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cessary； he never permitted himself to know any unnecessary criminal or wicked fact about his enterprises。
‘‘I don't know；'' he repeated。 ‘‘And I don't want to know。''
‘‘Anyhow； Dorn gave away the whole thing。 He even read a copy of your letter of introduction to the governorthe one youaccording to Dorngave Fillmore when you sent him up to the Capitol to arrange for the invitation to come after the riot。''
Hastings knew that the boss was deliberately ‘‘rubbing it in'' because Hastingsthat is； Hastings' agents had not invited Kelly to assist in the project for ‘‘teaching the labor element a much needed lesson。'' But knowledge of Kelly's motive did not make the truth he was telling any less truethe absurd mismanagement of the whole affair； with the result that Dorn seemed in the way to change it from a lesson to labor on the folly of revolt against their kind and generous but firm employers into a provoker of fresh and fiercer revolt effective revoltpolitical revolt。 So； as Kelly ‘‘rubbed；'' Hastings visibly winced and writhed。
Kelly ended his recital with： ‘‘The speech created a hell of a sensation； Mr。 Hastings。 That young chap can talk。''
‘‘Yes；'' snapped Hastings。 ‘‘But he can't do anything else。''
‘‘I'm not so sure of that；'' replied Kelly； who was wise enough to realize the value of a bogey like Dorn its usefulness for purposes of ‘‘throwing a scare into the silk…stocking crowd。'' ‘‘Dorn's getting mighty strong with the people。''
‘‘Stuff and nonsense！'' retorted Hastings。 ‘‘They'll listen to any slick tongued rascal that roasts those that are more prosperous than they are。 But when it comes to doing anything； they know better。 They envy and hate those that give them jobs； but they need the jobs。''
‘‘There's a good deal of truth in that； Mr。 Hastings；'' said Kelly； who was nothing if not judicial。 ‘‘But Dorn's mighty plausible。 I hear sensible men saying there's something more'n hot air in his facts and figgures。'' Kelly paused； and made the pause significant。
‘‘About that last block of traction stock； Mr。 Hastings。 I thought you were going to let me in on the ground floor。 But I ain't heard nothing。''
‘‘You ARE in；'' said Hastings； who knew when to yield。 ‘‘Hasn't Barker been to see you？ I'll attend to it； myself。''
‘‘Thank you； Mr。 Hastings；'' said Kellydry and brief as always when receipting with a polite phrase for pay for services rendered。 ‘‘I've been a good friend to your people。''
‘‘Yes； you have； Dick；'' said the old man heartily。 ‘‘And I want you to jump in and take charge。''
Hastings more than suspected that Kelly； to bring him to terms and to force him to employ directly the high…priced Kelly or Republico…Democratic machine as well as the State Republico…Democratic machine； which was cheaper； had got together the inside information and had ordered one of his henchmen to convey it to Dorn。 But of what use to quarrel with Kelly？ Of course； he could depose him； but that would simply mean putting another boss in his placeperhaps one more expensive and less efficient。 The time had been when heand the plutocracy generallywere compelled to come to the political bosses almost hat in hand。 That time was past； never to return。 But still a competent political agent was even harder to find than a competent business managerand was far more necessary； for； while a big business might stagger along under poor financial or organizing management within； it could not live at all without political favors； immunities； and licenses。 A band of pickpockets might as well try to work a town without having first ‘‘squared'' the police。 Not that Mr。 Hastings and his friends THEMSELVES compared themselves to a band of pickpockets。 No； indeed。 It was simply legitimate business to blackjack your competitors； corner a supply； create a monopoly and fix prices and wages to suit your own notions of what was your due for taking the ‘‘hazardous risks of business enterprise。''
‘‘Leave everything to me；'' said Kelly briskly。 ‘‘I can put the thing through。 Just tell your lawyer to apply late this afternoon to Judge Lansing for an injunction forbidding the strikers to assemble anywhere within the county。 We don't want no more of this speechifying。 This is a peaceable community； and it won't stand for no agitators。''
‘‘Hadn't the lawyers better go to Judge Freilig？'' said Hastings。
‘‘He's shown himself to be a man of sound ideas。''
‘‘NoLansing；'' said Kelly。 ‘‘He don't come up for re…election for five years。 Freilig comes up next fall； and we'll have hard work to pull him through； though House is going to put him on the ticket； too。 Dorn's going to make a hot campaignconcentrate on judges。''
‘‘There's nothing in that Dorn talk；'' said Hastings。 ‘‘You can't scare me again； Dick； as you did with that Populist mare's nest ten years ago。''
That had been Kelly's first ‘‘big killing'' by working on the fears of the plutocracy。 Its success had put him in a position to buy a carriage and a diamond necklace for Mrs。 Kelly and to make first payments on a large block of real estate。 ‘‘It was no mare's nest； Mr。 Hastings；'' gravely declared the boss。 ‘‘If I hadn't 'a knowed just how to use the money we collected； there'd 'a been a crowd in office for four years that wouldn't 'a been easy to manage； I can tell you。 But they was nothing to this here Dorn crowd。 Dorn is''
‘‘We must get rid of him； Dick；'' interrupted Hastings。
The two men looked at each othera curious glance telegraphy。 No method was suggested； no price was offered or accepted。 But in the circumstances those matters became details that would settle themselves； the bargain was struck。
‘‘He certainly ought to be stopped；'' said Kelly carelessly。 ‘‘He's the worst enemy the labor element has had in my time。'' He rose。 ‘‘Well； Mr。 Hastings； I must be going。'' He extended his heavy； strong hand； which Hastings rose to grasp。 ‘‘I'm glad we're working together again without any hitches。 You won't forget about that there stock？''
‘‘I'll telephone about it right away； Dickand about Judge Lansing。 You're sure Lansing's all right？ I didn't like those decisions of his last yearthe railway cases； I mean。''
‘‘That was all right； Mr。 Hastings；'' said Kelly with a wave of the hand。 ‘‘I had to have 'em in the interests of the party。 I knowed the upper court'd reverse。 No； Lansing's a good party mana good； sound man in every way。''
‘‘I'm glad to hear it；'' said Hastings。
Before going into his private room to think and plan and telephone； he looked out on the west veranda。 There sat his daughter； and a few feet away was David Hull； his long form stretched in a hammock while he discoursed of his projects for a career as a political reformer。 The sight immensely pleased the old man。 When he was a boy David Hull's grandfather； Brainerd Hull； had been the great man of that region； and Martin Hastings； a farm hand and the son of a farm hand； had looked up at him as the embodiment of all that was grand and aristocratic。 As Hastings had never travelled； his notions of rank and position all centred about Remsen City。 Had he realized the extent of the world； he would have regarded his ambition for a match between the daughter and granddaughter of a farm hand and the son and grandson of a Remsen City aristocrat as small and ridiculous。 But he did not realize。
Davy saw him and sprang to his feet。
‘‘Nonodon't disturb yourselves；'' cried the old man。 ‘‘I've got some things to 'tend to。 You and Jenny go right ahead。''
And he was off to his own little room where he conducted his own business in his own primitive but highly efficacious way。 A corps of expert accountants could not have disentangled those crabbed； criss…crossed figures； no solver of puzzles could have unravelled the mystery of those strange hieroglyphics。 But to the old man there wasn't a difficultor a dullmark in that entire set of dirty； dog…eared little account books。 He spent hours in poring over them。 Just to turn the pages gave him keen pleasure； to read； and to reconstruct from those hints the whole story of some agitating and profitable operation； made in comparison the delight of an imaginative boy in Monte Cristo or Cru