AT the break of day next morning, Strong rose and called his
fellow-travellers. Beside the turnpike he built a fire, over which he
began to cook fish and potatoes and coffee. When the Migleys had come,
all sat on a blanket within reach of their food and helped themselves in
a fashion almost as ancient as the hills. Then Strong gave the coon his
share, and washed the dishes and got his pack ready. It was a tramp of
four miles to the station below Pitkin. They arrived there, however,
before the sun was an hour high.
When they were seated in the end of the smoking-car, with coon and pack
beside them, Mr. Migley began to reveal the plans of the great king,
Business. Having increased his territory, he now felt the need of
adding to his power. He must have more legislation, for there were to
be ruthless changes of the map. Those few really free and independent
people who dwelt in and near the Lost River country were to be his
subjects and they must learn to obey. At least they must not oppose him
and make trouble. Gently his envoy began.
"You know," said he, "there's to be a new member of Assembly in our
district."
Strong nodded.
"I want my son to go," the elder Migley went on, as he winked
suggestively. "He's going to make his home in Pitkin, and it's very
necessary to his plans that you people should be with him. He's got the
talent of a statesman. Ask anybody who knows the boy."
He paused a moment. The Emperor made no reply.
"Level-headed and reliable in every spot an' place, an' a good-looker,"
Migley continued, as if he were selling a road-horse, while he nudged
the Emperor. "Look at him. I'd swap faces with that boy any day and give
him ten thousand dollars to boot. Wouldn't you?"
Mr. Migley spoke in dead earnest. He pinched the knee of Strong and
waited for his reply.
"W-wouldn't fit me," the Emperor replied.
"Pop" Migley took the answer as a compliment and gurgled with good
feeling.
"Strong, you're a kind of a boss up here in the hills," said he. "There
isn't a jay in the pine lands that wouldn't walk twenty miles to caucus
if you asked him to."
"Dunno," Strong answered, doubtfully.
"I know what I'm talking about," said the lumberman, with a smile. "I
want the vote o' the town o' Pitkin. If we get that we can give 'em all
the flag."
Strong was not unaccustomed to this kind of appeal. There were not many
voters in his town, but they always followed the Emperor.
"You can get it for us," Mr. Migley insisted.
"N-no."
"Why not?"
"I've promised to help M-Master."
"Oh, well, now, look here--you and I ought to be friends," said Migley.
"We ought to stand by each other. You look out for me and I'll look out
for you."
As he offered his alliance, Migley tenderly pressed the shoulder of
Silas Strong. Then he put his index-finger on that square of latitude
and longitude which indicated the region of his heart, and added,
impressively, "I have the reputation of being true to my friends--ask
anybody."
The hunter sat filling his pipe in silence.
"With what's pledged to us, if we get this town we can win easy."
Strong began to puff at his pipe thoughtfully. Here sat a man who could
make or break him. His face reddened a little. He shook his head.
Mr. Migley had caught the eye of a man he knew--Joe Socket--postmaster
and politician of Moon Lake. He rose, tapped the shoulder of Strong, and
said, "Think it over." Then he hurried down the aisle of the car.
He leaned over and whispered into the ear of Socket, "What kind of a man
is Strong?"
"Square," said the other, promptly. "A little cranky in some ways, but
you can depend upon him. He'll do What he says--the devil couldn't turn
him."
"He says he's pledged to Master--that chap who's come up here with a bag
o' money. Do you think Master has bought him?"
"I don't think so. I suppose he could be bought, but--but I never knew
of his taking money. The boys of the back country swear by the Emperor;
they look up to him. Fact is, Sile Strong is a ------ ---- good fellow."
His oath seemed to contradict his affirmation.
"He's like a rock," said Migley. "The glad hand don't make any
impression. What ye going to do with a man who won't drink or talk or
swap lies with ye? I could put the poor devil out of house and home, but
he don't seem to care."
"We'll turn him over to the Congressman," Socket answered. "He'll bring
him into camp. If not we can get along without him."
The fact was the "Emperor of the Woods" was not like any other man they
had to deal with--in history, character, and caliber.
He used his brain for a definite purpose--"to think out thoughts with,"
as he was wont to say, and if his heart approved of them they were
right, and he could no more change them than a tree could change its
bark or its foliage.
As yet the arts and allies of the flatterer had no power over him. He
was content and without any false notion of his own importance.