The Conflict [5]
excuse for a man who has been educated, who has associated with upper class people, turning round and inciting the lower classes against everything that's fine and improving.''
It was now apparent to the girl that David Hull was irritatedly jealous of this queer Victor Dorn-- was jealous of her interest in him. Her obvious cue was to fan this flame. In no other way could she get any amusement out of Davy's society; for his tendency was to be heavily serious--and she wanted no more of the too strenuous love making, yet wanted to keep him ``on the string.'' This jealousy was just the means for her end. Said she innocently: ``If it irritates you, Davy, we won't talk about him.''
``Not at all--not at all,'' cried Hull. ``I simply thought you'd be getting tired of hearing so much about a man you'd never known.''
``But I feel as if I did know him,'' replied she. ``Your account of him was so vivid. I thought of asking you to bring him to call.''
Hull laughed heartily. ``Victor Dorn--calling!''
``Why not?''
``He doesn't do that sort of thing. And if he did, how could I bring him here?''
``Why not?''
``Well--in the first place, you are a lady--and he is not in your class. Of course, men can associate with each other in politics and business. But the social side of life--that's different.''
``But a while ago you were talking about my going in for politics,'' said Miss Hastings demurely.
``Still, you'd not have to meet SOCIALLY queer and rough characters----''
``Is Victor Dorn very rough?''
The interrupting question was like the bite of a big fly to a sweating horse. ``I'm getting sick of hearing about him from you,'' cried Hull with the pettishness of the spoiled children of the upper class.
``In what way is he rough?'' persisted Miss Hastings. ``If you didn't wish to talk about Victor Dorn, why did you bring the subject up?''
``Oh--all right,'' cried Hull, restraining himself. ``Victor isn't exactly rough. He can act like a gentleman-- when he happens to want to. But you never can tell what he'll do next.''
``You MUST bring him to call!'' exclaimed Miss Hastings.
``Impossible,'' said Hull angrily.
``But he's the only man I've heard about since I've been home that I've taken the least interest in.''
``If he did come, your father would have the servants throw him off the place.''
``Oh, no,'' said Hiss Hastings haughtily. ``My father wouldn't insult a guest of mine.''
``But you don't know, Jen,'' cried David. ``Why, Victor Dorn attacks your father in the most outrageous way in his miserable little anarchist paper--calls him a thief, a briber, a blood-sucker--a--I'd not venture to repeat to you the things he says.''
``No doubt he got a false impression of father because of that damage suit,'' said Miss Hastings mildly. ``That was a frightful thing. I can't be so unjust as to blame him, Davy--can you?''
Hull was silent.
``And I guess father does have to do a lot of things in the course of business---- Don't all the big men --the leaders?''
``Yes--unfortunately they do,'' said Hull. ``That's what gives plausibility to the shrieks of demagogues like Victor Dorn--though Victor is too well educated not to know better than to stir up the ignorant classes.''
``I wonder why he does it,'' said Miss Hastings, reflectively. ``I must ask him. I want to hear what he says to excuse himself.'' In fact, she had not the faintest interest in the views of this queer unknown; her chief reason for saying she had was to enjoy David Hull's jealousy.
``Before you try to meet Victor,'' said Hull, in a constrained, desperate way, ``please speak to your father about it.''
``I certainly shall,'' replied the girl. ``As soon as he comes home this afternoon, I'm going to talk to him about that damage suit. That has got to be straightened out.'' An expression of resolution, of gentleness and justice abruptly transformed her face. ``You may not believe it, but I have a conscience.'' Absently, ``A curious sort of a conscience--one that might become very troublesome,
It was now apparent to the girl that David Hull was irritatedly jealous of this queer Victor Dorn-- was jealous of her interest in him. Her obvious cue was to fan this flame. In no other way could she get any amusement out of Davy's society; for his tendency was to be heavily serious--and she wanted no more of the too strenuous love making, yet wanted to keep him ``on the string.'' This jealousy was just the means for her end. Said she innocently: ``If it irritates you, Davy, we won't talk about him.''
``Not at all--not at all,'' cried Hull. ``I simply thought you'd be getting tired of hearing so much about a man you'd never known.''
``But I feel as if I did know him,'' replied she. ``Your account of him was so vivid. I thought of asking you to bring him to call.''
Hull laughed heartily. ``Victor Dorn--calling!''
``Why not?''
``He doesn't do that sort of thing. And if he did, how could I bring him here?''
``Why not?''
``Well--in the first place, you are a lady--and he is not in your class. Of course, men can associate with each other in politics and business. But the social side of life--that's different.''
``But a while ago you were talking about my going in for politics,'' said Miss Hastings demurely.
``Still, you'd not have to meet SOCIALLY queer and rough characters----''
``Is Victor Dorn very rough?''
The interrupting question was like the bite of a big fly to a sweating horse. ``I'm getting sick of hearing about him from you,'' cried Hull with the pettishness of the spoiled children of the upper class.
``In what way is he rough?'' persisted Miss Hastings. ``If you didn't wish to talk about Victor Dorn, why did you bring the subject up?''
``Oh--all right,'' cried Hull, restraining himself. ``Victor isn't exactly rough. He can act like a gentleman-- when he happens to want to. But you never can tell what he'll do next.''
``You MUST bring him to call!'' exclaimed Miss Hastings.
``Impossible,'' said Hull angrily.
``But he's the only man I've heard about since I've been home that I've taken the least interest in.''
``If he did come, your father would have the servants throw him off the place.''
``Oh, no,'' said Hiss Hastings haughtily. ``My father wouldn't insult a guest of mine.''
``But you don't know, Jen,'' cried David. ``Why, Victor Dorn attacks your father in the most outrageous way in his miserable little anarchist paper--calls him a thief, a briber, a blood-sucker--a--I'd not venture to repeat to you the things he says.''
``No doubt he got a false impression of father because of that damage suit,'' said Miss Hastings mildly. ``That was a frightful thing. I can't be so unjust as to blame him, Davy--can you?''
Hull was silent.
``And I guess father does have to do a lot of things in the course of business---- Don't all the big men --the leaders?''
``Yes--unfortunately they do,'' said Hull. ``That's what gives plausibility to the shrieks of demagogues like Victor Dorn--though Victor is too well educated not to know better than to stir up the ignorant classes.''
``I wonder why he does it,'' said Miss Hastings, reflectively. ``I must ask him. I want to hear what he says to excuse himself.'' In fact, she had not the faintest interest in the views of this queer unknown; her chief reason for saying she had was to enjoy David Hull's jealousy.
``Before you try to meet Victor,'' said Hull, in a constrained, desperate way, ``please speak to your father about it.''
``I certainly shall,'' replied the girl. ``As soon as he comes home this afternoon, I'm going to talk to him about that damage suit. That has got to be straightened out.'' An expression of resolution, of gentleness and justice abruptly transformed her face. ``You may not believe it, but I have a conscience.'' Absently, ``A curious sort of a conscience--one that might become very troublesome,