The "boom" conditions continued in Leesville; speculators were reaping harvests, it seemed as if the masters of the city were all on a spree. Comrade Smith advised Jimmie to stay where he was, for it was getting to be harder and harder for the workers in Leesville to get anything to eat. But out on the heights along the river front, the part of the city called "n.o.b Hill", new palaces were rising. And it was that way all over the Eastern part of the country, said the young editor; the rich no longer knew what to do with their millions.
On the day the trial ended, Jimmie stayed in town to attend a meeting of the local and pay his back dues. So he met all his old friends, and heard "Wild Bill" get up and deliver one of his tirades. Bill had in his hand a newspaper clipping telling of the amazing madness that had struck Wall Street. Munition stocks were soaring to prices beyond belief; "war-babies", men called them, with unthinkably cynical wit. On the "Great White Way", to which they rushed to celebrate these new Arabian Nights, there was such an orgy of dissipation as the world had never seen. "And is this what we have to slave for!" yelled "Wild Bill"--looking wilder than ever since the police had broken his nose and knocked out his three front teeth. "This is why we are chained to our jobs--shut up in jail if we so much as open our mouths! Piling up millions for old man Granitch, so that young Lacey can marry chorus-girls and divorce them--or steal away another man"s wife, as they say he"s doing just now!"
Then young Emil Forster spoke, explaining to Jimmie the inner significance of terrific world-events. Russia was in the midst of a gigantic offensive, which was meant to overwhelm Austria; England at the same time was hurling in her new armies on the Somme; for these two giant movements they wanted sh.e.l.ls--millions and millions of sh.e.l.ls from America, which alone could make enough of them. The railroads were clogged with them, they were piled mountain-high at the terminals and ports; whole fleets of steamers were loading up with them, and proceeding to England and France, and to Russia by way of Archangel. And, of course, the German submarines were out to stop them; the whole world was like a powder-magazine over the issue. The President, by his series of notes, had forced Germany to agree not to sink pa.s.senger-vessels; but this promise was not easy to keep--accidents kept happening, and the temper of the peoples was rising, America was being drawn nearer every hour to the vortex of this dreadful strife. Such was the picture which Jimmie carried back to the farm; you could hardly wonder if he missed that peace and joy which men are supposed to imbibe at the bosom of their Mother Nature!
CHAPTER X
JIMMIE HIGGINS MEETS THE OWNER
I
It was late at night when Jimmie left the Socialist local, and took the trolley out into the country. He had to walk nearly two miles from where he got off, and a thunder-storm had come up; he got out and started to trudge through the darkness and the floods of rain.
Several times he slipped off the road into the ditch, and once he fell p.r.o.ne, and got up and washed the mud from his eyes and nose with the stream of fresh water pouring about his head. While he was thus occupied he heard the sound of a horn, and saw a glare of light rushing up. He jumped into the ditch again, and a big automobile went by at a fast pace, spattering showers of mud all over him. He plodded on, swearing to himself. Some of them munition-millionaires, no doubt--tearing over the country at night honking their horns like they owned the roads, and covering poor walking people with their splashings!
And so on, until Jimmie came round a turn of the road and saw the white glare of light again, this time standing still. It seemed to be pointing up into the trees; and when he got nearer he made out the reason--it had run off the road into the ditch, and then up the other slope, and there rolled over on to its side.
"h.e.l.lo!" said a voice, as Jimmie came slopping up.
"h.e.l.lo!" he answered.
"How far is it to the nearest house?"
"Maybe half a mile."
"Who lives there?"
"I do."
"Have you got a horse and buggy?"
"There"s one at the big house, just a piece beyond."
"Do you suppose we could get enough men to turn this car over?"
"I dunno; there ain"t many about here."
"d.a.m.n!" muttered the man to himself. Then, after a moment, "Well, there"s no use staying here." This to his companion, whom Jimmie made out to be a woman. She was standing still, with the cold rain pouring over her. The man put his arm about her, and said to Jimmie, "Lead the way, please." So Jimmie set out, slopping through the mud as before.
Nothing more was said until they reached the "tenant-house" where the Jimmies lived. But meantime the little Socialist"s mind was busy; it seemed to him that the man"s voice was familiar, and he was trying to recall where and how he had heard it before. They came to the house, which was dark, and the couple stood on the porch while Jimmie went in and groped for a match and lighted the single smoky oil-lamp on which the household depended. Carrying it in his hand, he went to the door and invited the couple in. They came; and so Jimmie got a glimpse of the face of the man, and almost dropped the lamp right there where he stood. It was Lacey Granitch!
