The Conflict [129]
was nominated.
In due time the election was held, and Mayor Hull became Governor Hull by a satisfactory majority for so evenly divided a State. He had spent--in contributions to the machine campaign fund--upwards of one hundred thousand dollars. But that seemed a trifling sacrifice to make for reform principles and for keeping the voice of the people the voice of God. He would have been elected if he had not spent a cent, for the Democratic machine, bent on reorganizing back to a sound basis with all real reformers or reformers tainted with sincerity eliminated, had nominated a straight machine man--and even the politicians know that the people who decide elections will not elect a machine man if they have a chance to vote for any one else. It saddened David Hull, in the midst of victory, that his own town and county went against him, preferring the Democrat, whom it did not know, as he lived at the other end of the State. Locally the offices at stake were all captured by the ``Dorn crowd.'' At last the Workingmen's League had a judge; at last it could have a day in court. There would not be a repetition of the great frauds of the Hull-Harbinger campaign.
By the time David had sufficient leisure to reopen the heart department of his ambition, Jane was deep in the effort to show Doctor Charlton how much intelligence and character she had. She was serving an apprenticeship as trained nurse in the Children's Hospital, where he was chief of the staff, and was taking several extra courses with his young assistants. It was nearly two weeks after David's first attempt to see her when her engagements and his at last permitted this meeting. Said he:
``What's this new freak?''
``I can't tell you yet,'' replied she. ``I'm not sure, myself.''
``I don't see how you can endure that fellow Charlton. They say he's as big a crank in medicine as he is in politics.''
``It's all of a piece,'' said Jane, tranquilly. ``He says he gets his political views from his medicine and his medical ideas from his politics.''
``Don't you think he's a frightful bounder?''
``Frightful,'' said Jane.
``Fresh, impudent--conceited. And he looks like a prize fighter.''
``At some angles--yes,'' conceded Jane. ``At others, he's almost handsome.''
``The other day, when I called at the hospital and they wouldn't take my name in to you--'' David broke off to vent his indignation--``Did you ever hear of such impertinence!''
``And you the governor-elect,'' laughed Jane. ``Shall I tell you what Doctor Charlton said? He said that a governor was simply a public servant, and anything but a public representative--usually a public disgrace. He said that a servant's business was attending to his own job and not hanging round preventing his fellow servants from attending to their jobs.''
``I knew he had low and vulgar views of public affairs,'' said David. ``What I started to say was that I saw him talking to you that day, across the court, and you seemed to be enjoying his conversation.''
``ENJOYING it? I love it,'' cried Jane. ``He makes me laugh, he makes me cold with rage, he gives me a different sensation every time I see him.''
``You LIKE--him?''
``Immensely. And I've never been so interested or so happy in my life.'' She looked steadily at him. ``Nothing could induce me to give it up. I've put everything else out of my mind.''
Since the dismal end of his adventure with Selma Gordon, David had become extremely wary in his dealings with the female sex. He never again would invite a refusal; he never again would put himself in a position where a woman might feel free to tell him her private opinion of him. He reflected upon Jane's words. They could have but the one meaning. Not so calmly as he would have liked, but without any embarrassing constraint, he said:
``I'm glad you've found what suits you, at last. It isn't exactly the line I'd have thought a girl such as you would choose. You're sure you are not making a mistake?''
``Quite,'' said Jane.
``I should think you'd prefer
In due time the election was held, and Mayor Hull became Governor Hull by a satisfactory majority for so evenly divided a State. He had spent--in contributions to the machine campaign fund--upwards of one hundred thousand dollars. But that seemed a trifling sacrifice to make for reform principles and for keeping the voice of the people the voice of God. He would have been elected if he had not spent a cent, for the Democratic machine, bent on reorganizing back to a sound basis with all real reformers or reformers tainted with sincerity eliminated, had nominated a straight machine man--and even the politicians know that the people who decide elections will not elect a machine man if they have a chance to vote for any one else. It saddened David Hull, in the midst of victory, that his own town and county went against him, preferring the Democrat, whom it did not know, as he lived at the other end of the State. Locally the offices at stake were all captured by the ``Dorn crowd.'' At last the Workingmen's League had a judge; at last it could have a day in court. There would not be a repetition of the great frauds of the Hull-Harbinger campaign.
By the time David had sufficient leisure to reopen the heart department of his ambition, Jane was deep in the effort to show Doctor Charlton how much intelligence and character she had. She was serving an apprenticeship as trained nurse in the Children's Hospital, where he was chief of the staff, and was taking several extra courses with his young assistants. It was nearly two weeks after David's first attempt to see her when her engagements and his at last permitted this meeting. Said he:
``What's this new freak?''
``I can't tell you yet,'' replied she. ``I'm not sure, myself.''
``I don't see how you can endure that fellow Charlton. They say he's as big a crank in medicine as he is in politics.''
``It's all of a piece,'' said Jane, tranquilly. ``He says he gets his political views from his medicine and his medical ideas from his politics.''
``Don't you think he's a frightful bounder?''
``Frightful,'' said Jane.
``Fresh, impudent--conceited. And he looks like a prize fighter.''
``At some angles--yes,'' conceded Jane. ``At others, he's almost handsome.''
``The other day, when I called at the hospital and they wouldn't take my name in to you--'' David broke off to vent his indignation--``Did you ever hear of such impertinence!''
``And you the governor-elect,'' laughed Jane. ``Shall I tell you what Doctor Charlton said? He said that a governor was simply a public servant, and anything but a public representative--usually a public disgrace. He said that a servant's business was attending to his own job and not hanging round preventing his fellow servants from attending to their jobs.''
``I knew he had low and vulgar views of public affairs,'' said David. ``What I started to say was that I saw him talking to you that day, across the court, and you seemed to be enjoying his conversation.''
``ENJOYING it? I love it,'' cried Jane. ``He makes me laugh, he makes me cold with rage, he gives me a different sensation every time I see him.''
``You LIKE--him?''
``Immensely. And I've never been so interested or so happy in my life.'' She looked steadily at him. ``Nothing could induce me to give it up. I've put everything else out of my mind.''
Since the dismal end of his adventure with Selma Gordon, David had become extremely wary in his dealings with the female sex. He never again would invite a refusal; he never again would put himself in a position where a woman might feel free to tell him her private opinion of him. He reflected upon Jane's words. They could have but the one meaning. Not so calmly as he would have liked, but without any embarrassing constraint, he said:
``I'm glad you've found what suits you, at last. It isn't exactly the line I'd have thought a girl such as you would choose. You're sure you are not making a mistake?''
``Quite,'' said Jane.
``I should think you'd prefer