THE 
 
 RECORDING 
 ANGEL 
 
 BY 
 
 EDWIN ARNOLD BRENHOLTZ 
 

 
 
 
 THE RECORDING 
 ANGEL 
 
 
 
 A NOVEL 
 
 
 BY 
 
 EDWIN ARNOLD BRENHOLTZ 
 
 
 
 
 
 Chicago 
 
 CHARLES H. KERR & COMPANY 
 
 56 Fifth Avenue 
 
 1905 
 
 
 
 
 
Copyright, 1905 
 By Charles H. Kerr & Company 
 
 All rights reserved 
 
 IOHN P. """""'^ffl^j^,'" -1 " OLARK »T. 
 PRINTER, BINDER ^SoS55** CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 
 
tEfyts book is respectfully bebtcateo 
 
 Uo tbe TClorl&'s Morhingmen 
 
 (Ctt present rtcfj anb poor) 
 
 By tfyeir fellon?=laborer— €. <X B. 
 
"O dust, whose mask is power; 
 Reed, that would'st be a scourge thy little hour! 
 Spark, whereon yet the mighty hath not trod, 
 And therefore thou destroyest ! Where were flown 
 Our hopes, if man were left to man's decrees alone?" 
 
 — Mrs. Hemans. 
 
U \of 
 
 PREFACE 
 
 This book is a flight of fancy, pure and simple, since, 
 of course, not one of the characters mentioned ever has 
 been or will be in existence — any more than have the 
 unjust and monstrous conditions herein set forth ever been 
 endured for a single moment by a free and thinking people. 
 
 This being the case, an apology seems to be due for 
 having brought this dream of a leisure hour to the notice 
 of the public. 
 
 In extenuation it may be said that relaxation from 
 the strain of reading of the horrors of life as depicted daily 
 for us in the newspapers and the insufferable dulness of a 
 literature that has consigned divine imagination to the 
 winds renders it imperative that we have something to 
 take the place of the impossibilities of the Arabian Nights 
 of our youthful days; and in the hope that you may be 
 beguiled into forgetfulness — carried away from yourself on 
 the blessed wings of imagination into the land where 
 impossibilities become actualities — for at least an hour, — 
 this volume is handed to you by — The Author. 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 I. On the Oppressor's Side was Power g 
 
 II. The End is not while we can say, "This is the 
 
 End" 19 
 
 III. The Quality of Mercy is not Strained 22 
 
 IV. Till we Meet Again 30 
 
 V. There are Swift Hours in Life 36 
 
 VI. The Massive Gates of Circumstance 46 
 
 VII. He Laughs Best who Laughs Last 57 
 
 VIII. The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men 75 
 
 IX. Do Them — or They'll Do You 89 
 
 X. It is the Unexpected that Happens 98 
 
 XI. But when to Mischief Mortals Bend their Will... 107 
 
 XII. Beyond the Infinite and Boundless Reach of 
 
 Mercy 118 
 
 XIII. Why the World are all Thinking about it 127 
 
 XIV. There are Several Ways to Kill a Cat 133 
 
 XV. A Consistent Liar is the Devil Incarnate 144 
 
 XVI. I Cannot Tell what you and Other Men Think.. 169 
 
 XVII. It's an III Wind that Blows no one any Good 181 
 
 XVIII. The Devil Incarnate would Still be Partly Hu- 
 
 man 195 
 
 XIX. Life is a Disease of which Sleep Relieves us 211 
 
 XX. Oh, what a Fall was There, my Countrymen 223 
 
 XXI. For, Some days must be Dark and Dreary 232 
 
 XXII. The Telling of it All lets in a Flood of Light 242 
 
 XXIII. The Recording Angel Causes All the Trouble 264 
 
 XXIV. Dust to Dust ! Ashes to Ashes ! 279 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2010 with funding from 
 Duke University Libraries 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/recordingangelnoOObren 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 "On the oppressor's side was power; 
 But I knew that every wrong, 
 However old, however strong, 
 But waited God's avenging hour." 
 
 — Whittier. 
 
 "Nettie," said the old man suddenly, "Nettie, don't you 
 expect Charlie to come to see you tonight?" 
 
 "Certainly I do," said the young girl who had been sit- 
 ting quietly, sewing steadily at a piece of work which she 
 now threw impatiently aside as if her father's words had 
 broken through the restraint she was putting on herself. 
 "Certainly I do," she repeated, "and he is an hour late 
 now. Last night, as you know, being the first Monday in 
 the month, was the regular meeting night for the Union; 
 and so, he cannot be there. It may be another of those 
 committee meetings, though; but he said nothing to me 
 about one. Anyway, it's no use for me to sew any more 
 button holes tonight; for, somehow, I'm more nervous 
 than I have ever before been in my life." 
 
 "There was no accident at the works today, was there, 
 father?" she cried, turning suddenly towards the old man 
 • — and then hastily added, "I forgot that you were not 
 there." 
 
 "No, child, no!" said he, "not that I have heard of; at 
 least, not to him, or I would have told you ; but you know 
 that at any place where over three thousand men are work- 
 ing there will scarcely a day pass but one or more will be 
 hurt or even killed, in the hurry and the rush, and the 
 whirling of so much machinery." 
 
 "Yes, yes!" said the girl as she walked quickly to the 
 
 9 
 
io THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 window and impatiently pulled up the shade, "I know all 
 that. Oh, what we women have to suffer, when we love 
 any one; and I have two to worry about," she added, under 
 her breath. But as she heard her own words a look of 
 pleasure came over her face — which made her father smile 
 as he noticed it — and he said, "Well, dear, you know that 
 we get nothing in this world without paying the price; 
 and I do not think that either you or I will ever regret the 
 cost of love. Only those regret that who expect to get it 
 for nothing." 
 
 As his quiet voice filled the room the restlessness of the 
 girl's movements became less, and finally she dropped into 
 the chair that she had left, took up the work again, and 
 was silent for a while. 
 
 No sound was heard in the house but the steady rock- 
 ing of the chair. The woman who came daily to do the 
 hard, rough work — and to help with the cooking — had 
 gone home for the night. The stillness was so intense that 
 the creaking of Nettie's chair seemed to mark off the 
 seconds as they passed. Outside, the night was still and 
 cold — for the month was November. The leafless trees 
 in the garden seemed to be keeping watch, and in the dis- 
 tance the sky was reddened at regular intervals, and the 
 roar of the furnaces could be distinctly heard. 
 
 At last the silence within the room became unbearable 
 to the girl and she threw the work aside, saying, "Yes, 
 you are right, father! And I want to tell you about a talk 
 I had with Jack Cassady. You remember it is three 
 months since he was hurt at the works. Well, I have been 
 going to see the family ever since, and as soon as it was 
 known that he would recover — although he will always be 
 a cripple — I commenced trying to show him the peace of 
 mind he might enjoy if only he believed in Christianity. 
 Lately, I have not talked to him on the subject; for right 
 after he was hurt he said that he would like to believe it if 
 he could, and I told him that it was a free salvation, and 
 he broke out so violently that the doctor says no one 
 must mention the subject to him. The doctor insists that 
 the excitement will take away the man's last chance for 
 recovery; and so, I'll content myself with singing to him — 
 for, that, he says, does him good — as it puts him to sleep. 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL n 
 
 Isn't that a funny compliment, Daddy?" and she laughed 
 merrily. 
 
 But at the memory of the scene she was recounting 
 she became serious once more and said: "Poor fellow, he 
 does not mean it in that way at all. I cannot forget what 
 he said as he threw his arms violently about his head and 
 cried, 'Oh, yes, it's free, free, isn't it! A nice free that is 
 which is only to be got by paying the price of believing 
 what I can't believe at all.' 
 
 "That is all he said, for he hit his arm on the head- 
 board of the bed and tore open the bandage of that ter- 
 rible wound, and then he fainted." 
 
 "I've never had much use for your district visiting," 
 said her father bluntly. 
 
 "Well," she continued meditatively, "I've concluded to 
 let some one who could present the consolation of religion 
 in such a manner that it would console, do my work as 
 district visitor hereafter. Every man to his own work, 
 say I; and that is, evidently, not mine. But — there's 
 Charlie's step at the gate! Now, Father, take up that 
 paper! I'm not going to give him the satisfaction of 
 knowing that we were anxious about him." 
 
 And so the picture of quiet contentment that met the 
 eyes of Charles Arndt as, after his knock, he entered the 
 cheerful sitting room of Angus MacDonald's house, would 
 have quieted a more excitable man than even Arndt — had 
 he been in his usual condition. 
 
 His knock had been answered by Angus in a loud voice, 
 who cried, "What are you knocking for, man? Come in. 
 Come in!" Then, turning to his daughter, Angus said, 
 "There's something wrong, sure. Go out to meet him." 
 But she shook her head and sat still. 
 
 Arndt was a tall muscular fellow of perhaps twenty- 
 five, and he usually had good control of his muscles and 
 rarely showed emotion; but tonight — after he had shaken 
 hands with Angus and stooped over the chair where Nettie 
 was still busily employed with the sewing which she had 
 hastily picked up again — there was considerable excite- 
 ment visible in his eyes, and he placed his hands on her 
 arms, just below the shoulders — and with no apparent 
 effort raised her to her feet. Then, as he looked down into 
 
12 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 her face, (for her eyes refused to meet his), he said "Look 
 at me, Nettie. I want a kiss — right here and now. Never 
 mind your father!" 
 
