The Cleverdale Mystery; or, The Machine and Its Wheels: A Story of American Life
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CHAPTER XXI.
SPOILS! SPOILS!
Christmas came, the day passing quiet and gloomy at the Alden home. Theinjured man grew worse and was delirious--living over the awful scenesof the fire many times during the day, and starting from his slumbers,crying out:
"Yes, they are saved, they are saved!" then he would moan, "Oh, how thefire burns my flesh! Take that big timber off my back! Must I perish?See, the iron door opens, the people are free--and I have saved them!"
For six days he was delirious, but just one week after the disaster heopened his eyes, looked about him, and in a weak voice said:
"Give me water."
His sister, standing near, raised a glass to his lips while he drankwith a relish that he had not displayed since the disaster, his eyeflashing with a little of its natural fire; and his sister felt therewas really a change for the better. Full of hope, she could scarcelyrealize that the good symptoms were real.
"Where--where is Belle?" he asked.
"Watching over you constantly. She has gone home for a little rest, butwill return in about two hours. Be quiet and go to sleep now; you arebetter, but must not exhaust yourself."
"Then she will certainly return?"
"Yes, but you must not talk more."
The patient closing his eyes, his sister seated herself at his bedside.Two hours later the young wife returned, and perceiving the happy lookupon Fannie's face, said:
"What is it? Tell me quick: is he better?"
"Yes, he opened his eyes, asked for a glass of water, and then inquiredfor you; when told you would return in two hours, a look of joy crossedhis face and he again closed his eyes. He has slept quietly ever since,and his fever has perceptibly gone down."
"Oh, that he may only live!" said Belle, while her eyes filled withtears of joy.
Both ladies entering the sick-room, a glance toward the bed assured themthe patient was awake and awaiting their return. Belle, stooping over,kissed him, which greeting he returned with--
"You are so good, I am trying to get well for your sake," he whispered.
When Doctor Briar made his afternoon call he was greatly encouraged.
"He is better," he said, "and if kept quiet there is now strong hope ofhis recovery. Good nursing will do more for him than anything else."
From that day Alden gained slowly, and all Cleverdale was made happy bythe good news that their hero was likely to recover. All? No; there wasone exception.
Senator Hamblin, at his office, engaged in writing letters, lookedtroubled and dejected. He had just returned from the State Capitol,where he had attended the opening session of the Legislature. Beforehim lay many letters, some with seals unbroken. One in the well-knownhandwriting of Walter Mannis greatly interested him.
"He is anxious as ever to marry my daughter," he exclaimed. "He believeswe will have a peaceful solution of the problem, but in that we haveboth reckoned wrong. When I left home a few days since, there was notthe least possible hope of Alden's ever getting up again. It is a blindgame, trying to discount fate. It seemed as if he would relieve us bygoing off in a regular and legitimate way, but he disappoints us andwill remain. Why have I allowed Belle to attend him during his illness?She has not only compromised herself, but by this act I have sanctionedher course."
He lighted a cigar, and soon great clouds of smoke rose and circled overhis head, while his pen lay idle beside him.
"Well," he whispered, "if he recovers it will be a bad go. If he couldonly look into the future, he would have no wish to live--but perhaps hemay have a relapse."
Seeming to catch a gleam of hope, he resumed his cigar again, andcontinued to fill the room with clouds of smoke for at least tenminutes. Then suddenly rising, he said:
"There is no help for it: I must see that our programme is carriedout. Sargent is ready to do his work, and I cannot let sentimentalitymake me lose sight of my own danger. Alden will no doubt recover, andthere never will occur so good an opportunity as the present to makethe necessary preparations to get rid of him. The hero-worship businessis short, and by the time the good people of Cleverdale get throughadmiring the noble act of Cashier Alden, we will be ready with the trap."
Observing Sargent was alone, he said:
"I wish to speak with you for a few moments."
The teller entering the president's private office, the latter said:
"Have you thought over the matter we discussed the night before thefire?"
"Yes, sir, it has been on my mind a great deal."
"It is evident we must carry out our original intention, for I thinkAlden will recover."
"It looks that way now."
"Have you any plans to suggest?"
