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〃We control most of them。 At Verden only the _World_ is against us。〃
〃Buy it。〃
〃Can't be bought。 Its editorial columns are not for sale。〃
〃Anything can be bought if you've got the price。 Who owns it？〃
〃A Captain Chunn。 He made his money in Alaska。 My cousin is the
editor。 He is the real force back of it。〃
〃Does the paper have any influence？〃
〃A great deal。〃
〃I've heard of your cousin。 A crack…brained Socialist； I understand。〃
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〃You'll find he's a long way from that；〃 James denied。
〃Whatever he is； buy him；〃 ordered Powers curtly。
The young man shook his head。 〃Can't be done。 He doesn't want the
things you have to offer。〃
〃Every man has his price。 Find his； and buy him。〃
James shook his head decisively。 〃Absolutely impossible。 He's an
idealist and an altruist。〃
Powers snorted impatiently。 〃Talk English； young man； and I'll
understand you。〃
Farnum had heard Joe Powers was a man who would stand plain talk
from those who had the courage to give it him。 His cool eyes hardened。
Why not？ For once the old gray pirate； chief of the robber buccaneers who
rode on their predatory way superior to law； should see himself as Jeff
Farnum saw him。
〃What I mean is that the things he holds most important can't be
bought with dollars and cents。 He believes in justice and fair play。 He
thinks the strong ought to bear the burdens of the weak。
He has a passion to uplift humanity。 You can't understand him because
it isn't possible for you to conceive of a man whose first thought is always
for what is equitable。〃
〃Just as I thought； a Socialist dreamer and demagogue；〃 pronounced
Powers scornfully。
〃Merrill and Frome have been thinking of him just as you do。〃 James
waved his hand toward the newspaper in front of the railroad king。 〃With
what result our election shows。〃
〃Well； where does his power lie？ How can you break it？〃 the old man
asked。
〃He is a kind of brother to the lame and the halt all over the state。
Among the poor and the working classes he has friends without number。
They believe in him as a patriot fighting for them against the foes of the
country。〃
〃Do you call me a foe of the country； young man？〃 Powers wanted to
know grimly。
〃Not I；〃 laughed James。 〃Why should I quarrel with my bread and jam？
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If you had ever done me the honor to read any of my speeches you would
see that I refer to you as a Pioneer of Civilization and a Builder for the
Future。 But my view doesn't happen to be universal。 I was trying to show
you how the man with the dinner pail feels。〃
〃Who fills his dinner pails？〃
James met his frown with a genial eye。 〃There's a difference of opinion
about that； sir。 According to the economics of Verden University you fill
them。 According to the _World_ editorials it's the other way。 They fill
yours。〃
〃Hmp！ And what's your personal opinion？ Am I a robber of labor？〃
〃I think that the price of any success worth while is paid for in the
failure of others。 You win because you're strong； sir。 That's the law of the
game。 It's according to the survival of the fittest that you're where you are。
If you had hesitated some other man would have trampled you down。 It's a
case of wolf eat wolf。〃
The old railroad builder laughed harshly。 This was the first time in his
experience that a subordinate had so analyzed him to his face。
〃So I'm a wolf； am I？〃
〃In one sense of the word you're not that at all； sir。 You're a great
builder。 You've done more for the Northwest than any man living。 You
couldn't have done it if you had been squeamish。 I hold the end justifies
the means。 What you've got is yours because you've won it。 Men who do a
great work for the public are entitled to great rewards。〃
〃Glad to know you've got more sense than that fool cousin of yours。
Now go home and beat him。 I don't care how you do it； just so that you get
results。 Spend what money you need。 but make good； young manmake
good。〃
〃I'll do my best；〃 James promised。
〃All I demand is that you win。 I'm not interested in the method you use。
But put that cousin of yours out of the demagogue business if you have to
shanghai him。〃
James laughed。 〃That might not be a bad way to get rid of him till after
the election。 The word would leak out that he had been bought off。〃
The old buccaneer's eyes gleamed。 He was as daring a lawbreaker as
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ever built or wrecked a railroad。 〃Have you the nerve； young man？〃
〃When I'm working for you； sir；〃 retorted James coolly。
〃What do you mean by that？〃
〃If I've studied your career to any purpose； sir； one thing stands out
pretty clear。 You haven't the slightest respect for law merely as law。 When
it's on your side you're a stickler for it； when it isn't you say nothing； but
brush it aside as if it did not exist。 In either case you get what you want。〃
〃I'm glad you've noticed that last point。 Now we'll have luncheon。〃 He
smiled grimly。 〃I daresay you'll enjoy it no less because I stole it from the
horny hand of labor； by your mad cousin's way of it。〃
〃Not a bit；〃 answered James cheerfully。
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CHAPTER 13
〃Must it be？ Must we then Render back to God again This； His broken
work； this thing For His man that once did sing？〃 Josephine Prestor
Peabody。
〃And listen！ I declare to you that if all is as you sayand I do not
doubt ityou have never ceased to be virtuous in the sight of God！〃
Victor Hugo。
THE REBEL PROVES THAT HE IS LOST TO GOOD FORM AND
RESPECTABILITY BY STEPPING BETWEEN A SINNER AND THE
WAGES OF SIN； THUS EVIDENCING TO THE PILLARS OF
SOCIETY HIS COMPLETE DEGENERATION
PART 1
Sam Miller came into Jeff's office one night as he was looking over the
editorials。 Farnum nodded abstractedly to him。
〃Take a chair； Sam。 Be through