 | MR. SHEEHAN SPEAKS The Conquest of Canaan |  |
22. MR. SHEEHAN SPEAKS
JOE helped to carry what was mortal of Eskew from Ariel's house to its final abiding-place. With him, in that task, were Buckalew, Bradbury, the Colonel, and the grandsons of the two latter, and Mrs. Louden drew in her skirts grimly as her step-son passed her in the mournful procession through the hall. Her eyes were red with weeping (not for Eskew), but not so red as those of Mamie Pike, who stood beside her.
On the way to the cemetery, Joe and Ariel were together in a carriage with Buckalew and the minister who had read the service, a dark, pleasant-eyed young man;—and the Squire, after being almost overcome during the ceremony, experienced a natural reaction, talking cheerfully throughout the long drive. He recounted many anecdotes of Eskew, chuckling over most of them, though filled with wonder by a coincidence which he and Flitcroft had discovered; the Colonel had recently been
"But the queer thing about it,'' said the Squire, addressing himself to Ariel, "was the date of it, the seventeenth of June. The Colonel and I got to talkin' it over, out on his porch, last night, tryin' to rec'lect what was goin' on about then, and we figgered it out that it was the Monday after you come back, the very day he got so upset when he saw you goin' up to Louden's law-office with your roses.''
Joe looked quickly at Ariel. She did not meet his glance, but, turning instead to Ladew, the clergyman, began, with a barely perceptible blush, to talk of something he had said in a sermon two weeks ago. The two fell into a thoughtful and amiable discussion, during which there stole into Joe's heart a strange and unreasonable pain. The young minister had lived in Canaan only a few months, and Joe had never seen him until that morning; but he liked the short, honest talk he had made; liked his cadenceless voice and keen, dark face; and, recalling what he had heard Martin Pike vociferating in his brougham one Sunday, perceived that Ladew was the fellow who had "got to go'' because his sermons did not please
He resolutely turned his eyes to the open window and saw that they had entered the cemetery, were near the green knoll where Eskew was to lie beside a brother who had died long ago. He let the minister help Ariel out, going quickly forward himself with Buckalew; and then—after the little while that the restoration of dust to dust mercifully needs—he returned to the carriage only to get his hat.
Ariel and Ladew and the Squire were already seated and waiting. "Aren't you going to ride home with us?'' she asked, surprised.
"No,'' he explained, not looking at her. "I have to talk with Norbert Flitcroft. I'm going back with him. Good-bye.''
His excuse was the mere truth, his conversation with Norbert, in the carriage which they managed to secure to themselves, continuing earnestly until Joe spoke to the driver and alighted at a corner, near Mr. Farbach's Italian possessions. "Don't forget,'' he said, as he closed the carriage door, "I've got to have both ends of the string in my hands.''
"Forget!'' Norbert looked at the cupola of the Pike Mansion, rising above the maples down the street. "It isn't likely I'll forget!''
When Joe entered the "Louis Quinze room'' which some decorator, drunk with power, had mingled into the brewer's villa, he found the owner and Mr. Sheehan, with five other men, engaged in a meritorious attempt to tone down the apartment with smoke. Two of the five others were prosperous owners of saloons; two were known to the public (whose notion of what it meant when it used the term was something of the vaguest) as politicians; the fifth was Mr. Farbach's closest friend, one who (Joe had heard) was to be the next chairman of the city committee of the party. They were seated about a table, enveloped in blue clouds, and hushed to a grave and pertinent silence which clarified immediately the circumstance that whatever debate had preceded his arrival, it was now settled.
Their greeting of him, however, though exceedingly quiet, indicated a certain expectancy, as he accepted the chair which had been left for him at the head of the table. He looked thinner and paler than usual, which is saying a great deal; but presently, finding that the fateful hush which his entrance had broken was immediately resumed,
"Well, gentlemen?'' he said.
The smokers continued to smoke and to do nothing else; the exception being Mr. Sheehan, who, though he spoke not, exhibited tokens of agitation and excitement which he curbed with difficulty; shifting about in his chair, gnawing his cigar, crossing and uncrossing his knees, rubbing and slapping his hands together, clearing his throat with violence, his eyes fixed all the while, as were those of his companions, upon Mr. Farbach; so that Joe was given to perceive that it had been agreed that the brewer should be the spokesman. Mr. Farbach was deliberate, that was all, which added to the effect of what he finally did say.
