WHO WINS?
The night of the mass meeting came at last, and there was a tremendous
outpouring of the Negroes, recruited mainly from the ranks of the toiling
masses. Scattered here and there in the audience were a few of the educated
Negroes, drawn to the meeting to see how Dorlan was to fare in his attempt
to breast the current of Negro loyalty to the Republican party. The women
in the audience outnumbered the men, a fact not to be wondered at, when it
is known that the Negro women of the South are, perhaps, the most ardent
and unyielding Republicans in the whole length and breadth of the land.
Closely veiled, Morlene sat in the audience, the embodiment of anxiety. The
moment for the supreme contest between herself on the one hand and
Bloodworth and Harry on the other, for the life of Dorlan, was drawing
frightfully near.
At the appointed hour Dorlan entered the building from the rear door,
walked across the platform and took his seat. Somehow the world expects the
body of a man to give some indication of the soul within; wherefore all
pictures of Satan represent him as being ugly. Those who came to the
meeting hating Dorlan felt a more kindly feeling creeping into their
consciousness as they saw that heaven had thought kindly enough of him to
grant unto him the form of a prince, an intellectual brow, a truly handsome
face that wore a look of earnest, honest purpose.
As Dorlan scanned the audience his heart swelled with joy at its immense
proportions. Wrong though they sometimes were, Dorlan had the most profound
faith in the good intentions of the Negro masses. He held that the
intentions of no people on earth were better, and that the sole need of the
Negroes was proper light.
Dorlan's analysis of the situation was as follows: The feeling encountered
was largely a religious one. The Negroes believed unqualifiedly in the
direct interposition of God in the affairs of men. They believed in the
personality, activity and insidiousness of the Devil. They believed that
God had specifically created the Republican party to bring about their
emancipation. On the other hand they regarded the Democratic party as the
earthly abode of the devil, created specifically and solely for the purpose
of harassing them. Thus, whoever opposed the Republican party was sinning
against God; and whoever voted against that party was in league with the
devil.
Such were the views held by the less enlightened, Dorlan felt. In order to
meet the situation he had prepared a speech that traced from a human point
of view the development of the two parties. Once disabuse their minds of
the direct, specific heavenly origin of the Republican party, and the way
would be open to show, that as men made it, men could improve upon its
policies. So at the appointed hour he arose and began his speech. It
riveted the attention of his hearers, and they listened with eager ears to
Dorlan's recital of the workings of the forces and counter forces that
brought about their emancipation. Freedom had burst upon them so suddenly,
was so glorious a boon, that their simple minds readily concluded that it
dropped bodily, as it were, from the skies. They were now glad to gain a
clear understanding of that phenomenal happening. Their feelings of
resentment died away entirely, and they who came to jeer, frequently broke
forth into applause.
Dorlan closed his speech with a thrilling peroration, urging the Negroes to
gird themselves for the holy task of carrying to the uttermost parts of the
earth the doctrine of the inherent, inalienable equality of all men.
Morlene could scarcely repress tears of joy over the happy turn of events.
But her joy was to be short lived.
Bloodworth had employed a number of viciously inclined Negroes to put out
the lights, bar the doors and foment excitement. In the midst of the
disturbance Harry was to effect the murder of Dorlan. Bigoted Harry had not
been in the least affected, nor were his mercenary compatriots in any wise
moved, by Dorlan's utterances. When the speech was finished, at a given
signal the lights were extinguished and a tumult raised.
Harry had closely noted the position of Dorlan on the platform, and as soon
as the lights were out began to make his way toward him. As there was no
one on the platform but Dorlan, he did not fear making a mistake as to the
man he was to assault.
Morlene had employed a young man of strength and courage to sit by and keep
close watch on Harry to thwart any attempts he might make. As Harry made
his way with eager cat-like tread, he was followed by the young man
appointed to watch him. When near Dorlan, Harry drew his pistol but felt it
wrenched from his hand by some one of superior strength. Discovering that
he was followed, Harry turned and sought to mingle with the crowd in the
hope of eluding his pursuer. In this he was successful.
