Middletown transcript., 1921-09-17
CHAPTER XIl-Continued.

H.
"Why," he spluttered after a mo-
ment, "a lot of these peoples names
are absolutely housewold words in tie
country. They may be swine-tfsey
probably are. Thank God! I've very
rarely met any; but they amt sfiml-
nals."
mo more is Peterson griLned the
American; "at least not on that book
See here, Captain, it's petty clear
what's happening. In any country TO-
day you've got all sorts sad conditions
of people with more wind than BRAIN
They just can't stop taking, and as yet
it's not a criminal cffense. Some OF
'em believe what t-ey say, like Spin
dle-shanks upstairs; some Of 'em don't.
And If they don't, it makes 'em worse !;
they start writing as well. You've got
some of those guys in the first-class
general lecture sand they're the
worst of the lot. Then you've got an
other class-the mxn with the business
brain, who think they're getting the
sticky end of it, ana use the takers
to pull the chestnuts cut of the fire for
them. And the chestnuts, who are the
poor blamed decent wockingmen, are
promptly dropped in the ashpit to keep
'em quiet. They all want something for
nothing, and I guess it can't be done.
They all think they're fOOling one an
other, and what's really going at the
moment is that Peterson is fOoling the
whole bunch. He wants all the strings
in his hands, and it looks to me as if
he'd got 'em there. He's got the money
he's got the organization-all either
red-hot revolutionaries, or intellectual
windstorms, or calculating knaves.
He's amalgamated 'em, Captain; and
the whole blamed lot, whatever they
may think, are really working for
him."
Drummond thoughtfully lit Gig
arette
"Working toward revolution in
this country" he remarked quietly.
"Sure thing" answered the Amerl-
can. "And when he brings it off, /
guess you won't catch Peterson for
dust. He'll pocket the Doodle, and the
boobs will stew in their Qwn juice: J
guessed it in Paris; that book makes
1t a certainty. But it amt criminal.
In court Of law he could swear it was
an organization for selling bird-seed."
For a while Drummond smoked in
silence, while the two sleepers shifted
uneasily in their chairs. 1t all seemed
so simple in spite of the immensely Of
the scheme. Like most normal English
men, politics and labor disputes had
left him cold in the past; but no one
who ever glanced at newspaper
could be ignorant Of the volcano that
had been simmering just beneath the
surface for years past.
"Not one in a hundred"-the Ameri-
cans voice broke into his train Of
thought-"of the so-called revolution
ary leaders in this country are disin-
terested, Captain. They're out for
Number One, and when they've talked
the boys into bloody murder, and your
existing social system is down-and-out,
they'll be the leaders in the new one.
That's what they're playing for
power; and when they've got it. God
help the men who gave it to EN-"
Drummond nodded, and lit another
cigarette. Odd things he had read re-
Cured to him: trade unions refusing
to allow discharged soldiers to join
them; the reiterated threats Of direct
action. And to what end?
A passage in part Of the ledger evf-
dently devoted to extracts from the
speeches of the first-class general lee
turers caught his eye:
TO me, the big fact of modern life Is
the war between classes. People
declare that the method of direct ac-
ton inside country will produce a
revolution. agree it involves
the creation of an army. . :"
And beside the cutting was note
by Peterson in red ink:
"An excellent man! Send for pro-
tracted tour"
The note of exclamation appealed to
Hugh; he could see the writer's
tongue in his cheek as he put it in.
ut involves the creation of an army.
;" The words of the intimidated
rabbit came hack to his mind. 1.-THE
man of stupendous organizing power,
who has brought together and welded
into one the hundreds Of societies SIM
liar to mine, who before this have
each, on their own, been feebly strug-
Cling toward the light. Now we are
combined, and our strength Is due to
him."
In other words, the army was on the
road to completion, an army where
ninety per cent of the fghters-duped
by the remaining ten-wOuld struggle
blindly towards dim, half-understoCd
goal, only to find out too late that the
whip of Solomon had been exchanged
for the scorpion of his son. -.
"Why can't they be made to under.
stand, Mr.. Green?" he cried bitterly
"The working man-the decent fel.
low"
HAS anyone tried to make 'em un.
derstand, Captain? I guess I'm no in.
tellectual guy, but there was French
writer fellow-Victor Hugo-who
wrote something that sure hit the nail
on the head. 1 copied it out, for II
seemed good to me-" From his pocket.
book he produced slip of paper "'The
faults of women, children, servants
the weak, the INDECENT and the ignorant
are the faults of husbands, fathers
masters, the strong, the rich, and the
learned Wall!" he leaned back in his
chair, there you are. Their proper