 At these words the blue eyes flashed open, and she 
 quickly retreated one step away from him, and cried 
 angrily, "What do you mean, Sir?" 
 
 But he never moved toward her; and, as her question- 
 ing eyes gazed steadily into his, she saw something in the 
 whole appearance of the man which caused her to forget 
 even that he was her lover, and a wave of pity for him 
 swept over her, and she took back that step and threw her 
 arms around his neck and cried, "You poor boy — not one 
 kiss, but a dozen if you want them." 
 
 Then he slowly placed his hands one on each side of 
 her face and stooping kissed her on her lips, and then 
 released her. 
 
 Angus MacDonald made no motion, nor even parted 
 his tightly closed lips, during this scene. His pipe had 
 been laid on the table when Arndt entered the room, and 
 there was no fire in it now. As Nettie — still gazing at 
 Arndt as if to find out all about him — sank back into her 
 chair her father broke the silence with, "Well, Charlie, 
 my man, what is the matter?" 
 
 "Oh, nothing, and everything," said Arndt; "nothing 
 with the universe at large, and everything with me and 
 mine. I've a long story to tell you, so I'll sit down. And 
 Nettie, dear," turning to the girl who was still looking 
 steadily at him, "I had to have that kiss before I told my 
 story. I didn't feel equal to telling all without it — and 
 then, perhaps, you may not like what I have done." 
 
 Neither the father nor the daughter replied by word or 
 motion, and the young man proceeded half defiantly, "Well, 
 Mr. MacDonald, it is only that what you have warned me 
 about has happened, at last. There's no use kicking against 
 Fate, anyhow; it works its will with all of us. No, Sir! 
 I'm not discharged from the works. I've resigned my 
 position in the Consolidated Iron and Steel Company." 
 
 Angus, during these words, had pulled his pipe towards 
 him and slowly filled it from the big box of tobacco which 
 stood on the table. Nettie now reached over towards her 
 father and handed him a match, which he lighted by press- 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 13 
 
 ing the head against the hot glass of the lamp chimney. 
 As he watched the match flame up with a little explosion 
 and, as usual, leave a black mark upon the brilliantly pol- 
 ished surface of the chimney, she smiled to think how 
 much pleasure her father got out of this little habit of his. 
 That the chimney would be hard to clean had never 
 occurred to him, and she had never mentioned it. Charles 
 Arndt sat, quietly taking in every motion of father and 
 daughter, thinking how many times he had enjoyed the 
 same picture. Not many of the world's pictures are trans- 
 ferred to canvas, and Arndt was one of those who could 
 enjoy the ones which the painters miss while they are fool- 
 ing with the nude. 
 
 As Angus applied the lighted match to his pipe and 
 pulled the first whiff of smoke through the stem Arndt 
 said, "Do you care to hear the story?" and the girl cried 
 sharply, "Why not, Charlie?" 
 
 Angus slowly blew the smoke from his mouth and said 
 calmly, "Why not, man? Who should hear it if not we?" 
 Arndt replied, "Oh, well, there are people in this world 
 who would have found what I have told you, sufficient. 
 One does not get work easily these days— plenty of men 
 and few jobs — and a black-listed man has a hard time of it. 
 Oh, yes! I resigned on the spot — but that won't prevent 
 my name getting on the list. Worst offence on the cata- 
 logue at that : Telling the truth to my employer. Oh, of 
 course, you yourself are a boss, Angus, and you know they 
 don't call it by that name in the report. Well, it's quite a 
 story, so I'd better begin — for it goes a long way back. 
 You are well acquainted with Robert Endy, Jr., Esquire, 
 and know him most as well as I do. As you are aware, he' 
 and I were boys together; same schools, "same church and 
 Sunday school. I quit school a little before he did, to 
 learn my trade, and had served two years of my appren- 
 ticeship when he appeared in the shops. Now, up to the 
 time when he went off to school we were chums, and I 
 spent lots of time at the mansion; but the two years of 
 separation changed all that, and he has seemed to dislike 
 me ever since his return. His health had failed, they said, 
 as a reason for his not continuing and finishing his course 
 Anyhow, he had only two years^ schooling that I did not 
 
i 4 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 get, and, as I had kept up my studies at the night school, 
 I'm sure that I knew more about my business than he did, 
 and as much about everything else; for he was not a par- 
 ticularly bright boy. So I had two years advantage of 
 him in the shops. Well, he is the son of the Honorable 
 Robert Endy with a lot of the alphabet after his name — 
 and untold millions in his pocket." 
 
 "He is a good man, and a kind friend to me," inter- 
 rupted Angus. 
 
 "Oh, yes!" said Arndt,'Tm not saying one word against 
 old Mr. Endy; he is all that you say, and I wish that all 
 rich men were like him. Only, the way his position in the 
 world operated to help his son was a hardship to every 
 apprentice in the works. It makes me laugh every time I 
 hear that So-and-So's son has been learning his trade just 
 like a poor man's boy. Why, it's an infamous lie!" he 
 cried hotly. 
 
 "Mildly, mildly, Charlie," said Nettie. 
 
 "Now, Angus," he said, as the old man raised his hand 
 as if about to speak, "I know you are a just man, and you 
 cannot deny that every rich man's son who has gone 
 through our shops has learned the trade in the time that 
 all of us ought to have learned it, if we hadn't been held 
 back to wipe greasy machinery, and the like. Oh, I'm not 
 blaming you" (as Angus started to say something); "I 
 know you tried to make things as equal as you could, and 
 that your orders were to rush them through. I don't say 
 they didn't learn their trade, either. I only say we had to 
 do their part of the dirty work. There may be shops in 
 the United States where this is not the rule; and I think 
 that it was not quite so bad in the past century; but you 
 cannot deny that even if those men's sons had to learn the 
 trade just the same as the rest of us the lower positions 
 were the ones ahead of us and the prospect and reality of 
 the higher ones always ahead of them. I do not call this 
 justice. I would have been more fitted for Endy's position 
 today than he is if I had not been held back to give him 
 his chance. It is egotism, isn't it — but, it's also the truth. 
 Anyway, I must just tell my story. In spite of my two 
 years' start of him — and the fact that I studied almost 
 every night at the technical side of my trade — Bob Endy 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 15 
 
 was through that part of the business a year ahead of me, 
 and I, this morning, was an under-boss in the works, and 
 he was made Assistant Superintendent of this division of 
 the plant, yesterday ; and he took charge this morning. Of 
 course, all this is no news to you, Angus, but," turning to 
 Nettie, "I suppose that the latter portion of it is to you." 
 
 "Some of it I knew," she said quietly. 
 
 "Well, Angus," said Arndt, "how do you like the idea 
 of the Honorable Robert for a boss?" 
 
 But MacDonald said only, "What has that got to do 
 with your story, Charlie?" 
 
 "Oh!" said the other quickly, "perhaps more than you 
 think." 
 
 Angus half rose from his chair but settled back again 
 and said, "You haven't told me a thing I didn't know. 
 All that you've said about favoritism is true; but I've often 
 tried to point out to you that some men must rule, that 
 some must fill these higher positions and some do the 
 rougher tasks and that we simply cannot alter the working 
 of the laws of evolution. For — as Longfellow expresses it: 
 
 'Some must follow and some command, 
 Though all are made of clay.' 
 
 "It is perfectly natural for the rich man to educate his 
 sons for these commanding positions — and in the only way 
 possible; that is, by having them go right through the 
 works like any other young man. And, of course, they 
 are anxious to have their children get through the 
 drudgery and dirty part of it as soon as possible. The 
 trouble does not lie there. These rich corporations should 
 pay men who have a capacity for nothing higher, to do 
 that work, and thus relieve some of the poverty of the 
 world. And as for your studying at night ; why, I think 
 you should see that you got your position of under-boss so 
 soon, simply because you were fitted for it." 
 
 He paused as Arndt made an impatient gesture with 
 his hand and broke out, "Oh, yes! but you forget to men- 
 tion that in spite of my fitness it was necessary for my 
 friend Angus MacDonald to say a word or so for me. 
 We've gone over that ground often; but of the injustice 
 
16 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 of the whole system to the rest of us, you always refuse 
 to speak." 
 
 "Well," said Angus, "you call it injustice, and it looks 
 like injustice and cruelty; but it is simply the way in which 
 the law of evolution works — the world over. You cannot 
 deny that the big fish eats the little fish simply because he 
 is big and able to do it — and is hungry. The feelings of 
 the little fish do not seem to be considered any more than 
 the feelings of the still smaller fish whom he ate for his 
 breakfast have been taken into account. It's the old rule, 
 'Unto him that hath shall be given' and, although it seems 
 to be cruel, it all appears to work out all right — if only we 
 don't think about individual feelings." 
 
 Here Arndt interrupted: "But it's individual cases and 
 individual feelings that I am talking about. I know the ins 
 and outs of the application of this theory of yours to the 
 universe in general, and — " 
 
 He was going on, but Nettie stopped him with a ges- 
 ture and a look, and said, "Charlie, why did you lose your 
 place?" 
 
 Then he said bitterly, "Oh, I see, you have got rid of 
 my resignation as easily as Endy will — when he places my 
 name on the blacklist." 
 
