THE CONSPIRATORS PERFECTING THE DETAILS OF THEIR CONSPIRACY.
It was a month or two after the events narrated in the last
chapter when there was another meeting at the Bayton House of
those who were the principal opponents of the Dunkin Act. It was
an informal gathering, convened for the purpose of having an
exchange of views as to the best method to adopt to prevent the
Act from being successfully worked, and also to bring it into
general disrespect and contempt. Of course the proprietor, John
Rivers, was present; and beside him were Sealy, Townly, Sims,
Porter, Tims, Ginsling, McWriggler, Bottlesby, Flannigan, and a
disreputable lawyer by the name of Murdon.
The Act had now been law for over a month. Some of the
hotel-keepers had desisted from selling for the time being, while
others sold as usual, and, as a consequence, had been informed
upon and were summoned for trial. They had to appear the day
following their present meeting. "I have been as good as my word,"
remarked Rivers. "I said I would not quit selling for a single day,
nor have I. They are to have me up to-morrow. Let them do their
best. I'll give them all they make."
"What will you do," said Tims, "if they fine you, as they are
likely to do?"
"I am not fined yet, and will not be if my friend Murdon here can
prevent it; but if I am, I will appeal to the county court, and I
know the judge will postpone his decision as long as possible.
Then, if he decides against me, I will appeal to a superior court,
and, I can tell you, it will take time and money before the case
is settled. But we will talk this over after a while; let us now
attend to the business for which we have more particularly met
to-day; that is, how we can best turn public sympathy against the
Dunkinites."
"I thought," remarked Sealy, "that was all settled at our last
meeting."
"So the outlines were; but we have to-day to arrange in regard to
detail," said Bottlesby.
"Well," said Ginsling, "I should say the best means to adopt to
accomplish our purpose is to consult as to the men in the
different localities whom we think can be approached. Then we
should consider how this is to be done, and who, in the several
cases, will be best to do it."
"That's just it," said Townly; "I could influence a man that some
one else could not approach, while he would have power over
another where I would utterly fail."
"I see," remarked Porter, while a cynical smile curled his sensual
lips; "we are to say to as many silly flies as possible, 'come,
walk into my parlor;' and if we cannot induce them to come
ourselves, we are to employ some of our imps to accomplish that
purpose; and, when we get them there, we are not to let them off
until they are thoroughly soaked. We are then to turn them out as
finished specimens, to illustrate to the public the efficacy of
the Dunkin Act. Is that your game, gentlemen?"
"Yes; that's about the idea." answered Rivers. "I admit it seems
rather hard, and may involve some suffering, and I am sorry we
have to resort to such means to accomplish our ends; but the
temperance fanatics have driven us to this, and upon them rests
the responsibility."
"If that is your game, gentlemen, you can count me out," remarked
Bill Tims. "I have been in business now for a great many years,
and I never have yet sold to a man when he was drunk. I don't
purpose to begin now. I can assure you, gentlemen, it means too
much suffering for women and children."
"I have thought just as you do," said McWriggler, speaking for the
first time, "and must yet admit it seems rather hard; but, you
know, 'Violent diseases require violent remedies.' You are well
aware if the Dunkinites succeed, you and all your fellow hotel
keepers will be ruined. So it is a matter whether the ruin shall
come to your home or possibly to the homes of those to whom you
sell. In such a case I should not be long in coming to a decision.
In this world every man is for himself. It is for you to take care
of yourself, and let the Dunkinites take care of their _proteges_.
he fools are bound to drink anyway, and their wives and children
must suffer sometime, and it might just as well come now as in
a few months hence. If it becomes a matter whether my wife and
I shall suffer or somebody else and his wife, I can assure you I
am going to take care of myself and those belonging to me every
time."
"Tims is wonderfully squeamish," sneered Rivers. "If we had been
permitted to do a legitimate trade, it would not have come to
this. I have invested every cent of my capital in the hotel
business in this town, and my place is not yet paid for; if this
Act is a success, my property will depreciate in value nearly
half, my trade will be ruined, and my wife and children will be
little better than paupers. Now, as Captain McWriggler has put it,
if I am to decide whether my family is to suffer or the family of
some other man, I take it, if I don't care for my own I am a
miserable fool. The one thing for us to consider is how we can
defeat the Dunkinites, and we must not be very particular
regarding the means we employ to accomplish our object."
