Edward had walked to the window in disgust; he was looking at tomato-cans and cinder-heaps, and did not see fit to turn around. But the superintendent knew that he was hearing, and considered it necessary to cover the flaw in his argument. "Young man," said he, "you have violated several of the ordinances of this town."
"Is there an ordinance against organising a union of the miners?"
"No; but there is one against speaking on the streets."
"Who passed that ordinance, if I may ask?"
"The town council."
"Consisting of Johnson, postmaster and company-store clerk; Ellison, company book-keeper; Strauss, company pit-boss; O'Callahan, company saloon-keeper. Have I the list correct?"
Cartwright did not answer.
"And the fifth member of the town council is yourself, ex-officio--Mr.
Enos Cartwright, mayor and company-superintendent."
Again there was no answer.
"You have an ordinance against street-speaking; and at the same time your company owns the saloon-buildings, the boarding-houses, the church and the school. Where do you expect the citizens to do their speaking?"
"You would make a good lawyer, young man. But we who have charge here know perfectly well what you mean by 'speaking'!"
"You don't approve, then, of the citizens holding meetings?"
"I mean that we don't consider it necessary to provide agitators with opportunity to incite our employes."
"May I ask, Mr. Cartwright, are you speaking as mayor of an American community, or as superintendent of a coal-mine?"
Cartwright's face had been growing continually redder. Addressing Edward's back, he said, "I don't see any reason why this should continue."
And Edward was of the same opinion. He turned. "Really, Hal--"
"But, Edward! A man accuses your brother of being a law-breaker! Have you hitherto known of any criminal tendencies in our family?"
Edward turned to the window again and resumed his study of the cinder-heaps and tomato-cans. It was a vulgar and stupid quarrel, but he had seen enough of Hal's mood to realise that he would go on and on, so long as any one was indiscreet enough to answer him.
"You say, Mr. Cartwright, that I have violated the ordinance against speaking on the street. May I ask what penalty this ordinance carries?"
"You will find out when the penalty is exacted of you."
Hal laughed. "From what you said just now, I gather that the penalty is expulsion from the town! If I understand legal procedure, I should have been brought before the justice of the peace--who happens to be another company store-clerk. Instead of that, I am sentenced by the mayor--or is it the company superintendent? May I ask how that comes to be?"
"It is because of my consideration--"
"When did I ask consideration?"
"Consideration for your brother, I mean."
"Oh! Then your ordinance provides that the mayor--or is it the superintendent?--may show consideration for the brother of a law-breaker, by changing his penalty to expulsion from the town. Was it consideration for Tommie Burke that caused you to have his sister sent down the canyon?"
Cartwright clenched his hands. "I've had all I'll stand of this!"
He was again addressing Edward's back; and Edward turned and answered, "I don't blame you, sir." Then to Hal, "I really think you've said enough!"
"I hope I've said enough," replied Hal--"to convince you that the pretence of American law in this coal-camp is a silly farce, an insult and a humiliation to any man who respects the institutions of his country."
"You, Mr. Warner," said the superintendent, to Edward, "have had experience in managing coal-mines. You know what it means to deal with ignorant foreigners, who have no understanding of American law--"
Hal burst out laughing. "So you're teaching them American law! You're teaching them by setting at naught every law of your town and state, every constitutional guarantee--and substituting the instructions you get by telegraph from Peter Harrigan!"
Cartwright turned and walked to the door. "Young man," said he, over his shoulder, "it will be necessary for you to leave North Valley this morning. I only hope your brother will be able to persuade you to leave without trouble." And the bang of the door behind him was the superintendent's only farewell.
SECTION 17.
Edward turned upon his brother. "Now what the devil did you want to put me through a scene like that for? So undignified! So utterly uncalled for! A quarrel with a man so far beneath you!"
Hal stood where the superintendent had left him. He was looking at his brother's angry face. "Was that all you got out of it, Edward?"
"All that stuff about your private character! What do you care what a fellow like Cartwright thinks about you?"
"I care nothing at all what he thinks, but I care about having him use such a slander. That's one of their regular procedures, so Billy Keating says."
Edward answered, coldly, "Take my advice, and realise that when you deny a scandal, you only give it circulation."
"Of course," answered Hal. "That's what makes me so angry. Think of the girl, the harm done to her!"
"It's not up to you to worry about the girl."
"Suppose that Cartwright had slandered some woman friend of yours. Would you have felt the same indifference?"
"He'd not have slandered any friend of mine; I choose my friends more carefully."
"Yes, of course. What that means is that you choose them among the rich.
But I happen to be more democratic in my tastes--"
"Oh, for heaven's sake!" cried Edward. "You reformers are all alike--you talk and talk and talk!"
"I can tell you the reason for that, Edward--a man like you can shut his eyes, but he can't shut his ears!"
"Well, can't you let up on me for awhile--long enough to get out of this place? I feel as if I were sitting on the top of a volcano, and I've no idea when it may break out again."
Hal began to laugh. "All right," he said; "I guess I haven't shown much appreciation of your visit. I'll be more sociable now. My next business is in Pedro, so I'll go that far with you. There's one thing more--"
"What is it?"
"The company owes me money--"