 She looked appealingly at him and he smiled to her as 
 he lightly said, "It is all very simple. The spirit of seventy- 
 six rose in its might today in the person of Charles Arndt, 
 under-boss in the locomotive department of the C. I. and 
 S. Company, and when the Right Honorable Endy, 
 Esquire, addressed him as Number 703 he quietly remarked 
 that his name was Charles Arndt, and that he hadn't for- 
 gotten either it or the fact that the person who addressed 
 him as if he were a convict was called Robert Endy." 
 
 "Good!" cried Nettie as she drew her chair close to him 
 and laid her hand on his which had the arm of the chair in 
 a tight and hard grip. "Good! I say. I am proud of you. 
 What did Endy say?" 
 
 And Angus added, "What did the Superintendent say?" 
 but he did not echo that "Good." 
 
 As Arndt felt that touch he opened his tight grip on 
 the arm of the chair and stroked the soft, warm hand — 
 which now rested where his had — and he replied, "Oh, he 
 
 C 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 17 
 
 just drew himself up in that pompous style of his and said: 
 'Number 703, please report at my office in an hour,' and he 
 turned away. But I stepped in front of him and said, 'Mr. 
 Superintendent, it will be unnecessary, since I hand you my 
 resignation on the spot — to take effect at your pleasure,' 
 and he replied, 'At once, then, if you please. Number 704 
 temporarily fill the position,' and in half an hour number 
 907 had been promoted to the place, permanently." 
 
 "Too bad, too bad," said Angus with a sigh. "I've been 
 afraid of it ever since that order came out. There is not 
 a man, who is a man, who likes to be called by a number 
 instead of a name. Why, I've had a fancy that even the 
 locomotives don't like it — though we do make so many o£ 
 them that it seems useless to even try to get names for 
 them all, and there are plenty of numbers to go around; 
 but in the men's case the real trouble is that it is actually 
 easier to remember a man's name than his number, and so, 
 the first thing that comes after that order is the logical con- 
 sequence that the men have to wear their numbers — and 
 then you've got them tagged like slaves or convicts; and 
 that seems to be everlastingly preventing the only good 
 thing ever I could see in the law of evolution ; namely, that 
 its ultimate result appeared to be to turn out a higher aver- 
 age of manhood all around; but if the thing is going to 
 work this way — and turn out only a few men — and the rest 
 of us numbers, and therefore not individuals, and there- 
 fore not men, why, I am sure I do not like the prospect — 
 although my likes and dislikes will not change anything, 
 either. 
 
 "I've not liked that order, and I've not been very strict 
 about its being enforced." 
 
 Here he looked quizzically at Arndt, who laughed as he 
 said, "Not very; and the men all appreciate your making a 
 dead letter of it for those under you, and we wish that you 
 would throw your influence in our favor by joining the 
 Union. We need such men as you very much." 
 
 But the old man said, "Can't do it, Charlie. Can't do 
 it ! I am afraid that the outcome of the combination of the 
 workingmen will be a civil war — that is Mr. Endy's opin- 
 ion, also. And, of course, you were wrong to get into 
 trouble about the numbering. One must just grin and 
 
18 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 bear some things. What are you and Nettie going to do 
 about it? You can't get married on nothing today and 
 no more for tomorrow, and I suppose you're both too 
 proud to take mOney from me." 
 
 Arndt said nothing, waiting for Nettie to speak; but he 
 had only an instant to wait, for at her father's question her 
 hand dosed tightly over the fingers that had been softly 
 stroking kers, and she said emphatically, "We are going to 
 be true to each other and are going to wait for better 
 times," and then questioningly to Arndt, "Are we not, 
 dear?" 
 
 And he raised her hand to his lips and said, "Sweet- 
 heart, we are!" 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 "The end is not while we can say, 'This is the end.' " 
 
 — Homely Truths. 
 
 After a few moments silence Arndt said to Nettie, 
 "Little girl, it is very late, and I ought to go; but I want 
 to smoke a pipe with your father, and, since it is too cold 
 to walk out of doors as we do in summer time, I'll have to 
 ask you to say good-night and leave us to smoke indoors." 
 
 "Well I declare," she cried; "if that isn't presumption. 
 The idea of your sending me to bed! Why, I'll tell you, 
 Sir, that not even my father has done that for, lo, these 
 many years. And I'm " 
 
 But what she was or was not, was not told — that night ; 
 for she saw a look of trouble in Arndt's eyes that stopped 
 her suddenly, and she went over to her father's chair and 
 leaned down and kissed him on the forehead and then on 
 the lips and said, "Good-night, Daddy. Good-night, 
 Daddy, dear! Don't you worry; it will come out all right 
 in the end — and ' Tis the end that crowns the work,' you 
 know." 
 
 As she came around to Arndt's side of the table he left 
 his chair and placed his arm about her and they walked 
 together to the door where he — as he stooped to kiss her 
 — said, "I must talk about my plans to your father, first, 
 dear," and she said, "That's right," and started for the 
 stairs where she stopped for an instant in the full light 
 of the lamp and then hastily ran back to the door which 
 Arndt — who was still looking at her — was holding open. 
 Here she raised her face to him and said, "Remember, you 
 are mine; and I'm never, never, going to give you up — 
 unless you want me to." 
 
 And he said, "I will never forget it, Sweetheart," and 
 then he kissed her once more — and not until she was out 
 of sight did he close the door. 
 
 "Now," said Angus as the young man resumed his 
 
 19 
 
20 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 seat and filled a pipe which he had taken from the mantel 
 shelf, "Now, tell me the whole truth." 
 
 "All right," said Arndt; "what I've told you is correct 
 so far as it goes; but it only goes a little of the way, as 
 you can guess. I'm sorry that it seemed necessary to dis- 
 regard your wishes in this matter. I did not know how 
 you would look at it, either, because it affects Nettie as 
 well as myself. It seemed as if I had held back on your 
 account and the men's as long as was possible — and this 
 morning I was fighting other people's battles as well as my 
 own. Most of the bosses in the works have been angry 
 at the promotion of such men as Endy to high positions. 
 Of course, he knows his business thoroughly, but he doesn't 
 know how to treat a man; and it was for the purpose of 
 breaking our manhood so as to make it easier for such as 
 he to handle us — that's what they call it, just as if we 
 were machines, — as much as for the reasons they gave 
 the Press that the order to number the men was issued; — 
 at least that's what we believe. 
 
 "Well, we saw that you didn't like the order and made 
 it as easy as you could for us, and the same way with 
 Laird whose place Endy has taken — you two would treat 
 us like men, even if we were numbered like convicts. So, 
 as wages were advanced all along the line before the last 
 election we decided to do nothing for the present. But 
 this morning, when I entered the office, I heard Endy's 
 voice and paused involuntarily as he continued what he 
 was saying to the Superintendent. His back was turned 
 to me and as his chief saw me and made no effort to stop 
 him I heard him say : 'Yes, Sir ! MacDonald must be 
 removed. Black is a young man and can take his place, 
 and he will enforce this order which MacDonald is evad- 
 ing.' So," continued Arndt without looking up — for he 
 did not wish to see the face of Angus, — "So, I knew the 
 fight was on, and I determined to deliberately deliver the 
 first blow; for I felt certain yesterday — as soon as I heard 
 that Endy was to be in our department — that some of us 
 would be on the black-list, soon." 
 
 He hesitated for a moment waiting for some remark 
 from the old man, but still did not look across the table; 
 and as Angus was apparently wanting more time to collect 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 21 
 
 himself, Arndt continued, saying, "He has never forgiven 
 you for insisting that part of learning the trade was wiping 
 dirty engines— and he will never forgive me for kicking 
 every time he was let off of a nastv job. And, although 
 this is the outcome of it, I want to tell you that I'm proud 
 of you every time I think of the days that Endy had to 
 walk the streets of this old town just as black and dirtv as 
 any o us And"-laughingly-"I am somewhat proud of 
 myself when I think of the useless kicking I did everv 
 time he and such as he got promoted out of their turn 
 
 1 was late tonight because of attendance at a called 
 meeting of the Union. I can't tell even you what we 
 decided upon,— that's a secret; but we—" 
 
 The words died out of the young man's mouth. He 
 I Srff. 8 ° n without looking at his companion 
 who had laid his pipe on the table and shaded his e V es 
 with his hand when he heard Endv's words repeated. Now 
 the hand fell suddenly to his sid e ; and the look on the face 
 of Angus MacDonald told Arndt that the C. I. and S Co 
 would never discharge the man who for five and thirtv 
 years had faithfully served them and their predecessors 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 "The quality of mercy is not strained." 
 
 — Shakespeare. 
 
 This same Tuesday night, after Robert Endy's return 
 from the neighboring city of Clyde — where he had been 
 listening to one of the finest operas this country has ever 
 heard, — he came home early. That is to say, as soon as 
 the performance was over, for the music to which he had 
 been listening was tunefully ringing in his ears and pulsing 
 through every vein in his body, and he did not care to 
 talk to anyone. 
 
 Music was the tender spot in this man's character. He 
 had a spllendid voice, and could also have been a brilliant 
 performer on the piano, but he had now given all that up; 
 for, as he said, "A business man has no time for it!" He 
 once replied to an invitation to attend a grand concert, 
 "No thank you. I have to discharge and blacklist several 
 men — tomorrow, and I must be as hard as nails for the 
 job." Setting his jaw firmly he continued as if to himself, 
 "No music for me, tonight; for they have got to go!" 
 However, that was in earlier days. 
 