"The question for us to settle now," said Sealy, "for it is no use
wasting time in argument, is what individuals are there in the
different localities that can be made tools of for our purpose?
The best course, I think, to pursue is that suggested by Ginsling;
that is, to make a canvass of the different localities, and see
who can be influenced. To commence, who can be used for the
purpose in Bayton? Come, Rivers or Bottlesby, you are better
acquainted here than I am; name over a few."
"You had better do it yourself, Sheriff," answered Rivers.
"Well," said the sheriff, "if you are too modest to do it, here's
at it. There are Morris, Dr. Dalton, Ashton, Flatt, McDonald,
Smith, Murphy, McLaughlin, and Stewart."
"You forget to mention the name of the would-be son-in-law of our
friend Sealy--Bill Barton." As he said this, he looked with a
quizzical sneer at Sealy and winked at Ginsling, but neither of
them appeared to notice the remark.
"Who are there in your locality, Townly?" he asked.
Townly mentioned several persons he thought might be approached,
and added: "I am certain, though some of them are keeping straight
at present, all that has to be done is to put liquor before them,
and they are bound to take it every time."
"What I can learn by the inquiries I have made and by
observation," said Murdon, the lawyer, "is this: the temperance
party are having quite a jollification because a number of those
whose names have been mentioned have kept sober since the Act came
in force. I also learned that a great many who gave a reluctant
support to the Act are now pleased they did so, because, as they
say, it has been the means of keeping these men from drinking; and
they argue, if it has been effective in their cases it will be
just as effective if it is adopted all over the Province, or even
the Dominion. Now, if the men you have named are led to get on a
bender or two these very persons will be led to change their tune,
and will condemn it as a failure just as emphatically as they now
endorse it as a blessing."
"That's just it," interjected Bottlesby. "Why, I was talking with
Old Gurney this morning, and the old fool at once mounted his
usual hobby. He pointed me to Ashton, Morris, and Dalton, who, he
said, were keeping sober since the Act came in force, though they
were going rapidly to destruction previous to that time. Now I
know, and so does every one that is not blinded by fanaticism,
that no power on earth will long be able to keep these fellows
from drinking, for if whiskey is to be had they are bound to have
it. If we use them as tools to accomplish our purpose we will only
be shortening the agony of both themselves and their friends."
"Then, gentlemen," said Rivers, "let us now consider how we can
best accomplish our object. I suppose those who are most familiar
with the parties of whom we have spoken, had better be left to use
their own discretion as to how they shall bring about the desired
result."
"Ginsling can give a good account of Ashton and Dr. Dalton. Can't
you?" said Bottlesby.
"I'll try," he answered, with a diabolical leer. "All I can say is
this, in one of the cases I have frequently tried and never
failed, and I think I'll manage the other."
We will not trouble our readers by repeating any more of their
very interesting and disinterested conversation. Before they
separated, every locality in the county was canvassed over, and
every man who had been an unfortunate victim of drink, but who had
kept sober since the Act came in force, was to be approached by
the one who would be the most likely to succeed in influencing him
to his fall. In fact, they concocted a scheme that night that was
worthy of Satan himself. They also had a special conference with
Murdon, the lawyer, so as to be prepared for the coming trials,
and several who had been subpoenaed were brought in and questioned
regarding what they actually knew, and also posted as to the
manner they could best evade the questions which would be put to
them, without swearing to that which was actually false.
"If I cannot frighten them half out of their wits," said Murdon,
speaking of the magistrates who would try the cases, "then I will
miss my guess. The most of them know but very little of law, and
are easily bothered. It is my intention to browbeat them all I can
to-morrow, and then dare them to convict. You must be specially
frightened, Sealy."
"I guess you'll find me equal to the occasion," he replied, with a
knowing wink.