The Vision Splendid

by William MacLeod Raine

  CHAPTER 14

  Only the man who is sheet-armored in a triple plate of selfishness can be sure that weak hands won't clutch at him and delay his march to success.--From the Note Book of a Dreamer.

  THE HERO, CONFRONTED WITH AN UNPLEASANT POSSIBILITY, PROVES HISGREATNESS BY RISING SUPERIOR TO SENTIMENT

  Part 1

  James came down to the office one morning in his car with a smile ofcontentment on his handsome face. It had been decided that he was to bemade speaker of the House after the next election, assuming that heand his party were returned to power. Jeff and the progressives were tostand back of him, and he felt sure that after a nominal existence thestandpatters would accept him. He intended by scrupulous fair play towin golden opinions for himself. From the speakership to the governor'schair would not be a large step. After that--well, there were manypossibilities.

  He did not for a moment admit to himself that there was anything ofduplicity in the course he was following. His intention was to line upwith the progressives during the campaign, to win his reelection on thatplatform, and to support a rational liberal program during the session.He would favor an initiative and referendum amendment not so radical asthe one Jeff offered, a bill that would not cripple business or alarmcapital. As he looked at it life was a compromise. The fusion of manyminds to a practical result always demanded this. And results were moreimportant than any number of theories.

  As James passed into his office the stenographer stopped him with aremark.

  "A man has been in twice to see you this morning, Mr. Farnum."

  "Did he leave his name?"

  "No. He said he would call again."

  James passed into his private office and closed the door.

  A quarter of an hour later his stenographer knocked. "He's here again,Mr. Farnum."

  "Who?"

  "The man I told you of."

  "Oh!" James put down the brief he was reading. "Show him in."

  A figure presently stood hesitating in the doorway. James saw an oldishman, gray and stooped with a rather wistful lost-dog expression on hisface.

  "What can I do for you, sir?" he questioned.

  "Don't you know me?" the stranger asked with a quaver in his voice.

  The lawyer did not, but some premonition of disaster clutched at hisheart. He rose swiftly and closed the door behind his caller.

  A faint smile doubtful of its right touched the weak face of the littleold man. "So you don't know your own father--boy!"

  A sudden sickness ran through the lawyer and sapped his strength. Heleaned against the desk uncertainly. It had come at last. The wholeworld would learn the truth about him. The Merrills, the Fromes,Valencia Van Tyle--all of them would know it and scorn him.

  "What are you doing here?" James heard himself say hoarsely.

  "Why, I--I--I came to see my son."

  "What for?"

  Before so harsh and abrupt a reception the weak smile went out like ablown candle.

  "I thought you'd be glad to see me--after so many years."

  "Why should I be glad to see you? What have you ever done for me butdisgrace me?"

  Tears showed in the watery eyes. "That's right. It's gospel truth, Ireckon."

  "And now, when I've risen above it, so that all men respect me, you comeback to drag me down."

  "No--no, I wouldn't do that, son."

  "That's what you'll do. Do you think my friends will want to know a manwho is the son of a convict? I've got a future before me. Already I'vebeen mentioned for governor. What chance would I have when people knowmy father is a thief?"

  "Son," winced the old man.

  "Oh, well! I'm not picking my words," James went on with angryimpatience. "I'm telling you the facts. I've got enemies. Every strongman has. They'll smash me like an empty eggshell."

  "They don't need to know about me. I'll not do any talking."

  "That's all very well. Things leak out," James grumbled a little moregraciously. "Well, you better sit down now you're here. I thought youwere living in Arkansas."

  "So I am. I've done right well there. And I thought I'd take a littlerun out to see you. I didn't know but what you might need a littlehelp." He glanced aimlessly around the well-furnished office. "But Iexpect you don't, from the looks of things."

  "If you think I've got money you're wrong," James explained. "I'm juststarting in my profession, and of course I owe a good deal here andthere. I've been hard pressed ever since I left college."

  His father brightened up timidly. "I owe you money. We can fix that up.I've got a little mill down there and I've done well, though it was hardsledding at first."

  James caught at a phrase. "What do you mean?"

  "Owe me money!