 As he opened the door to his father's house (where he 
 had rooms which he usually occupied when not in his apart- 
 ments in the city) he made a picture such as any parent's 
 heart would have responded to. Tall, athletic, — decidedly 
 good looking — with no sign of manual labor about him in 
 any curve of his well-fed body, dressed in full evening suit, 
 with a smile that brightened his face as he hummed a part 
 of the opera which had particularly pleased him — even 
 Arndt would have enjoyed the picture (though he might 
 afterwards have remembered it with bitterness as only a 
 drop more of gall added to the day's cup which this man 
 had poured out for him and his friends). 
 
 As he entered the hall the old servant said, "Mr. Rob- 
 ert, Sir, your father left word that he would be in the 
 library and wanted to see you whenever vou returned." 
 
 22 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 23 
 
 "Why, Rollins," said he, "there is surely some mistake 
 — my father is certainly in bed and asleep; it is long past 
 midnight now." 
 
 But Rollins replied positively, "Those were my orders, 
 Sir; and your father was wide awake in the library not so 
 long ago, for he called me in and cautioned me to not 
 forget the message." 
 
 "Oh," said Robert — under his breath — "if it must be, 
 it must be; though I suspect," he continued as he walked 
 slowly along the beautiful hall towards the library, "it 
 isn't going to be pleasant for either of us." 
 
 "Well, Father," .said he as he entered the room whose 
 walls, as high as a man could reach, were covered with 
 cases of black walnut whose shelves were filled with books 
 holding the accumulated wit and wisdom of the ages, — 
 "Well, Father?" as the older man looked up quickly, 
 "What is it?" 
 
 "Back, eh! Robert?" said his father, "Yes, it is rather 
 late for a talk; but I heard that you had some trouble at 
 the works today, and I wanted to hear your version of it." 
 
 "Certainly, Sir," said his son, "but I expect that all you 
 have heard is true. Charles Arndt was discharged for 
 insubordination, and the retirement of Angus MacDonald, 
 and others, was decided upon." 
 
 His father said, "You certainly have a way of present- 
 ing things baldly, — if that is a merit. It was not so consid- 
 ered in my time." 
 
 "No?" said his son; "but that time rs past — never to 
 return. This is the day of young men and business meth- 
 ods. This big corporation can't be run on the same sched- 
 ule as the little company from which it sprang. Arndt 
 wanted me to treat him as if he were still my companion 
 and friend. I've outgrown all that, — long years ago; and 
 even if I hadn't, still, every man under me must obey every 
 rule of the company." 
 
 "What has MacDonald done?" interjected his father. 
 
 "As for MacDonald, he has served the company faith- 
 fully; but he is very well off, I am informed, and is able 
 to retire. Besides, he is getting on in life, and there are 
 plenty of young men — with good ideas in their heads — 
 who have had special training at just such work as he is 
 
24 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 doing; and Black, who will get his place, is the very fellow 
 for it: — young, energetic, with a wife and baby (and so, 
 not liable to go on a strike — if he can help it), he is just 
 the man; and besides, I can get Black to do exactly what 
 I want done without any words wasted, while MacDonald 
 would never forget that I learned the trade under him, 
 and he would be apt to answer back or want to argue 
 about it, at best." 
 
 Here his father broke in — "Oh, yes! I expect you could 
 go on all night giving me very good reasons for what you 
 have done or are determined to do. You are my own 
 son; but where you got the merciless disposition you show 
 these days passes my comprehension, — certainly, certainly 
 not from your sainted mother! I am not blind to your 
 faults — even though you are her child. You are a hard 
 man. Under the head of 'Good of the Company' I fear 
 that you are trying to get a little private revenge against 
 the man who has been the life-long friend of your father — 
 simply because he insisted upon your learning your trade 
 thoroughly." 
 
 Here his son interrupted with the first sign of impa- 
 tience he had shown. "I beg your pardon, Sir," said he, 
 "but I would like you to do me justice. I do not deny 
 being a hard man. I am the result of conditions which I 
 did nothing to bring about. I would willingly have busi- 
 ness conducted as in your time when courtesies were 
 extended even between rival houses, and when thought 
 was taken for the welfare of the employees and, in isolated 
 instances, for their welfare as human beings. But I have 
 kept my eyes wide open, and I see — the world over — 
 that the only stepping stone to success in the future is 
 success in the present. Men like Laird and MacDonald 
 who take thought for the personal wellbeing of their sub- 
 ordinates are very popular with the workingmen; but they 
 have to give place to men like myself and Black who will 
 discharge a man whenever he violates a rule of the com- 
 pany, or whenever his work does not come up to require- 
 ment — no matter what the cause may be. Of course, it's 
 bitterly hard for them to fail in life — but it's their failure 
 or mine: and I am going to succeed, even if I have to do 
 it by following strictly business principles and methods. 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 25 
 
 Oh, of course! There are firms that employ women — 
 and who deal directly with the public — who take some 
 care of their employees. I've no objection whatever to 
 that. It's for their interest to have them in the best pos- 
 sible physical condition, and it is good business--if it 
 pays — and a cheap advertisement, anyhow: and they find 
 that it yields cash returns or they would not do it. But 
 I am handling men. The public does not know any more 
 than we wish them to about what goes on in our mills. 
 And as for Arndt — " 
 
 "Yes!" broke in his father, "as for Arndt! I know 
 something about him, personally, and he is a thoroughly 
 able man in his department — and a friend of MacDonald's ; 
 and all I can say is that I am sorry for him if he has fallen 
 under your displeasure; for I think you are a very hard 
 man." 
 
 "Well, I'm no harder than business makes one," 
 retorted his son. 
 
 His father stopped him, saying, "I made my money 
 honestly, without becoming hard." 
 
 "Yes," his son replied, "but the foundation was laid 
 before you were born by my Grandfather's purchasing 
 land for a mere song, and you had a good start on your 
 own account before I was ten years old — when the com- 
 petition was nothing to what it is today, — and I ask you 
 to remember those facts. 
 
 "One who has not made his mark before he is forty is 
 doomed, in these times. It is true, as you say, that you 
 are rich enough for both of us; but that is not the thing. 
 Money is only a means to an end — today. What we want 
 is power! What we are striving for is to excel. Now, 
 you made your life a success in your own way and among 
 your own contemporaries. To live on your success, would 
 be to make my life a failure. I want my own success, — 
 and by the Eternal, I am going to have it! Mercy isn't 
 known in business today; and the man who tries to use 
 it will simply go down. I am sorry to see any old, faith- 
 ful employee have to lose his place, and if the Company 
 will pension off every one of these old men who are stand- 
 ing in the road of my success — instead of simply dropping 
 them — why, I've not a word to say, — so long as I don't 
 
26 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 hold much of the Company's stock. If I did," he said 
 lightly, "that would be another matter." 
 
 "I see!" said his father, " 'a candid confession' — and so 
 forth." 
 
 "Why, certainly, Sir," said Robert, "and further, I will 
 confess that I'm not as sorry to see MacDonald go as I 
 will be to compel some of the others to retire. You think 
 that I hold malice towards him because of the nasty work 
 he made me do; but, again, I say you do me injustice. It 
 wasn't the drudgery or the dirty work. I never shirked 
 either, when I could learn anything by it; but MacDonald, 
 because he was your friend, was not just to me for fear of 
 appearing to favor my father's son. I lost time — one 
 whole year — under him that is gone forever out of my 
 life, — and I neither forget nor forgive such things. 
 
 "That one year may make the difference between suc- 
 cess and failure. Who knows? Some day I may want to 
 be President; and I've known more than one man to fail 
 because he came on the scene one year too late. 
 
 "Of course, I feel sorry for the other boys who were 
 apprentices at the same time and who, today, are only 
 skilled machinists or under-bosses; but it would not be 
 believed if it was told them, and, anyway, we've got to 
 have privates in the army of labor as well as in the regular 
 army, and we've found that army methods of treating the 
 men under one are the only methods that will keep them 
 from ultimately getting the upper hand: — so we have 
 adopted those methods." 
 
 "And yet you wonder when Arndt or any of the others 
 rebel!" interjected his father. 
 
 "Wonder? Not I," said his son. "I wouldn't stand 
 what they have to — not for a minute! And as for Arndt, 
 I am glad that he gave me a chance at him so promptly. 
 Arndt is a leader in the Union, and I am not going to be 
 able to get along with any of them. No, Sir, I am not 
 going to blacklist him, although you and he, I think, 
 expect me to do so. But I'm not certain that he did not 
 force my hand today in order to not obey a single com- 
 mand of mine. Anyhow, I am simply going to weed out 
 of my department every man who won't, or can't do the 
 best possible work for the Company (and incidentally for 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 27 
 
 me); for any man who has a sickly wife, or a profligate 
 son, or a store bill hanging over him, isn't going to be 
 able to put his whole mind on his work like one who is 
 without these incumbrances, — and my department must 
 show such returns in the next six months that the Super- 
 intendent shall step down, — or on, — and I am going to 
 step up. Yes, Sir, I've allowed six months for that; and 
 I have the remainder of the career approximately mapped 
 out. What is to become of those whom I displace, you 
 ask? I really cannot tell you, Sir." 
 
 "Well," said his father, "that sounds very nice for Rob- 
 ert Endy, Jr.; but let me ask you one question: Is that 
 the road to success in business today?" 
 
