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Greenhalge appeared to be one of those hopeless individuals without a
spark of party loyalty； he merely continued to smile； and to suggest that
the district attorney prosecute。 Mr。 Gregory temporized； and presently
left the city on a vacation。 A day or two after his second visit to the
district attorney's office Mr。 Greenhalge had a call from the city
auditor and the purchasing agent； who talked about their families；which
was very painful。 It was also intimated to Mr。 Greenhalge by others who
accosted him that he was just the man for mayor。 He smiled； and modestly
belittled his qualifications。。。。
Suddenly； one fine morning； a part of the evidence Krebs had gathered
appeared in the columns of the Mail and State； a new and enterprising
newspaper for which the growth and prosperity of our city were
responsible； the sort of 〃revelations〃 that stirred to amazement and
wrath innocent citizens of nearly every city in our country： politics and
〃graft〃 infesting our entire educational system； teachers and janitors
levied upon； prices that took the breath away paid to favoured firms for
supplies； specifications so worded that reasonable bids were barred。 The
respectable firm of Ellery and Knowles was involved。 In spite of our
horror； we were Americans and saw the humour of the situation； and
laughed at the caricature in the Mail and State representing a scholar
holding up a pencil and a legend under it； 〃No； it's not gold； but it
ought to be。〃
Here I must enter into a little secret history。 Any affair that
threatened the integrity of Mr。 Jason's organization was of serious
moment to the gentlemen of the financial world who found that
organization invaluable and who were also concerned about the fair name
of their community； a conference in the Boyne Club decided that the city
officials were being persecuted； and entitled therefore to 〃the very best
of counsel；〃in this instance； Mr。 Hugh Paret。 It was also thought wise
by Mr。 Dickinson； Mr。 Gorse； and Mr。 Grierson； and by Mr。 Paret himself
that he should not appear in the matter； an aspiring young attorney； Mr。
Arbuthnot； was retained to conduct the case in public。 Thus capital came
to the assistance of Mr。 Jason； a fund was raised； and I was given carte
blanche to defend the miserable city auditor and purchasing agent； both
of whom elicited my sympathy； for they were stout men； and rapidly losing
weight。 Our first care was to create a delay in the trial of the case in
order to give the public excitement a chance to die down。 For the public
is proverbially unable to fix its attention for long on one object；
continually demanding the distraction that our newspapers make it their
business to supply。 Fortunately； a murder was committed in one of our
suburbs； creating a mystery that filled the 〃extras〃 for some weeks； and
this was opportunely followed by the embezzlement of a considerable sum
by the cashier of one of our state banks。 Public interest was divided
between baseball and the tracking of this criminal to New Zealand。
Our resentment was directed； not so much against Commissioner Greenhalge
as against Krebs。 It is curious how keen is the instinct of men like
Grierson； Dickinson； Tallant and Scherer for the really dangerous
opponent。 Who the deuce was this man Krebs？ Well； I could supply them
with some information： they doubtless recalled the Galligan； case； and
Miller Gorse； who forgot nothing； also remembered his opposition in the
legislature to House Bill 709。 He had continued to be the obscure legal
champion of 〃oppressed〃 labour； but how he had managed to keep body and
soul together I knew not。 I had encountered him occasionally in court
corridors or on the street； he did not seem to change much； nor did he
appear in our brief and perfunctory conversations to bear any resentment
against me for the part I had taken in the Galligan affair。 I avoided
him when it was possible。。。。 I had to admit that he had done a
remarkably good piece of work in collecting Greenhalge's evidence； and
how the； erring city officials were to be rescued became a matter of
serious concern。 Gregory； the district attorney； was in an abject funk；
in any case a mediocre lawyer； after the indictment he was no help at
all。 I had to do all the work； and after we had selected the particular
〃Railroad〃 judge before whom the case was to be tried； I talked it over
with him。 His name was Notting； he understood perfectly what was
required of him； and that he was for the moment the chief bulwark on
