rapidly.
+
+"You mean to tell me, suh, that yo' refuse the satisfaction due a gentleman
+after affrontin' him?"
+
+"I won't fight Cal Bennett," repeated Keith patiently.
+
+The major turned even redder, and swelled so visibly that Keith, in spite
+of his sad realization of the gravity of the affair, caught himself
+guiltily in a boyish anticipation that some of the major's strained buttons
+would pop.
+
+"I shall so repo't to my principal, suh. But I may add, suh, that in my
+opinion, suh, yo' are conductin' yo'self in a manner unbecomin' to a
+gentleman; and othuh gentlemen will say so, suh! They may go even farthah
+and stigmatize yo' conduct as cowardly, suh! And it might even be that I,
+suh, would agree with that expression, suh!"
+
+The major glowered. Keith smiled wearily. It did not to him at the moment
+that this would be so great a calamity.
+
+"I am sorry to have forfeited your good opinion, Major," he contented
+himself with saying.
+
+The major marched straight back to the Monumental, where Bennett and a
+number of friends were awaiting the result of his mission. The major's
+angry passions had been rising, every foot of the way.
+
+"He won't fight, suh!" he bellowed, slamming his cane across the table. "He
+won't fight! And I stigmatized him to his face as a white-livered hound!"
+
+Calhoun Bennett sank back pale, and speechless. His companions deluged him
+with advice.
+
+"Horsewhip the craven publicly." "Warn him to go heeled, and then force the
+issue!" "Shoot him down like the dog he is!"
+
+But the major's mighty bellow dominated everything.
+
+"I claim the privilege!" he roared. "Egad, I _demand_ the privilege! It is
+my right! I am insulted by such a rebuff! Now that I have acquitted myself
+of Cal's errand, I will call him out myself. Ain't that right, Cal? I'll
+make the hound fight!"
+
+The old major looked redder and fiercer than ever. There could be no doubt
+that he would make any one fight, once he started out to do so, and that he
+would carry the matter through. He was brave enough.
+
+But little Jimmy Ware, who had been doing some thinking, here spoke up. It
+seemed to him a good chance to get a reputation without any risk. Since
+James King of William had uncompromisingly refused to fight duels, his
+example had been followed. A strong party of those having conscientious
+scruples against the practice had come into being. Keith's refusal to fight
+Bennett, to Ware's mind, indicated that he belonged to this class. It
+looked safe.
+
+"Pardon me, Major," he broke in suavely; "but each in turn. I claim the
+right. Cal had first chance because he had personally warned the man of the
+consequences. But I am equally accused. You must admit my prior claim."
+
+The major came off the boil. Puffing his red cheeks in and out he
+considered.
+
+"Yo're right, suh," he conceded reluctantly.
+
+After considerable persuasion, and some flattery as to his familiarity with
+the niceties of the Code, the major consented to bear Jimmy's defiance. He
+entered Keith's office again, stiffer than a ramrod. Keith smiled at him.
+
+"There's no use, Major, I won't fight Cal Bennett," he greeted his visitor.
+
+"I am the bearer of a challenge from Mistah James Ware," he announced.
+
+"What!" yelled Keith, so suddenly and violently that Major Miles recoiled a
+step.
+
+"From Mistah James Ware," he repeated.
+
+Keith laughed savagely.
+
+"Oh, I'll fight him," he growled; "gladly; any time he wants it."
+
+The major's face lit up.
+
+"If you'll name yo' friend, suh," he suggested.
+
+"Friend? Friend? What for? I'm capable of arranging this. I haven't time to
+hunt up a friend."
+
+"It's customary," objected the major.
+
+"Look here," Keith swept on, "I'm the challenged party and I have the say-
+so, haven't I?"
+
+"Yo' can name the weapons," conceded Major Marmaduke Miles.
+
+"All right, we'll call this revolvers, navy revolvers--biggest there are,
+whatever that is. And close up. None of your half-mile shooting."
+
+"Ten yards," suggested Major Miles with unholy joy.
+
+"And right away--this afternoon," went on Keith. "If that little runt wants
+trouble, egad he's going to have all his little skin will hold."
+
+But the major would not have this. It was not done. He waived conducting
+his negotiations through a second, but that was as far as his conventional
+soul would go. He held out for three o'clock the following afternoon.
+
+"And I wish to apologize, Mistah Keith," he said, on parting, "fo' my ill-
+considered words of a short time ago. I misunderstood yo' reasons fo'
+refusin' to fight Mistah Bennett."
+
+He bowed his rotund, tightly buttoned little figure and departed, to strike
+Jimmy Ware with complete consternation.
+
+Duels in the fifties were almost an acknowledged public institution.
+Although technically illegal, no one was ever convicted of any of the
+consequences of such encounters. They were conducted quite openly. Indeed,
+some of the more famous were actively advertised by steamboat men, who
+carried excursions to the field. Keith's acceptance of Ware's challenge
+aroused the keenest interest. Outside the prominence of the men involved, a
+vague feeling was current that in their persons were symbolized opposing
+forces in the city's growth. As yet these forces had not segregated to that
+point where champions were demanded, or indeed would be recognized as such,
+but vague feelings of antagonism, of alignments, were abroad. Those who
+later would constitute the Law and Order class generally sympathized with
+Ware; those whom history was to know as the Vigilantes felt stirrings of
+partisanship for Keith. Therefore, the following afternoon a small flotilla
+set sail for the Contra Costa shore, and a crowd of several hundred
+spectators disembarked at the chosen duelling ground.
+
+Nan knew nothing of all this. Keith was now in such depths of low spirits
+that his wearied soul did not much care what became of him. He put his
+affairs in shape, shrugged his shoulders, and went to the encounter with
+absolute indifference.
+
+The preliminaries were soon over. Keith found himself facing Jimmy Ware at
+the distance he had himself chosen. A double line of spectators stood at a
+respectful space on either side. Major Miles and an acquaintance of Keith's
+who had volunteered to act for him were posted nearer at hand. Keith had
+listened attentively to the instructions. The word was to be given--_one,
+two, three. Fire!_ Between the first and last words the duellists were to
+discharge the first shot from their weapons. After that they were to fire
+at will. One shot would have sufficed Jimmy Ware; but Keith, without
+emotion, filed with a dead indifference to any possible danger and a savage
+contempt for the whole proceedings, had insisted on the full measure. He
+was totally unaccustomed to weapons. At the word of command he raised the
+revolver and fired, carelessly but coolly, and without result. One after
+the other he discharged the six chambers of his weapon, aiming as well as
+he knew how. It did not occur to him that Ware was firing at him. After the
+sixth miss he threw the revolver away in cold disgust.
+
+"This is a farce," said he, "and I'm not going to be fool enough to take
+part in it any longer."
+
+Jimmy Ware, delighted at finding himself unharmed, and confident now that
+bluff would go, started to say something lofty and disdainful. Keith
+whirled back on him.
+
+"If you want 'satisfaction,' as you call it, you'll get it, and you'll get
+it plenty! I'm sick of being made a fool of. Just open your ugly head to me
+again, and I'll knock it off your shoulders!" His eye smouldered
+dangerously, and Jimmy Ware, very uncertain in his mind, took refuge in a
+haughty look. Keith glared at him moment, then turned to the crowd: "I'll
+give all of you fair warning," said he. "I'm going to do my legal duty in
+all things; and I'm not going to fight duels. Anybody who interferes with
+me is going to get into trouble!"
+
+An uproar ensued. All this was most irregular, unprecedented, a disgrace to
+a gentlemen's meeting. The major roared like a bull. If a man would not
+fight, would not defend his actions, how could a gentleman get at him
+except by street brawling or assassination, and both of these were
+repugnant to finer feelings. A dozen fire-eaters felt themselves personally
+insulted. The crowd surrounded Keith, shouting at him, jostling him,
+threatening. A cool, somewhat amused voice broke in.
+
+"Gentlemen," said Talbot Ward, in so decided a tone that they turned to
+hear. "I am a neutral non-partisan in this little war, I am for neither
+party, for neither opinion, in the matter. I, like Mr, Keith, never fight
+duels. But may I suggest--merely in the interest of fair play--that for the
+moment you are forgetting yourselves? My opinion coincides with Mr. Keith's
+that duelling is a foolish sort of game, but it is a game, and recognized;
+and if you are going to play it, why not stick to its rules? Mr. Keith, and
+Mr. Ware have exchanged shots. Mr. Ware has therefore had 'satisfaction.'
+Now Mr. Keith and I going to walk--quietly--to the boat. We do not expect
+to be molested."
+
+"By God, Tal!" cried Major Miles in astonishment, "ye' don't mean to tell
+me yo're linin' yourself up on the side of that blackleg!"
+
+"Well," put in a new voice, a very cheerful voice, "I don't pretend to be
+neutral, and I'd just as lief fight duels as not, and I'm willing to state
+to you all that though I don't know a damn thing about this case nor its
+merits, I like this man's style. And I'm ready to state that I'll take his
+place and fight any--or all of you--right here and now. You, Major?"
+
+All eyes turned to him. He was a dark, eager youth, standing with his
+slouch hat in his hand, his head thrown back, his mop of shiny black hair
+tossed from his forehead, his eyes glowing. The major hummed and fussed.
+
+"I have absolutely no quarrel with you, suh!" he said.
+
+"Nor with my friend yonder?" insisted the newcomer.
+
+"I should esteem it beneath my dignity to fight with a craven and a coward,
+suh!" the major saved his face.
+
+The stranger glanced at Keith, an amused light in his eyes.
+
+"We'll let it go at that," he conceded. "Anybody else?" he challenged,
+eying them.
+
+Every one seemed busy getting ready to go home, and appeared not to hear
+him. After a moment he put on his felt hat and joined Keith and Ward, who
+were walking slowly toward the landing.
+
+"Well," remarked a rough-looking Yankee--our old friend Graves of the
+Eurekas to his friend Carter--"I didn't know anything would cool off the
+major like that!"
+
+"I reckon the major knew who he was talking to," replied Carter.
+
+"Who is the cuss? I never saw him before."
+
+"Don't you know him? I reckon you must have heard of him, anyway. He's just
+down from the Sierra. That's the express rider, Johnny Fairfax--Diamond
+Jack, they call him."
+
+Graves whistled an enlightened whistle.
+
+
+
+
+XLVIII
+
+
+Johnny Fairfax accompanied Keith all the way back to his office, although
+Talbot Ward said good-bye at the wharves. He bubbled over with conversation
+and enthusiasm, and seemed to have taken a great fancy to the lawyer. The
+theme of his glancing talk was the duel, over which he was immensely
+amused; but from it he diverged on the slightest occasion to comment on
+whatever for the moment struck his notice.
+
+"That was certainly the rottenest shooting I ever saw!" he exclaimed over
+and over, and then would go off into peals of laughter. "I don't see how
+twelve shots at that distance could miss! After the second exchange I
+concluded even the side line wasn't safe, and I got behind a tree. Pays to
+be prompt In your decision; there were a hundred applicants for that tree a
+moment later, The bloodless duel as a parlour amusement! You ought to have
+charged that large and respectable audience an admission fee! That's a good
+idea; I'll present it to you! If you ever have another due, you must have a
+good manager! There's money in it!"
+
+Keith laughed a trifle ruefully,
+
+"I suppose it was funny," he acknowledged.
+
+"Now don't get huffy," begged Johnny Fairfax. "What you ought to do is to
+learn to shoot. You'll probably need to know how if you keep on living
+around here," His eye fell on a shooting gallery. "Come in here," he urged
+impulsively.
+
+The proprietor was instructed to load his pistols and for a dozen shots
+Keith was coached vehemently in the elementals of shooting--taught at least
+the theory of pulling steadily, of coordinating various muscles and
+psychological processes that were not at all used to coördination. He
+learned that mere steady aiming was a small part of it.
+
+"Anybody can do wonderful shooting with an empty pistol," said Johnny
+contemptuously. "And anybody can hold as steady as a rock--until he pulls
+the trigger."
+
+"It's interesting," conceded Keith; "mighty interesting. I didn't know
+there was so much to it."
+
+"Of course it's interesting," said Johnny. "And you're only at the
+rudiments. Look here!"
+
+And, to the astonishment of Keith, the worshipful adoration of the
+shooting-gallery proprietor, and the awe of the usual audience that
+gathered at the sound of the reports, he proceeded to give an exhibition of
+the skill that had made him famous. The shooting galleries of those days
+used no puny twenty-twos. Derringers, pocket revolvers, and the huge
+"navies" were at hand--with reduced loads, naturally--for those who in
+habitual life affected these weapons. Johnny shot with all of them,
+displaying the tricks of the gunman with all the naďve enthusiasm of youth.
+His manner throughout was that engaging mixture of modesty afraid of being
+thought conceited and eager pride in showing his skill so attractive to
+everybody. At first he shot deliberately, splitting cards, hitting marbles,
+and devastating whole rows of clay pipes. Then he took to secreting the
+weapons in various pockets from which he produced and discharged them in
+lightning time. His hand darted with the speed and precision of a snake's
+head.
+
+"I've just been fooling with shooting things tossed in the air," he said,
+exuberant with enthusiasm. "But I'm afraid we can't try that here."
+
+"I'm afraid not," agreed the proprietor regretfully.
+
+"It really isn't very hard, once you get the knack."
+
+"Oh, no," said the proprietor with elaborate sarcasm. "Say," he went on
+earnestly, "I suppose it ain't no use trying to hire you--"
+
+Johnny shook his head, smiling.
+
+"I was afraid not," observed the proprietor disappointedly. "You'd be the
+making of this place. Drop in any time you want practice. Won't cost you a
+cent. Would you mind telling me your name?"
+
+"Fairfax," replied Johnny, gruffly embarrassed.
+
+"Not Diamond Jack?" hesitated the proprietor.
+
+"I'm sometimes called that," conceded Johnny, still more gruffly. "How much
+is it?"
+
+"Not one gosh-danged continental red cent," cried the man, "and I'm pleased
+to meet you."
+
+Johnny shook his extended hand, mumbled something, and bolted for the
+street. Keith followed, laughing.
+
+"It seems you're quite a celebrity," he observed.
+
+But Johnny refused to pursue that subject.
+
+"You come with me and buy you a pistol," he growled. "You ought not to be
+allowed loose. You're as helpless as a baby."
+
+Johnny picked out a small .31 calibre revolver and a supply of ammunition.
+
+"Now you practise!" was his final warning and advice.
+
+Keith went home with a new glow at his heart. He was ripe for a friend.
+
+Johnny seemed to have little to do for the moment. He never volunteered
+information as to his business or his plans, and Keith never inquired. But
+the young express rider fell into the habit of dropping in at Keith's
+office. He was always very apologetic and solicitous as to whether or no he
+was interrupting, saying that he had stopped for only ten seconds; but he
+invariably ended in the swivel chair with a good cigar. Keith was at this
+time busy; but he was never too busy for Johnny Fairfax. The latter was a
+luxury to which he treated himself. Johnny was not only welcome because he
+was practically Keith's only friend, but also his frank and engaging
+comments on men and things were gradually giving the harassed lawyer a new
+point of view on the society in which he found himself. Keith, as a
+newcomer in a community already established, had naturally accepted the
+prominent figures in that community as he would have accepted prominent
+figures anywhere: that is, as respectable, formidable, admirable, solid,
+unquestioned pillars of society. He was of a modest disposition and
+disinclined to question. He respected them as any modest young man respects
+those older and more successful than himself. For the same reason he
+accepted their views and their authority; or, if he questioned them, he did
+so sadly, almost guiltily, with many heart-searchings.
+
+But Johnny Fairfax held no such attitude. Not he! The city's great names
+had scant respect from him! Not for an instant did he hesitate to criticise
+or analyze the most renowned. It was not long before he learned all about
+the Cora trial and Keith's subsequent efforts to discipline McDougall and
+his associates.
+
+"I hope you get 'em!" said he; "the whole lot! I don't know much about this
+McDougall; but I do know his friends, and most of 'em aren't worth thinkin'
+about. They're big people here, but back where I came from, in old
+Virginia, the best of 'em wouldn't be overseers on a plantation. That's why
+they like it so much out here. Look at that gang! Casey has been in the
+penitentiary, Rowlee ran some little blackleg sheet down South until they
+run him out---I tell you, sir, as a Southerner I'm not proud of the
+Southerners out here. They're a cheap lot, most of 'em. They were a cheap
+lot home. The only difference is that back there everybody knew it, and out
+here everybody thinks they're great people because they get up on their
+hind legs and say so out loud. That old bluff, Major Miles, he was put out
+of a Richmond club, sir, for cheatin' at cards--I know that for a fact!"
+
+Somehow, this frank criticism was like a breeze of fresh air to Keith: it
+put new courage into him. Johnny Fairfax had no interests in the city; he
+had no fear; his viewpoint was free from all sham; he was newly in from the
+outside. Through his eyes things fell into perspective. Suddenly San
+Francisco upper society became to Keith what it really was: a welter of
+cheap, bragging, venal, self-seeking men, with here and there an honest
+fine character standing high above. And he began, but dimly, to see that
+the real men of the place were not--as yet--well known. Probably one of the
+most impressive and typical figures of the time was Justice of the Supreme
+Court Terry. In the eyes of those too close to events to have a clear sense
+of proportion, he was one of the great men of his period. Courtly,
+handsome, with haughty manners, of aristocratic bearing, fiercely proud,
+touchily quarrelsome on "points of honour," generous but a bitter hater, he
+and his equally handsome, proud, and fiery wife were considered by many
+people of the time as embodying the ideal of Southern chivalry. But Johnny
+Fairfax would have none of it.
+
+"He a typical Southern gentleman!" he laughed, "As being born in the South
+myself, I repudiate that! I know too much about Terry. Why, look here: he's
+a good sport, and he's got ability, and he makes friends, and he isn't
+afraid of anything, But then you stop. He's not a gentleman! It shows most
+particularly when he gets mad. Then he'll throw over anything--anything--to
+have his own way. He's a big man now, but he won't be knee-high to a June
+bug before he gets done."
+
+Johnny's prediction was long in fulfilment, but a score of years later it
+came to pass, and Judge Terry's reputation has sunk almost to the level of
+that of his brother on the bench--Judge "Ned" McGowan.
+
+"They're all a bad lot," Johnny finished, "and I hope you lick them! You
+don't know all the good folks in this town yet!"
+
+
+
+
+XLIX
+
+
+Calhoun Bennett dropped the matter, and contented himself with cutting
+Keith dead whenever they happened to meet. Jimmy Ware and Black were men of
+a different sort; indeed McDougall had made them his associates mainly
+because of their knowledge of the city's darker phases and their
+unscrupulousness. In the admirable organization thus sketched Calhoun
+Bennett had acted as a sort of go-between.
+
+After the duel these two precious citizens held many anxious consultations.
+They could not tell just how much evidence Keith had succeeded in
+gathering, but they knew that plenty of it existed. If the matter came to
+an issue, they suspected the consequences might be serious. Either Keith or
+his evidence must in some way be got rid of. Black, who was inclined by
+instinct and training to be direct, was in favour of the simple expedient
+of hiring assassins.
+
+"Won't do," negatived the more astute Ware. "The thing will be traced back
+to us--not legally, of course, but to a moral certainty, and while they
+won't be able to prove anything on us, the state of the public mind is such
+that hell would pop."
+
+"He says he won't fight another duel," said Black doubtfully.
+
+"No."
+
+"We've got to kill him in a street quarrel, then."
+
+"He's got to be killed in a street quarrel," amended Ware, "that's certain;
+but nobody even remotely connected with this Cora trial must seem to have
+anything to do with it. It must have the appearance of a private quarrel
+from away outside. Otherwise----"
+
+"Got anybody in mind?" asked the practical Black.
+
+"Yes, and he ought to be here at any moment."
+
+As though Jimmy Ware's words had been the cue for which he waited, Morrell
+here entered the room.
+
+
+
+
+L
+
+
+
+At three o'clock in the afternoon of May 14, 1856, the current issue of the
+_Bulletin_ was placed on sale. A very few minutes later a copy found its
+way into the hands of James Casey. Casey at that time, in addition to his
+political cares, was editor of a small sheet he called the _Sunday Times_.
+With this he had strenuously supported the extreme wing of the Law party,
+which, as has been explained, comprised also the gambling and lawless
+element. It was suspected by some that his paper was more or less
+subsidized for the purpose, though the probability is that Casey found his
+reward merely in political support. This Casey it was who, to his own vast
+surprise, had at a previous election been returned as elected supervisor;
+although he was not a candidate, his name was not on the ticket, and no man
+could be found who had voted for him. Indeed, he was not even a resident of
+the district. However, Yankee Sullivan, who ran the election, said
+officially the votes had been cast for him; so elected he was proclaimed.
+Undoubtedly he proved useful; he had always proved useful at elections
+elsewhere, seldom appearing in person, but adept at selecting suitable
+agents. His methods were devious, dishonest, and rough. He was head of the
+Crescent Fire Engine Company, and was personally popular. In appearance he
+was a short, slight man, with a bright, keen face, a good forehead, a thin
+but florid countenance, dark curly hair, and light blue eyes, a type of
+unscrupulous Irish adventurer with a dash of romantic ideals. Like all the
+gentlemen rovers of his time, he was exceedingly touchy on the subject of
+"honour."
+
+In the _Bulletin_ of the date mentioned James Casey read these words,
+apropos of the threat of one Bagby to shoot Casey on sight:
+
+ It does not matter how bad a man Casey had been, or how much benefit
+ it might be to the public to have him out of the way, we cannot accord
+ to any one citizen the right to kill him, or even beat him, without
+ justifiable provocation. The fact that Casey has been an inmate of
+ Sing Sing prison in New York is no offence against the laws of this
+ State; nor is the fact of his having stuffed himself through the
+ ballot box, as elected to the Board of Supervisors from a district
+ where it is said he was not even a candidate, any justification for
+ Mr. Bagby to shoot Casey, however richly the latter may deserve to
+ have his neck stretched for such fraud on the public.
+
+Casey read this in the full knowledge that thousands of his fellow-citizens
+would also read it. His thin face turned white with anger. He crumpled the
+paper into a ball and hurled it violently into the gutter, settled his hat
+more firmly on his head, and proceeded at once to the _Bulletin_ office
+with the full intention of shooting King on sight. Probably he would have
+done so, save for the accidental circumstance that King happened to be busy
+at a table, his back squarely to the door. Casey could not shoot a man in
+the back without a word. He was breathless and stuttering with excitement.
+King was alone, but an open door into an adjoining office permitted two
+witnesses to see and hear.
+
+"What do you mean by that article?" cried Casey in a strangled voice.
+
+King turned slowly, and examined his visitor for a moment.
+
+"What article?" he inquired at last.
+
+"That which says I was formerly an inmate of Sing Sing!"
+
+King gazed at him with a depth of detached, patient sadness in his dark
+eyes.
+
+"Is it not true?" he asked finally.
+
+"That is not the question," retorted Casey, trying again to work himself up
+to the rage in which he had entered. "I do not wish my past acts rated up:
+on that point I am sensitive."
+
+A faint smile came and went on King's lips.
+
+"Are you done?" he asked still quietly;  then, receiving no reply, he
+turned in his chair and leaned forward with a sudden intensity. His next
+words hit with the impact of bullets: "There's the door! Go! Never show
+your face here again!" he commanded.
+
+Casey found himself moving toward the open door. He did not want to do
+this, he wanted to shoot King, or at least to provoke a quarrel, but he was
+for the moment overcome by a stronger personality. At the door he gathered
+himself together a little.
+
+"I'll say in my paper what I please!" he asserted, with a show of bravado.
+
+King was leaning back, watching him steadily.
+
+"You have a perfect right to do so," he rejoined. "I shall never notice
+your paper."
+
+Casey struck himself on the breast.
+
+"And if necessary I shall defend myself!" he cried.
+
+King's passivity broke. He bounded from his seat bristling with anger.
+
+"Go!" he commanded sharply, and Casey went.
+
+
+LI
+
+
+
+People had already read King's article in the _Bulletin_. People had seen
+Casey heading for the _Bulletin_ office with blood in his eye. The news had
+spread. When the Irishman emerged he found waiting for him a curious crowd.
+His friends crowded around asking eager questions. Casey answered with
+vague but bloodthirsty generalities: he wasn't a man to be trifled with,
+and egad some people had to find that out! blackmailing was not a healthy
+occupation when it was aimed at a gentleman! He left the impression that
+King had recanted, had apologized, had even begged--there would be no more
+trouble. Uttering brags of this sort, Casey led the way to the Bank
+Exchange, a fashionable bar near at hand. Here he set up the drinks, and
+was treated in turn. His bragging became more boastful. He made a fine
+impression, but within his breast the taste of his interview with King
+curdled into dangerous bitterness. Casey could never stand much alcohol.
+The well-meant admiration and sympathy of his friends served only to
+increase his hidden, smouldering rage. His eyes became bloodshot, and he
+talked even more at random.
+
+In the group that surrounded him was our old acquaintance, Judge Edward
+McGowan--Ned McGowan--jolly, hard drinking, oily, but not as noisy as
+usual. He was watching Casey closely. The Honourable Ned was himself a
+fugitive from Pennsylvania justice. By dint of a gay life, a happy
+combination of bullying and intrigue, he had made himself a place in the
+new city, and at last had "risen" to the bench. He was apparently all on
+the surface, but his schemes ran deep. Some historians claim that he had
+furnished King the documents proving Casey an ex-convict! Now, when he
+considered the moment opportune, he drew Casey from the noisy group at the
+bar.
+
+"All this talk is very well," he said contemptuously to the Irishman, "but
+I see through it. What are you going to do about it?"
+
+"I'll get even with the----, don't you worry about that!" promised Casey,
+still blustering.
+
+This McGowan brushed aside as irrelevant. "Are you armed?" he asked. "No,
+that little weapon is too uncertain. Take this." He glanced about him, and
+hastily passed to Casey a big "navy" revolver. "You can hide it under your
+cloak--so!" He fixed Casey's eyes with his own, and brought to bear on the
+little man all the force of his very vital personality, "Listen: King comes
+by here every evening. Everybody knows that, and everybody knows what has
+happened."
+
+He stared at Casey significantly for a moment, then turned abruptly away.
+Casey, become suddenly quiet, his blustering mood fallen from him, his face
+thoughtful and white, his eyes dilated, said nothing. He returned to the
+bar, took a solitary drink, and walked out the door, his right hand
+concealed beneath his long cloak. McGowan watched him intently, following
+to the door, and looking after the other's retreating form. Casey walked
+across the street, but stopped behind a wagon, where he stood, apparently
+waiting. McGowan, with a grunt of satisfaction, sauntered deliberately to
+the corner of the Bank Exchange. There he leaned against the wall, also
+waiting.
+
+For nearly an hoar the two thus remained: Casey shrouded in his cloak,
+apparently oblivious to everything except the corner of Merchant and
+Montgomery streets, on which he kept his eyes fixed; McGowan lounging
+easily, occasionally speaking a low word to a passerby. Invariably the
+person so addressed came to a stop. Soon a little group had formed, idling
+with Judge McGowan. A small boy happening by was commandeered with a
+message for Pete Wrightman, the deputy sheriff, and shortly Pete arrived
+out of breath to join the group.