  "I knew it must be you paid off the shortage at the Planters' National.When I sent the money it was returned. You'd got ahead of me. I was THATgrateful to you, son."

  The lawyer found himself flushing. "Oh, Jeff paid that. He was earningmoney at the time and I wasn't. Of course I intended to pay him backsome day."

  "Did Jeff do that? Then you and he must be friends. Tell me about him."

  "There's not much to tell. He's managing editor of a paper here that hasa lot of influence. Yes. Jeff has been a staunch friend to me always.He recognizes that I'm a rising man and ought to be kept before thepublic."

  "I wonder if he's like his father."

  "Can't tell you that," his son replied carelessly. "I don't rememberUncle Phil much. Jeff's a queer fellow, full of Utopian notions aboutbrotherhood and that sort of thing. But he's practical in a way. He getsthings done in spite of his softheadedness."

  There was a knock at the door. "Mr. Jefferson Farnum, sir."

  James considered for a second. "Tell him to come in, Miss Brooks."

  The lawyer saw that the door was closed before he introduced Jeff to hisfather. It gave him a momentary twinge of conscience to see his cousintake the old man quickly by both hands. It was of course a mere detail,but James had not yet shaken hands with his father.

  "I'm glad to see you, Uncle Robert," Jeff said.

  His voice shook a little. There was in his manner that hint of affectionwhich made him so many friends, the warmth that suggested a woman'ssympathy, but not effeminacy.

  The ready tears brimmed into his uncle's eyes. "You're like your father,boy. I believe I would have known you by him," he said impulsively.

  "You couldn't please me better, sir. And what about James--would youhave known him?"

  The old man looked humbly at his handsome, distinguished son. "No, Iwould never have known him."

  "He's becoming one of our leading citizens, James is. You ought to hearhim make a speech. Demosthenes and Daniel Webster hide their heads whenthe Honorable James K. Farnum spellbinds," Jeff joked.

  "I've read his speeches," the father said unexpectedly. "For more than ayear I've taken the _World_ so as to hear of him."

  "Then you know that James is headed straight for the Hall of Fame.Aren't you, James?"

  "Nonsense! You've as much influence in the state as I have, or you wouldhave if you would drop your fight on wealth."

  "Bless you, I'm not making a fight on wealth," Jeff answered with goodhumor. "It's illicit wealth we're hammering at. But when you compare meto James K. I'll have to remind you that I'm not a silver-tongued oratoror Verden's favorite son."

  The father's wistful smile grew bolder. Somehow Jeff's arrival hadcleared the atmosphere. A Scriptural phrase flashed into his mind asapplicable to this young man. Thinketh no evil. His nephew did notregard him with suspicion or curiosity. To him he was not a sinner oran outcast, but a brother. His manner had just the right touch of easydeference youth ought to give age.

  "Of course you're going to make us a long visit, Uncle Robert."

  The old man's propitiating gaze went to his son. "Not long, I reckon.I've got to get back to my business."

  "Nonsense! We'll not let you go so easily. Eh, James?"

  "No, of course not," the law
yer mumbled. He was both annoyed andembarrassed.

  "I don't want to be selfish about it, but I do think you had better putup with me, Uncle. James is at the University Club, and only membershave rooms there. We'll let him come and see you if he's good," Jeffwent on breezily.

  James breathed freer. "That might be the best way, if it wouldn't putyou out, Jeff."

  "I wouldn't want to be any trouble," the old man explained.

  "And you won't be. I want you. James wants you, too, but he can't verywell arrange it. I can. So that's settled."

  In his rooms that evening Jeff very gently made clear to his uncle thatVerden believed him to be his son.

  "If you don't mind, sir, we'll let it go that way in public. We don'twant to hurt the political chances of James just now. And there areother things, too. He'll tell you about them himself probably."

  "That's all right. Just as you say. I don't want to disturb things."

  "I adopted you as a father about a year ago without your permission. Itwon't do for you to give me away now," the nephew laughed.

  Robert Farnum nodded without speaking. A lump choked his throat. He hadfound a son after all, but not the one he had come to meet.