which depended the logical interests of capital and sane government for
their defence； also； his re…election was at stake。 It was indicated to
newspapers （such as the Mail and State） showing a desire to keep up
public interest in the affair that their advertising matter might
decrease； Mr。 Sherrill's great department store； for instance； did not
approve of this sort of agitation。 Certain stationers； booksellers and
other business men had got 〃cold feet；〃 as Mr。 Jason put it； the prospect
of bankruptcy suddenly looming ahead of them；since the Corn National
Bank held certain paper。。。。
In short； when the case did come to trial； it 〃blew up；〃 as one of our
ward leaders dynamically expressed it。 Several important witnesses were
mysteriously lacking； and two or three school…teachers had suddenly
decidedto take a trip to Europe。 The district attorney was ill； and
assigned the prosecution to a mild assistant； while a sceptical jury
composed largely of gentlemen who had the business interests of the
community； and of themselves； at heart returned a verdict of 〃not
guilty。〃 This was the signal for severely dignified editorials in Mr。
Tallant's and other conservative newspapers； hinting that it might be
well in the future for all well…meaning but misguided reformers to think
twice before subjecting the city to the cost of such trials； and
uselessly attempting to inflame public opinion and upset legitimate
business。 The Era expressed the opinion that no city in the United
States was 〃more efficiently and economically governed than our own。〃
〃Irregularities〃 might well occur in every large organization； and it
would better have become Mr。 Greenhalge if； instead of hiring an unknown
lawyer thirsting for notoriety to cook up charges； he had called the
attention of the proper officials to the matter； etc。； etc。 The Pilot
alone； which relied on sensation for its circulation； kept hammering away
for a time with veiled accusations。 But our citizens had become
weary。。。。
As a topic； however； this effective suppression of reform was referred to
with some delicacy by my friends and myself。 Our interference had been
necessary and therefore justified； but we were not particularly proud of
it； and our triumph had a temporarily sobering effect。 It was about this
time； if I remember correctly； that Mr。 Dickinson gave the beautiful
stained…glass window to the church。。。。
Months passed。 One day； having occasion to go over to the Boyne Iron
Works to get information at first hand from certain officials； and having
finished my business； I boarded a South Side electric car standing at the
terminal。 Just before it started Krebs came down the aisle of the car
and took the seat in front of me。
〃Well；〃 I said； 〃how are you？〃 He turned in surprise； and thrust his
big； bony hand across the back of the seat。 〃Come and sit here。〃 He
came。 〃Do you ever get back to Cambridge in these days？〃 I asked
cordially。
〃Not since I graduated from newspaper work in Boston。 That's a good many
years ago。 By the way； our old landlady died this year。〃
〃Do you mean？〃 〃Granite Face；〃 I was about to say。 I had forgotten
her name； but that homesick scene when Tom and I stood before our open
trunks； when Krebs had paid us a visit； came back to me。 〃You've kept in
touch with her？〃 I asked； in surprise。
〃Well；〃 said Krebs； 〃she was one of the few friends I had at Cambridge。
I had a letter from the daughter last week。 She's done very well； and is
an instructor in biology in one of the western universities。〃
I was silent a moment。
〃And you；you never married； did you？〃 I inquired； somewhat
irrelevantly。
His semi…humorous gesture seemed to deny that such a luxury was for him。
The conversation dragged a little； I began to feel the curiosity he
invariably inspired。 What was his life？ What were his beliefs？ And I
was possessed by a certain militancy； a desire to 〃smoke him out。〃 I did
not stop to reflect that mine was in reality a defensive rather than an
aggressive attitude。
〃Do you live down here； in this part of the city？〃 I asked。
No； he boarded in Fowler Street。 I knew it as in a district given over
to the small houses of working…men。
〃I suppose you are still a socialist。〃
〃I suppose I am；〃 he admitted； and added； 〃at any rate； that is as near
as you can get to it。〃
〃Isn't it fairly definite？〃
〃Fairly； if my notions are taken in general as the antithesis of what you
fellows believe。〃
〃The abolition of property； for instance。〃
〃The abolition of too much property。〃
〃What do you mean by 'too much'？〃
〃When it ceases to be real to a man； when it represents more than his
need； w