+
+At just five o'clock the idlers stiffened to attention. King's figure was
+seen to turn the corner of Merchant Street into Montgomery. Head bent, he
+walked toward the corner of the Bankers' Exchange, the men on the corner
+watching him. When nearly at that point he turned to cross the street
+diagonally.
+
+At the same instant Casey stepped forward from behind the wagon, throwing
+back his cloak.
+
+
+LII
+
+The same afternoon Johnny Fairfax and Keith were sitting together in the
+Monumental's reading-room. They happened to be the only members in the
+building with the exception of Bert Taylor, who was never anywhere else. Of
+late Keith had acquired the habit of visiting the reading-room at this
+empty hour. He was beginning to shrink from meeting his fellowmen. Johnny
+Fairfax was a great comfort to him, for the express rider was never out of
+spirits, had a sane outlook, and entertained a genuine friendship for the
+young lawyer. Although yet under thirty years of age, he was already an
+"old-timer," for he had come out in '49, and knew the city's early history
+at first hand.
+
+"This old bell of yours is historical," he told Keith. "Its tolling called
+together the Vigilantes of '51."
+
+They sat gossiping for an hour, half sleepy with reaction from the fatigues
+of the day, smoking slowly, enjoying themselves. Everything was very
+peaceful--the long slant of a sunbeam through dust motes, the buzz of an
+early bluebottle, the half-heard activities of some of the servants in the
+pantry beyond, preparing for the rush of the cocktail hour. Suddenly Johnny
+raised his head and pricked up his ears.
+
+"What the deuce is that!" he exclaimed.
+
+They listened, then descended to the big open engine-room doors and
+listened again. From the direction of Market Street came the dull sounds of
+turmoil, shouting, the growl and roar of many people excited by something.
+Across the Plaza a man appeared, running. As he came nearer, both could see
+that his face had a very grim expression.
+
+
+"Here!" called Johnny, as the man neared them. "Stop a minute! Tell us
+what's the matter!"
+
+The man ceased running, but did not stop. He was panting but evidently very
+angry. His words came from between gritted teeth.
+
+"Fight," he said briefly. "Casey and James King of William. King's shot."
+
+At the words something seemed to be stilled in Keith's mind. Johnny seized
+the man by the sleeve.
+
+"Hold on," he begged. "I know that kind of a fight. Tell us."
+
+"Casey went up close to King, said 'come on,' and instantly shot him before
+King knew what he was saying."
+
+"Killed?"
+
+"Fatally wounded."
+
+"Where's Casey?"
+
+"In jail--of course--where he's safe--with his friends."
+
+"Where you headed for?"
+
+"I'm going to get my gun!" said the man grimly, and began again to run.
+
+They watched his receding figure until it swung around the corner and
+disappeared. Without warning a white-hot wave of anger swept over Keith.
+All the little baffling, annoying delays, enmities, technicalities,
+chicaneries, personal antagonisms, evasions that had made up the Cora trial
+were in it. He seemed to see clearly the inevitable outcome of this trial
+also. It would be another Cora-Richardson case over again. A brave spirit
+had been brutally blotted out by an outlaw who relied confidently on the
+usual exoneration. With an exclamation Keith darted into the engine house
+to where hung the rope ready for an alarm. An instant later the heavy
+booming of the Monumental's bell smote the air.
+
+
+LIII
+
+
+
+Having given this alarm. Keith, Johnny at his elbow, started toward the
+centre of disturbance, From it arose a dull, menacing roar, like the sound
+of breakers on a rocky coast. Many people, with much excitement, shouting,
+and vituperation, were converging toward the common centre. As this was
+approached, it became more difficult, at last impossible, to proceed. The
+streets were packed, jammed. All sorts of rumours were abroad--King, was
+dead--King was only slightly hurt--Casey was not in jail at all--Casey had
+escaped down the Peninsula--the United States warships had anchored off the
+foot of Market Street and were preparing to bombard the city. There was
+much rushing to and fro without cause. And over all the roar could be
+distinguished occasionally single cries, as one may catch fragments of
+conversation in a crowded room, and all of these were sinister: "Hang him!"
+"Where is he?" "Run him up on a lamp post!" "Bring him out!" "He'll get
+away if left to the officers!" And over all the cries, the shouts, the
+curses, the noise of shuffling feet, the very sound of heavy breathing--
+that--the numbers of the mob magnified to a muffled, formidable undernote,
+pealed louder and louder the Monumental bell, which now Bert Taylor--or
+some one else--was ringing like mad.
+
+Keith's eyes had become grim and inscrutable, and his mouth had settled
+into a hard, straight line. Johnny's interest had at first centred in the
+mob, but after a few curious glances at his companion he transferred it
+entirely to him, Johnny Fairfax was a judge of men and of crises; and now
+he was invaded with a great curiosity to see how the one and the other were
+here to work out. With a determination that would not be gainsaid, Keith
+thrust himself through the crowd until he had gained an elevated coping.
+Here he stood watching. Johnny, after a glance at his face, joined him.
+
+Suddenly in the entrance of Dunbar Alley, next the city jail, a compact
+group of men with drawn pistols appeared. They made their way rapidly to a
+carriage standing near, jumped in, and the driver whipped up his horses.
+With a yell of rage the crowd charged down, but recoiled instinctively
+before the presented pistols. The horses reared and plunged, and before
+anybody had gathered his wits sufficiently to seize the bridles, the whole
+equipage had disappeared around the corner of Kearney Street.
+
+"I must say that was well done," said Johnny.
+
+"North and Charles Duane, with Casey, inside," commented Keith, as
+dispassionately as though reading from a catalogue. "Billy Mulligan and his
+deputies outside. That is to be remembered."
+
+A great mob had surged after the disappearing vehicle, but at least fifty
+yards in the rear. The remainder were following at a more leisurely pace.
+Almost immediately the street was empty. Keith climbed slowly down from his
+coping.
+
+"What do you intend doing?" asked Johnny curiously.
+
+"Nothing yet."
+
+"But they're getting him away!"
+
+"No," said Keith, out of his local knowledge. "They're merely taking him to
+the county jail; it's stronger."
+
+They followed the crowd to the wide open space below the county jail. The
+latter was at that period a solidly built one-story building situated atop
+a low bluff. Below it the marshal had drawn up his officers. They stood
+coolly at ease. The mob, very excited, vociferated, surged back and forth.
+North and his men, busily and coolly, but emphatically, were warning them,
+over and over again, not to approach nearer. A single, concerted rush would
+have overwhelmed the few defenders; but the rush was not made.
+Nevertheless, it could not be doubted that this time the temper of the
+people was very determined. The excitement was growing with every minute.
+Cries again took coherence.
+
+"Hang him!" "Arrest the officers!" "Good, that's it!" "Let's take the
+jail!"
+
+A man burst through the front ranks, clambered up the low bluff on which
+stood the jail, turned, and attempted to harangue the crowd. He was
+instantly torn down by the officers. He fought like a wild cat, and the
+crowd, on the hair trigger as it was, howled and broke forward. But Marshal
+North, who really handled the situation intelligently, sharply commanded
+his men to desist, and instantly to release the orator. He knew better than
+to allow the matter to come to an issue of strength. Intensely excited, the
+man shouldered his way through the crowd, and, assisted by many hands,
+mounted the balcony of a two-story house. Thence he began to harangue, but
+so great was the confusion that he could not be heard.
+
+"Who is he?" "Who is that man?" voices cried from a dozen points.
+
+George Frank, a hotel keeper, possessed of a great voice, shouted back:
+
+"That is Thomas King--"
+
+An officer seized Frank hastily by the collar. "Stop or I'll arrest you!"
+he threatened.
+
+"--brother of James King of William!" bellowed Frank, undaunted.
+
+"Bully for you!" muttered Johnny Fairfax, whose eyes were shining.
+
+Keith was watching the whole scene from beneath the brim of his hat, his
+eyes sombre and expressionless. Johnny glanced at him from time to time,
+but said nothing.
+
+From the balcony Thomas King continued to harangue the crowd. Little of
+what he said could be heard, but he was at a white heat of excitement, and
+those nearest him were greatly aroused. An officer made a movement to
+arrest him, but a hasty message from the sapient North restrained that.
+
+At that moment a great cheer burst out from the lower end of the street.
+Over the heads of the crowd could be distinguished the glint of file after
+file of bayonets.
+
+"That's the ticket!" cried an enthusiast near Keith and Johnny. "Here come
+the militia boys! Now we'll soon have the jail!"
+
+The bayonets bobbed steadily through the crowd, deployed in front of the
+jail, and turned to face the mob. A great groan went up.
+
+"Sold!" cried the enthusiast.
+
+These were volunteers from the Law and Order party, hastily armed from the
+militia armouries, and thrown in front of the jail for its protection.
+
+Immediately they had taken position the jail door opened, and there
+appeared a rather short, carefully dressed man, with side whiskers,
+carrying his hat in his hand. He stood for a moment, appealing for
+attention, one arm upraised. Little by little the noise died down.
+
+"Who is that?" inquired Johnny.
+
+He received no reply from Keith, but the enthusiast informed him:
+
+"That's our beloved mayor--Van Ness," said he.
+
+When quiet had at length been restored, Van Ness addressed them:
+
+"You are here creating an excitement," he said, "which may lead to
+occurrences this night which will require years to wipe out. You are now
+labouring under great excitement, and I advise you quietly to disperse. I
+assure you the prisoner is safe. Let the law have its course and justice
+will be done."
+
+Up to this point Van Ness had been listened to with respect, but at the
+last word he received such a chorus of jeers and cat calls that he retired
+hastily.
+
+"How about Richardson?" they demanded of him. "Where's the law in Cora's
+case?" "To hell with such justice!"
+
+"Not the popular orator," observed Johnny Fairfax.
+
+More soldiers came, and then more, at short intervals, until the square was
+filled with shining bayonets. Johnny was frankly disgusted. As a man of
+action he too well understood that this particular crisis was practically
+over. From this mob the jail was safe.
+
+"They lost their chance talking," he said. "They ought to have rushed the
+jail first pop. Now the whole thing will fizzle out slowly. Let's go get
+supper."
+
+Without reply Keith descended from his perch. They hunted some time for a
+restaurant. All were closed for the sufficient reason that their staffs
+were on the streets. Finally they discovered a Chinese chop house prepared
+to serve them, and here they ate. Johnny was voluble in his scorn for the
+manner in which a golden opportunity had been allowed to slip by. Keith was
+very taciturn.
+
+"Let's get out of here," he said abruptly at last. "Let's get some news."
+
+They learned that King was still alive, though badly wounded in the left
+breast; that he could not be moved; that he was attended by Dr. Beverly
+Cole and a half score of the best surgeons of the city; that a mass meeting
+had been called at the Plaza. Indeed, there could be no doubt that the
+centre of excitement had been shifted to the Plaza. Men by thousands, all
+armed, were marching in that direction. Johnny and Keith found the square
+jammed, but the latter led the way by devious alleys to the rear of the
+Monumental headquarters, and so out to a little second-story balcony.
+
+Below them the faces of the packed mass of humanity showed white in the dim
+light from the street lamps and the buildings. Arms gleamed. Every roof
+top, every window, every balcony was crowded. From the latter vehement
+orators held forth. All wanted to talk at once. Some of these people were,
+as our chronicler of the time quaintly expresses it, "considerably tight."
+Keith looked them all over with an appraising eye, listening at the same
+time to incendiary speeches advising the battering down of the jail and the
+hanging of all its inmates. Occasionally one of the cooler headed would get
+in a few words, but invariably was interrupted by some well-meaning hot
+head.
+
+There seemed to be a great diversity of opinion both among the people on
+the balcony and those below. Keith listened attentively for a time, then,
+with the abruptness that had characterized his movements and decisions
+since the moment he had heard the news of King's assassination, he turned
+away.
+
+"Let's go," he said briefly.
+
+"Oh, hold on!" cried Johnny, aghast. "It's just the shank of the evening!
+We'll miss all the fun."
+
+"There'll be nothing done," said Keith with decision.
+
+"I'm more in hopes," persisted Johnny. "I'll bet there are ten thousand men
+here, armed and angry, and getting angrier every minute. They could fairly
+eat up that lot at the jail."
+
+"They won't," said Keith.
+
+"I'll bet one good man could turn them loose in a minute."
+
+Suddenly Keith's dour taciturnity broke. "You're perfectly right," he
+conceded; "but the point is that good men won't lead a rabble. If we're to
+have good leaders we must have something for them to lead. If we're to cure
+these conditions, we must do things in due order. This cannot be remedied
+by mere excitement nor by deeds done under excitement. I have not yet seen
+anything that promises either satisfaction or reform."
+
+"What do you propose doing, then?" asked Johnny, his intuitions again
+satisfying him that here was the man to tie to.
+
+"Walk about," replied Keith.
+
+They walked about. In the course of the evening they looked in on a dozen
+meetings of which they had news--in the Pioneer Club, in rooms over the old
+Bella Union, in a saloon off Montgomery Street, at the offices of various
+merchants. Keith looked carefully over the personnel of each of these
+various meetings, listened a minute or so, and went out. By some of the men
+so gathered Johnny was quite impressed, but Keith shook his head.
+
+"These meetings are being held by clubs or cliques," he explained his
+disbelief in them. "They influence a certain following, but not a general
+following. This must be a general movement or none at all. The right people
+haven't taken hold."
+
+About midnight he unexpectedly announced that he was going home and to
+bed. Johnny was frankly scandalized,
+
+"I think nothing will happen in this matter," said Keith,
+
+"The time for mob violence has passed. If an attack were now to be made, I
+should consider it unfortunate, and should not want to be mixed up in it,
+anyway. A mob attack is nothing but a manifestation of sheer lawlessness."
+
+"And you're keen for the dear law, of course," said Johnny with sarcasm.
+
+"There is a difference between mere laws and the law. There is a time--
+either here or coming soon--when laws may be broken that justice may be
+done. But no popular movement will succeed unless it has behind it the
+solemn, essential human law. Good-night."
+
+LIV
+
+
+
+On this same afternoon of King's assassination Nan Keith, was expecting
+Sansome in for tea. Afternoon tea was then an exotic institution,
+practically unknown in California society. Ben Sansome was about the only
+man of Nan's acquaintance who took it as a matter of course, without either
+awkwardness, embarrassment, or ill-timed jest. The day had been fine, and
+several times she had regretted her promise as she cast an eye at the glow
+over the gilt-edged tops of the western hills. The sunset through the
+Golden Gate must to-day be very fine.
+
+And Ben Sansome had failed her! She had made certain little especial
+preparations--picked flowers, herself cut the sandwiches thin, put on her
+most becoming tea gown. As time passed she became more and more annoyed.
+She was disappointed not so much at the absence of Ben Sansome as a person
+as at the waste of her efforts.
+
+But at six o'clock, when she had given him up, and was about to change from
+her tea gown, he came in, full of apologies, very flustered, and bursting
+with news.
+
+"King was shot on the street by Casey," he told her, trying not
+unsuccessfully for his habitual detached manner. "I stopped to get the news
+for you. King is not dead, but probably fatally wounded. Casey is in jail.
+There is a great public excitement--a mob is forming. I've been expecting
+something of the sort. King has been pretty free with his comments."
+
+At seven o'clock Nan jumped to her feet in a sudden panic.
+
+"Why, I wonder where Milton is!" she cried. "He's never been so late as
+this before!"
+
+"He's probably stayed downtown to follow the course of the excitement.
+Naturally he would. He may not get home to supper at all."
+
+Wing Sam announced supper. He was unheeded. Even Gringo, his ears cocked,
+watched the door, getting up uneasily, whining, sniffing inquiringly, and
+lying down again. At half-past seven Sansome firmly intervened.
+
+"You're going to make yourself ill," he insisted, "if you don't eat
+something. I am hungry, anyway, and I'm not going to leave you until he
+comes back."
+
+"Oh, you must be starved! How thoughtless I am!" she cried.
+
+Sansome, who, it must be confessed, had been somewhat chagrined at the
+apparent intensity of her anxiety, was, within the next two hours,
+considerably reassured. Nan never did things halfway. For the moment she
+had forgotten her guest. He was certainly very kind, very thoughtful--as
+always--to stay here with her. She must not oppress his spirits. But the
+inner tension was terrible. She felt that shortly something must snap. And
+after supper, when they had returned to the drawing-room, a queer, low,
+growling, distant roar, borne on a chance shift of wind, broke one of her
+sentences in the middle.
+
+"What's that?" she cried, but before Sansome had replied, she knew what It
+was, the roar of the mob! And Milton was somewhere there!
+
+Suddenly a wave of reaction swept her, of anger. Why was he there? Why
+wasn't he at home? Why had he made no attempt to relieve her cruel anxiety?
+A messenger--it would have been very simple! And Ben Sansome was so kind--
+as always. She turned to him with a new decision.
+
+"I know you are dying to go see what is going on," she said. "You simply
+must not stay here any longer on my account. I insist! Indeed, I think I'll
+go to bed." But Ben Sansome, his manner becoming almost caressingly
+protective, would not listen.
+
+"It isn't safe to leave you alone," he told her. "All the worst elements of
+the city will be out. No woman should be left alone in times of such
+danger. I should feel most uneasy at leaving you before your husband comes
+in."
+
+His words were correct enough, but he managed to convey his opinion that he
+was only fulfilling what should have been Keith's first and manifest duty.
+She made no reply. The conversation languished and died. They sat in the
+lamplight opposite each other, occasionally exchanging a word or so.
+Sansome was content and enjoying himself. He conceived that the stars were
+fighting for him, and he was enjoying the hour. Nan, a prey alternately to
+almost uncontrollable fits of anxiety and flaming resentment, could hardly
+sit still.
+
+About midnight Gringo pricked up his ears and barked sharply. A moment
+later Keith came in.
+
+He was evidently dead tired and wholly preoccupied. He hung up his hat
+absently. Nan had sprung to her feet.
+
+"Oh, how could you!" she cried, the pent exasperation in her voice. "I've
+been so anxious! I didn't know what might have happened!"
+
+"I'm all right," replied Keith briefly. "Sorry you were worried. No chance
+to send you word."
+
+His apparent indifference added fuel to Nan's irritation.
+
+"If it hadn't been for Ben, I should have been stark, staring crazy, here
+all alone!".
+
+Keith for the first time appeared to notice Sansome's presence. He nodded
+at him wearily.
+
+"Mighty good of you," said he. "I appreciate it."
+
+"I thought _some_ man ought to be in the house at a time of such public
+excitement," rejoined Sansome significantly.
+
+Keith failed to catch, or elected not to notice, the implication. Nan's
+cheeks turned red.
+
+Without further remark Keith walked across to lock the window; returning,
+he extinguished a small lamp on the side table. He was tired out, knew he
+must be up early, and wanted above everything to get to bed. The hint was
+sufficiently obvious. Sansome rose. Nan's flush deepened with
+mortification.
+
+"Well, I'll just run along," said Sansome cheerfully. He did not ask for
+news of the evening, nor did Keith volunteer it. Keith nodded at him
+briefly and indifferently. He did not mean to be rude, but his wearied mind
+was filled to the exclusion of everything else with the significance of
+this day.
+
+Nan, feeling that she must make amends, followed Sansome into the hall. Her
+anxiety for Keith's safety relieved, her whole reaction was indignantly
+toward Sansome.
+
+"I'm sorry to have you go," she said, with a feeling that other
+circumstances could not have called out, "I don't know what I'd have done
+without you!"
+
+Sansome's sensitive intuitions thrilled to the feeling.
+
+"Your husband is here to take care of you--now," he murmured. "I must be
+off." He took her hand, and bent over her, gazing into her eyes with the
+concentration of a professional hypnotist, "Good-night," he said, with a
+world of unexpressed meaning. "Try to get some sleep--Nan," He said her
+name in a lower tone, almost lingeringly, then turned abruptly and went
+out.
+
+Nan stood looking for a moment at the closed door. The effect of his
+personality was on her spirit, the mantle of his care for her, his
+consideration for her every mood, wrapped her about gratefully.
+
+She found the lights all out, and Keith already half undressed.
+
+"I must say, Milton," she said, "you might have been a little less rude to
+Mr. Sansome. It would have only been decent after he had sat up here until
+all hours."
+
+Keith, whose wide eyes would have showed him to be wholly preoccupied with
+some inner vision or problem, answered impatiently from the surface of his
+mind:
+
+"What in the world did I do to Sansome?"
+
+"You didn't do anything, that's the trouble. Do you realize he waited here
+over six hours for you to come in?"
+
+"Oh, I guess he'll pull through," said Keith a little contemptuously.
+
+Nan became indignant.
+
+"At least," she retorted, "you ought to be grateful that he stayed to
+protect the place!"
+
+"The place was in no danger," said Keith, yawning.
+
+She checked herself, and made a fresh start.
+
+"What's it all about? What's happened? Where have you been?" she asked.
+
+Keith roused himself with an effort.
+
+"I've been a little of everywhere. Lord, I'm tired! There's a mob about
+trying to get up nerve to hang Casey. I suppose you've heard that Casey
+shot King this afternoon?"
+
+"Yes, I heard that."
+
+"Well, when I saw nothing was going to happen, I came home, though I'm not
+sure the trouble is over."
+
+Having said this, Keith fell gratefully to his pillow. Nan was nervous,
+wide-awake, curious. She asked a number of questions. Keith answered with
+extreme brevity. He was temporarily exhausted. Shortly he fell asleep
+between two sentences.
+
+
+
+LV
+
+
+
+The following morning Keith woke early, slipped to the kitchen where he was
+fed by Wing Sam, and was downtown before Nan, who had not so promptly
+fallen asleep, had yet stirred. Even at that hour the streets were crowded.
+Many--and the majority of these were "considerably tight," or otherwise
+looking the worse for wear--had been up all night, unable to tear
+themselves away from the fascinating centres of excitement. The majority,
+however, had, like Keith, snatched some repose, and now were out eager to
+discover what a new day might bring forth.
+
+The morning newspapers had been issued. Each man held a copy of one of them
+open at the editorial column, and others tucked away under his arm. Never
+had there been such a circulation; and in the case of the _Herald_ never
+would so many be sold again. For that ill-starred sheet, mistaking utterly
+the times, held boldly along the way of its sympathies. It spoke of the
+assassination as an "affray"; held forth violently against the mob spirit
+of the evening before; and stated vehemently its opinion that, now that
+"Justice is regularly administered" there was no excuse for even the threat
+of public violence. If there had been any doubt as to the depth to which
+public opinion was at last stirred, the reception of the _Herald's_
+editorial would have settled it. Actually, for the moment, indignation
+seemed to run more strongly against that sheet than against Casey himself.
+
+Keith glanced over this editorial with a half smile, tossed the paper in
+the gutter, and opened the _Alta_ for news. King, still living, had been
+removed from the office of the Express Company to a room in the Montgomery
+Block. There, attended by his wife, Dr. Beverly Cole, and a whole corps of
+volunteer physicians, he was making a fight for life. The bullet had
+penetrated his left breast. That was all that was to be reported at
+present. Keith glanced at the third page. His eye was caught by this
+notice:
+
+THE VIGILANCE COMMITTEE
+
+The members of the Vigilance Committee in good standing will please meet at
+No. 105-1/2 Sacramento Street, this day, Thursday, 15th instant, at nine
+o'clock A.M.
+
+By order of the
+
+COMMITTEE OF THIRTEEN.
+
+While he was still gazing thoughtfully at this Johnny Fairfax, fresh as the
+morning, appeared at his elbow.
+
+"Hello, wise man," he greeted him cheerily. "You were a good prophet--and
+you got some sleep. I hung around all night, but nothing new was done."
+
+"Look here," said Keith, placing his finger on the notice, "do you suppose
+this genuine?"
+
+Johnny read the notice.
+
+"Couldn't say."
+
+"Because if this is actually the old Committee of '51, it means business."
+
+"There's one way to find out."
+
+"How's that?"
+
+"Go and see," advised Johnny.
+
+Number 105-1/2 Sacramento Street proved to be a big three-storied barnlike
+structure that had been built by a short-lived political party called the
+Know Nothings. Already the hall was packed to its full capacity, the
+entrance ways jammed, and a big crowd had gathered in the streets.
+
+"Fine chance we have here!" observed Johnny ruefully.
+
+They stood well free of the press for a few moments, watching. More men
+were coming from all directions. But Johnny was resourceful, and likewise
+restless.
+
+"Let's prowl around a little," he suggested to his companion.
+
+They prowled to such good purpose that they discovered, at the rear of the
+building, opening into a blind alley, a narrow wooden stairway. It was
+unguarded and untenanted.
+
+"Here we are," pronounced Johnny.
+
+They ascended it, and immediately found themselves In a small room back of
+the stage or speaker's platform, It contained about a score of men. Their
+aspect was earnest, serious, grave. Although there was a sufficiency of
+chairs, they were all afoot, gathered in a loose group, in whose centre
+stood William Coleman, his massive shoulders squared, his large bony, hands
+clenched at his side, his florid complexion even more flushed than usual,
+his steady eye travelling slowly from one face to another, Again the
+strange contradictions in, his appearance struck Keith with the impact of a
+distinct shock--the low smoothed hair, the sweeping blue-black moustache,
+the vivid colour, and high cheek bones of the typical gambler--the clear
+eye, firm mouth, incisive, deliberate speech, the emanation of personality
+that inspired confidence. Next him, talking earnestly, stood Clancey
+Dempster, a small man, mild of manner, blue eyed, with light, smooth hair,
+the last man in the room one would have picked for great firmness and
+courage, yet destined to play one of the leading rôles in this crisis. The
+gigantic merchant, Truett, towered above him, he who had calmly held two
+fighting teamsters apart by their collars; and homely, stubborn, honest
+Farwell, direct, uncompromising, inspired with tremendous single-minded
+earnestness, but tender as a girl to any under dog; and James Dows, rough
+and ready, humorous, blasphemous, absolutely direct, endowed with "horse
+sense," eccentric, but of fundamentally good judgment: Hossfros of '51; Dr.
+Beverly Cole, high spirited, distinguished looking, courtly; the excitable,
+active, nervous, talkative, but staunch Tom Smiley, Isaac Blucome whose
+signature as "33, Secretary" was to become terrible; fiery little George
+Ward, willing--but unable--to whip his weight in wild cats. As Keith
+recognized these men, and others of their stamp, he nodded his head
+contentedly.
+
+Johnny Fairfax must have caught the same impression, for he leaned across
+to whisper to Keith, his eyes shining:
+
+"We've hit it!"
+
+Their entrance had passed unnoticed in the absorption of discussion.
+Coleman was speaking, evidently in final decision.
+
+"It is a serious business," said he. "It is no child's play. It may prove
+very serious. We may get through quickly, so safely, or we may so involve
+ourselves as never to get through."
+
+"The issue is not of choice, but of expediency," urged Dempster. "Shall we
+have vigilance with order or a mob with anarchy?"
+
+Coleman pondered a moment, then threw up his head.
+
+"On two conditions I will accept the responsibility--absolute obedience,
+absolute secrecy."
