CHAPTER XLIII
THE MAJESTY OF PEACE
As upon another day that was vivid in his memory, Governor Lawler sat athis desk in his office in the capitol building. A big, keen-eyed man ofimposing appearance was sitting at a little distance from Lawler,watching him. The big man was talking, but the governor seemed to belooking past him--at the bare trees that dotted the spacious groundsaround the building. His gaze seemed to follow the low stone fence withits massive posts that seemed to hint of the majesty of the governmentLawler served; it appeared that he was studying the bleak landscape, andthat he was not interested in what the big man was saying.
But Lawler was not interested in the landscape. For many minutes, whilelistening to the big man--and answering him occasionally--he had beenwatching for a trim little figure that he knew would presently appear onone of the white walks leading to the great, wide steps that led to theentrance to the building. For he had heard the long-drawn plaint of alocomotive whistle some minutes before; he had seen the train itselfcome gliding over the mammoth plains that stretched eastward from thecapitol; and he knew that Ruth would be on the train.
"The proposed bill is iniquitous," said the big man. "It is more thanthat, Governor Lawler; it is discrimination without justification. Wereally have made unusual efforts to provide cars for the shipment ofcattle. The bill you propose will conflict directly with the regulationsof Federal Interstate Commerce. It will be unconstitutional."
"We'll risk it," smiled Lawler. "The attorney-general is certain of theconstitutionality of the bill."
"We'll never obey its provisions!" declared the big man, with somewarmth.
Lawler looked at the other with a level gaze. "This is a cattle-raisingstate," he said. "The interests of the state's citizens are sacred tome. I intend to safeguard them. You run your railroad and I will run thestate. Previous railroad commissioners have permitted the railroadcompanies to do largely as they pleased. We are going to have someregulation--regulation that will regulate.
"The proposed bill may seem drastic to you," he added as he leanedforward the better to look out of the window he had looked out ofbefore--to see the trim little figure he had expected coming up one ofthe white walks; "but if you fight it, we shall introduce others. Thepeople of this state are pretty well worked up, and are demandinglegislation that will curb the power of the railroads--that will makeimpossible a situation such as existed under the regime of mypredecessor. What would you say to a law that would compel you toconstruct grade crossings at every street intersection along theright-of-way in every city and town in the state through which yourrailroad passes?"
The big man's color fled; he stared at Lawler.
"Also," went on Lawler; "there is an insistent demand forelectrification of railroads, especially from city governments. Then,too, there is some agitation regarding rates--both freight andpassenger. But I want to be fair--to go at these improvements gradually.Still, if your company insists on fighting the bill which is nowpending--" He paused and looked at the big man.
The latter got up, smiling faintly.
"All right, Governor; we'll be good. I never really favored thatdeal--which almost set the state afire--and made you governor. But mydirectors----"
"They'll be sensible, now, I hope?"
The big man grimaced. "They'll have to be sensible." He extended a hand,and Lawler took it.
The big man went out. As the door closed behind him Lawler got up andwalked to it, standing there, expectantly. The door suddenly opened andRuth stood in the opening.
It was her first visit to the office, and the atmosphere of solemndignity almost awed her.
After a little, when she had seated herself in the governor's chair,from where she looked gayly at the big, smiling man who watched her, shegot up and Lawler led her to one of the great windows.
"Father is much better, Kane," she said. "In another week he will beable to ride. Your mother sent you her love, and Shorty told me to tellyou to take care of yourself. Kane, Shorty actually loves you!"
"Shorty is a man, Ruth."
"Oh, he is wonderful!" And then, with a direct look at him, she added:
"Della Wharton has gone East, Kane."
Lawler's eyes narrowed; he was silent.
Ruth's voice was tremulous with happiness as she stood close to the manshe had come to marry on the morrow, in the big house which was awaitingboth of them--the governor's mansion. "Kane," she said; "I used to dreamof this day--tomorrow, I mean; but I never thought it would be likethis--so terribly, solemnly happy."
Lawler drew her closer to him--and nearer the window. "I wonder if youknow how lonesome I used to feel as I sat at my desk, there, trying tolook out over that great waste of world, stretching between us?"
"I know," she said, lowly; "I used to feel the same way. There was atime--right after you went away to begin your campaign, when it seemedto me that: you had gone to the farthest limits of the earth."
"And now?" he asked, smiling. And when she did not answer, he added;"the world seems to have become very small."
"It is a wonderful world, Kane," she said solemnly.
For a time both were silent, gazing out of the window. In the foregroundwere the bare trees of the capitol grounds; the white, curving walks,the low stone fence with its massive posts; the broad streets of thecity animated by traffic; the roofs of buildings. But straight down astreet that intersected the broad thoroughfare skirting the capitolgrounds on the east, they could look beyond the limits of the city atthe mighty level country that stretched into the yawning gulf ofdistance--toward Willets; straight to the section of world which hadbeen the scene of the conflict that had tried them sorely.
It was a bleak picture; the plains dead and drear, barren of verdure--adull, drab expanse of waste world with no life or movement in it,stretching below gray, cold clouds.
But while they watched, a rift appeared in the clouds. It grew,expanded, and a shaft of sunlight pierced it, shimmering,glowing--touching the waste of world with a brilliance that thrilledthem.
It was evident that Ruth seemed to feel that the glimmering shaft was apromise of happiness to come, for when Lawler turned, her eyes wereshining with a light that caused his own to deepen with sympathy andunderstanding.
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Transcriber's note: On page 275, "foolishing" changed to "foolishly". (looking foolishly at Shorty)
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