II
The young lord of Leesville was too much occupied with his own affairs to notice the look on the face of the yokel before him; or perhaps he was so used to being recognized, and to being stared at by yokels. He looked about the room and saw a stove. "Can you get us a fire, so this lady can get dry?"
"Y--yes," said Jimmie. "I--I suppose so." But he made no move; he stood rooted to the spot.
"Lacey," put in the woman, "don"t stop for that. Get the car started, or get another." And Jimmie looked at her; she was rather small, and very beautiful--quite the most beautiful human creature that Jimmie had ever looked at. One could see that she was expensively dressed, even though everything she had on was soaked with rain.
"Nonsense!" exclaimed Lacey. "You can"t travel till you get dry--you"d be ill." And he turned upon Jimmie. "Get a fire, won"t you?" he exclaimed. "A big fire. I"ll make it worth while to you for whatever you do. Only don"t stand there gaping all night," he added impatiently.
Jimmie leaped to obey; partly because he had been in the habit of leaping to obey all his life--but also partly because he was sorry for the beautiful wet lady, and because, if he stood and stared any longer, Lacey Granitch might recognize him. The moment when Jimmie had been singled out in the herd of strikers and cursed by the young master of the Empire Machine Shops was one of the most vivid memories of Jimmie"s rebellious life, and it did not occur to him that the incident might not have equally impressed the other partic.i.p.ant.
In a few minutes the stove was hot; and urged by her escort, the lady took off her driving-coat and hat, and hung them over a chair.
Everything underneath was wet, and the man urged her to take off her skirt and blouse. "What does he matter?" he argued, referring to Jimmie; but the lady would not do it. She stood by the stove, shivering slightly, and pleading with her escort to make haste, to find some way to get the car running again. They might be followed--
"Oh, nonsense, Helen!" cried Lacey. "You are tormenting yourself with nightmares. Be sensible and get dry." He piled the wood into the stove, and ordered Jimmie to get another armful; and Jimmie obeyed with his hands and feet--but meantime his rebellious little brain was taking in every detail of the situation, putting this and that together.
The talking had waked up Lizzie, so Jimmie rushed into the next room and whispered, "Lacey Granitch is here!" If he had told her that the Angel Gabriel was there, or Jehovah with all his thunders and his retinue of seraphim, poor Lizzie could not have been more stunned.
Jimmie ordered her to get up, and get on her dress and shoes, and get a cup of coffee for the lady; the dazed woman obeyed--though she would rather have crawled under the bed than face the celestial personages who had taken possession of her home.
III
Lacey ordered Jimmie to accompany him, to find some help to get the car into travelling condition. They went out together, and on the porch, before they braved the rain again, young Granitch stopped and spoke: "See here, my man; I want you to help me get a gang together, and I want you to keep quiet, please--say nothing about who was in the car. If any other people come along and ask questions, keep your mouth shut, and I"ll make it worth while to you--well worth while.
Do you understand?"
Every instinct in Jimmie Higgins was ready to answer, "Yes, sir."
That was what he had always answered to such commands--he, and his father, and his father"s fathers before him. But something else within him resisted this instinct--the new revolutionary psychology which he had so painfully acquired, and which made continual war upon his old-time docilities. It seemed that this was the moment, if ever in his life, to show the stuff he was made of. He clenched his hands, and everything in him turned to iron. "WHO IS THAT LADY?" he demanded.
Lacey Granitch was so taken aback that he started visibly. "What do you mean?"
"I mean--is she your wife? Or is she some other man"s wife?"
"Why you d.a.m.ned--" And the young lord of Leesville stopped, speechless. Jimmie fell back a couple of steps, as a matter of precaution, but he did not weaken in his rigid resolve.
"I know you, Mr. Granitch," he said; "and I know what you"re doing.
You might as well know you ain"t foolin" n.o.body."
"What the h.e.l.l is it to you?" cried the other; but then he stopped again, and Jimmie heard him breathing hard. Evidently he made an effort to keep his self-control; when he spoke again, his voice was quieter. "Listen, my good fellow," he said. "You have a chance to make a good deal of money to-night--"