 "It is the only one I have ever heard about," said his 
 son. "I've studied the lives of successful business men of 
 this and past times ; and while they give tremendous sums 
 to the public for various reasons (but chiefly to ease their 
 consciences, I think, — and I may do the same some day) 
 after they have succeeded, yet the methods they took to 
 get the money were identical with those I propose to 
 use. They simply employed the labor and skill of other 
 men and paid them only a moiety of what it was actually 
 worth to them and to the world. In other words, they 
 were 'Masters of Men,' and I intend to be one also. I do 
 not intend to be unnecessarily unjust or cruel, but I do 
 not intend to fail on account of any softness at the wrong 
 time. I have but one life to live, — " 
 
 "How about the next one?" said his father, interrupting 
 him sternly. 
 
 "Now, Sir," said Robert, "I'll just tell you what I heard 
 a friend of mine — who is already a very successful business 
 man — say. He was asked to subscribe to the salary of a 
 preacher whom I know that he never goes to hear — and 
 whom he personally dislikes, — and I was surprised to see 
 the largeness of his subscription. When I asked him about 
 it he said, 'Why, man, have you never thought of that? 
 Certainly, I subscribe to the salary of every one they give 
 me a chance at. A good dose of cash shuts the mouth of 
 the Pulpit as well as of the Press ; and we have got to keep 
 the poor and middle classes believing in a Bible that tells 
 them to remain in subjection to the powers that be, and 
 
28 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 in a hell and a devil in the future, or they will make both 
 articles for us on short notice in the present. Remember 
 the Reign of Terror in France.' And so, it is good busi- 
 ness to pay largely for the police power of the church. 
 Those are business methods and reasons, Sir." 
 
 "Then," said the old man, "thank God that I am out 
 of what you designate Business. I have another name for 
 it. I am going to call at MacDonald's in the morning. I 
 had wondered why he did not come to see me last week, 
 but I hear that he has not been well enough to be at the 
 works these last few days. I am going to offer him a job 
 of some kind (though what it will be I cannot now imag- 
 ine, for he is infatuated with his position and the works) 
 to keep him from eating his heart out at this blow. It is 
 not money he needs. Grant me this much that you will 
 defer action on his case for two days." 
 
 "Oh," said Robert, "that is easily done. I've plenty of 
 others to start on. And the Superintendent has given me 
 a free hand. All he asks of me is results in finished work. 
 That secures his promotion." 
 
 "Well, Sir," said his father, "I've been afraid, for some 
 time, that your environment was making you a selfish, 
 hard man; and I only hope that you will receive in the 
 day you ask for mercy, a different quality than you are 
 dealing out today." 
 
 "I'm no worse than other successful men," said Rob- 
 ert. "I'm a product of my time; and as for Mercy, I'll not 
 ask for any. There's no such thing in the universe. Self, 
 in one form or other, rules the world; and even the God 
 most men worship is said to condemn or save his creatures 
 solely for His own glory. Why do you expect me to be 
 better than He? You know, as well as I do, that those 
 who follow the teachings which make men renounce 
 wealth and all those things the world covets are despised 
 and looked down upon and considered failures, — as much 
 now as when Jesus Christ was alive. I am no hypocrite: I 
 consider the Socialist with his insane and unworkable doc- 
 trine of an equality of opportunity and plenty for all, 
 simply a fool for his pains; and the rest of the world is 
 divided into but two classes; those who are rich and 
 those who want to be. I am of the first class, but differ 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 29 
 
 forever from most of them in that I make no pretense to 
 be shaping my conduct by the pattern of Christianity. I 
 say that no rich man, to my knowledge, is one step beyond 
 the Jehovaic doctrines of an eye for an eye — nor, indeed, 
 are they up to them." 
 
 His father looked steadily at him for several minutes, 
 and then said, "I am truly glad to be able to agree with 
 you on at least that latter point; and I mean it when I 
 say that I am thankful to hear such a candid opinion on 
 my own life,— though I am aware that you did not mean 
 to be personal. It is true— too true— that we live unjus- 
 tifiably for self. I have long been aware that my own life 
 was not beyond reproach — " 
 
 But his son would listen to no more and exclaimed, 
 "Do me justice, Sir, do me justice! I was speaking in 
 general terms; and certainly the only reproach that could 
 be placed on you is that you continue to share in the 
 profits of the very corporations whose methods you con- 
 demn—and there, any one who knows you will be aware 
 that, living as retired as you do, you are probably ignorant 
 of what is being done in the world today." 
 _ "Such ignorance is culpable!" said his father, emphat- 
 ically, "for no man has any right to live in the past as I 
 have done— even though it was for a praiseworthy object." 
 His son looked inquiringly at him ; but, as he received 
 no encouragement, he simply asked, "The two days will 
 give you time enough to soften the blow to MacDonald?" 
 "Yes," said his father. 
 But the blozo had fallen. 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 ''Till we meet again." 
 
 -Old song. 
 
 The picture presented in that quiet roam in the house 
 on the river road in the town of Steelton, at the moment 
 when Charles Arndt looked past the lamp which stood 
 on the table between him and the body of Angus Mac- 
 Donald, was one which he would never have forgotten; 
 but he saw nothing except the face of that dead man. 
 
 And thus he sat as if paralyzed — without making the 
 slightest sound or motion — minute after minute, which the 
 tall clock in the corner ticked out second by second. He 
 afterwards remembered that he had a knowledge of the 
 ticking of the clock, and, that, mechanically he had counted 
 as he sat there gazing across the table as if waiting for 
 Angus to speak. 
 
 "Three hundred!" he involuntarily said, aloud; and the 
 sound of his own voice as it broke the silence caused him 
 to start to his feet with the exclamation, "And Nettie must 
 be told! Great God: It was my hand that struck the 
 blow ! Oh, Angus, Angus, why didn't you tell me." 
 
 At this moment the doorbell rang, and Arndt hastened 
 through the doorway by which Nettie had so recently 
 passed and noiselessly crossed the few feet which lay 
 between it and the front door. 
 
 This he quickly opened (as it was not locked for the 
 night, owing to his presence in the house), and it seemed 
 so natural that it should be Dr. Kenedy who stood there 
 that he only said "In there" and pointed to the open door 
 through which the lamplight was streaming into the dark- 
 ness of the hallway. 
 
 The lamp at the foot of the stairs had gone out; so 
 neither the doctor nor he saw Nettie as she came down 
 the stairs — mechanically buttoning her dress at the throat 
 as she descended. 
 
 30 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 31 
 
 Arndt, softly, shut and fastened the front door and fol- 
 lowed the physician so closely that the two men entered 
 the room at nearly the same moment; and as the doctor 
 saw the face of the man who sat on the opposite side of 
 the table — with, the full light of the lamp upon him — he 
 exclaimed, "Too late — too late! when did it happen?" 
 
 Then Arndt told the story as they busied themselves in 
 getting the body on the lounge and tried restoratives. 
 
 Neither of the men saw the figure of the silent woman 
 in the hallway who listened to every word and watched 
 every motion — but who never moved a step after she 
 caught sight of her father's face. 
 
 "Well," said Kenedy at last, "I'm awful sorry you 
 told him so suddenly. He might have survived the losing 
 of his position at the works — for many years — had the 
 news been broken to him softly. It's partly my fault, 
 however. I ought not to have consented to let him keep 
 his condition secret; but he said that you and others 
 relieved him at the shop of all heavy work, and that all he 
 had to do was oversee; — and he insisted that idleness 
 would kill him, and that he could do that much as well as 
 any man, for many years to come, — provided the Company 
 didn't find out how it was with him. 'For,' said he, 'they 
 don't want men around who are liable to make any one 
 lose a minute.' And so, I consented — after cautioning him 
 about excitement; and I likewise told Nettie that her father 
 must be kept as quiet as possible. 
 
 "I was passing the house, and as I had heard a rumor 
 that he would be discharged I thought — when I saw tha 
 light — that I would prepare him as best I could. But th* 
 is all we can ever do for him. Now, we must think of 
 Nettie." 
 
 As the girl heard her name the first time it was men- 
 tioned she staggered like one who is suddenly awakened 
 while walking in her sleep, and while the doctor was still 
 speaking she rocked to and fro upon her feet as if she 
 would surely fall— but this the men within the room could 
 not see. Upon his second utterance of her name she 
 regained control of herself; and as they straightened them- 
 selves they both involuntarily looked towards the doorway 
 
32 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 and saw her as the first step brought her within the rays 
 of light of the sitting room lamp. 
 
 Dr. Kenedy has seen many strange sights and may for- 
 get the one which met his eyes; but Charles Arndt never 
 will. 
 
 Here was no "Little Girl" as Arndt lovingly called as 
 he sprang with outstretched arms towards her ! 
 
 She motioned him to stop. 
 
 There stood before them a woman, who appeared to 
 have grown at least six inches since Arndt saw her last. 
 Her face was absolutely white, and Arndt — who had a 
 passion for watching and comparing shades of color — 
 found himself gazing at that whiteness and wondering 
 when a tinge of red would break the terrible resemblance 
 to a mask. 
 
 Her eyes had a glitter in them which made their blue- 
 ness black; and her face showed not one sign of the sor- 
 row or mourning which might assuredly have been looked 
 for there; a hatred intense and deadly such as none could 
 wish to see if the hatred were for him or one he loved, 
 was stamped on every beautiful feature, and her voice — ■ 
 low and clear — had a note in it which neither man could 
 recognize as hers, as she rejected the doctor's proffered 
 chair and said, "Thank you, Doctor, for what you have 
 already done. I wish you to remain a few moments before 
 you go to attend to the necessary arrangements for me. 
 Won't you be seated?" 
 