Morlene, thickly veiled, had been sitting in a corner of the auditorium
throughout the meeting. In a satchel she had brought along a small lighted
lantern. She knew the building well, and even in the midst of the hubbub
and excitement incident to the putting out of the lights, had made her way
to the platform whereon was Dorlan. Now handling her lantern so that it
guided her directly to Dorlan, without informing others of her movements,
she crept to his side. She found him seated, his head bent forward resting
on his hand. Even now his first thought was of the future of the race,
seeking to keep alive in his bosom to the moment of death, the hope that it
would rise in spite of the unthinking element that now sought his life.
Morlene whispered into his ear, "Mr. Warthell, do not die here. As a
friend, a sincere friend, I plead with you to live for all our sakes." The
presence of Morlene in such a dangerous situation thoroughly aroused
Dorlan. He sprang to his feet determined to live until she was out of
danger, at least. "Here is a lantern," said she, handing it to him.
"Keep close to me," said Dorlan to Morlene. To the throng he said:
"Gentlemen, vacate the aisle to the extreme right. Whoever obstructs that
pathway to the door, does so at the peril of his life. I have given fair
warning and hold you accountable for whatever results from your failure to
obey." His voice was so commanding and he spoke with such self-assurance,
that the movement to clear the aisle designated began at once; but the
words had scarcely escaped his lips when he was stabbed from the rear.
Turning upon his assailant, he felled him to the floor with a powerful
blow. Flashing the light across the face of the fallen man, Dorlan and
Morlene both saw that it was Harry.
"My duty is here," said Morlene, as she stooped and took Harry's head upon
her lap.
"Good-bye. I must go. I am wounded," said Dorlan to Morlene, as he started
for the door.
Morlene assured herself that Harry was not seriously hurt, and administered
restoratives which she had been thoughtful enough to bring along. She was
the while experiencing anxious thoughts as to the dangerousness of Dorlan's
wound. At the earliest possible moment Morlene left Harry, (who was now
reviving) and went to telephone for the ambulance. It came and, with the
aid of lanterns, following a trail of blood, they came upon Dorlan,
unconscious, the wondering stars peeping down upon his upturned face.
* * * * *
Morlene reached home on that eventful night some time before Harry. After
his murderous assault on Dorlan, having recovered from the stunning effects
of the blow that had felled him, he had gone from saloon to saloon,
drinking and very hilarious over his night's work. At three o'clock in the
morning he reached his home in a half-drunken state. Morlene had been
anxiously awaiting his coming.
As Harry stepped into the room, one glance at Morlene's face had the effect
of somewhat sobering him. Her face, her eyes, her attitude and, when she
spoke, her voice, conveyed to the half-drunken Harry her feelings of utter
scorn and indignation. He dropped into a chair. His eyes were bleared, his
lips slightly ajar and his hands limp at his side, as he looked at the
wrathful Morlene.
"Harry Dalton," said she, "You are to all intents and purposes a villainous
murderer. I know of your nefarious plottings and I witnessed your cowardly
attempt to assassinate Mr. Warthell, a man, the latchet of whose shoes the
possessor of a heart like yours is unworthy to unloose. But your intended
victim shall not die, unless an evil genius presides over the affairs of
men. I have only waited here to tell you how I loathe your crime and that I
exhausted every known means to thwart you. Now I leave you!"
Morlene started toward the door through which Harry had just come and which
led into the hallway. Harry, who had taken a seat not far from the door,
arose as if to intercept her.
"Stand back from that door, Harry," said Morlene pulling a pistol from her
pocket and pointing it at him. Morlene had been careful to see that every
chamber of the pistol was empty, so that no actual physical harm would
result from the drawing of it.
Harry knew that Morlene, when a country girl, had learned to shoot well,
and her angry looks made him feel that her knowledge as to how to shoot
was supplemented with a determination to shoot if he disobeyed her. Lifting
his hands as if imploring her not to shoot, Harry recoiled and Morlene
glided out of the room, locking the door behind her.
For some time Harry stood in the floor bewildered by the sudden and most
unexpected turn of events. At length he aroused himself and succeeded in
breaking out of the room. It was too late, however, to find any trace of
Morlene. She had made good her escape.