more generous than this！ There could be no doubt that popular enthusiasm
was enlisted in behalf of the 〃Eastern Capitalists；〃 who were made to
appear in the light of Crusaders ready to rescue a groaning people from
the thrall of monopoly。 The excitement approached that of a presidential
election； and became the dominant topic at quick…lunch counters and in
street…cars。 Cheap and efficient service！ Down with the Bastille of
monopoly！
As counsel for the Ashuela； Mr。 Ogilvy sent for me； and by certain secret
conduits of information at my disposal I was not long in discovering the
disquieting fact that a Mr。 Orthwein； who was described as a gentleman
with fat fingers and a plausible manner； had been in town for a week and
had been twice seen entering and emerging from Monahan's saloon。 In
short； Mr。 Jason had already been 〃seen。〃 Nevertheless I went to him
myself； to find him for the first time in my experience absolutely non…
committal。
〃What's the Ashuela willing to do？〃 he demanded。
I mentioned a sum； and he shook his head。 I mentioned another； and still
he shook his head。
〃Come 'round again；〃 he said。。。
I was compelled to report this alarming situation to Ogilvy and Dickinson
and a few chosen members of a panicky board of directors。
〃It's that damned Grannis crowd；〃 said Dickinson； mentioning an
aggressive gentleman who had migrated from Chicago to Wall Street some
five years before in a pink collar。
〃But what's to be done？〃 demanded Ogilvy； playing nervously with a gold
pencil on the polished table。 He was one of those Americans who in a
commercial atmosphere become prematurely white； and today his boyish；
smooth…shaven face was almost as devoid of colour as his hair。 Even
Leonard Dickinson showed anxiety； which was unusual for him。
〃You've got to fix it； Hugh；〃 he said。
I did not see my way； but I had long ago learned to assume the unruffled
air and judicial manner of speaking that inspires the layman with almost
superstitious confidence in the lawyer。。。。
〃We'll find a way out；〃 I said。
Mr。 Jason； of course； held the key to the situation； and just how I was
to get around him was problematical。 In the meantime there was the
public： to permit the other fellow to capture that was to be lacking in
ordinary prudence； if its votes counted for nothing； its savings were
desirable； and it was fast getting into a state of outrage against
monopoly。 The chivalry of finance did not permit of a revelation that
Mr。 Grannis and his buccaneers were behind the Automatic； but it was
possible to direct and strengthen the backfire which the Era and other
conservative newspapers had already begun。 Mr。 Tallant for delicate
reasons being persona non grata at the Boyne Club； despite the fact that
he had so many friends there； we met for lunch in a private room at the
new hotel； and as we sipped our coffee and smoked our cigars we planned a
series of editorials and articles that duly appeared。 They made a strong
appeal to the loyalty of our citizens to stand by the home company and
home capital that had taken generous risks to give them service at a time
when the future of the telephone business was by no means assured； they
belittled the charges made by irresponsible and interested 〃parties；〃 and
finally pointed out； not without effect； that one logical consequence of
having two telephone companies would be to compel subscribers in self…
defence to install two telephones instead of one。 And where was the
saving in that？
〃Say； Paret；〃 said Judah B。 when we had finished our labours； 〃if you
ever get sick of the law； I'll give you a job on the Era's staff。 This
is fine； the way you put it。 It'll do a lot of good； but how in hell are
you going to handle Judd？。。。。〃
For three days the inspiration was withheld。 And then； as I was
strolling down Boyne Street after lunch gazing into the store windows it
came suddenly； without warning。 Like most inspirations worth anything；
it was very simple。 Within half an hour I had reached Monahan's saloon
and found Mr。 Jason out of bed； but still in his bedroom； seated
meditatively at the window that looked over the alley。
〃You know the crowd in New York behind this Automatic company as well as
I do； Jason；〃 I said。 〃Why do you want to deal with them when we've
always been straight with you； when we're ready to meet them and go one
better？ Name your price。〃
〃Suppose I dowhat then；〃 he replied。 〃This thing's gone pretty far。
Under that damned new charter the franchise has got to be bid forhasn't
it？ And the people want this company。 There'll be a howl from one end
of this town to the other if we throw 'em down。〃
〃We'll look out for the public；〃 I assured him； smiling。
〃Well；〃 he said； with one of his glances that were like flashes； 〃what
you got up your sleeve？〃
〃Suppose another telephone company steps in； and bids a little higher for
the franchise。 That relieves； your aldermen of all responsibility；
doesn't it？〃
〃Another telephone company！〃 he repeated。
I had already named it on my walk。
〃The Interurban；〃 I said。