 But neither man made a motion. The Doctor was 
 looking at her professionally, expecting a collapse at any 
 moment. Arndt was simply waiting. 
 
 And so they stood there for a little while with that dead 
 body in the background, covered only by the shadow of 
 Nettie's form as she stood and looked at it and then 
 finally moved over towards it. 
 
 Then the words of Poe, 
 
 "And my soul from out that shadow- 
 Shall be lifted — Nevermore," 
 
 rang through the brain of her lover, suddenly, as he saw 
 the blackness spread until it covered the whole side of the 
 room as she paused beside the table — and, reaching across, 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 33 
 
 —took up her father's pipe, kissed it, and then quickly 
 placing- it upon the glowing coals of the fire quietly closed 
 the door of the stove and turned away. 
 
 Towards her father's body she made no movement 
 after that, but broke the silence by the remark, "I heard 
 every word that you said, Gentlemen." 
 
 "Well," said Kenedy, "I think you are holding some 
 one responsible for his death; and I have only to say that 
 he has been liable — for several years — to die just this way, 
 and — " 
 
 "That may be true," interrupted the girl, "but I heard 
 you say that he might have lived for years if he could 
 have gone on with his work without any sudden shock. 
 There is but one man responsible for this night's work — 
 and he may never suffer for it. But there are others who 
 will suffer: I for one, and," looking straight at Arndt, 
 "you, for the other, Charlie." 
 
 She waited an instant as if for him to speak; but he 
 never even moved his lips. Then the doctor said, sooth- 
 ingly, "You are excited now, Nettie, and will think differ- 
 ently about all this tomorrow." 
 
 But Arndt motioned him to be quiet — he knew the girl 
 and was impatient at the delay. 
 
 "I say again," said Nettie, "that there is one man guilty 
 in the sight of God and all just men of deliberate murder, 
 and not in this case only; and his name is Robert Endy, 
 Junior. He is using a terrible system to further his ambi- 
 tion. He, and men like him, are making the system daily 
 and hourly more and more intolerable. You," turning to 
 Arndt, "are a victim, even as I; and the reason the mur- 
 derous system exists today is that there has not been 
 found one man unselfish enough to give up his own pleas- 
 ure and happiness and devote his life to the slaying of the 
 monster. Such men don't seem to be born these days. 
 But. maybe, I can find a man to redress my wrongs, even 
 if he will not resent those done to himself. ' I tell you now 
 that until the life of Robert Endy is made a failure, abso- 
 lute and complete, I will never be your wife: So help me 
 God! Then after an instant's pause, terrible, intense: "I 
 call on God's Recording Angel to register my vow." 
 
 As she stopped, Arndt stepped forward and cried,— 
 
34 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 "Not that, Nettie, not that!" but quickly recovering him- 
 self he said — as he straightened as one does when saluting 
 a superior, "I accept your conditions, dear; only, remember 
 that I am yours and you are mine — though our hands may 
 never meet." 
 
 Here Kenedy broke in: "You are beside yourselves. 
 This is simply nonsense! You two are out of your heads 
 tonight." 
 
 "Oh," said Nettie, quietly, "perhaps so; but it is with 
 trouble. I suppose the rich think that all who do not like 
 the results of their methods, assuredly are crazy. I only 
 hope they also think that we have forgotten our injuries 
 (because, for the present, we do nothing). And now, Doc- 
 tor," she concluded, "will you be so kind as to attend to 
 the other matters for us. Mr. Arndt will stay with me 
 here until you can bring your wife. I am certain that she 
 will come." 
 
 So those two waited in the presence of that dead man 
 who had been as a father for many years to the man — and 
 father, brother and sister to the girl since the days of early 
 childhood; and of the thoughts that passed through their 
 minds as they stood hand in hand and looked at that peace- 
 ful face, none should speak — for they are too tender for 
 words. 
 
 But, as they turned away and seated themselves they 
 looked into each other's eyes, and they thought other 
 thoughts; of thwarted hopes, and of retribution — and of its 
 methods; — and of those thoughts neither should any be 
 told — else might Robert Endy, Jr., hear of them. 
 
 After the arrival of the doctor and his wife, as they 
 parted at the outer door Arndt said, "I will see you often, 
 dear;" and she replied, "Why, of course, as long as we 
 are in reach of each other." 
 
 Then he said, "That system has slain my best friend 
 and ruined my life's happiness, and from this day I fight 
 it, openly and above board and with whatever weapon 
 comes to my hand; though the end will, for us, I think, 
 be failure." 
 
 There was no tremor in her handclasp. Nettie said, 
 "The system may be too strong for us; but I think that 
 we can, very certainly, get at one man." 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 35 
 
 But Arndt shook his head as he replied, "No! I think 
 that we must strike him through the system. You, nor I, 
 can never take a personal revenge in any other way. The 
 man is the result of the system. He was not a cruel boy. 
 I think that he will even be truly sorry for you." 
 
 But the woman cried out sharply: "I want none of his 
 sympathy! Will his sympathy undo his work? Will it 
 restore the dead to life? You, with your Quixotic ideas 
 of elevating the masses, may fight a system — as you have 
 fought : and you will fail — as you have failed. Your work- 
 ingmen's Unions are just as selfish in their way as are the 
 rich men's methods: it is all for self or a class. Show me 
 a movement that insists upon equality of opportunity and 
 equality of remuneration for all, and you by means of it 
 may reach these murderers! 
 
 "Let me tell you! Men make systems — and such men 
 as Robert Endy make these iniquitous conditions. A 
 product of Evolution, you say? So are rattlesnakes and 
 boa-constrictors. We kill the first before he strikes. Why 
 shall we not at least make an effort to kill the latter when 
 it is already folded about us and we feel the monster 
 crushing the life out of us?" 
 
 Then Arndt said soothingly, "Hush, child, hush! there 
 are too many people who are thinking that way already." 
 
 But the woman broke in again: "I wish in Heaven's 
 name that there were millions more, hundreds of millions 
 more, of them ; then we might succeed. But, failure or no 
 failure, I'm in the fight till death." 
 
 "And I," said Arndt. "Good-bye, my love, until we 
 meet again.*' 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 "There are swift hours in life, strong, rushing hours, 
 That do the work of tempests in their might." 
 
 — Hemans. 
 
 As soon as the door closed behind Arndt, Nettie, on 
 finding herself on the same spot where she had stood 
 during that terrible half-hour while she watched the men 
 as they worked to restore her father, suddenly stopped, 
 and with staring eyes wavered to and fro as she had done 
 before. 
 
 This time there was only the body of her father — lying 
 as if asleep on the lounge — to meet her gaze; and the 
 awful reality that he would never again speak in loving 
 tones, swept over her. 
 
 With a cry which rang through closed doors and solid 
 walls she said, "Oh, Daddy, Daddy, dear!" and would have 
 rushed to his side; but took only one step before uncon- 
 sciousness seized her. 
 
 Dr. Kenedy — who was waiting in the shadow, expect- 
 ing this very result — caught her as she tottered, *nd then 
 said briskly, "Now, wife, call Arndt;" and l«^n Mrs. 
 Kenedy stepped quickly to the door and opened it — and 
 Arndt, who had heard that cry not only with his ears but 
 in every fibre of his being — as he paced up and down 
 before the house, — was already on the top step and passed 
 instantly to the assistance of the doctor. 
 
 Between them the unconscious girl was quickly placed 
 upon her bed, and Arndt, by the direction of the physician, 
 hastened to the nearest neighbor's house for help. 
 
 On his return he resumed his solitary walk ; up and 
 down before the house. Up and down the man paced step 
 by step with soldierly tread, and his thoughts were all of 
 the walks which he and Angus and Nettie had taken in the 
 summer nights which were past. As he became quieter he 
 took in the fact that even here, at a distance of half a 
 
 36 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 37 
 
 mile from the works, the air was filled with the smoke 
 from the furnaces, and that the roar and crash of machin- 
 e /^~~i° , , Was so accu stomed that he hardly noticed 
 
 it in the works by day— was plainly heard in the stillness of 
 the night And he said, bitterly, "One cannot even draw 
 the breath of life without having it poisoned by the Octo- 
 pus. I beheve that the smoke nuisance as well as a whole 
 lot of other evils which they claim are inseparable from 
 modern business methods might be prevented. Business 
 indeed! It is the anaconda of the world today Where is 
 the man who shall be able to loosen those folds which are 
 crushing the life out of every one of us, rich as well as 
 poor, without the shedding of blood? Oh!" he cried aloud 
 I am afraid, I m afraid that the work cannot be done 
 peaceably. _ It is the story of slavery all over again— only 
 
 If i 1 "^ ? 1S 2 16 White man wh ° is slave to a demon 
 called Modern Business Methods.' Any man, todav, can 
 see that the slaves could have been purchased outright 
 and set free at a tithe of the cost of the civil war and sub- 
 sequent entailed expenses, and all the lost lives might have 
 been saved and the breaking of hearts averted— to say 
 nothing of a whole generation of children whose existence 
 has been permanently overshadowed bv the anxiety and 
 dread which was the daily meat and drink of their mothers 
 during those terrible days before the children saw the 
 light. God pity those children! 
 