+
+Without waiting for a reply to this he threw open a door, and followed by
+the others, stepped out on the platform. A roar greeted their appearance.
+Johnny and Keith, remaining modestly in the background, lingered near the
+open door.
+
+The hall was filled to its utmost capacity. Every inch of floor space was
+occupied, and men perched on sills, clung to beams. Coleman raised his hand
+and obtained an immediate dead silence.
+
+"In view of the miscarriage of justice in the courts," he announced
+briefly, "it has been thought expedient to revive the Vigilance Committee.
+An Executive Council was chosen by a representative of the whole body. I
+have been asked to take charge. I will do so, but must stipulate that I am
+to be free to choose the first council myself. Is that agreed?"
+
+A roar of assent answered him.
+
+"Very well, gentlemen. I shall request you to vacate the hall. In a short
+time the books will be open for enrollment."
+
+He turned and reëntered the anteroom followed by the others. In so doing he
+came face to face with the intruders.
+
+"This is not your place, gentlemen," he told them courteously.
+
+They retired down the narrow back stairs and joined the huge throng that
+filled the streets, waiting patiently and quietly, its eyes fixed on the
+closed doors of the hall. In a remarkably short time these doors were
+thrown open. Those nearest surged forward. Inside the passage were twelve
+men, later to be known as the Executive Committee. These held back the
+rush, admitting but one man at a time. The crowd immediately caught the
+idea. There was absolutely no excitement. Every man was grimly in earnest.
+Cries of "Order! Order! Line up!" came from different parts of the throng.
+A rough quadruple queue was formed extending down the street. There was no
+talk nor smiles, none of the usual rough joking. Each waited his turn
+without impatience.
+
+Johnny Fairfax and Keith, owing to the chance that they had, entered the
+crowd from the nearby alley and found themselves close to the head of the
+line. As they neared the entrance, and so could hear what was there going
+on, they found that each applicant was being closely scrutinized and
+interrogated. The great majority passed this ordeal, but several men were
+peremtorily turned back with a warning not to try again.
+
+Keith's turn came. He was conscious of the scrutiny of many eyes; he heard
+the word "pass" pronounced by some one in the background, and climbed the
+stairs. At the top he was directed to an anteroom at the left. Here behind
+a table sat Coleman, Dempster, and a third man unknown to him. To them he
+repeated the words of an oath of secrecy, and then was passed into another
+room where Isaac Bluxome sat behind a ledger. In this he wrote his name.
+
+"Your number is 178," said Bluxome to him, "By that number, and not by your
+name, you are henceforth to be known here. Never use names, always their
+numbers, in referring to other members."
+
+Thence Keith was directed to the main hall where were those already
+admitted. These were gathered in groups discussing the situation. In a
+moment Johnny Fairfax joined him.
+
+"179, I am," said Johnny. His eyes swept the hall. "Not much mob spirit
+about this; it looks like business."
+
+They hung around for an hour. The hall slowly filled. Finally, learning
+that nothing further was to be done until the enrollment had finished, they
+wandered out again into the street. The unbroken lines of applicants
+extended as far down the street as the eye could see.
+
+All that day the applicants, orderly and grim with purpose, were passed
+through in line. By mid-day it was seen that the Know-Nothing Hall was
+going to be too small for the meeting that would later take place.
+Therefore, a move was made to the Turnverein Hall. After enrolling, no man
+departed from the vicinity for long. Short absences for hastily snatched
+meals were followed by hurried returns lest something be missed. From time
+to time reports were circulated as to the activities of the Executive
+Committee, which had been in continuous session since its appointment. Thus
+it was said that an Examining Committee had been appointed to scrutinize
+the applicants; that the members of the Executive Committee had been raised
+to twenty-six, that Oscar Smith had been appointed chief of police. The
+latter rumour was immediately verified by the energetic activities of that
+able citizen. He, or his messengers, darted here and there searching for
+individuals wanted as doorkeepers, guards, or police officers. His
+regulations also began to be felt. By evening only registered members of
+the committee were allowed on the floor of the hall, even the expostulating
+reporters being gently but firmly ejected.
+
+Nobody manifested the least excitement or impatience. At eight o'clock
+Coleman came out of one of the side rooms, and, mounting a table, called
+for order.
+
+"A military organization is deemed necessary," he said crisply. "Numbers
+one to one hundred will please assemble in the southwest corner of the
+room; numbers one hundred and one to two hundred will take the first
+window; numbers two hundred and one to three hundred the second window, and
+so on." He hesitated and looked over the assembly. "_Que les Français, se
+mettent au centre_," he ended.
+
+This command in a foreign language was made necessary by the extraordinary
+number of Frenchmen who had first answered the call of gold in the El
+Dorado of '49; and then with equal enthusiasm responded to this demand for
+essential justice.
+
+Coleman waited while the multitude shifted here and there. When the
+component parts had again come to rest he made his next announcement:
+
+"Now each company will elect its own officers, but those officers are
+subject to the orders of the Executive Committee."
+
+Numbers one hundred and one to two hundred inclusive, the company in which
+Keith and Johnny Fairfax found themselves, were for the most part strangers
+to one another, They exchanged glances, hesitating as to how to begin. Then
+a small, spectacled, man spoke up.
+
+"Gentlemen," said he, "we must get organized as rapidly as possible, Mr,
+Coleman is waiting. We need for a leader a man who is experienced in active
+life. I nominate John Fairfax as captain of this company."
+
+Johnny gasped and turned red.
+
+"Who's your little friend?" Keith whispered.
+
+"Never saw him before in my life," replied Johnny.
+
+The announcement was received with indecision. Nobody immediately replied
+or commented aloud on the nomination, but men were asking each other in
+undertones. The little spectacled man saw this, and spoke up again:
+
+"Perhaps I should say that Mr. Fairfax is better known as Diamond Jack."
+
+Faces cleared, heads nodded. A murmur of recognition replaced the puzzled
+frowning, "Good man," "The express rider," "Danny Randall's man," they told
+each other.
+
+"I do not know Mr. Fairfax," the spectacled man was saying, "but I saw his
+name just before mine on the register."
+
+"This is Fairfax," said Keith, thrusting the reluctant Johnny forward.
+
+He was elected to the post by acclamation.
+
+"Nominations for a lieutenant?" suggested the spectacled man, but Keith
+interrupted.
+
+"If you all have as much confidence in Mr. Fairfax as I have," said he,
+"perhaps you'll give him free hand and let him pick his own officers."
+
+This seemed a good idea, and was instantly adopted.
+
+"Well, I thank you, gentlemen," said Johnny, "and we'll do our best to
+become efficient. Report your names and addresses to this gentleman here--"
+
+"Willey," supplied the little man.
+
+"We shall drill to-morrow at eight sharp. Bring whatever weapons----"
+
+But Coleman was again speaking and on this very subject:
+
+"The committee have arranged with George Law," he was saying, "to supply or
+hire muskets to the number of several thousands. These weapons will be at
+this hall to-morrow morning early. Company captains can then make their
+requisitions."
+
+A murmur of inquiry swept the hall. "George Law? Where did _he_ get several
+thousand muskets?" And the counter current of information making its way
+slowly--they were only flintlocks, perfectly efficient though, had
+bayonets--superseded government arms--brought out some time ago by Law to
+arm some mysterious filibustering expedition that had fizzled.
+
+In this manner, without confusion, an organization of two thousand men was
+formed, sixteen military companies officered and armed.
+
+Shortly after Coleman dismissed the meeting. Its members dispersed to their
+homes. Absolute quiet descended on the city, which slept under the moon.
+
+
+
+
+
+LVI
+
+To the  thoughtful bystander all this preparation had its significance and
+its portent, which became the stronger when he contemplated the
+dispositions of the Law and Order party. The latter had been not less
+vigorous, and its strength could not be doubted. The same day that marked
+the organization of the Vigilantes saw the regular police force largely
+increased. In addition, the sheriff issued thousands of summonses to
+citizens, calling on them for service on a _posse_. These were in due form
+of the law. To refuse them meant to put one's self outside the law. A great
+many of them were responded to, for this reason only, by men not wholly in
+sympathy with either side. Once the oath was administered, these new
+deputies were confronted by the choice between perjury and service. To be
+sure the issuance of these summonses forced many of the neutral minded into
+the ranks of the Vigilantes. The refusal to act placed them on the wrong
+side of the law; and they felt that joining a party pledged to what
+practically amounted to civil war was only a short step farther. The
+various military companies were mustered, reminded of their oaths, called
+upon solemnly to fulfil their sworn duty, and marched to various strategic
+points about the jail and elsewhere. Parenthetically, their every
+appearance on the streets was well hissed by the populace. The governor was
+informally notified of a state of insurrection, and requested to send in
+the State militia. By evening all the forces of organized society were
+under arms. The leaders of the Law and Order party were jubilant. Their
+position appeared to be impregnable. They felt that back of them was all
+the weight of constituted authority, reaching, if need be, to the Federal
+Government at Washington. Opposed to them was lawlessness. Lawlessness had
+occasionally become dignified revolution, to be sure, but only when a race
+took its stand on a great issue; never when a handful espoused a local
+quarrel. Civil war it might be; but civil war, the wise politicians argued,
+must spread to become effective; and how could a civil war based on the
+shooting of an obscure editor in a three-year-old frontier town spread
+anywhere? Especially such an editor as James King of William.
+
+For King had made many bitter enemies. In attacking individual members of a
+class he had often unreasonably antagonized the whole class. Thus he had
+justly castigated the _Times_ and other venal newspapers; but in so doing
+had by his too general statements drawn the fire of every other journal in
+town. He had with entire reason attacked a certain scalawag of a Roman
+Catholic priest--a man the church itself must soon have taken in hand--but
+had somehow managed to offend all Roman Catholics in doing so; likewise,
+there could be no question that his bitter scorn for "the chivalry" was
+well justified, but the manner of its expression offended also the decent
+Southerners. And all these people saw the Vigilantes, not as a protest
+against a condition that had become intolerable, but as the personal
+champions of King. The enemies of King, many of them worthy citizens, quite
+out of sympathy with the present methods of administering the law, became
+the enemies of the Vigilantes.
+
+No wonder the Law and Order party felt no uneasiness. They did not
+underestimate the determination of their opponents. It was felt that
+fighting, severe fighting, was perhaps inevitable. The Law and Order party
+loved fighting. They had chosen as their commander William Tecumseh
+Sherman, later to gain his fame as a great soldier. His greatness in a
+military capacity seems to have been exceeded only by his inability to
+remember facts proved elsewhere by original historical documents. This is
+the only possible explanation for the hash of misstatements comprising
+those chapters in his "Memoirs" dealing with this time. In writing them the
+worthy general evidently forgot that original documents existed, or that
+statements concerning historical events can often be checked.
+
+And as a final source of satisfaction, the Vigilantes had placed themselves
+on record. Every man could be apprehended and made to feel the weight of
+the law. A mob is irresponsible and anonymous. These fools had written down
+their names in books!
+
+
+
+
+LVII
+
+Now a new element was injected into the situation in the person of the
+governor of the State, one J. Neely Johnson, a politician who would long
+since have been utterly forgotten had not his unlucky star risen just at
+this unlucky time. A more unfortunate man for a crisis it would have been
+difficult to find. His whole life had been one of trimming; he had made his
+way by trimming; he had gained the governor's chair by yielding to the
+opinions of others. This training combined perfectly with the natural
+disposition of a chameleon. He was, or became, a sincere trimmer, taking
+his colour and his temporary beliefs from those with whom he happened to
+be. His judgment often stuck at trifles, and his opinions were quickly
+heated but as quickly cooled. His private morals were none of the best,
+which gave certain men an added hold.
+
+On receipt of the message sent by the Law and Order party--but not, be it
+noted, by the proper authorities--requesting the State militia, Governor
+Johnson came down post-haste from Sacramento. Immediately on arriving in
+the city he sent word to Coleman requesting an interview. Coleman at once
+followed the messenger to the Continental Hotel. He was shown to a private
+room where he found Johnson pacing up and down alone. Coleman bowed gravely
+in response to the governor's airy greeting. Johnson sat down, offered
+cigars, made every effort to appear amiable and conciliatory.
+
+"This is bad; this is bad, Coleman," he began the interview. "What is it
+you want?"
+
+"Peace," replied Coleman, "and if possible without a struggle."
+
+"That's all very well," said Johnson pettishly, "to talk about peace with
+an army of insurrection newly raised. But what is it you actually wish to
+accomplish?"
+
+Coleman looked at him steadily, then leaned forward.
+
+"The law is crippled," he told the governor in measured tones. "We want
+merely to accomplish what the crippled law should do but cannot. This done,
+we will gladly retire. Now, Governor, you have been asked by the mayor, and
+certain others, to bring out the militia and crush this movement. I assure
+you, it cannot be done; and if you attempt it, it will cause you and us
+great trouble. Do as Governor McDougall did in '51. See in this movement
+what he saw in that: a local movement for a local reform, in which the
+State is not concerned. We are not a mob; we demand no overthrow of
+institutions. We ask not a single court to adjourn; we ask not a single
+officer to vacate his position; we demand only the enforcement of the law--
+which, after all, we have made!" He extended his strong fist and laid it on
+the table. "If you deem it the conscientious duty of your office to
+discountenance these proceedings--as perhaps you well may--then let your
+opposition be in appearance only. In your heart you must know the necessity
+of this measure; you know the standing of the men managing it, You know
+that this is no mob, no distempered faction. It is San Francisco herself
+who speaks! Let California stand aside; let her leave us to our shame and
+sorrow; for, as God lives, we will cleanse this city of her corruption or
+perish with her! So we have sworn!"
+
+This long speech, delivered with the solemnity of absolute conviction,
+profoundly impressed Johnson's volatile nature.
+
+"But," he objected uncertainly, "Coleman, you must understand! This is
+against the law--and I have sworn to uphold the law!"
+
+"That is a matter for your own conscience," rejoined Coleman a little
+impatiently. "Issue your proclamation, if you feel that the dignity of the
+law may be best maintained by frowning on justice--but confine yourself to
+that! Leave us alone in our righteous purposes!"
+
+Johnson, his chameleon soul aglow with enthusiasm, leaped to his feet and
+seized Coleman's two hands. In his eye stood a tear.
+
+"Sir," he cried, "go on with your work! Let it be done as speedily as
+possible! You have my best wishes!"
+
+Coleman did not relax his formal gravity.
+
+"I am glad you feel that way, and that we understand each other," he
+contented himself with saying.
+
+The heroic moment past, Johnson's restless mind began to glance among
+anxieties.
+
+"But hasten the undertaking as much as you can," he begged. "The opposition
+is stronger than you suppose. The pressure on me is going to be terrible.
+What about the prisoners in the jail?" asked Johnson anxiously. "What is
+your immediate plan?"
+
+"That is in the hands of the committee," evaded Coleman.
+
+He left the governor, again pacing up and down.
+
+
+
+
+LVIII
+
+
+Coleman returned at once to the hall to resume his interrupted labours with
+the committee. The results of his conference with the governor seemed very
+satisfactory,
+
+"We can now go ahead with free minds," said Clancey Dempster.
+
+The business was astonishingly varied in scope. Charles Doane--not to be
+confused with Duane, the ex-fire chief--was appointed military commander-
+in-chief; Colonel Johns, captain of artillery; Olney was given the task of
+guarding the jail from the outside "with a force numerous enough to prevent
+escape." After considerable discussion Aaron Burns was made head of a
+civilian committee to take charge of all prisoners. It was moved and
+carried that no city or county official should be admitted to membership, a
+striking commentary on the disesteem in which such men were held. Permanent
+headquarters were arranged for; committees appointed for the solicitation
+of funds. A dozen other matters of similar detail were taken up,
+intelligently discussed, and provided for with the celerity of men trained
+in crises of business or life. At length it was moved the "committee, as a
+body, shall visit the county jail at such time as the Executive Committee
+might direct; and take thence James P. Casey and Charles Cora, give them a
+fair trial, and administer such punishment as justice shall demand."
+
+This was the real business, for the transaction of which all these lesser
+businesses had been prepared. A slight pause followed its introduction, as
+though each member present were savouring the significance of the moment.
+
+"Are you ready for the question?" asked Coleman in grave tones. "Those in
+favour----"
+
+"Aye," came the instant response from every man present.
+
+A messenger opened the door to announce that Governor Johnson was in the
+anteroom requesting speech with Coleman. The latter, handing his gavel to
+Dempster, immediately answered the summons.
+
+He found Johnson, accompanied by Sherman, Garrison, and two strangers,
+lounging in the anteroom. The governor sprawled in a chair, his hat pulled
+over his eyes, a cigar in the corner of his mouth. His companions arose and
+bowed gravely as Coleman entered the room, but he remained seated, nodding
+at Coleman with an air of cavalier bravado that was plainly intended to
+conceal his nervousness. Without waiting for the exchange of spoken
+greetings, he burst out:
+
+"We have come to ask what you intend to do," he demanded truculently of
+Coleman, as though he had never seen or talked to him before.
+
+Coleman stared at him for an instant, completely surprised; read him; set
+his mouth grimly.
+
+"Outrages are of constant occurrence," he recited briefly; "our suffrages
+are profaned, our fellow-citizens shot down in the street, our courts
+afford us no redress, we will endure it no longer."
+
+"I agree with you as to the grievances," rejoined the governor, almost as
+though reciting a learned lesson; "but I think the courts are the proper
+remedy. The judges are good men, and there is no necessity for the people
+to turn themselves into a mob and obstruct the execution of the laws."
+
+A flush mounted Coleman's cheek.
+
+"Sir!" he cried indignantly, "this is no mob! You know this is no mob!"
+
+Johnson looked at him from between half-closed lids, as though from a great
+distance.
+
+"The opposition is stronger than you imagine," he said. "There is danger to
+the city--great danger of bloodshed--which should be prevented if
+possible." He paused, focussed his whole attention on Coleman, and went on
+with deliberate significance: _"It may be necessary to bring out all the
+force at my command._ I strongly advise you to leave the case of Casey to
+the courts; and I pledge myself to his fair and speedy trial."
+
+Although realizing fully what a formidable element this change of front
+threw into the situation, Coleman's expression did not change: Sherman,
+watching him closely, could not see that his eyes even flickered,
+
+"That will not satisfy the people," he told the governor, coldly and
+formally. "However they might consider your intention, they will doubt your
+ability to keep such a promise," He was going to say more, but checked,
+himself abruptly. The silent but intent attitude of the governor's four
+companions had struck his attention. "They are present as witnesses!" he
+told himself. Aloud he said, "Sir, I will report your remarks to my
+associates," Coleman wanted witnesses, too.
+
+He returned to the committee, interrupting the proceedings,
+
+"The governor has flopped over the fence." he informed them. "He is out
+there with Sherman and some others threatening to bring in the State troops
+unless we turn Casey over to the courts and disband. He personally
+guarantees a fair and speedy trial."
+
+"What did you tell him?" demanded Hossfros.
+
+"I haven't told him anything. It suddenly occurred to me that I ought to
+have witnesses for my side of the conversation, What do you think?"
+
+"Same as I've always thought," replied Ward.
+
+A murmur of assent greeted this.
+
+After a remarkably brief discussion, considering the delicacy of the
+crisis, Coleman with others returned to the anteroom.
+
+"Sorry to have kept you waiting," he said blandly, "but some consideration
+of the question was necessary. Let us understand each other clearly. As I
+understand your proposal, it is that, if we make no move, you guarantee no
+escape, immediate trial, and instant execution?"
+
+"That is it," agreed Johnson, after a moment's focussing of his mind. For
+the first time it became evident to Coleman that the man had a trifle too
+much aboard.
+
+"We doubt your ability to do this," went on Coleman, "but we are ready to
+meet you halfway. This is what we will promise: we will take no steps
+without first giving you notice. But in return we insist that ten men of
+our own selection shall be added to the sheriff's force within the jail."
+
+"And," added Isaac Bluxome, "that they be fed and kept and treated well.
+That's part of the bargain."
+
+"Why, that sounds fair and reasonable, gentlemen!" the governor cried
+heartily. "I see no objection to that! I was sure we could come to an
+agreement!"
+
+He was suddenly all cordiality, all smiles, shaking each man's hand in
+turn. His companions retained their manner of glacial formality, however.
+He shortly withdrew, full of spirits, very much relieved at the lifting of
+what seemed to him a cloud of unjust oppression for a poor official who
+merely wanted peace. The real situation, evident enough to the keener
+brains on either side, was veiled to him. For poor Johnson had thus far
+stepped from one blunder into another. If Coleman were completely outside
+the law, then he, as an executive of the law, had no business treating or
+making agreements with him at all. Furthermore, as executive of the State,
+he had no legal right to interfere with city affairs unless formally
+summoned by the authorities--a procedure that had not been adopted. And to
+cap it all, he had for the second time treated with "rebels" and to their
+advantage. For, as the astute Coleman well knew, the final agreement was
+all to the benefit of the committee. They gained the right to place a
+personal guard over the prisoners; they gave, practically, only a promise
+to withdraw that guard before attacking the jail--a procedure eminently
+sensible if they cared anything for the guard.
+
+This little weakness was immediately and vigorously pointed out to Johnson
+when he returned triumphantly to his hotel. Keen minds were plenty in the
+Law and Order party. Johnson was crestfallen. Like all men of little
+calibre elevated by expediency to high office, he wanted above everything
+to have peace, to leave things as they were, to avoid friction.
+
+"Upon my word, gentlemen!" cried the governor, dismayed, "I did it for the
+best; and I assure you I am still convinced that this agreement--entered
+into in all faith, and sincerity----"
+
+"Bosh!" boomed Judge Caldwell.
+
+"I beg your pardon!" said Johnson, flushing.
+
+"I said 'bosh,'" repeated the judge, bringing the point of his cane against
+the floor. "You've muddied it, as every sensible man can see. Best thing is
+to put a bold face on it. Take it for granted that the committee has
+promised to surrender all right of action, and that they have promised
+definitely to leave the case to the courts."
+
+"I hardly think they intended that," murmured Johnson.
+
+"Meant!" snorted the judge. "The words will bear that interpretation, won't
+they? Who cares what they meant!"
+
+The following morning this version was industriously passed about. When
+Coleman heard of it he pulled his long moustache,
+
+"The time has come," he said with decision. "After that, it is either
+ourselves or a mob."
+
+He went immediately to the hall.
+
+"Call Olney," he told a messenger. The head of the guard was soon before
+him.
+
+"Olney," said his chief, "will you accept the command of a picked company
+in an important but somewhat perilous movement?"
+
+Olney's tall form stiffened with pleasure.
+
+"I will--with thanks!"
+
+"Well, then, pick out from all the forces, of whatever companies, sixty
+men. Accept none but men--of the very highest bravery. Let them know that
+they are chosen for the post of danger, which is the post of honour, and
+permit none to serve who does not so esteem it."
+
+Olney saluted, and went at once to the main floor, which, for drilling
+purposes, was shared by four companies. He stood still until his eye fell
+on Johnny Fairfax--him he called aside.
+
+"You can get the whole sixty right here if you want to," Johnny told him.
+"But if you want to distribute things----"
+
+"I do," said Olney.
+
+"Then I'd take Keith, Carter, that teamster McGlynn, and Salisbury."
+
+Together they went the rounds of the impromptu armouries, going carefully
+over the rolls, picking a man here and there. By eight o'clock the sixty,
+informed, equipped, and ready, were gathered at the hall. Olney dismissed
+all others, and set himself to drilling his picked body.
+
+"I don't care whether you can do 'shoulder arms' or not," he said, "but
+you've got to learn simple evolutions so I can handle you. And you must
+learn one another's faces. Now, come on!"
+
+At two o'clock in the morning he expressed himself as satisfied. From the
+stock of blankets with which the headquarters were already provided they
+selected, bedding, and turned in on the floor. At six o'clock Olney began
+to send out detachments for breakfast.
+
+"Feed up," he advised them. "I don't know what this is all about, but it
+pays to eat well."
+
+By eight o'clock every man was in his place, lined up to rigid attention as
+Coleman entered the building.
+
+"There they are!" said Olney proudly. "Every man of them of good, tough
+courage, and you can handle them as well as any old soldiers!"
+
+Other men came into the hall, some of them in ranks, as they had fallen in
+at their own company headquarters outside, others singly or in groups.
+Doorkeepers prevented all exit; once a man was in, he was not permitted to
+go out. Some of the leaders and captains, among whom were Doane, Olney, and
+Talbot Ward, were summoned to Coleman's room. Shortly they emerged, and
+circulated through the hall giving to each captain of a company detailed
+and explicit directions. Each was instructed as to what hour he and his
+command were to start; from what given point; along exactly what route; and
+at exactly what time he was to arrive at another given point--not a moment
+sooner or later. Each was ignorant as to the instructions given the others.
+Never was a plan better laid out for concerted action, and probably never
+before had such a plan been so well carried out. Each captain listened
+attentively, returned to head his company, thoughtful with responsibility.
+
+Olney gave the orders to his picked, company in person. They were told to
+leave their muskets. Armed only with pistols, they were to make their way
+by different routes to the jail.
+
+Keith, and Johnny Fairfax started out together, "This is a mistake, as far
+as I am concerned," observed Keith to his companion. "I can't shoot a
+pistol. I ought to be in the rank and file, not with this picked lot. They
+chose me merely because I was your friend."
+
+"You can make a noise, anyway," replied Johnny, whose eyes were alight with
+excitement. "I wonder what's up? This looks like business! I wouldn't miss
+it for a million dollars!"
+
+Apparently the general populace had no inkling that anything was forward.
+The streets were much as usual except that an inordinate amount of street-
+corner discussion seemed to be going on; but that in view of the
+circumstances was normal. A broad-beamed Irish woman, under full sail alone
+accosted them. Her face Keith vaguely recognized, but he could not have
+told where he had seen it.
+
+"I hear Mr. King, God rest him, is better," she said. "And what are the men
+going to do with that villain, Casey? If the men don't hang him, the women
+will!".
+
+A little farther Keith stopped short at sight of two men hurrying by.
+
+"Hold on, Watkins!" he called.
+
+The four of them drew aside a little, out of the way.
+
+"Weren't you in the jail guard?" asked Keith.
+
+Watkins nodded.
+
+"How does it happen you're outside?"
+
+"The committee sent notice that the truce was over."
+
+Johnny uttered an exultant yell, which he cut short shamefacedly when a
+dozen passersby looked around.
+
+
+
+
+LIX
+
+
+It happened  on this day that Nan Keith had refused an invitation to ride
+with Ben Sansome, but had agreed as a compromise to give him a cup of tea
+late in the afternoon. Nan's mood was latterly becoming more and more
+restless. It was an unconscious reflection of the times, unconscious
+because she had no real conception of what was going on. In obedience to
+Keith's positively expressed request she had kept away from the downtown
+districts, leaving the necessary marketing to Wing Sam. For the moment, as
+has been explained, her points of touch with society were limited. It
+happened that before the trouble began the Keiths had been subscribers to
+the Bulletin and the Herald, and these two journals continued to be
+delivered. Neither of them gave her much idea of what was really going on.
