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don't wake up in time。〃
〃Isn't that a rather one…sided view； too？〃 I suggested。
〃I've no doubt it may appear so； but take the proceedings in this
legislature。 I've no doubt you know something about them； and that you
would maintain they are justified on account of the indifference of the
public； and of other reasons； but I can cite an instance that is simply
legalized thieving。〃 For the first time a note of indignation crept into
Krebs's voice。 〃Last night I discovered by a mere accident； in talking
to a man who came in on a late train； that a bill introduced yesterday；
which is being rushed through the Judiciary Committee of the Housean
apparently innocent little billwill enable； if it becomes a law； the
Boyne Iron Works； of your city； to take possession of the Ribblevale
Steel Company； lock； stock； and barrel。 And I am told it was conceived
by a lawyer who claims to be a respectable member of his profession； and
who has extraordinary ability； Theodore Watling。〃
Krebs put his hand in his pocket and drew out a paper。 〃Here's a copy of
it；House Bill 709。〃 His expression suddenly changed。 〃Perhaps Mr。
Watling is a friend of yours。〃
〃I'm with his firm；〃 I replied。。。。
Krebs's fingers closed over the paper； crumpling it。
〃Oh； then； you know about this；〃 he said。 He was putting the paper back
into his pocket when I took it from him。 But my adroitness； so carefully
schooled； seemed momentarily to have deserted me。 What should I say？ It
was necessary to decide quickly。
〃Don't you take rather aprejudiced view of this； Krebs？〃 I said。 〃Upon
my word； I can't see why you should accept a rumour running around the
lobbies that Mr。 Watling drafted this bill for a particular purpose。〃
He was silent。 But his eyes did not leave my face。
〃Why should any sensible man； a member of the legislature； take stock in
that kind of gossip？〃 I insisted。 〃Why not judge this bill by its face；
without heeding a cock and bull story as to how it may have originated？
It is a good bill； or a bad bill？ Let's see what it says。〃
I read it。
〃So far as I can see； it is legislation which we ought to have had long
ago； and tends to compel a publicity in corporation affairs that is much
needed； to put a stop to practices which every decent citizen deplores。〃
He drew the paper out of my hand。
〃You needn't go on； Paret；〃 he told me。 〃It's no use。〃
〃Well； I'm sorry we don't agree；〃 I said； and got up。 I left him
twisting the paper in his fingers。
Beside the clerk's desk in the Potts House； relating one of his
anecdotes； I spied Colonel Varney； and managed presently to draw him
upstairs to his room。 〃What's the matter？〃 he asked。
〃Do you know a man named Krebs in the House？〃 I said。
〃From Elkington？ Why； that's the man the Hutchinses let slip through；
the Hutchinses； who own the mills over there。 The agitators put up a job
on them。〃 The Colonel was no longer the genial and social purveyor of
anecdotes。 He had become tense； alert； suspicious。 〃What's he up to？〃
〃He's found out about this bill；〃 I replied。
〃How？〃
〃I don't know。 But someone told him that it originated in our office；
and that we were going to use it in our suit against the Ribblevale。〃
I related the circumstances of my running across Krebs； speaking of
having known him at Harvard。 Colonel Varney uttered an oath； and strode
across to the window； where he stood looking down into the street from
between the lace curtains。
〃We'll have to attend to him； right off；〃 he said。
I was surprised to find myself resenting the imputation； and deeply。
〃I'm afraid he's one of those who can't be ‘attended to；'〃 I answered。
〃You mean that he's in the employ of the Ribblevale people？〃 the Colonel
inquired。
〃I don't mean anything of the kind；〃 I retorted； with more heat； perhaps；
than I realized。 The Colonel looked at me queerly。
〃That's all right； Mr。 Paret。 Of course I don't want to question your
judgment； sir。 And you say he's a friend of yours。〃
〃I said I knew him at college。〃
〃But you will pardon me；〃 the Colonel went on； 〃when I tell you that I've
had some experience with that breed； and I have yet to see one of 'em you
couldn't come to terms with in some wayin some way；〃 he added；
significantly。 I did not pause to reflect that the Colonel's attitude；
from his point of view （yes； and from mine；had I not adopted it？） was
the logical one。 In that philosophy every man had his price； or his
weakness。 Yet； such is the inconsistency of human nature； I was now
unable to contemplate this attitude with calmness。