 "But it was not to be averted. Nettie is right. Then 
 as now the whole trouble was the selfishness of man' 
 After almost two thousand years of professing to follow 
 the teachings of one whose whole life was a lesson in 
 unselfishness, we don't seem to have even started yet 
 Not one of us Justice cries out from the ground per- 
 petually, through the ages, not only for right but for resti- 
 
 !^nT;~i an f T , : e 1 tribution - Repayment for downtrodden 
 manhood, stunted lives and crushed loves cannot be made 
 any more than for hunger and thirst and insufficient cloth- 
 ing and avoidable sickness and premature death. But shall 
 we, as a people be able to escape retribution for having 
 caused these things— this time?" 
 
 In his earnestness he had been speaking aloud; and at 
 this moment Dr. Kenedy touched him on the arm, saying, 
 
38 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 "I cannot tell you. No man can answer that question. 
 But, come in. I expected to find you out here." 
 
 And so, together, they entered the house and went 
 into the sitting room where the body of Angus MacDonald 
 was already prepared for the coffin. "No: not in here," 
 said the doctor, "this room is too cold (for the fire was out 
 and the window raised). 
 
 The physician passed immediately into the back room; 
 but Arndt paused by the still form, and without lifting the 
 sheet which covered the face, said, "Good-bye, old friend, 
 good-bye! You are only one more victim of the selfish- 
 ness of man. Good-bye, good-bye!" Then he followed 
 the doctor who closed the door behind him. 
 
 "Well, it is just as I feared," said Kenedy, — for Arndt 
 waited for him to speak, — "just as I feared when I first saw 
 her: the shock and the strain of standing in the hall watch- 
 ing us and overhearing what we said, all that time, has 
 been too much ; and the collapse, which I anticipated has 
 left us with a probable case of brain trouble, at the least: 
 and no one knows what, at the end of that. She never 
 seemed to take in her personal loss until she. saw his body 
 all alone in the room. That was as I expected ; but my one 
 chance was that she would break down and cry. Oh, if 
 she had only cried! but it turned the other way; and now 
 she will have to fight it out, with the best aid I can give 
 her. Fortunately for us, her habit of taking a great deal of 
 out-of-door exercise has given her an excellent constitu- 
 tion. My wife is with her now, and also one of the neigh- 
 bors, and they will call me if there is any danger. At 
 present they are giving her a treatment at which I cannot 
 assist, and I must wait for the nurse I have sent to the 
 hospital for; and while we are waiting I want to talk to 
 you, seriously. In the first place, I have to tell you that 
 what Nettie said recently was spoken when she was in such 
 a condition that you will not need to pay any attention to 
 it. Moreover, she may never recall one word of it — even 
 if she survives this attack." 
 
 "Didn't she know what she was saying?" asked' Arndt. 
 
 "Oh, yes," said the doctor, "and I suppose meant it, 
 at the time ; but she may never recall it." 
 
 "Then," said Arndt, "I will remember it, and will also 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 39 
 
 remind her of it — and if she wants to hold me to my prom- 
 ise, I'm going to keep it." 
 
 "Now, Arndt," protested Kenedy, "you are going to 
 accomplish nothing except the unhappiness of two people 
 I like, if you don't quit this foolishness and persuade that 
 girl into marrying you as soon as I can get her well again 
 — if ever I do." 
 
 But Arndt interrupted: "It's because every man says 
 that same thing that nothing has been done. Don't think 
 that I expect to do more than start the ball rolling. I am 
 not the man to make a leader out of: I'm too sorry for the 
 rich. The leader of the workingmen in the final struggle 
 is not going to be sorry for the rich — or, at least, his sor- 
 row for them will be completely buried out of sight under 
 his millionfold greater sorrow for the poor and his wrath 
 at the injustice practiced through the ages on the working 
 class. You look astonished ! Why, of course, I see these 
 things plainly, and, of course I am sorry for the rich. 
 What do they get out of it all? Slavery to social forms 
 instead of to work; a round of pleasure which has ceased, 
 except for the novice and the young, to be enjoyable, and 
 just as hard work to keep from dying from ennui as I 
 have to perform to earn my daily bread. 
 
 "And what are they paying for all this ? — and why should 
 they pay at all? Why, because the mass of men are like 
 children and believe that because these people wear smiling 
 faces they are happy and contented; and they know that 
 after all arguments are ended, they, the producers, have 
 not received a just share of the rewards of toil. And the 
 rich are paying, daily, in the growing hatred of poor men, 
 women and children for the rich as a class; and when the 
 day of final payment comes — may I not be there to see it!" 
 
 Kenedy went to the door and listened for a moment 
 and then resumed his seat, without making any reply. 
 
 Arndt evidently expected none, for he immediately 
 continued: "They, mostly, have a certainty about the 
 arrival of daily bread and are not dependent on the good- 
 will or whim of an employer for the chance to earn it — 
 which is about the only thing I envy them. I have always 
 enjoyed my work. I delight in helping to create things, 
 and for me the idleness of the rich has no attraction. I 
 
4 o THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 can only wonder at their willingness to let life pass in such 
 a way. In general I only pity them, but more especially 
 when I think of that day and remember the old saying, 
 'Whom the Gods would destroy they first make mad.' " 
 
 "That's true!" said the doctor emphatically; "but no 
 man, single-handed and poor, can accomplish the work 
 you have set out to do. Don't think, for a moment, that 
 I do not know, as well as you, of the need of its being 
 done. When I see, at the houses of the rich, luxury and 
 pleasure and idleness and, even in the best of them, a class 
 feeling which causes them to despise a poor man — so much 
 of the time, simply because he is poor, and therefore, 
 according to their standards, a failure — the words of old 
 MacKellar ring in my ears : 
 
 'A renegade to God and man is he 
 
 Who scorns a poor man in his poverty 
 
 Or on his brother puts his supercilious ban.' 
 
 They worship success, and success alone; and when I pass 
 to the home of the workingman, whose labor has produced 
 this wealth, I often wonder whether Almighty God is still 
 running this world." 
 
 "Yes," he continued, as though Arndt had asked him 
 a question aloud; for his astonishment was plainly written 
 on his face; "yes: every word of that is true. I know that 
 you are surprised; and you will be surprised again, tomor- 
 row, when you see me as deferential as ever to the rich. 
 I know who I am talking to; and if, in the future, you 
 need me, call on me. It may be that a sudden call to the 
 assistance of a fellowman will awaken in me the manhood 
 which has been held in check ever since the first day I had 
 a rich patient who paid well. I have a wife and children 
 who, if they are ever to have a chance in this world — " 
 
 Arndt interrupted him. "A chance to occupy just such 
 positions as these same rich people whom you are 
 denouncing, and to lead just such lives — isn't that what 
 you are working for, Doctor?" 
 
 The man flushed to his forehead but said nothing, and 
 Arndt continued: "I'm sorry for such men as you, by 
 the Eternal, I am! — and the world is full of them, too. I 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 41 
 
 am glad you acknowledge that you are keeping your 
 manhood down, but it is worse than that: — you are losing 
 it altogether — or nearly so. There is a shadow of it in a 
 corner of you somewhere that shows it is not far oft, — not 
 so far off but that you might get it back again ; and it is 
 this shadow, which, when it stirs, — as it is bound to do 
 at sight of such things as we have seen and experienced 
 this night — that makes you confess to a fellowman; and 
 then you feel better — because you have confessed. 
 
 "By the Eternal!" he cried hotly, "I wish you hadn't 
 confessed; for, like every other man who does so, you'll 
 find some plausible excuse for doing the same thing over 
 again. Oh! your excuse is a nice one, and a virtuous one; 
 and that is why Nettie is right. A man and woman who 
 have work to do must not give these hostages to Fate. 
 
 "Every laughing little face will prevent the righteous 
 anger from breaking forth; for when one thinks that a 
 single word may mean hunger and cold to the child as 
 well as tears in the eyes of the mother, action becomes 
 impossible. That's one great reason why the corporations 
 would rather employ married men; though, of course, it 
 is not among the reasons they mention publicly." 
 
 There was silence in the room during the next half 
 hour, for the doctor was with his patient; and during this 
 time Arndt sat with his head bent forward and resting on 
 his folded arms, endeavoring to face and realize his future 
 —a future without the hope of one day making Nettie his 
 wife, in it. Most of us have been through deep waters 
 at one time or another and need not that his thoughts 
 should be recorded. When Kenedy returned he reported 
 no improvement in his patient, and the word set off Arndt 
 again. "You say never a syllable about the pride with 
 which you point to the number of rich men who entrust 
 their precious lives to your care. Does a poor man's 
 appreciation of your skill give you as much pleasure as 
 a rich one's? I tell you, Man, we are all tarred with the 
 same brush. There isn't one of us who doesn't feel him- 
 self to be better than some one else whom he can name — 
 whether it be the President, who feels himself a somewhat 
 bigger and better man than the Secretary of State, or the 
 tramp who feels himself above his fellow tramp because, 
 
42 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 yesterday, he succeeded in getting together enough to 
 let him sleep in style in a ten-cent lodging house, — while 
 his mate has to sleep in the alley-way adjoining. The 
 classes are here — denial of the fact changes nothing — and 
 so long as they are here, the* same miserable class feeling 
 will run through us all; and its result is worse, today, 
 in the United States than in caste-ridden India. For, 
 there, the Pariah expects nothing from the high caste 
 Brahmin; while here, we are taught — in words — that all 
 men are equal; and in every action have it proved to us 
 that each man is better than some one else, even in the 
 sight of the law: — and when theory and practice don't fit 
 there's bound to be trouble." 
 
