CHAPTER 15. LASKA OPENS A DOOR
The first ballots for a United States senator taken by the legislaturein joint session failed to disclose the alignment of some of thedoubtful members. The Democratic minority of twenty-eight votes werecast for Springer, the senator whose place would be taken by whoevershould win in the contest now on. Warner received forty-four, Ridgwaytwenty-six, eight went to Pascom, a former governor whom the cattlemenwere supporting, and the remaining three were scattered. Each day oneballot was taken, and for a week there was a slight sifting down of thecomplimentary votes until at the end of it the count stood:
Warner 45 Ridgway 28 Springer 28 Pascom 8
Warner still lacked ten votes of an election, but It was prettythoroughly understood that several of the Democratic minority werewaiting only long enough for a colorable excuse to switch to him. Allkinds of rumors were in the air as to how many of these there were. TheConsolidated leaders boldly claimed that they had only to give the wordto force the election of their candidate on any ballot. Yesler did notbelieve this claim could be justified, since Pelton and Harley werealready negotiating with him for the delivery of the votes belonging tothe cattlemen's contingent.
He had held off for some time with hints that it would take a lot ofmoney to swing the votes of such men as Roper and Landor, but he hadfinally come to an agreement that the eight votes should be given toWarner for a consideration of $300,000. This was to be paid to Yeslerin the presence of the other seven members on the night before theelection, and was to be held in escrow by him and Roper until the pactwas fulfilled, the money to be kept in a safety deposit vault with akey in possession of each of the two.
On the third day of the session, before the voting had begun, StephenEaton, who was a State senator from Mesa, moved that a committee beappointed to investigate the rumors of bribery that were so common. Themotion caught the Consolidated leaders napping, for this was the lastman they had expected to propose such a course, and it went throughwith little opposition, as a similar motion did in the House at thesame time. The lieutenant-governor and the speaker of the House wereboth opposed to Warner, and the joint committee had on it the names ofno Consolidated men. The idea of such a committee had originated withRidgway, and had been merely a bluff to show that he at least waswilling that the world should know the whole story of the election. Norhad this committee held even formal meetings before word reached Eatonthrough Yesler that if it would appoint a conference in some veryprivate place, evidence would be submitted implicating agents of theWarner forces in attempts at bribery.
It was close to eleven o'clock when Sam Yesler stepped quietly from aside door of his hotel and slipped into the street. He understoodperfectly that in following the course he did, he was taking his lifein his hands. The exposure of the bribery traffic would blast foreverthe reputations of many men who had hitherto held a high place in thecommunity, and he knew the temper of some of them well enough to beaware that an explosion was probable. Spies had been dogging him eversince the legislature convened. Within an hour one of them would beflying to Pelton with the news that he was at a meeting of thecommittee, and all the thugs of the other side would be turned loose onhis heels. As he walked briskly through the streets toward the placeappointed, his hand lay on the hilt of a revolver in the outside pocketof his overcoat. He was a man who would neither seek trouble nor let itoverwhelm him. If his life were attempted, he meant to defend it to thelast.
He followed side streets purposely, and his footsteps echoed along thedeserted road. He knew he was being dogged, for once, when he glancedback, he caught sight of a skulking figure edging along close to awall. The sight of the spy stirred his blood. Grimly he laughed tohimself. They might murder him for what he was doing, but not in timeto save the exposure which would be brought to light on the morrow.
The committee met at a road-house near the outskirts of the city, butonly long enough to hear Yesler's facts and to appoint another meetingfor three hours later at the offices of Eaton. For the committee hadcome here for secrecy, and they knew that it would be only a short timebefore Pelton's heelers would be down upon them in force. It was agreedthey should divide and slip quietly back to town, wait until everythingwas quiet and convene again. Meanwhile Eaton would make arrangements tosee that his offices would be sufficiently guarded for protectionagainst any attack.
Yesler walked back to town and was within a couple of blocks of hishotel when he glimpsed two figures crouching against the fence of thealley. He stopped in his tracks, watched them intently an instant, andwas startled by a whistle from the rear. He knew at once his retreat,too, was cut off, and without hesitation vaulted the fence in front ofa big gray stone house he was passing. A revolver flashed from thealley, and he laughed with a strange kind of delight. His thought wasto escape round the house, but trellis work barred the way, and hecould not open the gate.
"Trapped, by Jove," he told himself coolly as a bullet struck thetrellis close to his head.
He turned back, ran up the steps of the porch and found momentarysafety in the darkness of its heavy vines. But this he knew could notlast. Running figures were converging toward him at a focal point. Hecould hear oaths and cries. Some one was throwing aimless shots from arevolver at the porch.