"Yes, I can alter his books--put worthless bonds among the securities,making it appear Alden has abstracted the currency they represent, andcarry the transaction along on his books until discovered."
"How will you manage to clear yourself of any complicity?"
"That is easily accomplished. The figures can be altered to correspondwith dates in September or August, when Alden was alone in the bank,and make it appear that the worthless bonds were placed among thecollaterals at the time, and only discovered by the forced absence ofthe cashier."
"That is very good, Sargent. Public opinion and sympathy are so strongfor Alden it will not do for him to remain here. When confronted withthe accusation he must be induced to run away rather than face exposure.When he is accused of defalcation I can express sympathy for him--offerto make good the missing funds--even give him money with which toabscond."
"But, suppose he writes back to his friends--what then?"
"In that case we must plan to intercept his letters."
"That will be easily done, my brother being clerk in the post-office."
"Sargent, you are quick-witted. That will be the very thing; it is amost important point, and has bothered me considerably. We will donothing until after I return home next week. By that time we shall knowmore about his chance of recovery."
A customer entering the bank, the conversation ceased.
The following Monday was cold and wintry, and before Senator Hamblinleft Cleverdale for Albany he called at the bank and said to Sargent:"He is much better this morning, and we will plant our seed on Saturday."
During the week he was engrossed in his legislative duties. Beinga recognized leader in his party, his late victory over both theopposition and stump candidate raised him higher than ever in theestimation of his fellow senators, and in the scramble for spoils ofoffice his power was great. While there were scores of applicants forevery office in the gift of the Senate or Legislature, those inducingSenator Hamblin, to espouse their cause were usually successful. TheSenator was besieged by many callers, while every mail brought himletters asking help to obtain some position. Every senator and memberpossessed scores of friends seeking appointments. Mothers, sisters,wives and even children appealed personally to Senator Hamblin for aid,until he was nearly driven to distraction. It was impossible for him tomove without encountering some one with a petition, for even when seatedin the Senate Chamber, cards and letters were thrust into his hands bythe pages, requesting interviews in the cloak-room. Every man who hadpeddled a vote on election day, asked another to support his candidate,or hurrahed at a political meeting, expected to share in the spoils.Every member unable to obtain positions for all his friends was declaredungrateful, and curses loud and deep were heaped upon his head.
Reader, did you ever visit your State Capitol at the organization ofthe Legislature, and see the scramble for spoils? A great army ofhungry office-seekers, like sharks after a ship, appear even beforethe opening. Candidates for leading positions, such as speaker andclerks of the House, clerk of the Senate, postmasters, door-keepersand sergeant-at-arms, commence operations before the houses organize.Senators and Assemblymen are besieged and promises obtained from themto support some favorite candidate. Those seeking these places makepledges to support their helpers for subordinate positions, pr
omisingto help members voting for them to chairmanships of leading committees.It is a persistent scramble, and honor must take a back seat until thespoils are disposed of. After the leading offices are filled, the fightfor subordinate places follows. Railroad trains from the North, South,East and West are laden with applicants accompanied by their backers.Chairmen of county committees, members of the State Committee, Assemblydistrict, and town bosses, are all on hand to offer their assistance inarranging the "slates."
Senator Hamblin was in a dilemma. There were two applicants fromCleverdale for the same position; one backed by Paddy Sullivan,the other by Cyrus Hart Miller. Miller was his first and best man,but Senator Hamblin could not afford to ignore Paddy Sullivan. Heexpostulated and plead with them, but each was persistent and obstinate.Both were on the ground, and as the war for spoils raged, each feltsure of winning. A rupture with one or other of the favorites seemedimminent, when the affair was amicably arranged, at a cost to theSenator of several hundred dollars, paid to appease his powerfullieutenant, Paddy Sullivan.
The scramble for spoils continued several days, and when the Speaker ofthe House and the President of the Senate announced their appointments,the usual Swearing Bee began. Disappointed men vowed they would neveragain support the party, and that night, as the "Swearing Train" leftthe Capitol city, a long streak of sulphur must have arisen above thecar roofs, and all supplied by the profanity of those who, if they hadspent as much time in trying to obtain legitimate business employment asthey had done in crawling at the heels of appointing powers, would havebeen richer, better, more useful and independent citizens.