Mrs. Flitcroft, at breakfast on the following morning, continued a
disquisition which had ceased, the previous night, only because of a
provoking human incapacity to exist without sleep. Her theme was one
which had exclusively occupied her since the passing of Eskew, and, her
rheumatism having improved so that she could leave her chair, she had
become a sort of walking serial; Norbert and his grandfather being well
assured that, whenever they left the house, the same story was to be
continued upon their reappearance. The Tocsin had been her great
comfort: she was but one helpless woman against two strong men;
therefore she sorely needed assistance in her attack upon them, and the
invaluable newspaper gave it in generous measure.
"Yes, young man," she said, as she lifted her first spoonful of
oatmeal, "you BETTER read the Tocsin!"
"I AM reading it," responded Norbert, who was almost concealed by the
paper.
"And your grandfather better read it!" she continued, severely.
"I already have," said the Colonel, promptly. "Have you?"
"No, but you can be sure I will!" The good lady gave the effect of
tossing her head. "And you better take what it says to heart, you and
some others. It's a wonder to me that you and Buckalew and old Peter
don't go and hold that Happy Fear's hand durin' the trial! And as for
Joe Louden, his step-mother's own sister, Jane, says to me only
yesterday afternoon, 'Why, law! Mrs. Flitcroft,' she says, 'it's a
wonder to me,' she says, 'that your husband and those two other old
fools don't lay down in the gutter and let that Joe Louden walk over
'em.'"
"Did Jane Quimby say 'those two other old fools'?" inquired the
Colonel, in a manner which indicated that he might see Mr. Quimby in
regard to the slander.
"I can't say as I remember just precisely her exact words," admitted
Mrs. Flitcroft, "but that was the sense of 'em! You've made yourselves
the laughin'-stock of the whole town!"
"Oh, we have?"
"And I'd like to know"--her voice became shrill and goading--"I'd like
to know what Judge Pike thinks of you and Norbert! I should think
you'd be ashamed to have him pass you in the street."
"I've quit speaking to him," said Norbert, coldly, "ever since I heard
he owned Beaver Beach."
"That story ain't proved yet!" returned his grandmother, with much
irascibility.
"Well, it will be; but that's not all." Norbert wagged his head. "You
may be a little surprised within the next few days."
"I've been surprised for the PAST few!" she replied, with a bitterness
which overrode her satisfaction in the effectiveness of the retort.
"Surprised! I'd like to know who wouldn't be surprised when half the
town acts like it's gone crazy. People PRAISIN' that fellow, that
nobody in their sober minds and senses never in their lives had a good
word for before! Why, there was more talk yesterday about his doin's
at the Court-house--you'd of thought he was Phil Sheridan! It's 'Joe
Louden' here and 'Joe Louden' there, and 'Joe Louden' this and 'Joe
Louden' that, till I'm sick of the name!"
"Then why don't you quit saying it?" asked the Colonel, reasonably.
"Because it'd OUGHT to be said!" she exclaimed, with great heat.
"Because he'd ought to be held up to the community to be despised. You
let me have that paper a minute," she pursued, vehemently; "you just
let me have the Tocsin and I'll read you out some things about him that
'll show him in his true light!"
"All right," said Norbert, suddenly handing her the paper. "Go ahead."
And after the exchange of a single glance the two gentlemen composed
themselves to listen.
"Ha!" exclaimed Mrs. Flitcroft. "Here it is in head-lines on the first
page. 'Defence Scores Again and Again. Ridiculous Behavior of a
Would-Be Mob. Louden's--'" She paused, removed her spectacles,
examined them dubiously, restored them to place, and continued:
"'Louden's Masterly Conduct and Well-Deserved--'" she paused again,
incredulous--"'Well-Deserved Triumph--'"
"Go on," said the Colonel, softly.
"Indeed I will!" the old lady replied. "Do you think I don't know
sarcasm when I see it? Ha, ha!" She laughed with great heartiness.