He heard a window go up in the second story and a woman's frightenedvoice ask. "What is it? Who is there?"
"Let me in. I'm ambushed by thugs," he called back.
"There he is--in the doorway," a voice cried out of the night, and itwas followed by a spatter of bullets about him.
He fired at a man leaping the fence. The fellow tumbled back with akind of scream.
"God! I'm hit."
He could hear steps coming down the stairway and fingers fumbling atthe key of the door. His attackers were gathering for a rush, and hewondered whether the rescue was to be too late. They came together, theopening door and the forward pour of huddled figures. He stepped backinto the hall.
There was a raucous curse, a shot, and Yesler had slammed the doorshut. He was alone in the darkness with his rescuer.
"We must get out of here. They're firing through the door," he said,and "Yes" came faintly back to him from across the hall.
"Do you know where the switch is?" he asked, wondering whether she wasgoing to be such an idiot as to faint at this inopportune moment.
His answer came in a flood of light, and showed him a young womancrouched on the hall-rack a dozen feet from the switch. She was verywhite, and there was a little stain of crimson on the white lace of hersleeve.
A voice from the landing above demanded quickly, "Who are you, sir?"and after he had looked up', cried in surprise, "Mr. Yesler."
"Miss Balfour," he replied. "I'll explain later. I'm afraid the ladyhas been hit by a bullet."
He was already beside his rescuer. She looked at him with a trace of atired smile and said:
"In my arm."
After which she fainted. He picked up the young woman, carried her tothe stairs, and mounted them.
"This way," said Virginia, leading him into a bedroom, the door ofwhich was open.
He observed with surprise that she, too, was dressed in eveningclothes, and rightly surmised that they had just come back from somesocial function.
"Is it serious?" asked Virginia, when he had laid his burden on the bed.
She was already clipping with a pair of scissors the sleeve from roundthe wound.
"It ought not to be," he said after he had examined it. "The bullet hasscorched along the fleshy part of the forearm. We must telephone for adoctor at once."
She did so, then found water and cotton for bandages, and helped himmake a temporary dressing. The patient recovered consciousness underthe touch of the cold water, and asked: what was the matter.
"You have been hurt a little, but not badly I think. Don't youremember? You came down and opened the door to let me in."
"They were shooting at you. What for?" she wanted to know.
He smiled. "Don't w
orry about that. It's all over with. I'm sorry youwere hurt in saving me," said Yesler gently.
"Did I save you?" The gray eyes showed a gleam of pleasure.
"You certainly did."
"This is Mr. Yesler, Laska. Mr. Yesler--Miss Lowe. I think you havenever met."
"Never before to-night," he said, pinning the bandage in place roundthe plump arm. "There. That's all just now, ma'am. Did I hurt you verymuch?"
The young woman felt oddly exhilarated. "Not much. I'll forgive you ifyou'll tell me all about the affair. Why did they want to hurt you?"
His big heart felt very tender toward this girl who had been woundedfor him, but he showed it only by a smiling deference.
"You're right persistent, ma'am. You hadn't ought to be bothering yourhead about any such thing, but if you feel that way I'll be glad totell you."
He did. While they sat there and waited for the coming of the doctor,he told her the whole story of his attempt to stop the corruption thatwas eating like a canker at the life of the State. He was a plain man,not in the least eloquent, and he told his story without any sense thathe had played any unusual part. In fact, he was ashamed that he hadbeen forced to assume a role which necessitated a kind of treachery tothose who thought they had bought him.
Laska Lowe's eyes shone with the delight his tale inspired in her. Shelived largely in the land of ideals, and this fight against wrong movedher mightily. She could feel for him none of the shame which he feltfor himself at being mixed up in so bad a business. He was playing aman's part, had chosen it at risk of his life. That was enough. Inevery fiber of her, she was glad that good fortune had given her thechance to bear a part of the battle. In her inmost heart she was evenglad that to the day of her death she must bear the scar that wouldremind her she had suffered in so good a cause.
Virginia, for once obliterating herself, perceived how greatly takenthey were with each other. At bottom, nearly every woman is amatch-maker. This one was no exception. She liked both this man andthis woman, and her fancy had already begun to follow her hopes. Neverbefore had Laska appeared to show much interest in any of the oppositesex with whom her friend had seen her. Now she was all enthusiasm, hadforgotten completely the pain of her wound in the spirit's glow.
"She loved me for the danger I had pass'd, And I loved her that she did pity them. This only is the witchcraft I have us'd.'"
Virginia quoted softly to herself, her eyes on the young woman sofinely unconscious of the emotion that thrilled her.
