Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-01-08
CHAPTER ~
DHILIP broke the silence.

'I cannot believe this! lit might
have happened a thousand-two thou
sand years ago-but not now. MY
God, mani" he cried, more e~xcitedly.
you do not mean TO tell me that
you believe this will be done?"
"Yes," replied Philip.
cit is impossible" exclaimed Greg
son again, crushing the letter in his
hand. "A man doesn't live--a COM
bination doesn't exist-that would
start such a hell loose as this-in
this way!"
Philip smiled grimly.
"The nan does live, and the com.
bination does exist" he said slowly.
"Greggy. I have known of men and
of combinations who have spent mil
lions, who have sacrificed everything
OF honor and truth, who have driven
thousands OF men, women and chill
dren to starvation--and worse-to
achieve a victory in high finance. I
have known Of men and combina.
tlonS WHO nave DTOken dltIlOSl every
law of man and God in the fight for
money and power. And so have you!
You have associated with some Of
these men, You have laughed and
talked with them. smoked with them.
and have dincd al their tables. You
spent a week at Selden's summer
hnrpa aud II ,VDg Gafl,v, ,thp rprnara1
wheat three Years ago and raised the
price of bread we cents a loaf. 1t
was Sellen who brought about the
bread riots in New York, Chicago and
a score Of Other cities, who swung
wide the prison doors for thousands.
whose millions were gained at a cost
of misery. crime and even death. And
Selden is only one out Of thousands
who live today, Watching for their
opportunities, giving no heed to those
who may fall under the i]uggernaut
Of their capital. This isn't the age Of
petty discrimination, Greggy. It's the
age OF the almighty dollar. and of the
fight for It. And there's no chivalry,
no quarter shown in this fight. Men
of Selden's stamp don't stop at women
and children. The scrubwoman's dol.
lar is just as big as yours or minc and
II a scheme could be promoted
whereby every scrubwcman in Amer
lea could be safely robbed OF a dol.
lar you'd find thousands of men down
there in our cities ready TO go into
1t tomorrow. And to such men as
these what is the sacrifice of a few
women up here"
Gregson dropped the letter. crumplcd
and twisted, upon tho table.
Il wonder-if understand" he said,
looking into Philips white face.
There has undoubtedly been previ
Gus correspondence, and this letter
contains the final word. It shows that
your enemies have already succeeded
IN working up the forest people
against you and have filled them with
suspicion. Their last blow is TO be-"
He stopped, and Philip nodded at
h Mortified question in his eyes.
'Greggy. up here there is one law
which reigns above ali other law. When
] was in Prince Albert a year ago l
was sitting on the verarda of the little
old Windsor Hotel. About me were
@ dozen wild men OF the north, who
had come down for a day or two to
the edge OF civilization. Most OF those
men had not been out OF the forests
for a year. Two of them We're from
h Barrens, n this was their first
glimpse of civilized life In five years.
AS We sat there a woman came up the
street. She turned in at the hotel
About me there was n sudden lower
ing of voices. a shufning of feet. As
h passed, every one of those lively,
rose from their seats and stood Will
bowed heads and their caps in theil
bands until she had gone. ! was tn,
only n who remained sitting! That
Greggy, is the one great law of lif,
up here, the worship of woman be
cause she is woman A man may steal
he may kill. but he must not breal
this law. If he steals or kills, tn,
mounted police may bring the offende
to Justice; but If he breaks this othe
law there is but one punishment, an
hat is the punishment of the people
That IL what this letter purposes {
do-to break this law in order that II
penalty may fall upon us. And If thu
succeed, God help u.s."
1t was Gregson who Jumped to hi
feet nov He took half a doze
nervous steps, paused. lighted a ciga.
cite. and looked down into Philip
upturned face
~ understand now where the fgt
IS coming in." he said. IF this thin
goes through, these people will ris
and wipe you off the map. They
lay It to you and your men, Of cours
And I fancy IT won't be a job ha
done II they feel about 1t as I'd fee
But" he demanded, sharply, "wh
don't you put the affair into the hand
of the proper authorities-the polio
or the Government? You've got
BY George, you must have the nan