+For a moment her imagination was touched by the blank space of white paper
+the Bulletin left where King's editorials had usually been printed, but
+Thomas King's subsequent violence had repelled her. The Herald, after
+rashly treating the "affray" as a street brawl, lost hundreds of
+subscribers and most of its advertising. It shrunk to a sheet a quarter of
+its usual size. Naturally, its editor, John Nugent, was the more solidly
+and bitterly aligned with the Law and Order party. The true importance of
+the revolt, either as an ethical movement or merely as regards its
+physical size, did not get to Nan at all. She knew the time was one of
+turmoils and excitements. She believed the city in danger of mobs. Her
+attitude might be described as a mixture of fastidious disapproval and a
+sympathetic restlessness.
+
+About the middle of the afternoon Mrs. Sherwood came up the front walk and
+rang the bell. Nan, sitting behind lace curtains, was impressed by her air
+of controlled excitement. Mrs. Sherwood hurried. She hurried gracefully,
+to be sure, and with a reminiscence of her usual feline indolence; but she
+hurried, nevertheless. Therefore, Nan herself answered the bell, instead
+of awaiting the deliberate Wing Sam.
+
+"My dear," cried Mrs. Sherwood, "get your mantle, and come with me.
+There's something going to happen-something big!"
+
+She refused to answer Nan's questions.
+
+"You'll see," was all the reply she vouchsafed. "Hurry!"
+
+They crossed by the new graded streets where the sand hills had been, and
+soon found themselves on the low elevations above the county jail. Mrs.
+Sherwood led the way to the porch of a onestory wooden house that appeared
+to be unoccupied.
+
+"This is fine!" she said with satisfaction.
+
+The jail was just below them, and they looked directly across the open
+square in front of it and the convergence of two streets. The jail was
+buzzing like a hive: men were coming and going busily, running away as
+though on errands, or darting in through the open door. Armed men were
+taking their places on the flat roof.
+
+In contrast to this one little spot of excited activity, the rest of the
+scene was almost superlatively peaceful. People were drifting in from all
+the side streets, but they were sauntering slowly, as though without
+particular interest; they might have been going to or coming from church.
+A warm, basking, Sunday feel was in the sunshine. There was not the
+faintest breeze. Distant sounds carried clearly, as the barking of a dog--
+it might have been Gringo shut up at home--or the crowing of a distant
+cock. From the square below arose the murmur of a multitude talking. The
+groups of people increased in frequency, in numbers. Black forms began to
+appear on roof tops all about; white faces at windows. It would have been
+impossible to say when the scattered groups became a crowd; when the side
+of the square filled; when the converging streets became black with
+closely packed people; when the windows and doors and balconies, the
+copings and railings, the slopes of the hills were all occupied, but so it
+was. Before she fairly realized that many were gathering, Nan looked down
+on twenty thousand people. They took their positions quietly, and waited.
+There was no shouting, no demonstration, so little talking that the low
+murmur never rendered inaudible the barking of the dog or the crowing of
+the distant cock. The doors of the jail had closed. Men ceased going in
+and out. The armed forces on the roof were increased.
+
+Nan had left off asking questions of Mrs. Sherwood, who answered none. The
+feeling of tense expectation filled her also. What was forward? Was this a
+mob? Why were these people gathered? Somehow they gave her the impression
+that they, too, like Mrs. Sherwood and herself, were waiting to see.
+
+After a long time she saw the closely packed crowd down the vista of one
+of the converging streets move in the agitation of some disturbance. A
+moment later the sun caught files of bayonets. At the same instant the
+same thing happened at the end of the other converging street. The armed
+columns came steadily forward, the people giving way. Their men were
+dressed in sober citizens' clothes. The shining steel of the bayonets
+furnished the only touch of uniform. Quietly and steadily they came
+forward, the snake of steel undulating and twisting like a living thing.
+The two columns reached the convergence of the street together. As they
+entered the square before the jail, a third and fourth column debouched
+from side streets, and others deployed into view on the hills behind. The
+timing was perfect. One minute the prospect was empty of all but
+spectators, the next it was filled with grim and silent armed men.
+
+Near the two women and among chance spectators on the piazza of the
+deserted house a well-known character of the times leaned against one of
+the pillars. This was Colonel Gift. Our chronicler, who has an eye for the
+telling phrase, describes him as "a tall, lank, empty-bowelled, tobacco-
+spurting Southerner, with eyes like burning black balls, who could talk a
+company of listeners into an insane asylum quicker than any man in
+California, and whose blasphemy could not be equalled, either in quantity
+or quality, by the most profane of any age or nation." In this crisis
+Colonel Gift's sympathies may be guessed. He watched the scene below him
+with a sardonic eye. As the armed columns wheeled into place and stood at
+attention, he turned to a man standing near.
+
+"I tell you, stranger," said he, "when you see those damned psalm-singing
+Yankees turn out of their churches, shoulder their guns, and march away of
+a Sunday, you may know that hell is going to crack shortly!"
+
+Mrs. Sherwood turned an amused eye in his direction. The colonel, for the
+first time becoming aware of her presence, swept off his black slouch hat
+and apologized profusely for the "damn."
+
+The armed men stood rigid, four deep all around the square. Behind them
+the masses of the people watched. Even the murmur died. Again everybody
+waited.
+
+Now, at a command, the ranks fell apart and from the side street marched
+the sixty men chosen by Olney dragging a field gun at the end of a rope.
+Their preliminary task of watching the jail for a possible escape
+finished, they had been again gathered. With beautiful military precision
+they wheeled and came to rest facing the frowning walls of the jail, the
+cannon pointed at the door.
+
+Nan gasped sharply, and seized Mrs. Sherwood's arm with both hands. She
+had recognized Keith standing by the right wheel of the cannon. He was
+looking straight ahead, and the expression on his face was one she had
+never seen there before. Suddenly something swelled up within her breast
+and choked her. The tears rushed to her eyes.
+
+Quite deliberately, each motion in plain sight, the cannon was loaded with
+powder and ball. A man lit a slow match, blew it painstakingly to a glow,
+then took his position at the breech. The slight innumerable sounds of
+these activities died. The bustle of men moving imperceptibly fell. Not
+even the coughing and sneezing usual to a gathering of people paying
+attention was heard, for the intense interest inhibited these nervous
+symptoms. Probably never have twenty thousand people, gathered in one
+place, made their presence so little evident. A deep, solemn stillness
+brooded over them. The spring sun lay warm and grateful on men's
+shoulders; the doves and birds, the distant dogs and roosters, cooed and
+twittered, barked and crowed.
+
+Nothing happened for full ten minutes. The picked men stood rigid by the
+gun in the middle of the square; the slow match burned sleepily, a tiny
+thread of smoke rising in the still air; the sunlight gleamed from the
+ranks of bayonets; the vast multitude held its breath, the walls of the
+jail remained blank and inscrutable.
+
+Then a man on horseback was seen pushing his way through the crowd. He rode
+directly up to the jail door, on which he rapped thrice with the handle of
+his riding whip. Against the silence these taps, but gently delivered,
+sounded sharp and staccato. After a moment the wicket opened. The rider,
+without dismounting, handed through it a note; then, with a superb display
+of the old-fashioned horsemanship, backed his horse half the length of the
+square where he, too, came to rest.
+
+"Who is he?" whispered Nan. Why she whispered she could not have told.
+
+"Charles Doane," answered Mrs. Sherwood, in the same voice.
+
+Another commotion down the street. Again the ranks parted and closed again,
+this time to admit three carriages driven rapidly. As they came to a stop
+the muskets all around the square leaped to the "present." So disconcerting
+was this sudden slap and rattle of arms after the tenseness of the last
+half hour, that men dodged back as though from a blow. With admirable
+precision, Olney's men, obeying a series of commands, moved forward from
+the gun to form a hollow square around the carriages. Only the man with the
+burning slow match was left standing by the breech.
+
+From the carriages then descended Coleman, Truett, Talbot Ward, Smiley, and
+two other men whom neither Nan nor Mrs. Sherwood recognized. Amid the dead
+silence they walked directly to the jail door, Olney's Sixty breaking the
+square and deploying close at their heels. A low colloquy through the
+wicket now took place. At length the door swung slowly open. The committee
+entered. The door swung shut after them. Again the people waited, but now
+once more arose the murmur of low-toned conversation.
+
+
+
+
+LX
+
+
+Up to this day Casey had been very content with his situation. His quarters
+were the best the place afforded, and they had been made more comfortable.
+Scores of friends had visited him, hailing him as their champion. He had
+been made to feel quite a hero. To be sure it was a nuisance to be so
+confined; but when he shot King, he had anticipated undergoing some
+inconvenience. It was a price to pay. He understood that there was some
+public excitement, and that it was well to lie low for a little until that
+had died down. The momentary annoyance would be more than offset by later
+prestige. Casey did not in the least fear the courts. He had before his
+eyes too many reassuring examples. His friends were rallying nobly to his
+defence. Over the wines and cigars, with which he was liberally supplied,
+they boasted of their strength and their dispositions--the whole police
+force of the city, the militia companies sworn, to act in just such
+emergencies, hundreds of volunteers, if necessary the whole power of the
+State of California called to put down this affronting of duly constituted
+law!
+
+But this Sunday morning Casey was uneasy. There seemed to be much
+whispering in corners, much bustling to and fro. He paced back and forth,
+fretting, interrogating those about him. But they could or would tell him
+little--there was trouble;--and they fussed away, leaving Casey alone. As a
+matter of fact, the withdrawal of the committee's guard of ten, and the
+formal notice that the truce was thus promptly ended, had caught the Law
+and Order party unprepared. With five hours' notice--or indeed by next day,
+even were no notice given--the jail would have been impregnably defended.
+The sudden move of the committee won; as prompt, decisive moves will.
+
+The bustling of the people in the jail suddenly died. Casey heard no
+shuffle of feet, no whisper of conversation. The building might have been
+empty save for himself. But he did hear outside the steady rhythmic tramp
+of feet.
+
+Sheriff Scannell stood before him, the Vigilantes' written communication in
+his hand. Casey, looking up from the bed on which he had fallen in sudden
+shrinking, saw on his face an expression that made him cower.  For the
+first time realization came to him of the straits he was in. His vivid
+Irish imagination leaped instantaneously from the complacence of absolute
+safety to the depths of terror. He sprang to his feet.
+
+"You aren't going to betray me! You aren't going to give me up!" he cried,
+wringing his hands.
+
+"James," replied' Scannell solemnly, "there are three thousand armed men
+coming for you, and I have not now thirty supporters around the jail."
+
+"Not thirty!" cried. Casey, astonished. For a moment he appeared crushed;
+then leaped to his feet flourishing a long knife he had drawn from his
+boot. "I'll, not be taken from this place alive!" he shrieked, beside
+himself with hysteria. "Where are all you brave fellows who were going to
+see me through this?"
+
+Scannell looked at him sadly. In the pause came a sharp knocking at the
+door of the jail. The sheriff turned away. A moment later Casey, listening
+intently, heard the door open and close, heard the sound of talking. He
+fairly darted to his table, scrawled a paper, and called to attract
+attention. Marshal North, answered the summons.
+
+"Give this to them--to the Vigilantes," urged Casey, thrusting the paper
+into his hands. North glanced through the note.
+
+TO THE VIGILANT COMMITTEE. Gentlemen: I am willing to go before you if you
+will let me speak but ten minutes. I do not wish the blood of any man upon
+my head.
+
+JAS. CASEY
+
+But after North had gone to deliver this, Casey again sprang to his feet,
+again flourished his bowie knife, again ramped up and down, again swore he
+would never be taken alive. A deputy passed the door. Casey's demeanour
+collapsed again.
+
+"Tell them," he begged this man earnestly; "tell them if two respectable
+citizens will promise me gentlemanly treatment, I'll go peaceably! I will
+not be dragged through the streets like a dog! If they will give me a fair
+trial and allow me to summon my witnesses, I'll yield!"
+
+And the deputy left him pacing up and down, waving his knife, muttering
+wildly to, himself.
+
+On entering the jail door Coleman and his companions bowed formally to the
+sheriff.
+
+"We have come for the prisoner, Casey," said Coleman. "We ask that he be
+peaceably delivered us handcuffed, at the door, immediately."
+
+"Under existing circumstances," replied Scannell, "I shall make no
+resistance. The prison and its contents are yours."
+
+But Truett interrupted pointedly:
+
+"We want only the man Casey, at present," he said. "For the rest we hold
+you strictly accountable."
+
+Scannell bowed without reply. North and the deputy came in succession to
+deliver Casey's messages, and to report his apparent determination. The
+committee offered no comment. They penetrated to the ulterior of the jail.
+Many men, apparently unarmed, idling about as though merely spectators,
+looked at them curiously as they passed. Casey heard them, coming and
+sprang back from the door, holding his long knife dramatically poised.
+Coleman walked directly to the door, where he stopped, looking Casey coldly
+in the eye. The seconds, passed. Neither man stirred. At the end of a full
+minute Coleman said sharply:
+
+"Lay down that knife!"
+
+As though his incisive tones had broken the spell, Casey moved. He looked
+wildly to right and to left; then flung the knife from him and buried his
+face in his hands.
+
+"Your requests are granted," said Coleman shortly; then to Marshal North:
+"Open the door and bring him out."
+
+
+
+
+LXI
+
+
+On the veranda of the unoccupied house above the jail Nan Keith stood
+rigid, her hand upon her heart. During the period of the committee's
+absence inside the jail she did not alter her position by a hair's breadth.
+She was in the hypnosis of a portentous waiting. Time fell into the abyss
+of eternity: whether it were ten minutes or ten hours did not matter in the
+least.
+
+For this was to Nan in the nature of a revelation so sudden and so complete
+that it filled her whole soul. Had she known what Mrs. Sherwood was taking
+her to see, she would have pre-visualized a drunken, disorderly, howling,
+bloodthirsty mob; a huge composite of brawling antagonisms, of blind fury,
+of vulgar irrationalisms. Here were men filled with purpose; This was what
+caught at her breath--the grim silent purpose of it! The orderly
+progression of events, moving with the certainty of a fate, was like the
+steady crescendo of solemn music. And this crescendo rose in her as a tide
+of emotion that overflowed and drowned her. The right and wrong--as she had
+examined them intellectually or through, the darkened glasses of her caste
+prejudices--were quite lost. This was merely something primitive,
+wonderful, beautiful. The spectacle was at the moment of suspense, yet she
+felt so impatience--the wheel must turn in its own majestic circle--but
+only an intense expectation. And in this she felt, subconsciously, that she
+was one with the multitude.
+
+The jail door swung open. The committee came out. In the middle of their
+compact group walked a stranger.
+
+"Casey!" breathed a vast voice from the crowd.
+
+An indescribable burst of grateful relief fluttered across the upturned
+faces as a breeze across water. It was almost timid at first, but gathered
+strength as it spread. It rolled up the hillside. A great, deep breath
+seemed to fill the lungs of the throng. The murmur swelled suddenly, was on
+the point of bursting into the frantic cheering of twenty thousand men.
+
+But Coleman, his hat removed, raised his hand. In obedience to the simple
+gesture the cheer was stifled. In an instant all was still. The little
+group entered the carriages, which immediately wheeled and drove away.
+
+Nan, standing bolt upright, her attitude still unchanged, caught her breath
+at the inhibition of the cheer. She did not even try to wink away the tears
+that rolled down her cheeks. Through them she saw the troops wheel with the
+precision of veterans, and march away after the carriages. The crowd melted
+slowly. Soon were left only the inscrutable jail, the gun still pointed at
+its door, the rigid ranks of Olney's Sixty, who had evidently been left on
+guard, and a few stragglers.
+
+Suddenly she turned and walked away. Mrs. Sherwood followed her as rapidly
+as she could, but did not succeed in catching up with her. At the corner
+below the Keiths' house she stopped, watched until Nan had gained her own
+dooryard, then turned toward home, a smile sketching her lips, a light in
+her eyes.
+
+Nan flung open her door and went directly to the parlour. She stood in the
+doorway contemplating the scene. It was very cozy. The afternoon sun
+slanted through the high-narrow windows of the period, gilding the dust
+motes floating lazily to and fro. The tea table, set with a snowy doth,
+glittered invitingly, its silver and porcelain, its plates of dainty
+sandwiches and thin waferlike cookies--Wing Sam's specialty--enticingly
+displayed. Two easy chairs had been drawn close, and, before the unoccupied
+one a low footstool had been placed. Ben Sansome sat in the other. He was,
+as usual, exquisitely dressed. All his little appointments were not only
+correct but worn easily. The varicoloured waistcoat, the sparkling studs
+and cravat pins, the bright, soft silk tie, were all subdued from their
+ordinary too-vivid effect by the grace with which they were carried. Nan
+saw all this, and appreciated it dispassionately, appraising him anew
+through clarified vision. Especially she noticed the waxed ends of his
+small moustache. He had, at the sound of her entrance, lighted the tea
+kettle; and as she came in he smiled up at her brightly.
+
+"You see," he cried gayly, "I am doing your task for you! I have the lamp
+all lit!"
+
+She paid no attention to this, but advanced two steps into the room.
+
+"Which side are you on, anyway?" she asked abruptly and a little harshly.
+
+Sansome raised his eyebrows in faint and fastidious surprise.
+
+"Dear lady, what do you mean?"
+
+"The only thing I can mean in these times: are you with the Law and Order,
+or with the Committee of Vigilance?"
+
+Sansome shrugged his shoulders whimsically and sank back into his chair.
+
+"How can you ask that, dear lady?" he begged pathetically. "You would not
+class me with the rabble, I hope."
+
+But Nan did not in the slightest degree respond to the lightness of his
+tone. Her own was cold and detached.
+
+"I do not know how to class you," she said. "But I asked you a question."
+
+Sansome arose to his feet again. His manner now became sympathetic, but
+into it had crept the least hint of resentment,
+
+"I don't understand your mood" he told her. "You are overwrought."
+
+Nan's self-control slipped by ever so little. She did not actually stamp
+her foot, but her delivery of her next speech achieved that for her.
+
+"Will you answer me?" she demanded. "Which side, are you on?"
+
+"I am on the side every gentleman is on," replied Sansome, a trifle stung.
+"The side of the law."
+
+"Then," she cried, with a sudden intensity, "why weren't you there--on your
+side--defending the jail?' Why are you here?"
+
+Ben Sansome's knowledge of women was wide, and he therefore imagined it
+profound. Here he recognized the symptoms of hysteria; cause unknown. He
+adopted the lightly soothing.
+
+"I thought I was asked here!" he cried with quizzical mock pathos.
+
+She stared at him a contemplative instant so steadily that he coloured. She
+was not seeing him, however; she was seeing Keith, standing with his
+fellows in the open, under the walls of the jail and its hidden guns. With
+a short laugh she turned away.
+
+"You were," said she. "Help yourself to tea. As you say, I am overwrought.
+I am going to lie down."
+
+Her one compelling instinct now was to get away from him before something
+in her brain snapped. He became soothing.
+
+"Won't you have a cup of tea first?" he urged. "It will do you good."
+
+"A cup of tea!" she repeated with deadly calm. It seemed such an ending to
+such a day! She tried to laugh, but strangled in her throat; and she bolted
+wildly from the room, leaving Ben Sansome staring.
+
+
+
+
+LXII
+
+
+Nan's high exaltation of spirit, which still soared at the altitude to
+which the events of the afternoon had lifted it, next expressed itself in a
+characteristically feminine manner: she picked flowers in the garden,
+arranged them, placed them effectively, set the table herself, lighted the
+lamps, touched a match to the wood fire always comfortable in San Francisco
+evenings, slightly altered the position of the chairs, visited Wing Sam
+with fresh instructions. Gringo, who looked on all this as for his especial
+benefit, took his place luxuriously before the grate.  It was a cozy,
+homelike scene.  Then she dressed slowly and carefully in her most becoming
+gown--the only gown Keith had ever definitely singled out for individual
+praise--took especial pains with her hair, and finally descended to join
+Gringo. The latter, as a greeting intended to show his entire confidence,
+promptly rolled over to expose his vitals to her should it be her pleasure
+to hurt a poor defenceless dog. He was a ridiculous sight, upside down, his
+tongue lolling out, his eye rolled up at her adoringly. She laughed at him
+a little, then leaned swiftly over to confide something in his ear.
+
+But that evening Keith was late. The clock on the mantel chimed clearly the
+hour, then the quarter and the half. Wing Sam came to protest aggreivedly
+that "him glub catchum cold--you no wait!" Nan was severe with Wing Sam and
+his suggestion--so unwontedly severe that Wing Sam returned to the kitchen
+muttering darkly. He had caught the atmosphere of celebration, somehow, and
+on his own-initiative had frosted with wonderful white a cake not yet cut,
+and on the cake had carefully traced pink legends in Chinese and English
+characters. The former was one of those conventional mottoes seen on every
+laundry, club, and temple which would have translated "Health, long life,
+and happiness"; the other Wing Sam had copied from a lithograph he much
+admired. It read "Use Rising Sun Stove Polish." Glowering with resentment,
+Wing Sam scraped the frosting from the cake.
+
+At eight o'clock a small boy delivered a note at the door and scuttled back
+to the centre of excitement. It was a scrawl from Keith, saying that he was
+detained, would not be home to dinner, might not be in at all. Nan sat down
+to a cold, belated meal served by a loftily disapproving Chinaman. She
+tried to think of her pride in Keith, and the work he, in company with his
+fellows, was doing for the city; to recall some of her exaltation of the
+afternoon; but it was very difficult. Her little preparations were so much
+nearer. The table, the flowers, the shaded lamps, the fire on the hearth,
+her gown, the twist of her hair, all mocked her anticipations. In spite of
+herself her spirits went down to zero. She could not eat, she could not
+even sit at the table through the service of the various courses. Midway in
+the meal she threw aside her napkin and returned abruptly to the drawing-
+room. The fire was snapping merrily on the hearth. Gringo opened his eyes
+at her entrance, recognized his beloved mistress, and rolled over as usual,
+all four legs in the air, his tender stomach confidingly exposed, for Who
+could be so brutal as to hurt a poor, defenceless dog? Nan kicked him
+pettishly in the ribs. Gringo stopped panting, and drew in his tongue, but
+otherwise did not shift his posture. This was, of course, a mistake. Nan
+kicked him again. Gringo rose deliberately and retired with dignity to the
+coldest, darkest, most cheerless corner he could find, where he sat and
+looked dejected.
+
+"You look such a silly fool!" Nan told him relentlessly.
+
+Thus passed the moment of exaltation and expansion. If Keith had come home
+to dine, it is probable that the barrier between them--of which he was only
+dimly conscious--would have been broken. But by midnight Nan had, as she
+imagined, "thought out" the situation. She was able to see him now through
+eyes purged of self-pity or self-thought. She came to full realization,
+which she formulated to herself, that she was not now the central point of
+his interest--that she was "no longer" the central point, as she expressed
+it. She was right also in her conclusion that all day long he hardly gave
+her more than a perfunctory thought. So far, her facts were absolutely
+correct. But Nan was, in spite of her natural good mind and married
+experience, too ignorant of man psychology to draw the true conclusion.
+Indeed, very few women ever realize man's possibilities of single-minded
+purpose and concentration to the temporary exclusion of other things.
+Keith's whole being was carried by this moral movement in which he was
+involved. He simply took Nan for granted; and that is something a woman
+never gets used to, and always misinterprets.
+
+"He no longer loves me!" she said to herself, in this hour of plain
+thinking. She faced it squarely; and her heart sank to the depths; for she
+still loved him, and the sight of him that afternoon amid the guns had told
+her how much.
+
+But her next thought was not of herself, but of him, and the situation in
+which, he was working out his destiny. "How can I best help?" she asked
+herself, which showed that the spirit aroused in her that afternoon had not
+in reality died. And her intellect relentlessly pointed out to her that her
+only aid would come from her self-effacement, her standing one side. When
+the great work was done, then, perhaps--
+
+So affairs in the Keith household went on exactly as before. Nobody but
+Gringo knew that anything had happened; and he only realized that the
+universe had suffered an upheaval, so that now mistresses might kick their
+poor defenceless dogs in the stomach.
+
+
+
+
+LXIII
+
+
+Casey was safely in custody. Cora also had been taken on a second trip to
+the jail. They had been escorted into the headquarters, the doors of which
+had closed behind them and behind the armed men who guarded them. The
+streets were filled with an orderly crowd. They waited with that same
+absence of excitement, impatience, or tumult so characteristic of all the
+popular gatherings of that earnest time, save when the upholders of the law
+were gathered. After a long interval one of the committeemen, Dows by name,
+appeared at an upper window. He did not have to appeal for attention, and
+had barely to raise his voice.
+
+"It is not the intention of the committee to be hasty," he announced.
+"Nothing more will be done to-day."
+
+Silence greeted this statement. At last some one spoke up:
+
+"Where are Casey and Cora?" he asked.
+
+"The committee holds possession of the jail; all are safe," replied Dows.
+
+With this assurance the crowd was completely satisfied, as it proved by
+dispersing quietly and at once.
+
+Of the three thousand enrolled men, three hundred were retained under arms
+at headquarters; a hundred surrounded and watched the jail; the rest were
+dismissed. About midnight a dense fog descended on the city. The streets
+were deserted. But on the roofs of the jail and the adjacent buildings
+indistinct figures stalked to and fro in the misty moonlight.
+
+All next day, which was Monday, headquarters remained inscrutable. Small
+activities went forward. Guards and patrols were changed. The cannon was
+brought from before the jail. Early in the day a huge crowd gathered,
+packing the adjacent streets, watching patiently far into the night to see
+what would happen. Nothing happened.
+
+But about the city at large patrols of armed men moved on mysterious
+business. Gun shops were picketed, and their owners forbidden to sell
+weapons. Evidently the committee was carrying out a considered plan.
+
+Toward evening the weather thickened and a rain came on. It turned colder.
+Still the crowd did not disperse. It stood in its sodden shoes, hugging its
+sodden cloaks to its shoulders, humped over, waiting. About eight o'clock
+several companies in rigid marching formation appeared. A stir of interest,
+shivered through the crowd, but died as it became evident that this was
+only a general relief for those on duty during the day. At midnight, or
+thereabouts, the crowd went home; but again by first daylight the streets
+for blocks were jammed full. Still it rained with a sullen, persistence.
+Still nothing happened.
+
+And all over the city business was practically at a stand. Knots of men
+stood conferring on every corner. Conversation in mixed company was very
+wary indeed. No man dared express himself too openly. The courts were
+empty. Some actually closed, on one excuse or another, but most went
+through a form of business. Some judges took the occasion to go to White
+Sulphur Springs on vacations, long contemplated, they said. These things
+occasioned lively comment. It was generally known that the Sacramento
+steamer of the evening before had carried several hundred passengers, all
+with pressing business at the capitol, or somewhere else. As our chronicler
+tells it: "A good many who had things on their minds left for the country."
+Still it rained; still the crowd waited; still the headquarters of the
+Committee of Vigilance remained closed and inscrutable.
+
+
+
+
+LXIV
+
+
+During all this time the Executive Committee sat in continuous session, for
+it had been agreed that no recess of more than thirty minutes should be
+taken until a decision had been reached. The room in which they sat was a
+large one, lighted by windows on one side only. Coleman sat behind a raised
+desk at one end. Below it stood a small table accommodating two. On either
+side six small tables completed three sides of a hollow square. No
+ornament, no especial comforts--the desk, the thirteen pine tables, the
+twenty-eight pine chairs, the wooden walls, the oil lamps, the four long
+windows--that was all.