"I reckon I WILL go on! You listen and try to LEARN something from
it!" She resumed the reading:
"'It is generally admitted that after yesterday's sitting of the court,
the prosecution in the Fear-Cory murder trial has not a leg to stand
on. Louden's fight for his client has been, it must be confessed, of a
most splendid and talented order, and the bottom has fallen out of the
case for the State, while a verdict of Not Guilty, it is now conceded,
is the general wish of those who have attended and followed the trial.
But the most interesting event of the day took place after the session,
when some miscreants undertook to mob the attorney for the defence in
the Court-house yard. He met the attack with a coolness and nerve
which have won him a popularity that--'" Mrs. Flitcroft again faltered.
"Go on," repeated the Colonel. "There's a great deal more."
"Look at the editorials," suggested Norbert. "There's one on the same
subject."
Mrs. Flitcroft, her theory of the Tocsin's sarcasm somewhat shaken,
turned the page. "We Confess a Mistake" was the rubric above the
leader, and she uttered a cry of triumph, for she thought the mistake
was what she had just been reading, and that the editorial would
apologize for the incomprehensible journalistic error upon the first
page. "'The best of us make mistakes, and it is well to have a change
of heart sometimes.'" (Thus Eugene's successor had written, and so
Mrs. Flitcroft read.) "'An open confession is good for the soul. The
Tocsin has changed its mind in regard to certain matters, and means to
say so freely and frankly. After yesterday's events in connection with
the murder trial before our public, the evidence being now all
presented, for we understand that neither side has more to offer, it is
generally conceded that all good citizens are hopeful of a verdict of
acquittal; and the Tocsin is a good citizen. No good citizen would
willingly see an innocent man punished, and that our city is not to be
disgraced by such a miscarriage of justice is due to the efforts of the
attorney for the defendant, who has gained credit not only by his
masterly management of this case, but by his splendid conduct in the
face of danger yesterday afternoon. He has distinguished himself so
greatly that we frankly assert that our citizens may point with pride
to--'" Mrs. Flitcroft's voice, at the beginning pitched to a high
exultation, had gradually lowered in key and dropped down the scale
till it disappeared altogether.
"It's a wonder to me," the Colonel began, "that the Tocsin doesn't go
and hold Joe Louden's hand."
"I'll read the rest of it for you," said Norbert, his heavy face
lighting up with cruelty. "Let's see--where were you? Oh yes--'point
with pride'? 'Our citizens may point with pride to ...'"
Let us not linger to observe the unmanly behavior of an aged man and
his grandson left alone at the breakfast-table by a defenceless woman.
The Tocsin's right-about-face undermined others besides Mrs. Flitcroft
that morning, and rejoiced greater (though not better) men than the
Colonel. Mr. Farbach and his lieutenants smiled, yet stared, amazed,
wondering what had happened. That was a thing which only three people
even certainly knew; yet it was very simple.
The Tocsin was part of the Judge's restitution.
"The controlling interest in the paper, together with the other
property I have listed," Joe had said, studying his memoranda under the
lamp in Roger's old studio, while Martin Pike listened with his head in
his hands, "make up what Miss Tabor is willing to accept. As I
estimate it, their total value is between a third and a half of that of
the stock which belonged to her."
"But this boy--this Flitcroft," said Pike, feebly; "he might--"
"He will do nothing," interrupted Joe. "The case is 'settled out of
court,' and even if he were disposed to harass you, he could hardly
hope to succeed, since Miss Tabor declines either to sue or to
prosecute."
The Judge winced at the last word. "Yes--yes, I know; but he might--he
might--tell."
"I think Miss Tabor's influence will prevent. If it should not--well,
you're not in a desperate case by any means; you're involved, but far
from stripped; in time you may be as sound as ever. And if Norbert
tells, there's nothing for you to do but to live it down." A faint
smile played upon Joe's lips as he lifted his head and looked at the
other. "It can be done, I think."
It was then that Ariel, complaining of the warmth of the evening,
thought it possible that Joe might find her fan upon the porch, and as
he departed, whispered hurriedly: "Judge Pike, I'm not technically in
control of the Tocsin, but haven't I the right to control its policy?"
"I understand," he muttered. "You mean about Louden--about this
trial--"
"That is why I have taken the paper."
"You want all that changed, you mean?"