Not until the clock in the hall below struck two did Yesler rememberhis appointment in the Ridgway Building. The doctor had come and wasabout to go. He suggested that if Yesler felt it would be safe for himto go, they might walk across to the hotel together.
"And leave us alone." Laska could have bitten her tongue after thewords were out.
Virginia explained. "The Leighs are out of the city to-night, and ithappens that even the servants are gone. I asked Miss Lowe to stay withme all night, but, of course, she feels feverish and nervous after thisexcitement. Couldn't you send a man to watch the rest of the night outin the house?"
"Why don't you stay, Mr. Yesler?" the doctor suggested. "You couldsleep here, no doubt."
"You might have your meeting here. It is neutral ground. I can phone toMr. Ridgway," proposed Virginia in a low voice to Yesler.
"Doesn't that seem to imply that I'm afraid to leave?" laughed Yesler.
"It implies that we are afraid to have you. Laska would worry both onyour account and our own. I think you owe it to her to stay."
"Oh, if that's the way it strikes you," he agreed. "Fact is, I don'tquite like to leave you anyhow. We'll take Leigh's study. I don't thinkwe shall disturb you at all."
"I'm sure you won't--and before you go, you'll let us know what youhave decided to do."
"We shall not be through before morning. You'll be asleep by then," hemade answer.
"No, I couldn't sleep till I know all about it."
"Nor I," agreed Laska. "I want to know all about everything."
"My dear young lady, you are to take the sleeping-powders and get agood rest," the doctor demurred. "All about everything is too large anorder for your good just now."
Virginia nodded in a businesslike way. "Yes, you're to go to sleep,Laska, and when you waken I'll tell you all about it."
"That would be better," smiled Yesler, and Virginia thought itsignificant that her friend made no further protest.
Gray streaks began to show in the sky before Yesler tapped on the doorof Virginia's room. She had discarded the rather elaborate evening gownhe had last seen her in, and was wearing some soft fabric which hungfrom the shoulders in straight lines, and defined the figure whilelending the effect of a loose and flowing drapery.
"How is your patient?" he asked.
"She has dropped into a good sleep," the girl whispered. "I am sure wedon't need to worry about her at all."
"Nevertheless, it's a luxury I'm going to permit myself for a day ortwo," he smiled. "I don't have my life saved by a young lady veryoften."
"I'm sure you will enjoy worrying about her," she laughed.
He got back at her promptly. "There's somebody down-stairs worryingabout you. He wants to know if there is anything he can do for you, andsuggests inviting himself for breakfast in order to make sure."
"Mr. Ridgway?"
"How did you guess it first crack? Mr. Ridgway it is."
She considered a moment. "Yes, tell him to stay. Molly will be back intime to make breakfast, and I want to talk to him. Now tell me what youdid."
"We did Mr. Warner. At least I hope so," he chuckled.
"I'm so glad. And who is to be senator? Is it Waring?"
"No. It wouldn't have been possible to elect him even if we had wantedto."
"And you didn't want to," she flashed.
"No, we didn't," he admitted frankly. "We couldn't afford to have itgenerally understood that this was merely a partisan fight on theConsolidated, and that we were pulling Waring's chestnuts out of thefire for him."
He did not add, though he might have, that Ridgway was tarred with thesame brush as the enemy in this matter.
"Then who is it to be?"
"That's a secret. I can't tell even you that. But we have agreed on aman. Waring is to withdraw and throw his influence for him. TheDemocratic minority will swing in line for him, and we'll do the rest.That's the plan. It may not go through, however."
"I don't see who it can be that you all unite on. Of course, it isn'tMr. Pelton?"
"I should hope not."
"Or Mr. Samuel Yesler?"
"You've used up all the guesses allowed you. If you want to know, whydon't you attend the joint session to-day? It ought to be highlyinteresting."
"I shall," she announced promptly. "And I'll bring Laska with me."
"She won't be able to come."
"I think she will. It's only a scratch."
"I don't like to think how much worse it might have been."
"Then don't think of it. Tell Waring I'll be down presently."
He went down-stairs again, and Miss Balfour returned to the room.
"Was that Mr. Yesler?" quietly asked a voice from the bed.
"Yes, dear. He has gone back to the hotel. He asked about you, ofcourse."
"He is very kind."
"It was thoughtful, since you only saved his life," admitted theironical Miss Balfour.
"Wasn't it fortunate that we were up?"
"Very fortunate for him that you were."
Virginia crossed the room to the bed and kissed her friend with somesubtle significance too elusive for words. Laska appeared, however toappreciate it. At least, she blushed.