〃A dummy company？〃 said Mr。 Jason。
〃Lively enough to bid something over a hundred thousand to the city for
its franchise；〃 I replied。
Judd Jason； with a queer look； got up and went to a desk in a dark
corner； and after rummaging for a few moments in one of the pigeon…holes；
drew forth a glass cylinder； which he held out as he approached me。
〃You get it； Mr。 Paret；〃 he said。
〃What is it？〃 I asked； 〃a bomb！〃
〃That；〃 he announced； as he twisted the tube about in his long fingers；
holding it up to the light； 〃is the finest brand of cigars ever made in
Cuba。 A gentleman who had every reason to be grateful to meI won't say
who he wasgave me that once。 Well； the Lord made me so's I can't
appreciate any better tobacco than those five…cent 'Bobtails' Monahan's
got downstairs； and I saved it。 I saved it for the man who would put
something over me some day； andyou get it。〃
〃Thank you；〃 I said； unconsciously falling in with the semi…ceremony of
his manner。 〃I do not flatter myself that the solution I have suggested
did not also occur to you。〃
〃You'll smoke it？〃 he asked。
〃Surely。〃
〃Now？ Here with me？〃
〃Certainly；〃 I agreed； a little puzzled。 As I broke the seal； pulled out
the cork and unwrapped the cigar from its gold foil he took a stick and
rapped loudly on the floor。 After a brief interval footsteps were heard
on the stairs and Mike Monahan； white aproned and scarlet faced； appeared
at the door。
〃Bobtails；〃 said Mr。 Jason； laconically。
〃It's them I thought ye'd be wanting；〃 said the saloon…keeper； holding
out a handful。 Judd Jason lighted one； and began smoking reflectively。
I gazed about the mean room； with its litter of newspapers and reports；
its shabby furniture； and these seemed to have become incongruous； out of
figure in the chair facing me keeping with the thoughtful figure in the
chair facing me。
〃You had a college education； Mr。 Paret；〃 he remarked at length。
〃Yes。〃
〃Life's a queer thing。 Now if I'd had a college education； like you； and
you'd been thrown on the world； like me； maybe I'd be livin' up there on
Grant Avenue and you'd be down here over the saloon。〃
〃Maybe；〃 I said； wondering uneasily whether he meant to imply a
similarity in our gifts。 But his manner remained impassive； speculative。
〃Ever read Carlyle's 'French Revolution'？〃 he asked suddenly。
〃Why； yes； part of it； a good while ago。〃
〃When you was in college？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃I've got a little library here；〃 he said； getting up and raising the
shades and opening the glass doors of a bookcase which had escaped my
attention。 He took down a volume of Carlyle； bound in half calf。
〃Wouldn't think I cared for such things； would you？〃 he demanded as he
handed it to me。
〃Well； you never can tell what a man's real tastes are until you know
him；〃 I observed； to conceal my surprise。
〃That's so；〃 he agreed。 〃I like bookssome books。 If I'd had an
education； I'd have liked more of 'em； known more about 'em。 Now I can
read this one over and over。 That feller Carlyle was a genius； he could
look right into the bowels of the volcano； and he was on to how men and
women feet down there； how they hate； how they square 'emselves when they
get a chance。〃
He had managed to bring before me vividly that terrible； volcanic flow on
Versailles of the Paris mob。 He put back the book and resumed his seat。
〃And I know how these people fed down here； below the crust；〃 he went on；
waving his cigar out of the window； as though to indicate the whole of
that mean district。 〃They hate； and their hate is molten hell。 I've
been through it。〃
〃But you've got on top；〃 I suggested。
〃Sure； I've got on top。 Do you know why？ it's because I hatedthat's
why。 A man's feelings； if they're strong enough； have a lot to do with
what he becomes。〃
〃But he has to have ability； too；〃 I objected。
〃Sure； he has to have ability； but his feeling is the driving power if he
feels strong enough； he can make a little ability go a long way。〃
I was struck by the force of this remark。 I scarcely recognized Judd
Jason。 The man； as he revealed himself； had become at once more sinister
and more fascinating。
〃I can guess how some of those Jacobins felt when they had the
aristocrats in the dock。 They'd got on topthe Jacobins； I mean。 It's
human nature to want to get on topain't it？〃 He looked at me and
smiled； but he did not seem to expect a reply。 〃Well； what you call
society； rich； respectable society like you belong to would have made a
bum and a criminal out of me if I hadn't been too smart for 'em； and it's
a kind of satisfaction to have 'em coming down here to Monahan's for
things they can't have without my leave。 I've got a half Nelson on 'em。
I wouldn't live up on Grant Avenue if you gave me Scherer's new house。〃
I was silent。
〃Instead of starting my career in college； I started in jail；〃 he went
on； apparently ignoring any effect he may have produced。 So subtly； so
dispassionately indeed was he delivering himself of these remarks that it
was impossible to tell whether he meant their application to be per