+
+The prisoners, who, when they had seen the thousands before the jail, had
+expected nothing less than instant execution by lynch law, began to take
+heart. After a man has faced what he thinks is the prospect of immediate
+and unavoidable death, such treatment as this arouses real hope. The
+prisoners were strictly guarded and closely confined, it is true, but they
+understood they were to have a fair trial "according to law." That last
+phrase cheered them immensely. They knew the law. Nor were they entirely
+cut off from the outside. Casey was allowed to see several men in regard to
+certain pressing business matters, and was permitted to talk to them
+freely, although always in the presence of a member of the committee. Cora
+received visits from Belle. She had spent thousands in his legal defence;
+now she came to see him faithfully, and tried to cheer him, but was plainly
+cowed. Her self-control had vanished. She clung to him passionately,
+weeping. He was forced to what should have been her rôle; and in cheering
+her he managed to gain a modicum of self-confidence for himself. She left
+him at midnight, much reassured.
+
+But on Monday morning Cora's cell door was thrown open, and he was motioned
+forth by a grave man, who conducted him through echoing gloomy corridors to
+the committee room, where he was left facing the tables and the men who sat
+behind them. Cora's natural buoyancy vanished. The men before him met his
+gaze with rigid, unbending solemnity. The rain beat mournfully against the
+windows, blurring the glass, casting the high apartment in a half gloom.
+Nobody moved or spoke. All looked at him. The echo of his footsteps died,
+and the room was cast in stillness except for the soft dashing of the
+storm.
+
+"Charles Cora," at last pronounced Coleman in measured tones, "you are here
+on trial for your life, accused with the murder of United States Marshal
+Richardson."
+
+Cora, who was a plucky man, had recovered his wits. He must have realized
+that he was in a tight place, but he kept his head admirably. His demeanour
+took on alertness, his manner throughout was respectful, and his voice low.
+
+"Do I get no counsel?" he inquired.
+
+"Counsel will be given you."
+
+He put in an earnest plea for counsel outside the tribunal--impartial
+counsel.
+
+"Our members are impartial," Coleman told him.
+
+Cora hesitated; locking about him.
+
+"If Mr. Truett will act for me," he suggested; "and I beg you earnestly,
+gentlemen, that the excitement of the time may not be prejudicial to my
+interests, that I may have a chance for my life!"
+
+"Your trial will be fair," he was assured.
+
+"I shall undertake the defence," Truett agreed briefly; "and petition that
+Mr. Smiley be appointed as my assistant."
+
+This being granted, the three men drew one side for a consultation. In a
+short time Truett handed to the sergeant-at-arms--the same man who had
+conducted Cora to the tribunal--a list of the witnesses Cora wished to
+summon. These were at once sought by a subcommittee outside. In the
+meantime, witnesses for the prosecution were one by one admitted, sworn,
+and examined. All ordinary forms of law were closely followed. All
+essential facts were separately brought out. It was the historic Cora trial
+over again, with one difference--gone were the technical delays. By dusk
+Keith, who had been called at three, had all but completed the long tale of
+his testimony, had finished recounting, not only what he had seen of the
+quarrel and the subsequent shooting, but also a detailed account of the
+trial, the adverse influences brought to bear on the prosecution, and his
+investigations into the question of "undue influence." No attempt was made
+to confine the investigation to the technical trial.
+
+Keith was the last witness for the prosecution. And the witnesses for the
+defence, where were they? Of the list submitted by Cora not one could be
+found! In hiding, afraid, the perjurers would not appear!
+
+The dusk was falling in earnest now. The corners of the room were in
+darkness. Beneath Coleman's desk Bluxome, the secretary, had lighted an oil
+lamp the better to see his notes. In the interest of Keith's testimony the
+general illumination had not been ordered. Outside the tiny patch of yellow
+light the men of Vigilance sat motionless, listening, their shadows dim and
+huge against the wall.
+
+The door opened, and Charles Doane, the Grand Marshal of the Vigilantes,
+advanced three steps into the room.
+
+"Mr. President," he said clearly, his voice cutting the stillness, "I am
+instructed to announce that James King of William is dead."
+
+
+
+
+LXV
+
+
+Thursday noon was set for the funeral of the man who had given his life
+that a city might live. In the room where he had made his brave fight
+against death he now lay in state. On Wednesday ten thousand people visited
+him there. Early Thursday morning his remains were transferred to the
+Unitarian Church where, early as it was, a great multitude had gathered to
+do him honour. Now through the long morning hours it sat with him silently.
+The church was soon filled to over-flowing; the streets in all directions
+became crowded with sober-faced men and women. They knew they would be
+unable to get into the church, to attend nearer his last communion with his
+fellowmen, but they stayed, feeling vaguely that their mere presence
+helped--as, indeed, perhaps it did. Marching bodies from every guild or
+society in the city stood in rank after rank, extending down the street as
+far as the eye could reach. Hundreds of horsemen, carriages, foot marchers,
+quietly, orderly, were already getting into line. They, too, were excluded
+from the funeral ceremonies by lack of room; they, too, waited to do honour
+to the cortege. This procession was over two miles in length. Each man wore
+a band of crčpe around his left arm. The time set for the funeral ceremony
+was yet hours distant.
+
+It seemed that all the city must be there. But those who, hurrying to the
+scene, had occasion to pass near the Vigilante headquarters found the
+vacant square guarded on all sides by a triple line of armed men. The side
+streets, also, were filled with them. They stood in exact alignment, rigid,
+bayonets fixed, their eyes straight ahead. Three thousand of them were
+there. Hour after hour they stood, untiring, staring at the building, which
+gave no sign; just as the other multitude, only a few squares away, stood
+hour after hour, patiently waiting in the bright sun.
+
+At quarter before one the upper windows of the headquarters building were
+thrown open, and small platforms, extending about three feet, were thrust
+from two of them. An instant later two heavy beams were shoved out from the
+flat roof directly over the platforms. From the ends of the beams dangled
+nooses of rope. A dead wait ensued. Across the silence could be heard
+faintly from the open windows of the distant church the chords of an organ,
+the rise and fall of a hymn, then the measured cadence of oration. The
+funeral services had begun.
+
+As though this were a signal, the blinds that had partly closed the window
+openings were swung back, and Charles Cora was conducted to the end of one
+of the little platforms. His face was covered with a white handkerchief,
+and his arms and legs were bound with cords. The attendant adjusted the
+noose, then left him. An instant later Casey appeared. He had petitioned
+not to be blindfolded, so his face was bare. Cora stood bolt upright,
+motionless as a stone. Casey's nerve had left him; his face was pale and
+his eyes bloodshot. As the attendant placed the noose, the murderer's eyes
+darted here and there over the square. Did he still expect that the
+boastful promises of his friends would be fulfilled, did he still hope for
+rescue? If so, that hope must have died as he looked down on those set,
+grim faces staring straight ahead, on that sinister ring of steel. He began
+to babble.
+
+"Gentlemen!" he cried at them, "I am not a murderer! I do not feel afraid
+to meet my God on a charge of murder! I have done nothing but what I
+thought was right! To-morrow let no editor dare call me a murderer!
+Whenever I was injured I have resented it. It has been part of my education
+during twenty-nine years! Gentlemen, I forgive you this persecution! O God!
+My poor mother! O God!"
+
+Not one word of contrition; not one word for the man who lay yonder in the
+church; not one syllable for the heartbroken wife kneeling at the coffin!
+He ceased. And his words went out into the void and found no echo against
+that wall of steel.
+
+They waited. For what? Across the intervening housetops the sound of
+speaking ceased to carry. The last orator had given place. At the door of
+the sanctuary was visible a slight, commotion: the coffin was being carried
+out. It was placed in the hearse. Every head was bared. There ensued a
+slight pause; then from overhead the great bell boomed once. Another bell
+in the next block answered. A third, more distant, chimed in. From all
+parts of the city tolled the solemn requiem.
+
+At the first stroke the long cortčge moved forward toward Lone Mountain; at
+the first stroke the Vigilantes, as one man, presented arms; at the first
+stroke the platforms dropped and Casey and Cora fell into the abyss of
+eternity.
+
+
+
+
+LXVI
+
+
+This execution occasioned a great storm of indignation among the adherents
+of law and order. Serious-minded men, like Judge Shattuck, admitted the
+essential justice rendered, but condemned strongly the method.
+
+"Of course they were murderers," cried the judge, "and of course they
+should have been hung, and of course the city is better off without either
+of them. I'm not afraid of their friends, and I don't care who knows what I
+think! And some very worthy citizens, wrongly, are involved in this, some
+citizens whom otherwise I greatly respect. It is better that a hundred
+criminals should escape than that the whole law of California should be
+outraged by an act that denies at once the value and the authority of our
+government. The energy, the talent for organization, that this committee
+has displayed in the exercise of usurped authority, might have been
+directed in aid of the courts, consistently with the constitution and the
+laws, with, equal if not greater efficiency."
+
+But very few were able to see it in this calm spirit. The ruling class, the
+"chivalry," the best element of the city had been slapped in the face. And
+by whom? By a lot of "Yankee shopkeepers," assisted by renegades like
+Keith, Talbot Ward, and others. The committee was a lot of stranglers; they
+ought to be punished as murderers; they ought to be shot down, egad, as
+revolutionaries! It was realized that street shooting had temporarily
+become unsafe; otherwise, there is no doubt that the hotheads would have
+gone forth deliberately abrawling. There were many threats made against
+individuals, many condign--and lawless--punishments promised them.
+
+As an undercurrent, nowhere expressed or even acknowledged, was a strong
+feeling of relief. Any Law and Order would have fought at the mere
+suggestion; but every one of them felt it. After all, the law had been
+surprised and overpowered. It had yielded only to overwhelming odds. With
+the execution of Cora and Casey accomplished, the committee might be
+expected to disband. And, of course, when it did disband, then the law
+would have its innings. Its forces would be better organized and
+consolidated, its power assured. It could then apprehend and bring to
+justice the ringleaders of this unwarranted undertaking. Like dogs at the
+heels of a retreating foe, the hotheads became bolder as this secret
+conviction gained strength. They were in favour of using an armed force to
+take Coleman and his fellow-conspirators into the custody of the law.
+Calmer spirits held this scheme in check.
+
+"Let them have rope," advised Blatchford. "I know mobs. Now that they've
+hung somebody, their spirit will die down. Give them a few days."
+
+But to the surprise, and indignation of these people, the Vigilantes showed
+no of an intention to disband. On the contrary, their activities extended
+and their organization tightened. The various companies drilled daily until
+they went through evolutions and the manual of arms with all the perfection
+of regular troops. The committee's books remained open; by the last of the
+week over seven thousand men had signed the rolls. Vanloads of furniture
+and various supplies were backed up before the doors of headquarters, and
+were carried within by members of the organization--no non-member ever saw
+the inside of the building while it was occupied by the Vigilantes. The
+character of these furnishings and supplies would seem to argue an
+intention of permanence. Stoves, cooking utensils, cot beds, provisions,
+blankets, bulletin boards, arms, chairs, tables, field guns, ammunition,
+were only some items. Doorkeepers were always in attendance. Sentinels
+patrolled the streets and the roof. The great warehouse took on an
+exceedingly animated appearance.
+
+The Executive Committee was in session all of each day. It became known
+that a "black list" of some sort was in preparation. On the heels of this
+orders came for the Vigilante police, instructing them to arrest certain
+men and to warn certain others to leave town immediately. It was evident
+that a clean sweep was contemplated.
+
+Among the first of those arrested was the notorious Yankee Sullivan, an ex-
+prize fighter, ward heeler, ballot-box staffer, and shoulder striker. He
+had always been a pillar of strength to those engaged in corrupt practices.
+This man went to pieces completely. He confessed the details of many of his
+own crimes but, what was more important, implicated many others as well.
+His testimony was invaluable, not necessarily as final proof against those
+whom he accused, but as indications for thorough investigations. Finally,
+unexpectedly, he committed suicide in his cell. It seems he had been
+accustomed to from sixty to eighty drinks of whiskey a day, and the sudden,
+complete deprivation had destroyed him. Warned by this, the committee
+henceforward issued regular rations of whiskey to its prisoners!
+
+Trials in due order, with counsel for defence and ample opportunity to call
+witnesses, went on briskly. Those who anticipated more hangings were
+disappointed. It became known that the committee had set for itself the
+rule that capital punishment would be inflicted only for crimes so
+punishable by the regular law. But each outgoing ship carried crowds of
+those on whom had been passed the sentence of banishment. The majority of
+these were, of course, low thugs, "Sydney ducks," hangers on; but a very
+large proportion were taken from what had been known as the city's best. In
+the law courts these men would in many cases have been declared as white as
+the driven snow. But they were undesirable citizens; the committee so
+decided them; and bade them begone. Charles Duane, Wooley Kearney, William
+Carr, Edward Bulger, Philander Brace, William McLean, J.D. Musgrave, and
+Peter Wightman were well-known and influential names found on the "black
+list," Peter Wightman, James White, and our old friend, Ned McGowan, ran
+away. Hundreds of others left the city. A terror spread among the ignorant
+and vicious of the underworld. Some of the minor offenders brought in by
+the Vigilante police were by the Executive Committee turned over to the
+regular law courts. _Every one of such cases was promptly convicted by
+those courts_!
+
+This did not look much like disbanding, nor did any opportunity for
+wholesale arrest of the anarchists seem imminent. The leaders of the Law
+and Order faction were at last aroused.
+
+"This is more than anarchy; it is revolution," said Judge Caldwell. "It is
+a successful revolution because it is organized. The people of this city
+are scattered and powerless. They in turn should be organized to combat the
+forces of disorder."
+
+In pursuance of this belief--that the public at large needed only to be
+called together in order to defend its institutions--handbills were printed
+and newspaper notices published calling a meeting for June and in
+Portsmouth Square. Elaborate secret preparations, involving certain
+distributions of armed men were made to prevent what was considered
+certain interference. This was useless. Immediately after the appearance of
+the notice the Committee of Vigilance issued orders that the meeting was in
+no manner to be disturbed, and hung out placards reading:
+
+"Members of the Vigilance Committee: Order must be maintained."
+
+"Friends of the Vigilance Committee: Keep out of the Square," etc.
+
+The meeting was well attended. Enormous crowds gathered, not only in and
+around the square itself, but in balconies and windows and on housetops. It
+was a ribald, disrespectful crowd, evidently out for a good time, calling
+back and forth, shouting question or comment at the men gathered about the
+speaker's platform.
+
+"What kind of a circus do you call this show, anyway?" roared a huge, bare-
+armed miner in red shirt.
+
+"This is the Law and Murder meeting," instantly answered some one from a
+balcony.
+
+This phrase tickled the crowd hugely. The words were passed from man to
+man. Eventually they became the stereotyped retort. "Stranglers!" sneered
+one faction. "Law and Murder!" flung back the other.
+
+On the platform stood or sat the owners of many of the city's proud names--
+judges, jurists, merchants, holders of high political office, men whose
+influence a month ago had been paramount and irresistible. Among them were
+famed orators, men who had never failed to hold and influence a crowd.  But
+two hundred feet away little could be heard. It early became evident that,
+though there would be no interference, the sentiment of the crowd was
+against them. And, what was particularly maddening, the sentiment was good-
+humoured. Even the compliment of being taken seriously was denied them!
+
+Colonel Ed Baker came forward to speak. The colonel's gift of eloquence was
+such that, in spite of his known principles, his lack of scruple, his
+insincerity, he won his way to a picturesque popularity and fame. Later he
+delivered a funeral oration over the remains of David Broderick that has
+gone far to invest the memory of that hard-headed, venal, unscrupulous
+politician with an aura of romance. But the crowd would have little of him
+this day. An almost continuous uproar drowned his efforts. Catch words such
+as liberty, constitution, _ habeas corpus_, trial by jury, freedom, etc.,
+occasionally became audible. The people were not interested.
+
+"See Cora's defender!" cried someone, voicing the general suspicion that
+Baker had been one of the little gambler's hidden counsel. "Cora!" "Ed
+Baker!" "Ten thousand dollars!" "Out of that, you old reprobate!" jeered
+the audience. He spoke ten minutes against the storm, then yielded, red
+faced and angry. Others tried in vain. A Southerner named Benham, while
+deploring passionately the condition of the city which had been seized by a
+mob, robbed of its sacred rights, etc., happened inadvertently to throw
+back his coat, thus revealing the butt of a Colt's revolver. The bystanders
+caught the point at once.
+
+"There's a pretty Law and Order man!" they shrieked. "Hey, Benham! Don't
+you know it's against the law to go armed?"
+
+"I carry this weapon," shrieked Benham, passionately shaking his fist, "not
+as an instrument to overthrow the law, but to uphold it!"
+
+A clear, steady voice from a nearby balcony made itself distinctly heard:
+
+"In other words, sir, you break the law in order to uphold the law," it
+said. "What more are the Vigilantes doing?"
+
+The crowd went wild over this repartee. The confusion became worse. Old
+Judge Campbell was thrust forward, in the hope that his age and his senior
+judgeship would command respect. He was unable to utter consecutive
+sentences.
+
+"I once thought," he interrupted himself piteously, "that I was the free
+citizen of a free country, but recent occurrences have convinced me that I
+am a slave; a slave, gentlemen, more a slave than any on a Southern
+plantation for they know their masters, but I know not mine!"
+
+But his auditors refused to be affected.
+
+"Oh, yes, you do!" they informed him. "You know your masters as well as
+anybody--two of them were hung the other day!"
+
+After this the meeting broke up. The most ardent Law and Order man could
+not deny that as a popular demonstration it had been a fizzle.
+
+But if this attempt at home to gain coherence failed, up river the
+partisans had better luck. A hasty messenger with tidings for the ear of
+the Executive Committee only was followed by rapidly spreading rumours.
+Five hundred men with two pieces of artillery were coming down from
+Sacramento to liberate the prisoners, especially Billy Mulligan, or die in
+the attempt. They were reported to be men from the southeast: Texans,
+Carolinians, crackers from Pike County, all fire-eaters, reckless, sure to
+make trouble. Their numbers were not in themselves formidable, but every
+man knew the city still to be full of scattered warriors needing only
+leaders and a rallying point. The materials for a very pretty civil war
+were laid for the match. An uneasiness pervaded headquarters, not for the
+outcome, but for the unavoidable fighting and bloodshed.
+
+Therefore, when Olney hastily entered the main hall early in the evening,
+and in a loud voice called for "two hundred men with side arms for especial
+duty," there was a veritable scramble to enlist. Olney picked out the
+required number, selecting, it was afterward noticed, only the big men
+physically. They fell in, and were marched quickly out Market Street. It
+was dark. Expectations were high. Just beyond Second Street, dimly visible
+against the sky or in the faint starlight, they saw a mysterious force
+opposing them, men on foot, horses, the wheels of guns. Each man gripped
+his revolver and set his teeth. Here, evidently, from this ordinarily
+deserted and distant part of town, a flanking attack was to have been
+delivered. As they drew nearer they made out wagons; and nearer still-bale
+upon bale of gunny sacks, and shovels!
+
+The truth dawned on them, and a great laugh went up. "Sold! Sold! Sold!"
+they cried.
+
+But they set to work with a will, filled the gunny sacks with sand, piled
+them on the wagons; and so by morning Fort Gunnybags, as headquarters was
+thenceforth called, came into existence. Cannon were mounted, breastworks
+piled, embrasures planned.
+
+The five hundred fire-eaters were no myth. They disembarked, greeted the
+horde of friends who had come to meet them, marched to Fort Gunnybags,
+looked it over, thrust their hands in their pockets, and walked peacefully
+away to the nearest barrooms!
+
+Wise men. By now the Vigilante dispositions were so complete that in the
+mere interest of examining so sudden yet so thorough an organization, a
+paragraph or so may profitably be spent on it. Behind headquarters was a
+long shed stable in which were to be found at all hours saddle horses and
+artillery horses, all saddled and bridled, ready for instant use. Twenty-
+six pieces of artillery, mostly sent in by captains of merchant vessels in
+the harbour, were here parked. Other cannon were mounted for the defence of
+Fort Gunnybags. Muskets, rifles, and sabres enough to arm 6,000 men had
+been accumulated--and there were 6,000 men to use them! A French portable
+barricade had been constructed in the event of possible street fighting, a
+sort of wheeled framework that could be transformed into litters or scaling
+ladders. Sutlers' offices and kitchens could feed a small army. Flags and
+painted signs carrying the emblematic open eye of vigilance decorated the
+rooms, A huge alarm bell had been mounted on the roof. The mattresses,
+beds, cots, blankets, and other furniture necessary to sleep four companies
+on the premises had been provided. A completely equipped armourer's shop
+and a hospital with all supplies occupied the third story. The forces were
+divided into four companies of artillery, one squadron and two troops of
+cavalry, four regiments, and thirty-two companies of infantry; besides the
+small but efficient police organization. A tap on the bell gathered these
+men in an incredibly short space of time. "As a rule," says Bancroft,
+"within fifteen minutes from the time the bell was tapped, on any occasion,
+seven-tenths of the entire Vigilante forces would be in their places armed
+ready for battle."
+
+Another corps, not as heroic, but quite as necessary, it was found
+advisable to appoint. The sacking of which Fort Gunnybags was made was of
+very coarse texture. When dry, the sand filling tended to run out!
+Therefore, those bags had to be kept constantly wet, and somebody had to do
+it. Enemies sneeringly remarked that Fort Gunnybags consumed much more
+water without than within; but this joke lost its point when it became
+known that the committee, decades in advance of its period, had prohibited
+alcohol absolutely!
+
+Realizing from the two lamentable fiascos just recounted that little could
+be accomplished by private initiative, the upholders of the law turned
+their attention to Sacramento. Here they had every reason to hope for
+success. No matter how well organized the Vigilantes might be, or how
+thoroughly they carried the sympathies of the local public, there could be
+no doubt that they were acting in defiance of the law, were, in fact, no
+better than rebels. It was not only within the power, it was the duty of
+the governor of the State to declare the city in a condition of
+insurrection.
+
+This being accomplished, it followed logically that the State troops must
+put down the insurrection; and if they failed, there was still the immense
+power of the republic to call upon. After all, when you look at it that
+way, this handful of disturbers amounted to very little.
+
+The first step was to win over the governor. Without him the next step
+could not be taken. Accordingly all the big guns of San Francisco took the
+_Senator_ for Sacramento. There they met Terry, Volney Howard, and others
+of the same ilk. No governor of Johnson's sort could long withstand such
+pressure. He promised to issue the proclamation of insurrection as soon as
+it was "legally proved" that the committee had acted outside the law. The
+mere fact that it had already hanged two men and deported a great number of
+others meant nothing. That, apparently, was not legal proof.
+
+In order that all things should be legal, then, Terry issued a writ of
+_habeas corpus_ for the body of one William Mulligan, and gave it into the
+hands of Deputy-sheriff Harrison for service on the committee. Nobody
+expected the latter to deliver over Mulligan.
+
+"But they'll deny the writ," said Terry, "and that will constitute a legal
+defiance of the State. The governor will then be legally justified in
+issuing his proclamation, and ordering out the State troops to enforce the
+writ."
+
+If the State troops proved inadequate, the plan was then to call on the
+United States--as locally represented by General Wool and Captain David
+Farragut--for assistance. With this armed backing three times the Vigilante
+force could be quickly subdued. As it was all legal, it could not fail.
+
+Harrison took the writ of _habeas corpus_ and proceeded to San Francisco.
+He presented himself at headquarters, produced his writ, and had himself
+announced to the Executive Committee then in session.
+
+"Tell him to go to hell!" growled someone.
+
+But a half-dozen members saw through the ruse, and interposed vigorous
+objections.
+
+"I move," said Dempster solemnly, "that our police be permitted to remove
+all prisoners for a few hours."
+
+This was carried, and put into immediate effect. Deputy Harrison was then
+politely received, his writ fully acknowledged, and he was allowed to
+search the premises. Of course he found nothing, and departed much
+crestfallen. The scheme had failed. The committee had in no way denied his
+authority or his writ. Harrison was no fool. He saw clearly what he had
+been expected to do. On his way back to Sacramento he did some thinking. To
+Terry he unblushingly returned the writ endorsed: "Prevented from service
+by armed men." For the sake of the cause Harrison had lied!
+
+Johnson immediately issued his proclamation. The leaders turned with
+confidence to the Federal authorities for assistance. To their blank dismay
+General Wool refused to furnish arms. His position was that he had no
+authority to do so without orders from Washington. The sympathies of this
+doughty old soldier were not with this attempt. Colonel Baker and Volney
+Howard waited on him, and after considerable conversation made the mistake
+of threatening to report him to Washington for refusing to uphold the law.
+
+"I think, gentlemen," flashed back the veteran, "I know my duty, and in its
+performance dread no responsibility."
+
+So saying he bowed them from the room. Farragut equally could not clearly
+see why he should train the guns of his ship on the city. With this fiasco
+the opposition for the moment died. The Executive Committee went on
+patiently working down through its black list. It announced that after June
+24th no new cases would be taken, A few days later it proclaimed an
+"adjournment parade" on July 5th. It considered its work done. The city had
+become safe.
+
+
+
+
+LXVII
+
+
+But this peaceful outcome did not suit the aristocratic wing of the Law and
+Order party in the least. The haughty, supremely individualistic, bold,
+forceful, often charming coterie of fire-eaters had, in their opinion, been
+insulted, and they wanted reprisal, punishment, blood. Terry, Baker,
+Bennett, Miles, Webb, Nugent, Blatchford, Rowlee, Caldwell, Broderick,
+Ware, Volney Howard, Black--to mention only a few--chafed intolerably. Such
+men were accustomed to have their own way, to cherish an ultra-sensitive
+"honour," to be looked up to; had come to consider themselves as especially
+privileged, to look upon themselves as direct representatives of the only
+proper government and administration of law. This revolt of the "lower
+classes," the "smug, psalm-singing Yankees," the "shopkeepers," was
+intolerable impudence. Because of a series of accidents, proper resentment
+of such impudence, due punishment of such denial of the law had been
+postponed. It was not, therefore, abrogated.
+
+When, therefore, the committee announced July 5th as a definite date for
+disbanding, the lawful authorities and their upholders, blinded by their
+passions, were distinctly disappointed. Where the common citizen perceived
+only the welcome end of a necessary job well done, they saw slipping away
+the last chance for a clash of arms that should teach these rebels their
+place. It was all very well to talk of arresting the ringleaders and
+bringing them to justice. In the present lamentable demoralization of the
+courts it might not work; and even if it did work, the punishment of
+ringleaders was small satisfaction as compared to triumphant vindication in
+pitched battle.
+
+Sherman had resigned command of the military in disgust when he found that
+General Wool and Captain Farragut had no intention of supplying him Federal
+arms, thus closing--save for later inaccurate writing in his "Memoirs"--an
+unfortunate phase of his career. In his stead had been chosen General
+Volney Howard. Howard was a rather fat, very pompous, wholly conceited
+bombastes furioso with apparently remarkable lack of judgment or grasp of a
+situation. In the committee's action looking toward adjournment he actually
+thought he saw a sign of weakening!