〃Mr。 Krebs is a lawyer。 Has he accepted a pass from the Railroad？〃 I
demanded； knowing the custom of that corporation of conferring this
delicate favour on the promising young talent in my profession。
〃I reckon he's never had the chance；〃 said Mr。 Varney。
〃Well； has he taken a pass as a member of the legislature？〃
〃No；I remember looking that up when he first came down。 Sent that
back； if I recall the matter correctly。〃 Colonel Varney went to a desk
in the corner of the room； unlocked it； drew forth a black book； and
running his fingers through the pages stopped at the letter K。 〃Yes；
sent back his legislative pass； but I've known 'em to do that when they
were holding out for something more。 There must be somebody who can get
close to him。〃
The Colonel ruminated awhile。 Then he strode to the door and called out
to the group of men who were always lounging in the hall。
〃Tell Alf Young I want to see him； Fred。〃
I waited； by no means free from uneasiness and anxiety； from a certain
lack of self…respect that was unfamiliar。 Mr。 Young； the Colonel
explained； was a legal light in Galesburg； near Elkington；the Railroad
lawyer there。 And when at last Mr。 Young appeared he proved to be an
oily gentleman of about forty； inclining to stoutness； with one of those
〃blue；〃 shaven faces。
〃Want me； Colonel？〃 he inquired blithely； when the door had closed behind
him； and added obsequiously； when introduced to me； 〃Glad to meet you；
Mr。 Paret。 My regards to Mr。 Watling； when you go back。
〃Alf；〃 demanded the Colonel； 〃what do you know of this fellow Krebs？〃
Mr。 Young laughed。 Krebs was 〃nutty；〃 he declaredthat was all there
was to it。
〃Won't helisten to reason？〃
〃It's been tried； Colonel。 Say； he wouldn't know a hundred…dollar bill
if you showed him one。〃
〃What does he want？〃
〃Oh； something；that's sure； they all want something。〃 Mr。 Young
shrugged his shoulder expressively； and by a skillful manipulation of his
lips shifted his cigar from one side of his mouth to the other without
raising his hands。 〃But it ain't money。 I guess he's got a notion that
later on the labour unions'll send him to the United States Senate some
day。 He's no slouch； either； when it comes to law。 I can tell you
that。〃
〃Nono flaw in hisrecord？〃 Colonel Varney's agate eyes sought those of
Mr。 Young； meaningly。
〃That's been tried； too；〃 declared the Galesburg attorney。 〃Say； you can
believe it or not； but we've never dug anything up so far。 He's been too
slick for us； I guess。〃
〃Well；〃 exclaimed the Colonel； at length； 〃let him squeal and be dd！
He can't do any more than make a noise。 Only I hoped we'd be able to
grease this thing along and slide it through the Senate this afternoon；
before they got wind of it。〃
〃He'll squeal； all right； until you smother him；〃 Mr。 Young observed。
〃We'll smother him some day！〃 replied the Colonel； savagely。
Mr。 Young laughed。
But as I made my way toward the State House I was conscious of a feeling
of relief。 I had no sooner gained a front seat in the gallery of the
House of Representatives when the members rose； the Senate marched
gravely in； the Speaker stopped jesting with the Chaplain； and over the
Chaplain's face came suddenly an agonized expression。 Folding his hands
across his stomach he began to call on God with terrific fervour； in an
intense and resounding voice。 I was struck suddenly by the irony of it
all。 Why have a legislature when Colonel Paul Varney was so efficient！
The legislature was a mere sop to democratic prejudice； to pray over it
heightened the travesty。 Suppose there were a God after all？ not
necessarily the magnified monarch to whom these pseudo…democrats prayed；
but an Intelligent Force that makes for righteousness。 How did He； or
It； like to be trifled with in this way？ And； if He existed； would not
His disgust be immeasurable as He contemplated that unctuous figure in
the 〃Prince Albert〃 coat； who pretended to represent Him？
As the routine business began I searched for Krebs； to find him presently
at a desk beside a window in the rear of the hall making notes on a
paper； there was； confessedly； little satisfaction in the thought that
the man whose gaunt features I contemplated was merely one of those
impractical idealists who beat themselves to pieces against the forces
that sway the world and must forever sway it。 I should be compelled to
admit that he represented something unique in that assembly if he had the
courage to get up and oppose House Bill 709。 I watched him narrowly； the
suggestion intruded itselfperhaps he had