第11章

Jane gave a shiver of lady-like disgust.``How-- nasty,'' said she.

``I'm telling you what he said.But he says that the only way human beings learn how to do things right is by doing them wrong--so while he's opposed to strikes he's also in favor of them.''

``Even _I_ understand that,'' said Jane.``I don't think it's difficult.''

``Doesn't it strike you as--as inconsistent?''

``Oh--bother consistency!'' scoffed the girl.``That's another middle class virtue that sensible people loathe as a vice.''

Anyhow, he's helping the strikers all he can--and fighting US.

You know, your father and my father's estate are the two biggest owners of the street railways.''

1

But David wasn't listening.He was deep in thought.After a while he said: ``It's amazing--and splendid-- and terrible, what power he's getting in our town.Victor Dorn, I mean.''

``Always Victor Dorn,'' mocked Jane.

``When he started--twelve years ago as a boy of twenty, just out of college and working as a carpenter --when he started, he was alone and poor, and without friends or anything.He built up little by little, winning one man at a time--the fellow working next him on his right, then the chap working on his left--in the shop--and so on, one man after another.And whenever he got a man he held him--made him as devoted-- as--as fanatical as he is himself.Now he's got a band of nearly a thousand.There are ten thousand voters in this town.So, he's got only one in ten.

But what a thousand!''

Jane was gazing out into the rain, her eyes bright, her lips parted.

``Are you listening?'' asked Hull.``Or, am I boring you?''

``Go on,'' said she.

``They're a thousand missionaries--apostles--yes, apostle is the name for them.They live and breathe and think and talk only the ideas Victor Dorn believes and fights for.And whenever he wants anything done --anything for the cause--why, there are a thousand men ready to do it.''

``Why?'' said Jane.

``Victor Dorn,'' said Hull.``Do you wonder that he interests me? For instance, to-night: you see how it's raining.Well, Victor Dorn had them print to-day fifty thousand leaflets about this strike--what it means to his cause.And he has asked five hundred of his men to stand on the corners and patrol the streets and distribute those dodgers.I'll bet not a man will be missing.''

``But why?'' repeated Jane.``What for?''

``He wants to conquer this town.He says the world has to be conquered--and that the way to begin is to begin--and that he has begun.''

``Conquer it for what?''

``For himself, I guess,'' said Hull.``Of course, he professes that it's for the public good.They all do.But what's the truth?''

``If I saw him I could tell you,'' said Jane in the full pride of her belief in her woman's power of divination in character.

``However, he can't succeed,'' observed Hull.

``Oh, yes, he can,'' replied Jane.``And will.Even if every idea he had were foolish and wrong.And it isn't--is it?''