+
+"Now is the moment for us to show our power!" he said.
+
+In this he gained the zealous support of Judge Terry and Major Marmaduke
+Miles, two others with more zeal than discretion. These three managed to
+persuade Governor Johnson to order a parade of State troops in the streets
+of San Francisco. Their argument was that such a parade--of legally
+organized forces--would overawe the citizens; their secret hope, however,
+was that such a show would provoke the desired conflict. This hope they
+shared with Howard, after the governor's order had been obtained. Howard's
+vanity and inclinations jumped together. He consented. Altogether, it was a
+very pretty little plot.
+
+By now the Law and Order forces had become numerically formidable. The
+bobtail and rag-tag, ejected either by force or by fright, flocked to the
+colours. A certain proportion of the militia remained in the ranks, though
+a majority had resigned. A large contingent of reckless, wild young men,
+without a care or a tie in the world, with no interest in the rights of the
+case, or, indeed, in themselves, avid only for adventure, offered
+themselves as soon as the prospects for a real fight became good. And there
+were always the five hundred discomfited Texans.
+
+Nor were arms now lacking. Contrary to all expectation, the committee had
+scrupulously refrained from meddling with the State armouries. All militia
+muskets were available. In addition the State had now the right to a
+certain quota of Federal arms, stored in the arsenal at Benicia. These
+could be requisitioned.
+
+
+At this point in the planning weasly little Jimmy Ware had a bright idea.
+
+"Look here!" he cried, "how many of those Benicia muskets are there?"
+
+"About a hundred and fifty stand, sir," Howard told him.
+
+"Now they can't help us a whole lot," propounded Ware. "They are too few.
+But why can't we use them for bait, to get those people on the wrong side
+of the fence?"
+
+"What do you mean?" asked Terry, who knew Ware intimately.
+
+"Suppose they are shipped from Benicia to the armouries in the city; they
+are legally Federal property until they are delivered, aren't they?"
+
+"Certainly."
+
+"Well, if the Stranglers should happen to seize them while they're still
+Federal property, they've committed a definite offence against the United
+States, haven't they?"
+
+"What do we care about that now?" asked Major Marmaduke Miles, to whom this
+seemed irrelevant.
+
+But Judge Terry's legal mind was struck with the beauty and simplicity of
+this ruse.
+
+"Hold on!" he cried. "If we ship them in a boat, the seizure will be
+piracy. If they intercept those arms, they're pirates, and we can legally
+call on the Federal forces--_and they'll be compelled to respond, egad!_"
+
+"They're pretty smart; suppose they smell a rat?" asked Miles doubtfully.
+
+"Then we'll have the muskets where we want them, anyway. It's worth
+trying," replied Ware.
+
+"I know just the man," put in Terry. "I'll send for him."
+
+Shortly appeared a saturnine, lank, bibulous individual known as Rube
+Maloney. To him Terry explained. He was to charter a sloop, take the
+muskets aboard--and get caught.
+
+"No resistance, mind you!" warned Terry.
+
+"Trust me for that," grinned Rube. "I ain't anxious for no punctured skin,
+nor yit a stretched neck."
+
+"Pick your men carefully."
+
+"I'll take Jack Phillips and Jim McNab," said Rube, after a moment's
+thought, "and possibly a few refreshments?" he suggested.
+
+Terry reached into his pocket.
+
+"Certainly, certainly," said he. "Treat yourself well."
+
+There remained only to see that the accurate details should get to the
+Committee of Vigilance, but in such a manner as to avoid suspicion that the
+information had been "planted."
+
+"Is there anybody we can trust on their rolls?" asked Terry.
+
+But it was reluctantly conceded that the Vigilantes had pretty well cleaned
+out the doubtful ones. Here again, the resourceful Jimmy Ware came to the
+rescue.
+
+"I know your man--Morrell. He'll get it to them. As far as anybody knows,
+he hasn't taken sides at all."
+
+"Will you see him?" asked Terry.
+
+"I'll see him," promised Jimmy Ware.
+
+
+
+
+LXVIII
+
+
+By this time the Vigilante organization had pretty well succeeded in
+eliminating the few Law and Order sympathizers who had been bold enough to
+attempt to play the part of spy by signing the rolls. These had not been
+many, and their warning had been sufficient. But Morrell had, in a measure,
+escaped distrust even if he had not gained confidence. He had had the sense
+not to join the organization; and his attitude of the slightly
+supercilious, veiledly contemptuous Britisher, scorning all things about
+him, was sufficient guarantee of his neutrality. This breed was then very
+common. He left his conference with Jimmy Ware thoroughly instructed, quite
+acquiescent, but revolving matters in his own mind to see if somehow he
+could not turn them to his advantage. For Morrell was, as always, in need
+of money. In addition, he had a personal score to settle with Keith for,
+although he had apparently forgotten their last interview regarding
+"loans," the memory rankled. And Morrell had not forgotten that before all
+this Vigilante business broke he had been made a good offer by Cora's
+counsel to get Keith out of the way. Cora was now very dead, to be sure;
+but on sounding Jimmy Ware, Morrell learned that Keith's removal would
+still be pleasant to the powers that pay.
+
+If he could work these things all in together--Cogitating absorbedly, he
+glanced up to see Ben Sansome sauntering down the street, his malacca cane
+at the proper angle, his cylindrical hat resting lightly on his sleek
+locks, his whole person spick with the indescribably complete appointment
+of the dandy. Sansome was mixed up with the Keiths--perhaps he could be
+used--On impulse Morrell hailed him genially, and invited him to take a
+drink. The exquisite brightened, and perceptibly hastened his step.
+Morrell's rather ultra-Anglicism always fascinated him. They turned in at
+the El Dorado, and there seated themselves at the most remote of the small
+tables.
+
+"Well," said Morrell cheerfully, after preliminary small talk had been
+disposed of, "how goes the fair Nancy?"
+
+Sansome's effeminately handsome face darkened. Things had in reality gone
+very badly with the fair Nancy. Her revulsion against Sansome at the time
+of the capture of the jail had been complete; and as is the case with real
+revulsions, she had not attempted to conceal it. Sansome's careful
+structure, which had gained so lofty an elevation, had collapsed like the
+proverbial house of cards. His vanity had been cruelly rasped. And what had
+been more or less merely a dilettante's attraction had been thereby changed
+into a thwarted passion.
+
+"Damn the fair Nancy!" he cried, in answer to Morrell's question.
+
+Morrell's eyes narrowed, and he motioned quietly to the waiting black to
+replenish the glasses.
+
+"With all my heart, damn her!" said he. "I agree with you; she's a snippy,
+cold little piece. Not my style at all. Not worth the serious attention of
+a man like yourself. Who is it now, you sly dog?"
+
+Sansome sipped at his drink; sighed sentimentally.
+
+"Cold--yes--but if the right man could awaken her--" he murmured.
+
+"Look here, Sansome, do you want that woman?"
+
+Sansome looked at his companion haughtily; his eye fell; he drew circles
+with the bottom of his glass.
+
+"By gad!" he cried with a sudden queer burst of fire; "I've got to have
+her!"
+
+And then he turned slowly red, actually started to wriggle, concealed his
+embarrassment under cover of his cigar.
+
+"H'm," observed Morrell speculatively, without looking across at Sansome.
+"Tell me, Ben, does she still care for her husband?"
+
+"No; that I'll swear!" replied Sansome eagerly.
+
+"If you're sure of that one essential little fact, and you really want her,
+why don't you take her?"
+
+"Damn it, ain't I telling you? She won't see me."
+
+"Tell me about it," urged Morrell, settling back, and again motioning for
+fresh drinks.
+
+Sansome, whose soul was ripe for sympathy, needed little more urging. He
+poured out his tale, sometimes rushingly and passionately, again, as his
+submerged but still conventional self-consciousness straggled to the
+surface, with shamefaced bravado. "By Gad!" he finished. "You know, I feel
+like a raw schoolboy, talkin' like this!"
+
+Morrell leaned forward, his reserve of manner laid aside, his whole being
+radiating sympathetic charm.
+
+"My dear chap, don't," he begged, laying his hand on Sansome's forearm. "A
+genuine passion is the most glorious thing on earth even in callow youth!
+But when we old men of the world--" The pause was eloquent. "She's a
+headstrong filly," he went on in a more matter-of-fact tone, after a
+moment, "takes a bit of handling. You'll pardon me, old chap, if I suggest
+that you've gone about things a bit wrong."
+
+"How is that?" asked Sansome. Under the influence of drinks, confession,
+and sympathy, he was in a glow of fellow-feeling.
+
+"Believe me, I know women and horses! You've ridden this one too much on
+the snaffle. Try the curb. That high-spirited sort takes a bit of handling.
+They like to feel themselves dominated. You've been too gentle, too
+refined. She's gentle and refined for two. What she wants is the brute--
+'Rape of the Sabines' principle. Savage her a bit, and she'll come to heel
+like a dog. Not at once, perhaps. Give her a week."
+
+"That's all very well," objected Sansome, whose eyes were shining, "but how
+about that week? She'll run to that beast of a husband with her story--"
+
+"And be sorry for it afterward--"
+
+"Too late."
+
+Morrell appeared to think.
+
+"There's something in that. But suppose we arranged to get the husband out
+of the way, where she couldn't run to him at once--" he suggested.
+
+They had more drinks. At first Morrell was only sardonically amused; but as
+his imagination got to working and the creative power awoke, his interest
+became more genuine. It was all too wildly improbable for words--and yet,
+was anything improbable in this impossible place? At least it was amusing,
+the whole thing was amusing--this super-refined exquisite awakened, to an
+emotion so genuine that what judgment he had was now obscured by the
+eagerness of his passion; the situation apparently so easily malleable; the
+beautiful safety of it all for himself. And it did not really matter if the
+whole fantastic plot failed!
+
+"I tell you, no," he broke his thoughts to reply to some ill-considered
+suggestion, "The good old simple methods are the best--they're all laid out
+for us by the Drury Lane melodramas. You leave it to me to get rid of him.
+Then we'll send the usual message to her that he is lying wounded
+somewhere--say at Jake's road house--"
+
+"Won't that get her to thinking too much of him?" interrupted Sansome
+anxiously.
+
+Morrell, momentarily taken aback, gained time for a reply by pouring
+Sansome another drink, "He's more sense left than I thought," he said to
+himself; and aloud: "All you want is to get her out to Jake's. She'll go
+simply as a matter of wifely duty, and all that. Don't worry. Once she's
+there, it's your affair; and unless I mistake my man, I believe you'll know
+how to manage the situation"--he winked slyly--"she's really mad about you,
+but, like most women, she's hemmed in by convention. Boldly break through
+the convention, and she'll come around."
+
+Sansome was plainly fascinated by the idea, but in a trepidation of doubt,
+nevertheless.
+
+"But suppose she doesn't come around?" he objected vaguely.
+
+Morrell threw aside his cigarette and arose with an air of decision.
+
+"I thought you were so crazy mad about her?" he said in tones that cut.
+"What are you wasting my time for?"
+
+"No, no! Hold on!" cried Sansome, at once all fire again. "I'll do it--hold
+on!"
+
+"As a matter of fact," observed Morrell, reseating himself, and speaking as
+though there had been no interruption, "I imagine you have little to fear
+from that."
+
+He went into the street a little later, his vision somewhat blurred, but
+his mind clear. Sansome, by now very pot-valiant, swaggered alongside.
+
+"By the way, Ben," said Morrell suddenly, "I hope you go armed--these are
+bad times."
+
+"I have always carried a derringer--and I can use it, too!" boasted
+Sansome, swinging his cane.
+
+Morrell, left alone, stood on the corner for some time diligently engaged
+in getting control of himself. He laughed a little.
+
+"Regular bally melodrama, conspiracy and all, right off the blood-and-
+thunder stage," said he. "Wonder if it works in real life? We'll see."
+
+After his head had cleared, he set to work methodically to find Keith, but
+when he finally met that individual it was most casually. Morrell was
+apparently in a hurry, but as he saw Keith he appeared to hesitate, then,
+making up his mind, he approached the young lawyer.
+
+"Look here, Keith, a word with you," he said. "I have stumbled on some
+information which may be important. I was on my way to the committee with
+it, but I'm in a hurry. The governor is shipping arms into the city to-
+morrow night from Benicia, by a small sloop."
+
+"Are you sure of this?" asked Keith.
+
+"Certain."
+
+"Where did you get the information?"
+
+"That I cannot tell you."
+
+Keith still hesitated; Morrell turned on his heel.
+
+"Well, I've told you. You can do as you please, but you'd better let the
+committee decide whether to take the tip or not." He walked away without
+once looking back, certain that Keith would end by reporting the
+information,
+
+"Chances are he'll go with the capturing party," ran the trend of his
+thoughts, "and so he'll be out of reach of this little abduction. But I
+don't care much. If he follows them out to Jake's by any chance, Sansome
+will shoot him--or he'll shoot Sansome. Doesn't matter which. Shootin's
+none too healthy these days _for either side!_ Oh, Lord, most amusin'!"
+
+He thought a while, then turned up the hill toward his own house. A new
+refinement of the plot had occurred to the artist's soul too much drink had
+released in him.
+
+Mrs. Morrell was vastly surprised to see him. She was clad in a formless
+pink silk wrapper, was reclining on a sofa, and was settling down to
+relaxation of mind and body by means of French novels and cigarettes,
+
+"Well, what are you doing here at this time of day?" was her greeting.
+
+"Came to bask in the light of your smiles, my dear," he replied with
+elephantine irony.
+
+"Nonsense!" she rejoined sharply, "You've been drinking again!"
+
+"To be sure; but not enough to hurt." His manner suddenly became
+businesslike, "Look here," he asked her, "are you game to make a tidy bit
+of money?"
+
+"Always!" she replied promptly, also becoming businesslike.
+
+He explained in detail. She listened in silence at first with a slight
+smile of contempt on her lips. As he progressed, however, the smile faded.
+
+"Where do I come in?" she asked finally.
+
+"You must be there when the message comes to her. She might not go out to
+Jake's alone--probably wouldn't. I don't know her well enough to judge.
+Hurry her into it."
+
+"I see." She laughed suddenly. "Lord, she'll be surprised when I call on
+her! Take some doing, that!" She thought a few moments. "My appearance will
+connect us with it. Won't do."
+
+"If the thing goes through we won't be here," he pointed out. "If it
+doesn't go through all right, we'll arrange a little comedy. Have you bound
+and gagged--before her eyes--or something like that."
+
+"Thanks," she replied to this.
+
+Morrell was not entirely open. He did not tell her that money or no money,
+plot or no plot, he had resolved to flee the city, at least for a time.
+Investigations were getting too close to some of his past activities. He
+did not offer in words what he nevertheless knew to be the most potent of
+his arguments--namely, the implacable hate Mrs. Morrell bore Keith.
+Morrell's knowledge of this hate was accurate, though his analysis of its
+cause was faulty. He thought his wife to be Keith's discarded mistress, and
+did not greatly care. Nor did he mention the possibility which, however,
+Mrs. Morrell now voiced.
+
+"Suppose Keith follows them out to Jake's?" she suggested.
+
+"One of them will kill, and the Stranglers will hang the other," he said
+briefly.
+
+She looked up.
+
+"I don't care for that!"
+
+"In that event, you will not be present. Your job will be to duck out." He
+paused, then went on slowly: "Would you grieve at the demise of either--or
+all three?"
+
+Her face hardened.
+
+"But," he went on slowly, "the chances of it are very remote. If there is
+any killing, it will come later. Keith will be kept out of the way."
+
+"And after?"
+
+"You hint of an assignation. I will arrange for witnesses."
+
+"Where does the money come in?" she demanded. Morrell floundered for a
+moment. He had lost sight of the money.
+
+"It comes from certain parties who want Keith put out of the way," he said.
+
+"And suppose Keith is not put out of the way?" she began, her facile mind
+pouncing on the weakness of this statement. "Never mind," she interrupted
+herself. "I'll do it!" Her face had hardened again, "Can you depend on
+Sansome to go through with it?"
+
+"Only if he's fairly drunk."
+
+"Yes?"
+
+"I'll attend to that. That is my job. You may not see me to-morrow; but go
+in the evening to call on her."
+
+"It looks absolutely preposterous," she said at last, "but it may work.
+And, if any part of it works, that'll be enough."
+
+"Yes," said he.
+
+They had both forgotten the money.
+
+
+
+
+LXIX
+
+
+As Morrell had surmised, Keith decided to pass on the news for what it was
+worth. The committee believed it, and was filled with consternation at the
+incredible folly of the projected show of armed force.
+
+"This is not peace, but war," said Coleman, "which we are trying to avert!"
+
+The Executive Committee went into immediate session. It was now evident
+that the disbanding would have to be indefinitely postponed. An
+extraordinary program to meet the emergency was discussed piecemeal. One of
+its details had to do with the shipment of arms from Benicia. The committee
+here fell neatly into the trap prepared for it. In all probability no one
+clearly realized the legal status of the muskets, but all supposed them
+already to belong to the State that was threatening to use them. Charles
+Doane, instructed to take the steps necessary to their capture, called to
+him the chief of the harbour police.
+
+"Have you a small vessel ready for immediate service?" he asked this man.
+
+"Yes, a sloop, at the foot of this street."
+
+"Be ready to sail in half an hour."
+
+Doane then turned the job over to a trustworthy, quick-witted man named
+John Durkee. The latter selected twelve to assist him, among whom was
+Keith, at the latter's especial request. Morrell, loitering near, saw this
+band depart for the water front, and followed them far enough to watch them
+embark, to witness the hoisting of the sloop's sails, and to see the craft
+heel to the evening breeze and slip away around the point. All things were
+going well. The committee suspected nothing of the plot to fasten the crime
+of piracy on it; Keith was out of the way. Morrell turned on his heel and
+walked rapidly to his rendezvous with Sansome.
+
+Durkee and his sloop beat for some hours against wind and tide; but
+finally, so strong were both, he was forced to anchor in San Pablo Bay
+until conditions had somewhat modified. Finally, he was able to get under
+way again, A number of craft were sailing about, and one by one these were
+overhauled, commanded to lay to, and boarded in true piratical style. It
+was fun for everybody. The breeze blew in strongly from the Golden Gate,
+the waves chopped and danced merrily, the little sloop dipped her rail and
+flew along at a speed that justified her reputation as a racer, gulls
+followed curiously. But there were no practical results. Every sailing
+craft they overhauled proved innocent, and either indignant or sarcastic.
+The sun dipped, and the short twilight of this latitude was almost
+immediately succeeded by a brilliant night. Slowly the breeze died, until
+the little sloop could just crawl along. It grew chilly, and there was no
+food aboard. A less persistent man than John Durkee would have felt
+justified in giving it up and heading for home; but John had been
+instructed to cruise until he captured the arms; and he profanely announced
+his intention of so doing.
+
+In this he was more faithful to his superiors than the notorious Rube
+Maloney to his employers. It was to the interest of the Law and Order party
+that Rube and his precious crew should be promptly and easily captured.
+They had been instructed to carry boldly and flagrantly, in full daylight,
+down the middle of the bay. But Terry's permission, to lay in
+"refreshments" at cost of the conspirators had been liberally interpreted.
+By six o'clock Rube had just sense enough left to drop anchor off Pueblo
+Point. There the three jolly mariners proceeded to celebrate; and there
+they would probably have lain undiscovered had less of a bulldog than
+Durkee been sent after them.
+
+As it was, midnight had passed before Durkee's keen eyes caught the loom of
+some object in the black mist close under the point. Quietly he eased off
+the sheet and bore down on it. As soon as he ascertained definitely that
+the object was indeed a boat, he ran alongside. The twelve men boarded with
+a rush: they found themselves in possession of an empty deck. From the
+hatch came the reek of alcohol and the sound of hearty snoring. The capture
+was made.
+
+In a half hour the transfer of the muskets and the three prisoners was
+accomplished. The latter offered no resistance, but seemed cross at being
+awakened. Leaving the vessel anchored off the point, the little sloop stood
+away again for San Francisco, reaching the California Street wharf shortly
+after daylight. Here she was moored, and one of the crew was dispatched to
+the committee for further instructions and grub. He returned after an hour,
+but was preceded somewhat by the grub.
+
+"They say to deliver the muskets at headquarters," he reported, "but to
+turn the prisoners loose."
+
+"Turn them loose!" cried Durkee, astonished.
+
+"That's what they said," repeated the messenger. "And here's written
+orders," and he displayed a paper signed by the well-known "33, Secretary,"
+and bearing the Vigilante seal of the open eye.
+
+"All right," acquiesced Durkee. "Now, you mangy hounds, you've got just
+about twenty-eight seconds to make yourselves as scarce as your virtues.
+Scat!"
+
+Rube and his two companions had several of the twenty-eight seconds to
+spare; but once they had lost sight of their captors, they moderated their
+pace. They had been much depressed, but now they cheered up and swaggered.
+A few drinks restored them to normal, and they were able to put a good face
+on the report they now made to their employers, all of whom, including
+Terry, had gathered thus early to receive them. After all, things had gone
+well: they had been actually captured, which was the essential thing, and
+it did not seem necessary to go into extraneous details.
+
+"Good!" cried Terry, who had come down from Sacramento personally to
+superintend the working out of this latest ruse.
+
+
+He was illegally absent from his court, meddling illegally with matters not
+in his jurisdiction. "Now we must get a warrant for piracy into the hands
+of the United States Marshal. Send him alone, with no deputies. When he
+makes his deposition of resistance, then we shall see!"
+
+The marshal found Durkee still at the wharf, seated on an upturned cask.
+
+"I have this warrant for your arrest!" he proclaimed in a voice purposely
+loud.
+
+"Yes? Let's see it," rejoined Durkee, lazily reaching out his hand.
+
+He read the document through leisurely. His features betrayed no hint of
+his thoughts, but nevertheless his brain was very active. He read that he
+was accused of piracy against the might and majesty of the United States
+Government; and as his eyes slowly followed the involved and redundant
+legal phraseology, he reviewed the situation. The nature, of the trap
+became to him, partly evident. There was no doubt that technically he was a
+pirate, if these arms--as it seemed--belonged to the Government and not to
+the State. The punishment of piracy was death. Without appreciation of the
+fact, the committee had made him liable to the death penalty. And he had no
+doubt that the Federal Courts of California, as then constituted, would
+visit that penalty on him. He raised his head and looked about him. Within
+call were lounging a dozen resolute men belonging to the Committee of
+Vigilance. He had but to raise his voice to bring them to his assistance.
+Once inside Fort Gunnybags he knew that the committee would stand behind
+him to the last man.
+
+But John Durkee had imagination as well as bulldog persistency. His mind
+flashed ahead into the future, envisaging the remoter consequences. He saw
+the majesty of the law's forces invoked to back this warrant which the
+tremendous power of the disciplined Vigilantes would repulse; he saw
+reinforcements, summoned. What reinforcements? A smile flitted across his
+lips, and he glanced up at the warship _John Adams_ riding at anchor
+outside, her guns, their tampons in place, staring blackly at the city. He
+saw the whole plot.
+
+"That's all right," he told the waiting marshal, folding the warrant and
+returning it to him. "Put your paper in your pocket. I'll go with you."
+
+By this quietly courageous and intelligent deed John Durkee completely
+frustrated the fourth and most dangerous effort of the Law and Order party.
+There was no legal excuse for calling on Federal forces to take one man--
+who peaceably surrendered!
+
+Undoubtedly, had not matters taken the decided and critical turn soon to be
+detailed, Durkee would have been immediately brought to trial, and perhaps
+executed. As it was, even the most rabid of the Law and Order party agreed
+it was inexpedient to press matters. The case was postponed again and
+again, and did not come to trial until several months, by which time the
+Vigilantes had practically finished their work. The law finally saved its
+face by charging the jury that "if they believed the prisoners took the
+arms with the intention of appropriating them to their own use and
+permanently depriving the owner of them, then they were guilty. But if they
+took them only for the purpose of preventing their being used against
+themselves and their associates, then they were not guilty." Under which
+hair-splitting and convenient interpretation the "pirates" went free, and
+everybody was satisfied!
+
+
+
+
+LXX
+
+
+After leaving the office where they had made their report to their
+employers, Rube Maloney and his two friends visited all the saloons. There
+they found sympathetic and admiring audiences. They reviled the committee
+collectively and singly; bragged that they would shoot Coleman, Truett,
+Durkee, and some others at sight; flourished weapons, and otherwise became
+so publicly and noisily obstreperous that the committee decided they needed
+a lesson. Accordingly they instructed Sterling Hopkins, with four others,
+to rearrest the lot and bring them in. Hopkins was a bulldog, pertinacious,
+rough, a faithful creature.
+
+News of these orders ran ahead of their performance. Rube and his
+satellites dropped everything and fled to their masters like threatened
+dogs. Their masters, who included Terry, Bowie, Major Marmaduke Miles, and
+a few others, happened to be discussing the situation in the office of
+Richard Ashe, a Texan, and an active member of "the chivalry." The three
+redoubtables burst in on this gathering, wild-eyed, scared, with, the
+statement that a thousand stranglers were at their heels.
+
+"Better hide 'em," suggested Bowie.
+
+But hot-headed Terry, seconded by equally hot-headed Ashe, would have none
+of this.
+
+"By gad, let them try it!" cried the judge. "I've been aching for this
+chance!"
+
+Therefore when Hopkins, having left his small _posse_ at the foot of the
+stairs, knocked and entered, he was faced by the muzzles of half a dozen
+pistols, and profanely told to get out of there. He was no fool, so he
+obeyed. If Terry had possessed the sense of a rooster, or a single quality
+of leadership, he would have seen that this was not the moment to
+precipitate a crisis. The forces of his own party were neither armed nor
+ready. But here, as in all other important actions of his career, he was
+governed by the haughty and headstrong passions of the moment--as when
+later he justified himself in attempting to shoot down an old and unarmed
+man. Hopkins left his men at the foot of the stairs, borrowed a horse from
+Dr. Beverly Cole, who was passing, and galloped to headquarters. There he
+was instructed to return, to keep watch, that reinforcements would follow.
+He arrived at the building in which Ashe's office was located, in time to
+see Maloney, Terry, Ashe, McNabb, Bowie, and Rowe all armed with shotguns,
+just turning the far corner. He dismounted and called on his men to follow.
+The little _posse_ dogged the judge's party for some distance. For a time
+no attention was paid to them, but as they pressed closer Terry, Ashe, and
+Maloney whirled and presented their shotguns. The movement was probably
+intended only as a threat; but Hopkins, always bold to the point of
+rashness, made a sudden rush at Maloney. Judge Terry thrust his gun at the
+Vigilante officer who seized it by the barrel. At the same instant Ashe
+pressed the muzzle of his weapon against one Bovee's breast, but hesitated
+to pull the trigger. It was getting to be unhealthy to shoot men in the
+open street.
+
+"Are you a friend?" he faltered.
+
+"Yes," replied Bovee, and by a rapid motion struck the barrel aside.