"Choe,'' he remarked, placidly, "you are der next Mayor off Canaan.''
"Why do you say that?'' asked the young man, sharply.
"Bickoss us here,'' he answered, interlocking the tips of his fingers over his waistcoat, that being as near folding his hands as lay within his power,— "bickoss us here shall try to fix it so, und so hef ditcided.''
Joe took a deep breath. "Why do you want me?''
"Dot,'' replied the brewer, "iss someding I shall
"Louie, you mustn't make a mistake at the beginning,'' Joe said, hurriedly. "I may not be the kind of man you're looking for. If I went in—'' He hesitated, stammering. "It seems an ungrateful thing to say, but—but there wouldn't be any slackness—I couldn't be bound to anybody—''
"Holt up your hosses!'' Mr. Farbach, once in his life, was so ready to reply that he was able to interrupt. "Who hef you heert speak off bounding? Hef I speakt off favors? Dit I say der shoult be slackness in der city gofer'ment? Litsen to me, Choe. "He renewed his contemplation of his cigar, then proceeded: "I hef been t'inkin' it ofer, now a couple years. I hef mate up my mind. If some peobles are gombelt to keep der laws and oders are not, dot's a great atwantitch to der oders. Dot iss what iss ruining der gountry und der peobles iss commencement to take notice. Efer'veres in oder towns der iss housecleaning; dey are reforming und indieding, und pooty soon dot mofement comes here—shoo-er! If we intent to holt der parsly in power, we shoult be a leetle ahead off dot mofement so, when it shoult be here, we hef a goot 'minadstration to fall beck on. Now, dere iss anoder brewery opened und trying to gombete
"But the other people,'' Joe objected. "those outside of what is called the saloon element—do you understand how many of them will be against me?''
"It iss der tsaloon element,'' Mr. Farbach returned, peacefully, "dot does der fightin'.''
"And you have considered my standing with that part of Canaan which considers itself the most respectable section?'' He rose to his feet, standing straight and quiet, facing the table, upon which, it chanced, there lay a copy of the Tocsin.
"Und yet,'' observed Mr. Farbach, with mildness, "we got some pooty risbecdable men right here.''
"Except me,'' broke in Mr. Sheehan, grimly, "you have.''
"Have you thought of this?'' Joe leaned forward and touched the paper upon the table.
"We hef,'' replied Mr. Farbach. "All of us. You shall beat it,''
There was a strong chorus of confirmation from the others, and Joe's eyes flashed.
"Have you considered,'' he continued, rapidly, while a warm color began to conquer his pallor,— "have you considered the powerful influence which will be against me, and more against me now, I should tell you, than ever before? That influence, I mean, which is striving so hard to discredit me that lynch-law has been hinted for poor Fear if I should clear him! Have you thought of that? Have you thought—''
"Have we thought o' Martin Pike?'' exclaimed
"Wait,'' said Joe. "I think you underestimate Pike's influence—''
"Underestimate the devil!'' shouted Mr. Sheehan, uncontrollably excited. "You talk about influence! He's been the worst influence this town's ever had—and his tracks covered up in the dark wherever he set his ugly foot down. These men know it, and you know some, but not the worst of it, because none of ye live as deep down in it as I do! Ye want to make a clean town of it, ye want to make a little heaven of the Beach—''
"And in the eyes of Judge Pike,'' Joe cut him off, "and of all who take their opinions from him, I represent Beaver Beach!''
Mike Sheehan gave a wild shout. "Whooroo! It's come! I knowed it would! The day I couldn't hold my tongue, though I passed my word I would when the coward showed the deed he didn't dare
"You know it!'' Joe answered, sharply. "If they could wipe the Beach off the map and me with it—''
"Martin Pike would?'' shouted Mr. Sheehan, while the others, open-mouthed, stared at him. "Martin Pike would?''
"I don't need to tell you that,'' said Joe.
Mr, Sheehan's big fist rose high over the table and descended crashing upon it. "It's a damn lie !'' he roared. "Martin Pike owns Beaver Beach!''
| MR. SHEEHAN SPEAKS The Conquest of Canaan | |