  Part 2

  At the ensuing election the progressives swept the state in spite ofall that the allied corporations could do. James was returned to thelegislature with an increased majority and was elected speaker ofthe House according to program. His speech of acceptance was the mosteloquent that had ever been heard in the assembly hall. The most radicalof his party felt that the committees appointed by him were in theirpersonnel a little too friendly to the vested interests of Verden,but the _World_ took the high ground that he could render his party nohigher service than absolute fair play, that the bills for the rights ofthe people ought to pass on their merits and not by tricky politics.

  Never before had there been seen at the State House a lobby like theone that filled it now. The barrel was tapped so that the glint of goldflowed through the corridors, into committee rooms, and to out of theway corners where legislators fought for their honor against an attackthat never ceased. Sometimes the corruption was bold. More often itwas insidious. To see how one by one men hitherto honest surrendered tobribery was a sight pathetic and tragic.

  The Farnum cousins were the centers around whom the reformers rallied.James directed their counsels in the House and Jeff pounded away in the_World_ with vital trenchant editorials and news stories. Every daythat paper carried to the farthest corner of the state bulletins of thebattle. Farmers and miners and laboring men watched its roll of honor tosee if the local representatives were standing firm. As the weekspassed the fight grew more bitter. Now and again men fell by the waysidedisgraced. But the pressure from their constituents was so strong thatJeff believed his bill would go through.

  His friends forced it through the committee and pushed it to a vote.House Bill 33, as the initiative and referendum amendment was called,passed the lower legislative body with a small majority. The pool roomsoffered five to four that it would carry in the senate.

  It was on the night of the twenty-first of December that the amendmentpassed the House. On the morning of the twenty-third the _Herald_ spranga front page sensation. It charged that the editor of the _World_ hadruined a girl named Nellie Anderson at a house where he had boarded andthat she had subsequently disappeared. It featured also a story of howhe had been seen to enter his rooms at midnight with a woman of thestreet, who remained there until morning reveling with him. Attached tothis were the affidavits of two detectives, a police officer, and thedruggist who had furnished the liquor.

  The story exploded like a bomb shell in the camp of the progressives.Rawson tried at once without success to get Jeff on the telephone. Hewas not at the office, nor had he reached his rooms at all after leavingthe _World_ building on the previous night. None of his friends had seenor heard of him.

  The afternoon papers had a sensation of their own. Jefferson Farnum hadleft Verden secretly without leaving an address. Evidently he had beengiven a hint of the exposure that was to be made of his life and haddecamped rather than face the charges.

  Rumor had a hundred tales to tell. The waverers at the State House choseto believe that Jeff had sold them out and fled with his price. It wasimpossible to deny the stories of his immorality, since it happened thatSam Miller, the only man who knew the whole story, was far up in themountains arranging for a shipment of Rocky Mountain sheep to thestate museum. Farnum's friends could only affirm their faith in himor surrender. Some gave way, some stood firm. The lobbyists and theopposition went about with confident, "I-told-you-so" smiles writ largeon their faces. Within a few days it became apparent that the reformbill would be defeated in the senate. Its fate had been so long tiedup with the people's belief in Jeff that with his collapse the generalopinion condemned it to defeat. Its friends hung back, unwilling to riska vote as yet.

  The situation called for a leader and developed one. James Farnumstepped into the breach and took command. In a ringing speech he calledfor a new alignment. He would yield to none in the devotion he had givento House Bill Number 33. But it needed no prophet to see that nowthis amendment was doomed. Better half a loaf than no bread. He was apractical man and wanted to see practical results. Rather than seethe will of the people frustrated he felt that House Bill I7 shouldbe passed. While not an ideal bill it was far better than none. Theprinciple of direct legislation at least would be established.

  H. B. No. I7 was brought hurriedly out of committee. It had beenintroduced as a substitute measure to defeat the real reform. Accordingto its provision legislation could be initiated by the people, butto make it valid as a law the legislature had to approve any bill sopassed. The people could advise. They could not compel.

  The speech of the speaker of the House precipitated a bitter fight. Themore eager friends of H. B. No. 33 accused him of treachery, butmany felt that it was the best possible practical politics under thecircumstances. For weeks the issue hung in doubt, but gradually Jamesgathered adherents among both progressives and conservatives. It becamealmost a foregone conclusion that H. B. No. I7 would pass.