+
+Another of the Vigilantes named Barry covered Rowe with a pistol. Rowe's
+"chivalry" oozed. He dropped his gun and fled toward the armoury. The
+others struggled for possession of weapons, but nobody fired. Suddenly
+Terry whipped out a knife and plunged it into Hopkins's neck. Hopkins
+relaxed his hold on Terry's shotgun and staggered back.
+
+"I am stabbed! Take them, Vigilantes!" he cried.
+
+He sank to the pavement. Terry and his friends dropped everything and ran
+toward the armoury. Of the Vigilante _posse_ only Bovee and Barry remained,
+but these two pursued the fleeing Law and Order men to the very portals of
+the armoury itself. When the door was slammed in their faces, they took up
+their stand outside, they two holding within several hundred men! At the
+end of ten minutes a pompous, portly individual came up under full sail,
+cast a detached and haughty glance at the two quiet men lounging
+unwarrantedly in his path, and attempted to pass inside.
+
+"You cannot enter here," said Bovee grimly, as they barred his way.
+
+The pompous man turned purple.
+
+"Do you know who I am?" he demanded.
+
+"I don't give a damn who you are," replied Bovee, still quietly.
+
+"I am Major-General Volney E. Howard!"
+
+"You cannot enter here," repeated Bovee, and this time he said it in a tone
+of voice that sent the major-general scurrying away.
+
+After a short interval another man dashed up very much in a hurry.
+Mistaking Bovee and Barry for sentinels, he cried as he ran up:
+
+"I am a lieutenant in Calhoun Bennett's company, and I have been sent here
+to--"
+
+"I am a member of the Committee of Vigilance," interrupted Barry, "and you
+cannot enter."
+
+"What!" cried the officer, in astonishment. "Have the Vigilance Committee
+possession of this building?"
+
+"They have," was the reply of the dauntless two.
+
+The lieutenant rolled up his eyes and darted away faster than he had come.
+A few moments later, doubtless to the vast relief of the "outside garrison"
+of the armoury within which five or six hundred men were held close by this
+magnificent bluff, the great Vigilante bell boomed out: _one, two, three_,
+rest; then _one, two, three_, rest; and repeat.
+
+Immediately the streets were alive with men. Merchants left their
+customers, clerks their books, mechanics their tools. Dray-men stripped
+their horses of harness, abandoned their wagons where they stood, and rode
+away to their cavalry. Clancey Dempster's office was only four blocks from
+headquarters. At the first stroke of the bell he leaped from his desk, ran
+down the stairs, and jumped into his buggy. Yet he could drive only three
+of the four blocks, so dense already was the crowd. He abandoned his rig in
+the middle of the street and forced his way through afoot. Two days later
+he recovered his rig. In the building he found the companies, silently,
+without confusion, falling into line.
+
+"All right!" he called encouragingly. "Keep cool! Take your time about it!"
+
+"Ah, Mr. Dempster," they replied, "we've waited long! This is the clean
+sweep!"
+
+James Olney was lying in bed with a badly sprained ankle when the alarm
+bell began to toll. He commandeered one boot from a fellow-boarder with
+extremely large feet, and hobbled to the street. There he seized by force
+of arms the passing delivery wagon of a kerosene dealer, climbed to the
+seat, and lashed the astonished horse to a run. San Francisco streets ran
+to chuck holes and ruts in those days, and the vehicle lurched and banged
+with a grand rattle and scatteration of tins and measures. The terrified
+driver at last mustered courage to protest.
+
+"You are spilling my kerosene!" he wailed.
+
+"Damn your kerosene, sir!" bellowed the general; then relenting: "I will
+pay you for your kerosene!"
+
+Up to headquarters he sailed full tilt, and how he got through the crowd
+without committing manslaughter no one tells. There he was greeted by wild
+cheering, and was at once lifted bodily to the back of a white horse, the
+conspicuous colour of which made it an excellent rallying point.
+
+Within an incredibly brief space of time they were off for the armoury; the
+military companies marching like veterans; the artillery rumbling over the
+rude pavements; the cavalry jogging along to cover the rear. A huge roaring
+mob accompanied them, followed them, raced up the parallel streets to
+arrive before the armoury at the same moment as the first files.
+
+The armoury square was found to be deserted except for the intrepid Barry
+and Bovee, who still marched back and forth before the closed door. No one
+had entered or left the building.
+
+Inside the armoury the first spirit of bravado and fight-to-the-last-ditch
+had died to a sullen stubbornness. Nobody had much, to say. Terry was very
+contrite as well he might be. A judge of the Supreme Court, who had no
+business being in San Francisco at all, sworn to uphold the law, had
+stepped out from his jurisdiction to commit as lawless and idiotic a deed
+of passion as could have been imagined! Whatever chances the Law and Order
+party might have had, could they have mobilized their forces, were
+dissipated. Their troops were scattered in small units; their rank and file
+were heaven knew where; their enemies, fully organized, had been mustered
+by the alarm bell to full alertness and compactness. And Terry's was the
+hand that had struck that bell! For the only time in his recorded history
+David Terry's ungoverned spirit was humbled. Until he found that nothing
+immediate was going to happen to him, and while under the silent but
+scathing disapprobation of his companions, he actually talked of resigning!
+Parenthetically, the fit did not last long, and he soon reared, his haughty
+crest as high as ever. But now, listening to the roar of the mob outside,
+peeping at the grim thousands of armed men deploying before the armoury, he
+regretted his deed.
+
+"This is very unfortunate; very unfortunate!" he said, "But you shall not
+imperil your lives for me. It is I they want. I will surrender to them."
+
+Instead of the prompt expostulation he expected, a dead silence greeted
+these words.
+
+"There is nothing else to do," agreed Ashe at last.
+
+An officer was sent to negotiate.
+
+"We will deliver up the armoury if you will agree not to give us over to
+the mob," he told the committee.
+
+"We hold, and intend to hold, the mob under absolute control. We have
+nothing in common with mobs," was Coleman's reply.
+
+The doors were then thrown open, and a company  of the Vigilante troops
+marched in. Within ten minutes, the streets were cleared. The six hundred
+prisoners, surrounded by a solid body of infantry with cavalry on the
+flanks, were marched to headquarters. The city was jubilant. This, at last,
+was the clean sweep! Men went about with shining faces, slapping each other
+on the back. And Coleman, the wise general, realizing that compromises were
+useless, peace impossible, came to a decision. Shortly from headquarters
+the entire Vigilante forces moved in four divisions toward the cardinal
+points of the compass. From them small squads were from time to time
+detached and sent out to right or left. The main divisions surrounded the
+remaining four big armouries; the smaller squads combed the city house by
+house for arms. In the early morning the armouries capitulated. By sun-up
+every weapon in the city had been taken to Fort Gunnybags.
+
+
+
+
+LXXI
+
+
+Up to this time Nan Keith had undergone the experience of nine out of ten
+married women in early California: that is, she had been neglected. Neglect
+in some form or other was the common lot of the legally attached feminine.
+How could it logically be otherwise? In the turbulent, varied, restless,
+intensely interesting, deeply exciting life of the pioneer city only a
+poor-spirited, bloodless, nerveless man would have thought to settle down
+to domesticity. A quiet evening at home stands small chance, even in an
+old-established community, against a dog fight on the corner or a fire in
+the next block; and here were men fights instead, and a great, splendid,
+conflagration of desires, appetites, and passions, a grand clash of
+interests and wills that burned out men's lives in the space of a few
+years. It was a restless time, full of neglected women. This neglect varied
+in degree to be sure. Nan was lucky there. No other woman had thrust her
+way in, no other attraction lured Keith from her, as had happened to so
+many others. She possessed all his interest. But at present that interest
+seemed so attenuated, so remote!
+
+After her revulsion of feeing the afternoon the Vigilantes first rose in
+their might, she withdrew within her pride. Nan was no meek and humble
+spirit. But the scales had dropped from her eyes as to affairs about her.
+San Francisco suddenly became something besides a crude collection of
+buildings. For the first time she saw it as a living entity, strong in the
+throes of growth. She devoured eagerly all the newspapers, collected avidly
+all the rumours. Whenever possible, she discussed the state of affairs; but
+this was difficult, for nearly every one was strongly partisan for one side
+or another, and incapable of anything but excitement and vituperation. The
+Sherwoods were a great comfort to her here. While approving of the new
+movement, they nevertheless refused to become heated, and retained a spirit
+of humour. Sherwood was not a member of the Committee of Vigilance, but he
+had subscribed heavily--and openly--to its funds; he had assisted it with
+his counsels; and it was hinted that, sub-rosa, he had taken part in some
+of the more obscure but dangerous operations.
+
+"I am an elderly, peace-loving, respectable citizen," he told Nan, "and I
+stand unequivocably for law and order and for justice, for the orderly
+doing of things; and against violence, mob spirit, and high-handedness."
+
+"Why, John Sherwood!" cried Nan, up in arms at once. "I'd never have
+believed you could be on the side of Judge Terry and that stripe."
+
+"Oho!" cried Sherwood, delighted to have drawn her. "Now we have it! But
+what made you think I was on that side?"
+
+"Why--didn't you just say--"
+
+"Oh," said Sherwood comfortably, "I was using real meanings, not just word
+tags. In my opinion real law and order, orderly doing of things, _et
+cetera_, are all on the other side."
+
+"And the men--" cried Nan, aglow.
+
+"The men are of course all noble, self-sacrificing, patriotic, immaculate
+demigods who--" He broke off, chuckling at Nan's expression. "No,
+seriously, I think they are doing a fine work, and that they'll go down in
+history."
+
+"You're an old dear!" cried Nan, impulsively kissing his cheek.
+
+"Take care," he warned, "you're endangering my glasses and making my wife
+jealous."
+
+Nan drew back, a little ashamed at having shown her feelings; and rather
+astonished herself at their intensity.
+
+In the course of these conversations the pendulum with her began again to
+quiver at the descent. Through the calmly philosophical eye of the ex-
+gambler, John Sherwood, she partly envisaged the significance of what was
+happening--the struggling forth of real government from the sham. Her own
+troubles grew small by comparison. She began to feel nearer Keith in spirit
+than for some time past, to understand him better, even--though this was
+difficult--to get occasionally a glimpse of his relations toward herself.
+It was all very inchoate, instinctive, unformed; rather an instinct than a
+clear view. She became restless; for she had no outlet either for her own
+excitement or the communicated excitement of the times. It was difficult to
+wait, and yet wait she must. For what? She did not know!
+
+On the crucial June evening she sat by the lamp trying in vain to
+concentrate her attention on a book. The sound of the door bell made her
+jump. She heard Wing Sam's shuffle, and his cheerful greeting which all her
+training had been unable to eliminate. Wing Sam always met every caller
+with a smiling "Hello!" A moment later she arose in some surprise as Mrs.
+Morrell entered the room.
+
+Relations between the women had never been broken off, though the pretence
+of ordinary cordiality had long since been dropped. When Mrs. Morrell found
+it expedient to make this call, she spent several hours trying to invent a
+plausible excuse. She was unable to do so. Finally she gave it up in angry
+despair.
+
+"As long as it is not too bald, what difference does it make?" she said to
+herself cynically.
+
+And out of this desperation, and by no means from cleverness, she hit on
+the cleverest thing possible. Instead of coming to make a friendly call,
+she pretended to be on an errand of protest.
+
+"It's about your dog," she told Nan, "he's a dear good dog, and a great
+friend of ours. But cannot you shut him up nights? He's inclined to prowl
+around under my windows, and just the sound of him there keeps me awake. I
+know it's foolish; but I am so nervous these days--"
+
+"Why, of course," said Nan with real contrition. "I'd no idea--"
+
+Gringo was at the moment ingratiating himself with Wing Sam _in re_ one
+soup bone of no use to anybody but dogs. If he could have heard Mrs.
+Morrell's indictment, he would have been both grieved and surprised: Gringo
+never prowled anywhere. Like most rather meaty individuals, he was a very
+sound sleeper; and in the morning he often felt a little uneasy in his
+conscience as to the matter of stray trespassing cats or such small fry. He
+had every confidence that his instincts would warn him of really important
+things, like burglars. Still, the important things are not all of life, nor
+burglars all the duty of a dog.
+
+Having slandered the innocent Gringo, Mrs. Morrell stayed for a chat.
+Apparently she was always just on the point of departure, but never went.
+Nan, being, as she thought, in the wrong as to the worthy Gringo, tried her
+best to be polite, but was miserably conscious of being snippy.
+
+At the end of an hour the door bell rang again. If Nan had been watching,
+she might have seen Mrs. Morrell's body relax as though from a tension.
+After a moment Wing Sam shuffled into the room carrying a soiled folded
+paper.
+
+"Man he tell you lead this chop-chop," said he.
+
+Murmuring an apology, Nan opened the paper. With a cry she sprang to her
+feet. Her face had gone white.
+
+"What is it?" cried Mrs. Morrell in apparent anxiety.
+
+Without a word Nan extended the paper. Written in pencil were these words:
+
+ MADAM: Your husband has been injured in an attempt at arrest. He wants
+ me to tell you he is at Jake's Place hurt bad. With respects. JOHN Q.
+ ALDER.
+
+For an instant Mrs. Morrell did not dare look up. She was thoroughly angry
+at what she thought to be her husband's stupidity.
+
+"Why, that wouldn't deceive a child!" she thought contemptuously.
+
+"How dreadful! Who is Alder?" she said, merely to say something.
+
+Nan shook her head.
+
+"I don't know," she replied rather wildly. "One of the Vigilantes, I
+suppose. I must go out there. At once!"
+
+She ran to the hall where she began to rummage for cloaks. Mrs. Morrell
+followed her in wonderment. She was going to take this crude bait after
+all! Mrs. Morrell had not the slightest idea Nan still loved her husband.
+
+"You can't go alone!" she cried in apparent sympathy. "You poor child!
+Jake's Place--at this time of night!"
+
+"I'd go to hell if he needed me there!" cried Nan.
+
+Mrs. Morrell became suddenly capable and commanding.
+
+"Then I shall go with you," she announced firmly.
+
+"Oh, you're good to me!" cried Nan, full of contrition, and feeling,
+beneath her anxiety, that she had misjudged her neighbour's heart.
+
+Mrs. Morrell took charge. She lit the lantern, led the way to the stable,
+did the most toward harnessing the horse. They made rather a mess of it,
+but the horse was gentle and reliable. When they had backed the buggy out
+of the barn, she insisted on driving.
+
+"You're in no fit condition," she told Nan, and Nan obediently climbed in
+beside her.
+
+The drive was made in silence, except that occasionally Nan urged hurry.
+She sat bolt upright, her hands clasped in her lap, her figure rigid,
+trying to keep hold of herself. At Jake's Place a surly hostler appeared
+and led away their horse. Jake's Place was in darkness save for one lighted
+room on the ground floor and a dimly illuminated bar at the other end.
+
+It is but just to a celebrated resort that had seen and was still to see
+much of life to say that it knew nothing of the plot. Sansome had engaged
+the ground-floor parlour, and ordered a fire and drinks. Morrell had
+commanded a little supper for later. Now two ladies appeared. This was all
+normal. Without drinks, little suppers, and the subsequent appearance of
+ladies, Jake's Place would soon have languished.
+
+Nan leaped over the wheel to the ground as soon as the buggy had stopped,
+and before the dilatory hostler had cramped aside the wheel.
+
+"Where is he?" she demanded breathlessly. The hostler jerked a thumb at the
+lighted windows. Without a word Nan ran up the steps and to the door. The
+hostler looked after her flying figure, then grinned up at Mrs. Morrell.
+
+"Yum! yum!" said he, "but she's the eager little piece!"
+
+Mrs. Morrell gave him a coin, and as he moved away with the horse, she,
+too, ran up the steps. Nan had entered the parlour door, leaving it open
+behind her. Mrs. Morrell closed it again, and locked it. Then, with a
+certainty that proved her familiarity with the place, she walked down the
+length of the veranda to a hall, which she entered.
+
+Nan had burst into a parlour with an open fire. Before it stood a small
+table crowded with bottles and glasses. Sansome rose, rather unsteadily,
+from one of the easy chairs. Nan uttered an exclamation of relief as she
+recognized him.
+
+"Oh, I'm glad you're here!" she cried. "This is kind! How is he? Where is
+he?"
+
+
+
+
+LXXII
+
+
+Morrell had no easy day with Ben Sansome. He had been forced to spend the
+whole of it with his protégé, save for the hour he had devoted to seeing
+Keith off on the piratical expedition. It was a terrible bore. In turn he
+had played on the youth's pique, the supposed insult to his manhood, his
+desire for the woman. Sansome was not naturally a valiant adventurer; but
+he had an exceedingly touchy vanity, which, with a little coddling,
+answered nearly as well. Morrell took the confident attitude that, of
+course, Sansome was not afraid; therefore Sansome was ashamed to be afraid.
+
+"For the moment," said the Englishman, "she's carried away by the glamour
+of this Vigilante movement. They seem to her strong men. She contrasts them
+with us men of the world, and as she cannot see that a polished exterior is
+not incompatible with strength, she has a faint growing contempt for us.
+Women like strength, masterfulness. It is the chance of your life to show
+her that a man _comme il faut_ is the equal of these squalid brutes in that
+respect. She is in love with you already, but she doesn't know it. All that
+is necessary is a show of masterfulness to make her realize it." He stifled
+a yawn. "Lord, what dreary piffle!" he confided to himself. He painted
+Keith as a contemptible renegade from his own class, currying favour with
+those below him, a cheap demagogue, a turncoat avid for popular power.
+
+"At heart he's a coward--all such men are. And he's so wrapped up in his
+ambition that his wife is a small matter to him. There's no danger from
+him, for he's away; and after the first flare-up we'll be able to handle
+him among us, never fear!" But after impressing this point, Morrell always
+was most careful to interpose the warning: "If it should come to trouble,
+don't let him get near you! He's absolutely rotten with a gun--you saw him
+in that farce of a duel--but he's a strong beggar. Don't let him get his
+hands on you!"
+
+"I won't," promised Sansome, a trifle shakily.
+
+Then Morrell, lighting a fresh cigar and fortifying his bored soul with
+another drink, skilfully outlined a portrait of Sansome himself as a hero,
+a dashing man of the world, a real devil among the ladies, the haughty and
+proud exponent of aristocratic high-handedness. He laid this on pretty
+thick, but Sansome had by now consumed a vast number of drinks, and was
+ready to swallow almost anything in addition. Morrell's customary demeanour
+was rather stolid, silent, and stupid; but when he was really interested
+and cared to exert himself, he became unexpectedly voluble and plausible.
+Mid-evening he drove this creature of his own fashioning out to Jake's
+Place, and deposited him in the parlour with the open fire, the table of
+drinks, and the easy chairs.
+
+His plans from this point on were based on the fact that he had started
+Keith out on an expedition that should last all night. Had there been the
+slightest chance that the injured husband could appear, you may be sure
+Morrell would not have been present. Of course witnesses were necessary to
+the meeting at the road house. With Keith imminent, hirelings would have
+been arranged for. With Keith safety away, Morrell saw no reason why he
+should not enjoy the situation himself. Therefore he had arranged a little
+supper party. Teeny McFarlane and Jimmy Ware were his first thought. Then
+he added Pop McFarlane. If he wanted Teeny as a witness, the party must be
+respectable!
+
+At the sound of wheels outside Morrell arose and slipped out the back door
+of the parlour.
+
+"Now, remember!" he told Sansome from the doorway. "Now's the chance of
+your life! You've got her love, and you must keep her. She'll cut up rough
+at first. That's when you must show what's in you. Go right after her!"
+
+As Nan burst into the room by one door he softly closed--and locked--the
+other behind him.
+
+
+
+
+LXXIII
+
+
+But Sansome, although he had put up a brave front to the last moment, was
+not in reality feeling near the hero of romance he looked. In spite of
+Morrell's cleverness, the Englishman had failed to observe that Sansome had
+touched the fringe of that second stage of semi-drunkenness when the
+"drinks were dying on him." While outwardly fairly sober, inwardly he was
+verging toward the incoherent. First one phase or mood would come to the
+top, then another, without order; sequence, or logical reason. He was
+momentarily dangerous or harmless. Nan's abrupt entrance scattered his last
+coherences. For the moment he fell back on habit, and habit was with him
+conventional He smiled his best smile.
+
+"Do sit down," he urged in his most society manner.
+
+This immediately convinced Nan that Keith must be badly hurt.
+
+"Tell me at once!" she demanded "Where is Milton? Is he--is--"
+
+"As far as I know," replied Sansome, still in his courtly manner, "Mr.
+Keith is in perfect health. As to where he is"--he waved an airy hand--"I
+do not know. It does not matter, does it? The point is we are cozy here
+together. Do sit down."
+
+"I don't understand," said she, advancing a step nearer, her brows knit,
+"Don't put me off. I got a note saying--"
+
+"I know; I wrote it," boasted Sansome fatuously.
+
+The blood mounted her face, her fists clenched, she advanced several steps
+fearlessly.
+
+"I don't, quite understand," she repeated, in hard, crisp tones. "You wrote
+it?' Isn't it true? What did you do such a thing for?"
+
+"To get you here, my dear, of course," rejoined Sansome gallantly. "I knew
+your puritanical scruples--I love them every one--but--"
+
+"Do you mean to say you dared decoy me here!" challenged Nan, all aflame.
+Her whole emotion was one of rage. It did not occur to her to be afraid of
+Ben Sansome, the conventional, the dilettante exquisite, without the
+gumption to say boo to a goose!
+
+This Sansome answered her, the habit of society strong within him. He
+became deprecatory, pleading, almost apologetic. His manners were on top
+and his rather weak nature quailed before the blaze of her anger.
+
+"I know it was inexcusable," he babbled, "but what could I do? I am mad
+about you! Do forgive me! Just sit down for a few moments. I don't blame
+you for being angry--any one is angry at being deceived--but do forgive me.
+If you'll only consider why I did it, you won't be angry. That's right," he
+ended soothingly, seeing that she neither spoke nor moved, "Just sit right
+down here and be comfortable. It must be cold driving. Let me give you a
+glass of sherry." He fussed about, shoving forward an armchair, arranging
+pillows, unstopping the decanter.
+
+"You fool!" she ejaculated in a low voice. She looked him all up and down,
+and turned to go.
+
+The door was locked! For the first time she noticed that Mrs. Morrell had
+not followed her in. Her heart fluttered in sudden panic, which she
+subdued. She moved toward the other door.
+
+The words, and especially the frustration of her intention, brought another
+mood to the surface of Sansome's intoxication. The polished society man
+with the habit of external unselfishness disappeared. Another Sansome, whom
+Nan did not recognize, sprang to take his place.
+
+"No, you don't!" he snarled. "That door's locked, too. You don't get out of
+here until I choose to let you out!"
+
+"You'll let me out; and you'll let me out right now, or I'll call for
+help," said Nan determinedly.
+
+Sansome deliberately seated himself, stretching his legs out straight
+before him, his hands in his pockets. This was the masterful role he had
+seen himself playing, and he instinctively took the attitude approved by
+the best melodramatic masters.
+
+"Call all you please," he sneered. "Nobody's going to pay any attention to
+your calls at Jake's Place!"
+
+Nan's heart went cold as she realized the complete truth of this. She was
+beginning to know fear. This was a new sort of creature before her, one
+with which she was acquainted only by instinct. She did not know what to do
+next, except that she saw surely that open opposition would only aggravate
+the situation.
+
+"I must gain time!" she told herself, though to what end she could not have
+said.
+
+Her pulses beat wildly, but she forced herself to a specious calmness.
+
+"But Ben," she said as naturally as she could, "why did you do so foolish a
+thing as this? It might make all kinds of trouble. You can always see me at
+the house; you know that. Why did you get me out on this mad expedition? If
+we were to be seen here by anybody we would be deeply compromised."
+
+The words reminded her of Mrs. Morrell; but out of sheer terror she
+resolutely thrust that idea from her mind. At this appeal Sansome suddenly
+became maudlin.
+
+"You've treated me like a dog lately--a yellow dog!" he mourned. "What good
+did it do to go to your house and be treated like a yellow dog?"
+
+Nan's faculties were beginning to rally after the first panic. Her heart
+was still thumping violently, but her eyes were bright, and her fighting
+courage was flowing back. For the first time his obvious condition
+registered on her brain.
+
+"He's drunk!" she thought.
+
+This discovery at first induced in her another, small panic. Then her
+courage boldly took it as a point of attack. The man was drunk and
+dangerous; very well, let us make him more drunk and less dangerous. That
+was a desperate enough expedient, but at least it was definite. She crossed
+deliberately to the other easy chair, and sat down.
+
+"Well, let's sit down," she agreed. "No!" more decidedly, "you sit there,
+on the other side. It's more cozy," she continued, at just the right moment
+to get her effect on his instinct of good manners. "Now, I will have that
+sherry. No, don't bother; it is next my hand. You must drink with me. Let
+me pour it for you--with my own hands--aren't you flattered?"
+
+She smiled across at him. This sudden reversion to an easy every-day plane
+had brought Sansome's first mood again to the surface. In this atmosphere
+of orderly tęte-ŕ-tęte he was again the society man. Nan breathed freer. He
+murmured something inane and conventional about Hebe.
+
+"Meaning you're a little tin god?" she chaffed.
+
+He said something still more involved, to the effect that her presence
+would make a god out of the most unworthy mortal. It was all vapid, unreal,
+elaborate, artificial.
+
+"If I can only keep him at this!" thought she desperately.
+
+She had drunk her glass of sherry because she felt she needed it. Now she
+poured another, and without comment, refilled Sansome's whiskey glass.
+
+"Here's to us!" she cried, lifting her glass.
+
+Nan's plan of getting him so drunk that he would not interfere with her
+escape had the merit of simplicity, and also of endorsement by such
+excellent authority as melodrama and the novel. It had the defect of being
+entirely theoretical. Nan's innocence of the matter in hand had not taken
+into account the intermediate stages of drunkenness, nor did she realize
+the strength inherent in the association of ideas. As she leaned forward to
+fill the glasses, Sansome's eyes brightened. He had seen women pouring wine
+many times before. The picture before him reminded him of a dozen similar
+pictures taken from the gallery of his rather disreputable past. His
+elaborate complimentary mood vanished. He pledged her ardently, and deep in
+his eyes began to burn a secret covetous flame. Nan poured her, sherry
+under the table.
+
+"This really is a cozy party!" she cried. "Will you have another with me?"
+
+The third glass of neat whiskey whirled in Sansome's head. He was verging
+toward complete drunkenness, but in the meantime became amorous. His eyes
+burned, his lips fell apart. Nan tried in desperation to keep on a plane of
+light persiflage, to hold him to his chair and to the impersonal. Deep fear
+entered her. She urged more drink on him, hoping that he would be
+overpowered. It was like a desperate race between this man's passions and
+the deep oblivion that reached for them. Her mouth was dry, and her brain
+whirled. Only by the greatest effort could she prevent herself from flying
+to pieces. Sansome hardly appeared to hear her. He wagged his head at her,
+looking upon her with swimming, benevolent eyes. Suddenly, without warning,
+he sprang up, overturning with a crash the small table and the bottles and
+glasses.
+
+"By God, you're the most beautiful woman I ever saw!" he cried. "Come
+here!"
+
+He advanced on her, his eyes alight. She saw that the crisis had come, and
+threw aside all pretence.
+
+"Keep away! Keep away!" she warned him through, gritted teeth; then, as he
+continued to stumble toward her, she struck at him viciously again and
+again with one of the small light chairs.
+
+For a moment or so she actually managed to beat him off; but he lunged
+through the blows and seized her around the shoulders.
+
+"Reg'lar little tiger cat!" he murmured with fond admiration.
+
+His reeking breath was on her neck as he sought her mouth. She threw her
+head back and to one side, fighting desperately and silently, tearing at
+him with her hands, writhing her body, lowering her head as he forced her
+around, kicking at his shin. The man's strength was as horrible as it was
+unexpected. The efforts to which she was giving her every ounce did not
+appear to have the slightest effect on him, His handsome weak face
+continued to smile foolishly and fondly down on her.
+
+"Reg'lar little tiger cat!" he repeated over and over.
+
+The terrible realization dawned on her that he was too much for her. Her
+body suddenly went lax. She threw back her and screamed.
+
+
+
+
+LXXIV
+
+
+The plot which Morrell had first suggested idly and as sort of a joke, but
+which later he had entered into with growing belief, was quite perfect in
+all details but one: he assumed that Keith had accompanied Durkee's
+expedition, and was sure that he had seen the young lawyer off. As a matter
+of fact, Keith had been recalled. A messenger had at the very last moment
+handed him an order sealed with the well-known open eye, and signed "33
+Secretary." It commanded him to proceed with certain designated men to the
+arrest of certain others inscribed on the black list. This was a direct
+order, whereas the present expedition was wholly a voluntary affair. Keith
+had no alternative but to obey, though he did so reluctantly, for this
+search for arms had promised sport. Therefore, he stepped ashore at the
+last instant; a proceeding unobserved by Morrell, who was surveying the
+scene from a distance, and who turned away once the sails were hoisted.
+
+The duty to which Keith had been assigned took some time. The men had to be
+searched out one by one, escorted to headquarters, and the usual
+formalities there accomplished. It was late in the evening before he was
+free to go home. He let himself in with his latchkey, and had just turned
+up the low-burning gas in the hall when the sound of hurrying feet brought
+him back to the door. He flung it open to confront Mrs. Sherwood and
+Krafft. They were both panting as though they had run some distance and
+Krafft's usually precise attire was dishevelled and awry, as though it had
+been hastily put on.
+
+"Nan!" gasped Mrs. Sherwood. "Is she here?"
+
+Keith, with instant decision, asking no questions, threw open the parlour
+door, glanced within, ran upstairs three steps at a time, but almost
+immediately returned after a hasty inspection of the upper story. His face
+had gone very pale, but he had himself in perfect control.
+
+"Well?" he demanded crisply, looking from one to the other.
+
+But Mrs. Sherwood did not stop to answer. With a stifled exclamation she
+darted from the house. Krafft looked after her, bewildered. Keith shook him
+savagely by the shoulder.
+
+"Speak up, man! Quick! What is it?" demanded Keith. His voice was vibrant
+with suppressed excitement, but he held himself outwardly calm, and waited
+immobile until the end of Krafft's story. It was characteristic of him as
+of all strong men in a crisis that he made no move whatever until he was
+sure he had grasped the whole situation.
+
+Krafft was just going to bed--he always retired early--when he was called
+to the door by Mex Ryan. Mex had never come to his house before. He was a
+shoulder striker and a thug; but he had one sure streak of loyalty in that
+nothing could ever induce him to go back on a pal. For various reasons he
+considered Krafft a pal. He was very much troubled.
+
+"Look here, boss," he said to Krafft, "It just come to my mind a while ago:
+what was the name of that bloke you told me to keep off'n? The Cora trial
+man, I mean."
+
+Krafft recalled the circumstance, and named Keith.
+
+Mex slapped his head.
+
+"That's right! It come to me afterward. Well, there's dirty work with his
+wife. That's where I see the name, on the outside of the note. I just give
+her a fake letter that says her husband is shot, and she's to go to him."
+
+"How did he know what the letter said?" interjected Keith at this point.
+
+"He'd read anything given him, of course. Mex knew the letter was false. I
+came up to find your house. I didn't know where you lived, so I stopped at
+John Sherwood's to inquire. Mrs. Sherwood was home alone. She came with
+me."
+
+"Where did this letter say I was supposed to be?" asked Keith,
+
+"Jake's Place."
+
+"My God!" cried Keith, and leaped for the door. At the same instant Mrs.
+Sherwood's voice was heard from the darkness.
+
+"Come here," she cried, "I have a rig."
+
+They found her seated in a buggy. Both climbed in beside her. Keith took
+the reins, and lashed the horse with the light whip. The astonished animal
+leaped; the buggy jerked forward.
+
+Then began a wild, careering, bumpy ride into the night. The road was
+fearful and all but invisible. The carriage swayed and swung dangerously.
+Keith drove, every faculty concentrated. No one spoke. The dim and ghostly
+half-guessed forms of things at night streamed past.
+
+"Who sent that letter?" demanded Keith finally.
+
+"Mex wouldn't tell me," replied Krafft.
+
+"How long ago did he deliver it?"
+
+"About an hour."
+
+The horse plunged frantically under the lash as this reply reached Keith.
+The buggy was all but overturned. He pulled the frantic animal down to a
+slower pace, and with an obvious effort regained control of himself.
+
+"Can't afford an accident!" he warned himself.
+
+"Are you armed?" Mrs. Sherwood asked him suddenly.
+
+"Yes--no, I left my gun at headquarters--that doesn't matter."
+
+Mrs. Sherwood made no comment. The wind caught her hair and whipped it
+about. In the distance now twinkled the lights of Jake's Place. Keith took
+a firmer grip on the reins, and again applied the whip. They swept into the
+gravelled driveway on two wheels, righted themselves, and rounded to the
+veranda. Keith pulled up and leaped to the ground. Nobody was visible. From
+the veranda he turned on them.
+
+"Here, you!" he commanded Mrs. Sherwood sharply, "I can't have you in this
+row! Stay here, outside. You take care of her," he told Krafft. "No, I mean
+it!"
+
+On his words a scream burst from the lighted room. Keith sprang to the
+door, found it locked, and drew back. With a low mighty rush he thrust his
+shoulder against the panel near the lock. The wood splintered. He sprang
+forward into the room.
+
+
+
+
+LXXV
+
+
+After turning the key in the lock outside the parlour door Mrs. Morrell
+slipped along the dark veranda, passed through a narrow hall, and entered a
+small back sitting-room. Jake's Place especially abounded in sitting-rooms.
+This particular one was next the parlour, so that one listening intently
+could be more or less aware of what was going on in the larger room. Here
+Morrell was already seated, a bottle of beer next his hand. He raised his
+eyebrows on her entrance, and she nodded back reassuringly. She, too, sat
+down and helped herself to beer. Both smoked. For a long time neither said
+anything.
+
+"Don't hear much in there," observed Mrs. Morrell finally, in a low guarded
+tone.
+
+"Not a sound," agreed Morrell. "You don't suppose she--"
+
+"No, I don't think so."
+
+"Then I don't see what ails that fool, Sansome! It'd be just like him to
+jib."
+
+"What does it matter?" observed Mrs. Morrell philosophically, "We don't
+care what is happening inside as long as those two doors stay locked until
+Teeny and Jimmy Ware get here."
+
+As has been mentioned, Pop McFarlane was also of the party; but,
+characteristically, neither would have thought that fact worth mentioning.
+
+"Just the same, as a matter of academic interest, I'd have expected her to
+make more of a  row," said Morrell. "I'll wager for all her airs she runs
+the same gait as all the rest of you."
+
+"Do you mean me?" demanded Mrs. Morrell, her eyes flashing dangerously.
+
+"Moderate your voice, my dear," advised he. "My remark was wholly general
+of your charming sex."
+
+From the parlour now they heard faintly the first sounds of struggle.
+
+"That's more like," he said with satisfaction. "I hate to have my ideals
+shattered."
+
+Wheels became audible.
+
+"There's Teeny, now," he observed, arising. He sauntered down the hall and
+looked out. "Keith!" he whispered back over his shoulder. "Where in hell
+did he come from?" He continued to peer into the darkness. "There's two
+others. Well, at any rate, we have plenty of witnesses!" He turned to Mrs.
+Morrell. "You'd better make yourself scarce. You locked that door, you
+know!"
+
+"Scarce!" she repeated, staring at him. "Where? How?"
+
+He looked at her through narrowed lids.
+
+"Get a horse of Jake," he said at last. "I'll meet you--oh, at the house.
+We'll arrange later."
+
+He watched her rather opulent figure steal down the dim hallway. A cynical
+smile flashed under his moustache. He turned back to the drama before him.
+The buggy had disappeared; the veranda was apparently empty.
+
+"Now I wonder who will shoot who?" speculated Morrell.
+
+He stole to the first of the windows. The lower blinds were drawn, but the
+upper half of the window was clear. Morrell cautiously placed a stool
+nearby, and mounted it so he could see into the room. For several minutes
+he watched. Then his hand stole to his pocket. He produced a revolver.
+
+
+
+
+LXXVI
+
+
+Blinded by the light, Keith stood for a barely appreciable moment in the
+wrecked doorway. Sansome, startled by the crash, relaxed his efforts. Nan
+thrust him from her so strongly that he staggered back. Keith's vision
+cleared. He appreciated the meaning of the tableau, uttered a choked growl,
+and advanced.
+
+Immediately Sansome drew and presented his weapon. He was shocked far
+toward sobriety, but the residue of the whiskey fumes in combination with a
+sudden sick and guilty panic imbued him with a sort of desperation. Sansome
+was a bold and dashing villain only as long as things came his way. His
+amours had always been of the safe rather than the wildly adventurous sort.
+Sansome had no morals; but being found out produced effects so closely
+resembling those of conscience that they could not be distinguished. In the
+chaotic collapse of this heroic episode he managed to cling to but one
+thing. That was Morrell's often reiterated warning: "Don't let Keith get
+his hands on you!"
+
+At the sight of his levelled weapon, Nan, who was nearest, uttered a
+stifled cry and made as though to throw herself on him.
+
+"Stop!" commanded Keith, without looking toward her. But so quietly
+authoritative was his voice and manner that in spite of herself her impulse
+was checked. She remained rigid.
+
+Keith advanced steadily on Sansome, his hands clenched at his side, his
+eye's fixed frowningly and contemptuously on those of the other man. The
+pistol barrel was held on his breast. Sansome fully intended to shoot, but
+found himself unable to pull the trigger. This is a condition every
+rifleman knows well by experience; he calls it being "frozen on the bull's
+eye," when, the alignment perfect, his rifle steady as a rock, he
+nevertheless cannot transmit just the little nerve power necessary to crook
+the forefinger. Three times Sansome sent the message to his trigger finger;
+three times the impulse died before it had compassed the distance between
+his brain and his hand. This was partly because his correlations had been
+weakened by the drink; partly because his fuddled mind was divided between
+fear, guilt, despair, and a rage at himself for having got into such a
+mess; but principally because he was hypnotically dominated by the other
+man's stronger personality.
+
+So evident was this that a sudden feeling of confidence replaced in Nan the
+sick terror at the sight of the weapon. She seemed to know positively that
+here was no real peril. A wave of contempt for Sansome, even as a dangerous
+creature, mingled with a passionate admiration for the man who thus
+dominated him unarmed.
+
+Sansome's nerve broke. He dropped his hand, looked to right and left
+frantically like a rat in a corner, uttered a very ratty squeak. Suddenly
+he hurled the loaded pistol blindly at Keith, and plunged bodily, with an
+immense crash of breaking glass, through the closed window. Keith, with a
+snarl of baffled rage, dashed forward.
+
+The sight seemed to touch Nan's sense of humour. She laughed at the
+picture, caught her breath, gasped. Keith whirled and snatched her fiercely
+in his arms.
+
+"Nan!" he cried in an agony, "are you all right? What did that beast--"
+
+She clung to him, still choking, on the edge of hysterics. In a moment of
+illumination she realized that the intangible barrier these past years had
+so slowly built between them had gone crashing down before the assault of
+the old love triumphant.
+
+"I'm all right, dear," she gasped; "really all right. And I never was so
+happy in my life!"
+
+They clung together frantically, he patting her shoulder, her cheek against
+his own, murmuring broken, soothing little phrases. The time and the place
+did not exist for them.
+
+A scuffle outside, which they had only vaguely sensed, and which had not at
+all penetrated to their understandings, came to an end. Mrs. Sherwood
+appeared in the doorway. Her dress was torn and dishevelled, a strand of
+her smooth hair had fallen across her forehead, an angry red mark showed on
+one cheek. But she was in high spirits. Her customary quiet poise had given
+place to a vibrant, birdlike, vital, quivering eagerness. To the two in the
+centre of the room, still clasped in each other's arms, came the same
+thought: that never, in spite of her ruffled plumes, in spite of the cheek
+already beginning to swell, had this extraordinary woman looked so
+beautiful! Then Keith realized that she was panting heavily, and was
+clinging to the doorway. He sprang to her assistance.
+
+"What is it? Where is Krafft?" he asked.
+
+She laughed a little, and permitted him to help her to an armchair into
+which she sank. She waved aside Keith's attempts to find a whole glass in
+the wreckage of the table.
+
+"I'm all right," she said, "and isn't this a nice little party?"
+
+"What has happened? Where is Krafft?" repeated Keith.
+
+"I sent him to the stable for help. There didn't seem to be anybody about
+the place."
+
+"But what happened to you? Did that brute Sansome--"
+
+"Sansome? was that Sansome? the one who came through the window?" She
+dabbed at her cheek. "You might wet me a handkerchief or a towel or
+something," she suggested. "No, he didn't stop!" she laughed again. "Are
+you all right?" she asked anxiously of Nan.
+
+"Yes. But tell us--"
+
+"Well, children, I was waiting on the veranda, obeying orders like a good
+girl, when, in the dim light I saw a man mount a stool and look into the
+room. He was very much interested. I crept up quite close to him without
+his knowing it. I heard him mutter to himself something about a 'weak kneed
+fool.' Then he drew a revolver. He looked quite determined and heroic"--she
+giggled reminiscently--"so I kicked the stool out from under him! About
+that time there was a most terrific crash, and somebody came out through
+the window."
+
+"But your cheek, your hair--"
+
+"I tried to hold him, but he was too strong for me. He hit me in the face,
+wrenched himself free, and ran. That was all; except that he dropped the
+pistol, and I'm going to keep it as a trophy."
+
+Keith was looking at her, deep in thought.
+
+"I don't understand," he said slowly. "Who could it have been?"
+
+Mrs. Sherwood shook her head.
+
+"Somebody about to shoot a pistol; that's all I know. I couldn't see his
+face."
+
+"Whoever it was, you saved one or both of us," said Keith, "there's no
+doubt in my mind of that. Let's see the pistol."
+
+It proved to be one of the smaller Colt's models, about 31 calibre, cap and
+ball, silver plated, with polished rosewood handles, and heavily engraved
+with scrollwork. Turning it over, Keith finally discovered on the bottom of
+the butt frame two letters scratched rudely, apparently with the point of a
+knife. He took it closer to the light.
+
+"I have it," said he. "Here are the letters C.M."
+
+"Charles Morrell!" cried both women in a breath.
+
+At this moment appeared Krafft, somewhat out of wind, followed by the surly
+and reluctant proprietor from whom the place took its name. Jake had been
+liberally paid to keep himself and his staff out of the way. Now finding
+that he was not wanted, he promptly disappeared.
+
+"Let's get to the bottom of this thing," said Keith decisively. "If those
+are really meant for Morrell's initials, what was he doing here?"
+
+"Mrs. Morrell came out with me," put in Nan.
+
+"Jake told me there was to be a supper party later," said Krafft.
+
+"It's clear enough," contributed Mrs. Sherwood. "The whole thing is a plot
+to murder or do worse. I've been through '50 and '51, and I know."
+
+"I can't believe yet that Sansome--" said Keith doubtfully.
+
+"Oh, Sansome is merely a tool, I don't doubt," replied Mrs. Sherwood.
+
+"I can find out to-morrow from Mex Ryan who sent the note," said Krafft.
+
+"Let's get out of this horrible place!" cried Nan with a convulsive shiver.
+
+Again they had great difficulty in finding any one to get their rigs, but
+finally repeated calls brought the hostler and Jake himself. The latter
+made some growl about payment for the entertainment, but at this Keith
+turned on him with such concentrated fury that he muttered something and
+slouched away. It was agreed that Krafft should conduct Mrs. Sherwood. They
+clambered into the two buggies and drove away.
+
+
+
+
+LXXVII
+
+
+The horse plodded slowly down the gravelled drive of the road house and
+turned into the main highway. It was very dark on earth, and very bright in
+the heavens. The afternoon fog had cleared away, dissipated in the warm air
+from the sand hills, for the day had been hot. Overhead flared thousands of
+stars, throwing the world small. Nan, shivering in reaction, nestled
+against her husband. He drew her close. She rested her cheek against his
+shoulder and sighed happily. Neither spoke.
+
+At first Keith's whole being was filled with rage. His mind whirled with
+plans for revenge. On the morrow he would hunt down Morrell and Sansome. At
+the thought of what he would do to them, his teeth clamped and his muscles
+stiffened. Then he became wholly preoccupied with Nan's narrow escape. His
+quick mind visualized a hundred possibilities--suppose he had gone on
+Durkee's expedition? Suppose Mex Ryan had not happened to remember his
+name? Suppose Mrs. Sherwood and Krafft had not found him? Suppose they had
+been an hour later? Suppose--He leaned over tenderly to draw the lap robe
+closer about her. She had stopped shivering and was nestling contentedly
+against him.
+
+But gradually the storm in Keith's soul fell. The great and solemn night
+stood over against his vision, and at last he could not but look. The
+splendour of the magnificent skies, the dreamy peace of the velvet-black
+earth lying supine like a weary creature at rest--these two simple
+infinities of space and of promise took him to themselves. An eager glad
+chorus of frogs came from some invisible pool. The slithering sound of the
+sand dividing before the buggy wheels whispered. Every once in a while the
+plodding horse sighed deeply.
+
+With the warm cozy feel of the woman, his woman, in the hollow of his arm,
+his spirit stilled and uplifted by the simple yet august and eternal things
+before him, Keith fell into inchoate rumination. The fever of activity in
+the city, the clash of men's interests, greeds, and passions, the tumult
+and striving, the sweat and dust of the arena fell to nothing about his
+feet. He cleared his vision of the small necessary unessentials, and stared
+forth wide-eyed at the big simplicities of life--truth as one sees it,
+loyalty to one's ideal, charity toward one's beaten enemy, a steadfast
+front toward one's unbeaten enemy, scorn of pettiness, to be unafraid.
+Unless the struggle is for and by these things, it is useless, meaningless.
+And one's possessions--Keith's left arm tightened convulsively. He had come
+near to losing the only possession worth while. At the pressure Nan stirred
+sleepily.
+
+"Are we there, dear?" she inquired, raising her head.
+
+Keith had reined in the horse, and was peering into the surrounding
+darkness. He laughed.
+
+"No, we seem to be here," he replied, "And I'm blest if I know where 'here'
+is! I've been day-dreaming!"
+
+"I believe I've been asleep," confessed Nan.
+
+They both stared about them, but could discern nothing familiar in the dim
+outlines of the hills. Not a light flickered.
+
+"Perhaps if you'd give the horse his head, he'd take us home. I've heard,
+they would," suggested Nan.
+
+"He's had his head completely for the last two hours. That theory is
+exploded. We must have turned wrong after leaving Jake's Place."
+
+"Well, we're on a road. It must go somewhere."
+
+Keith, with some difficulty, managed to awaken the horse. It sighed and
+resumed its plodding.
+
+"I'm afraid we're lost," confessed Keith.
+
+"I don't much care," confessed Nan.
+
+"He seems to be a perfectly safe horse," said he.
+
+By way of answer to this she passed her arms gently about his neck and bent
+his lips to hers. The horse immediately stopped.
+
+"Seems a fairly intelligent brute, too," observed Keith, after a few
+moments.
+
+"Did you ever see so many stars?" said she.
+
+The buggy moved slowly, on through the night. They did not talk.
+Explanations and narrative could wait until the morrow--a distant morrow
+only dimly foreseen, across this vast ocean of night. All sense of tune or
+direction left them; they were wandering irresponsibly, without thought of
+why, as children wander and get lost. After a long time they saw a silver
+gleam far ahead and below them.
+
+"That must be the bay," said Keith. "If we turn to the right we ought to
+get back to town."
+
+"I suppose so," said Nan.
+
+A very long time later the horse stopped short with an air of finality, and
+refused absolutely to proceed. Keith descended to see what was the matter.
+
+"The road seems to end here," he told her. "There's a steep descent just
+ahead."
+
+"What now?"
+
+"Nothing," he replied, climbing back into the buggy.
+
+The horse slumbered profoundly. They wrapped the lap robe around
+themselves. For a tune they whispered little half-forgotten things to each
+other. The pauses grew longer and longer. With an effort she roused herself
+to press her lips again to his. They, too, slept. And as dawn slowly
+lighted the world, they must have presented a strange and bizarre
+silhouette atop the hill against the paling sky--the old sagging buggy, the
+horse with head down and ears adroop, the lovers clasped in each other's
+arms.
+
+Silently all about them the new day was preparing its great spectacle. The
+stars were growing dim; the masses of eastern hills were becoming visible.
+A full rich life was swelling through the world, quietly, stealthily, as
+though under cover of darkness multitudes were stealing to their posts.
+Shortly, when the signal was given, the curtain would roll up, the fanfare
+of trumpets would resound--A meadow lark chirped low out of the blackness.
+And another, boldly, with full throat, uttered its liquid, joyous song.
+This was apparently the signal. The east turned gray. Mt. Tamalpais caught
+the first ghostly light. And ecstatically the birds and the insects and the
+flying and crawling and creeping things awakened, and each in his own voice
+and manner devoutly welcomed the brand-new day with its fresh, clean
+chances of life and its forgetfulness of old, disagreeable things. The
+meadow larks became hundreds, the song sparrows trilled, distant cocks
+crowed, and a dog barked exuberantly far away.
+
+Keith stirred and looked about him. Objects were already becoming dimly
+visible. Suddenly something attracted his attention. He held his head
+sideways, listening. Faintly down the little land breeze came the sound of
+a bell. It was the Vigilante tocsin. Nan sat up, blinking and putting her
+hair back from her eyes. She laughed a little happily.
+
+"Why, it's the dawn!" she cried, "We've been out all night!"
+
+"The dawn," repeated Keith, his arm about her, but his ear attuned to the
+beat of the distant bell. "The gray dawn of better things."
+
+
+
+
+LXXVIII
+
+
+As the Keiths, on the way, drove across what is now Harbour View, they
+stopped to watch a bark standing out through the Golden Gate before the
+gentle morning land breeze. She made a pretty sight, for the new-risen sun
+whitened her sails. Aboard her was the arch-plotter, Morrell. Had they
+known of that fact, it is to be doubted whether they would have felt any
+great disappointment over his escape, or any deep animosity at all. The
+outcome of his efforts had been clarifying. The bark was bound for the
+Sandwich Islands. Morrell's dispositions for flight at a moment's notice
+had been made long since; in fact, since the first days of Vigilante
+activity. He lingered in the islands for some years, at first cutting quite
+a dash; then, as his money dwindled and his schemes failed, he degenerated
+slowly. His latter end was probably as a small copra trader in the South
+Seas; but that is unknown. Mrs. Morrell--if indeed she was the man's legal
+wife at all--thus frankly abandoned, put a bold front on the whole matter.
+She returned to her house. As the Keiths in no manner molested her, she
+took heart. With no resources other than heavily mortgaged real property,
+she found herself forced to do something for a living. In the course of
+events we see Mrs. Morrell keeping a flashy boarding-house, hanging
+precariously on the outer fringe of the lax society of the times, frowned
+upon by the respectable, but more or less sought by the fast men and young
+girls only too numerous among the idle of that day.
+
+Ben Sansome went south. For twenty years he lived in Los Angeles, where he
+cut a figure, but from which he always cast longing eyes back upon San
+Francisco. He had a furtive lookout for arrivals from the north. One day,
+however, he came face to face with Keith. As the latter did not annihilate
+him on the spot, Sansome plucked up courage. He returned to San Francisco,
+There in time he attained a position dear to his heart; he became an "old
+beau," frequenting the teas and balls, appraising the débutantes, giving
+his opinion on vintage wines, leading a comfortable, idle, selfish,
+useless, graceful life. His only discomfort was his occasional encounters
+with the Keiths. Mrs. Keith never distinguished him from thin air unless
+others were present. Keith had always in his eye a gleam of contempt which,
+perhaps, Sansome acknowledged, was natural; but it was a contempt with a
+dash of amusement in it, and that galled. Still--Ben was satisfied. He
+gained the distinction of having discovered the epicurean value of sand-
+dabs.
+
+The Sherwoods founded the family of that name.
+
+Terry, arrested for the stabbing of Hopkins, was at first very humble,
+promising to resign his Supreme Court Judgeship. As time went on he became
+arrogant. The Committee of Vigilance was rather at a loss. If Hopkins died,
+they could do no less than hang Terry: and they realized fully that in
+executing a Justice of the Supreme Court they were entering deep waters. To
+the relief of everybody Hopkins fully recovered. After being held closely
+in custody, Terry was finally released, with a resolution that he be
+declared unfit for office. Once free, however, he revised his intention of
+resigning. His subsequent career proved as lawless and undisciplined as its
+earlier promise. Finally he was killed while in the act of attempting to
+assassinate Justice Stephen Field, an old, weak, helpless, and unarmed man.
+If Terry holds any significance in history, it is that of being the
+strongest factor in the complete wrecking of the Law and Order party!
+
+For with the capture of the arsenals, and all their arms, open opposition
+to the Committee of Vigilance came to an end. The Executive Committee
+continued its work. Numberless malefactors and suspects were banished; two
+more men, Hetherington and Brace, were solemnly hanged. On the 8th. of
+August the cells were practically empty. It was determined to disband on
+the 21st.
+
+That ceremony was signalized by a parade on the 18th. Four regiments of
+infantry, two squadrons of cavalry, a battalion of riflemen, a battalion of
+pistol men, and a battalion of police were in line. The entire city turned
+out to cheer.
+
+As for the effects of this movement, the reader must be referred to the
+historians. It is sufficient to say that for years San Francisco enjoyed a
+model government and almost complete immunity from crime.
+
+One evening about twilight two men stood in the gathering shadows of the
+Plaza. They were old friends, but had in times of stress stood on opposite
+sides. The elder man shook his head skeptically.
+
+"That is all very well," said he, "but where are your Vigilantes now?"
+
+The other raised his hand toward the great bell of the Monumental
+silhouetted against the afterglow in the sky.
+
+"Toll that bell, sir, and you will see!" replied Coleman solemnly.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Gray Dawn, by Stewart Edward White
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