 Arndt fell into a reverie, and Kenedy, who seemed to 
 be watching him anxiously, roused him with the remark: 
 "Well, I don't know about all of us being in that same 
 state — though, God knows, it's bad enough. There's a 
 man by the name of Charles Arndt that seems to me to be 
 pretty free from it." 
 
 "What!" said Arndt, "why, you were never further 
 from the truth in your life. I find myself holding back 
 from the work which you and I know needs to be done, 
 not because I fear the work or the failure which I think 
 lies ahead of me; — but because there arises in my mind 
 the image of Tom and Jack and Joe, who, we all know, 
 are professional loafers and tramps and who will be the 
 very first or among the very first to get the benefits of 
 the good times we are working for. And so we say, 'I'll 
 suffer the ills I've got, rather than make good times for 
 a set of people who don't deserve them.' And then we 
 go on making the very best of times for those who are, 
 perhaps, cleaner and better behaved, in general, than Tom 
 and Joe and Jack, but who deserve good times even less 
 than they. For these are the people who, by refusing to 
 work at all, cause some of us to toil eight and ten and 
 even fourteen hours a day in a hell on earth (which fine 
 ladies come to look at and — standing at a safe distance, a 
 very comfortable distance — hide their beautiful faces 
 because, forsooth, 'The brutal fellows haven't more clothes 
 on.' Pshaw! they are only titled and aristocratic tramps 
 after all)." 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 43 
 
 Instead of replying Kenedy went out of the room and 
 was absent quite a while, and on his return he merely 
 shook his head in reply to Arndt's look of inquiry, and 
 then after a moment said, "I can do nothing- more for her 
 now, for the wife and old Mrs. Watson are giving her the 
 treatment I ordered, and the drugs must have time to 
 act. We must not be too impatient; though, God knows, 
 I wish she would regain consciousness!" 
 
 Then, as if to divert Arndt's mind from his trouble 
 he said, "So that is the way you regard the rich?" 
 
 "Observe," corrected Arndt, "I said the idle rich ; but 
 I don't exempt a man from the charge of idleness simply 
 because his days are spent in traveling or in stock-gam- 
 bling or because his days and nights are crowded with 
 social functions, either. 
 
 "And it is not only us workers in the mills and mines 
 and factories that are suffering from this unjust share of 
 the world's work. I hear tales from all over the land of 
 this terrible struggle for existence; and certainly, with the 
 improved machinery at our command and with the amount 
 of food and clothing annually produced it is needless that 
 there, should be either a struggle or that any should want. 
 Yet I hear or' farmers in Texas working sixteen hours a 
 day during planting and harvest in order to keep the 
 interest on the mortgage paid so that their farms shall 
 not be foreclosed on; and then, after all the work, unsea- 
 sonable rains or a drought have swept out or burned up 
 the results of months of labor — and the homes are lost. 
 We, in the cities, know of the terrible destitution which 
 exists here; but I pity the farmers almost more than I 
 do men of my own calling. They have not even the Union 
 to help them. The very nature of their occupation has 
 always prevented their banding together, and, in many 
 places, I am told that the doctors and storekeepers could 
 own the small farmer's homes if they chose to press their 
 claims. At present ten per cent interest suits them 
 better." 
 
 The doctor who knew that Arndt was usually a very 
 reticent fellow — except among his most intimate friends — 
 listened without making a motion to interrupt him; for 
 he saw that the tension on the man's nerves was near the 
 
44 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 breaking point, and he knew that Arndt was too good a 
 friend of his to have intended anything offensively per- 
 sonal in his remarks. 
 
 So he waited for a moment before he replied; but as 
 Arndt was evidently straining his ears to catch some sound 
 from the room above he again diverted his attention by 
 asking, "How is it that holding the views you do in regard 
 to capital and labor I find you exerting all your influence, 
 both in the Union and out of it, against Socialism? To 
 me, especially since the wonderfully increased vote it has 
 rolled up in the last few years, it appears the very medium 
 you need, perfectly organized and ready to your hand." 
 
 Arndt replied sadly: "Yes; it would look that way; 
 but I have never been persuaded that the Socialist Party 
 would be able to attain the revolution it desires by means 
 of the ballot, — and I would suffer almost anything rather 
 than see a civil war. Moreover, when I started to inves- 
 tigate its claims I was confronted at the outset with the 
 fact that its entire basis is materialistic, and I cannot leave 
 an overruling, guiding hand out of my scheme of things. 
 I have many dear and true friends among the Socialists, 
 and I recognize their entire unselfishness and devotion to 
 the welfare of the race; but the Republic itself would have 
 to be shown to be in danger and their claims that they are 
 the very party that will prevent, not cause, war, be proved 
 conclusively to me, before I can throw in my lot with 
 them." 
 
 "I see," said the doctor, "and I will think over what 
 you have said. You will find me ready to take a stand by 
 your side if I see that anything can be accomplished. I 
 think what is holding the great middle class steady on the 
 side of Capital just now is not altogether selfishness, but 
 the fear that they will only be fighting a battle with nothing 
 worth the while gained at the end of it. Just think of 
 the struggles of the past and what a little you have today 
 to show for all the so-called victories! And also, -the Tom 
 and Dick and Joe of whom you spoke, hold many a man 
 back. Remember the carnival of blood in France!" 
 
 "Yes," broke in Arndt, "and the fear of the excesses 
 which men of that class will be sure to commit causes 
 the workingman to hold back from many a righteous 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 45 
 
 strike; an'd I believe that that class is permitted to run 
 loose and perpetrate their depredations in order to alienate 
 the good feeling's of the middle class from the workers. 
 I've suspected it for some time. Of course, we have fools 
 and hotheads among the men; but our men are not vicious 
 and we can hold them in check by threats of putting them 
 out of the Union. But what can we do when the Govern- 
 ment does not control this class which has caused us more 
 trouble than it has ever caused the rich. I'm of the 
 opinion that the rich employers find it much easier to 
 control their workers owing to the existence of this very 
 class, and that they know it." 
 
 "It may be so," said Kenedy, "but I will have to defer 
 what I would like to say on the other side of this subject, 
 for there at last, is the nurse I'sent to the hospital for. I 
 must hand the case over to her for the present. I have 
 patients I must see at once (here is a list of places I am 
 going to — send for me if there is any change). You had 
 better get some rest — for I don't want you on my hands — • 
 at least try to keep quiet and lie down until my wife calls 
 us to breakfast; — but I will be back before that time, if 
 possible. 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 "The massive gates of circumstance 
 Are turned upon the smallest hinge." 
 
 — Old Saying. 
 
 As Arndt and Kenedy were about to seat themselves at 
 the table, on which steamed the breakfast prepared for 
 them by the neighbors and the old servant, they were 
 startled by a violent ringing, of the doorbell, and before 
 they could take the seats the dining room door opened 
 and old Mr. Endy entered. He hesitated a moment on 
 seeing the men and then said — with great agitation — 
 "Excuse me, Gentlemen; I heard, only a half hour ago, 
 that my old friend Angus is dead. I came to see Nettie. 
 Is it true, Doctor?" 
 
 Kenedy placed the chair on which his hand still rested, 
 near the old man and said quietly, "You had better take 
 this seat, Mr. Endy," and Arndt — ever observant of the 
 smallest things — noticed that the note of servility (which 
 he had always disliked in the voice of Kenedy — when he 
 was addressing the rich) was gone; and he said to himself, 
 "My work will not be a total failure: one good man is, 
 already, partially emancipated." 
 
 The old millionaire gratefully took the offered seat; 
 but before he did so he shook hands with both men, as 
 he said, "Excuse me, Gentlemen, for my discourtesy, — I 
 am too agitated to think much about manners today." 
 Turning to the doctor he said, "Well, Mr. Kenedy, let me 
 hear the worst." 
 
 Kenedy — who had been waiting for the man to pull 
 himself together — said quietly, "Angus is dead: heart fail- 
 ure from shock. Nettie is down — still unconscious. I fear 
 serious trouble with the brain." 
 
 "Not Nettie, too!" broke in Mr. Endy; but the doctor 
 remained silent, and then the other said brokenly, "You 
 must, you must, save her, Doctor. My boy must not have 
 
 46 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 47 
 
 two lives charged against him;" and when Kenedy would 
 have spoken a word of expostulation at that view of it he 
 interrupted him with a gesture and said, "Can I see him?" 
 
 "Certainly," said the doctor, and opened the door into 
 the sitting room, and the other passed him, saying, "Thank 
 you, Doctor! close the door." 
 
 Kenedy and Arndt then took their seats and ate — the 
 former from habit, for even the finest feelings become 
 blunted by the constant sight of suffering — and the latter 
 because he felt the absolute necessity for strength: and 
 so he ate as much as he could, although his nerves were 
 on such a strain that every mouthful was taken only by a 
 violent effort of the will. 
 
 "Good!" said the doctor as Arndt finally pushed back 
 his plate, "that is better than I expected you to do." 
 
 "What one must do, one can do," was the reply; and 
 Kenedy thought, "That describes you — exactly;" but aloud 
 he said only, "I suppose so! and what I must do, at once, 
 is to see Nettie, and then go to my other patients;" and 
 he left the room. 
 
 Charles Arndt leaned back in his chair while the neigh- 
 bor who had come, at his request during the night, 
 removed the breakfast dishes and then pushed the table 
 back against the wall; and then he said to her, "I will 
 wait here, Mrs. Watson, and if there is anything I can do 
 you will know where to find me." 
 
 In the sitting room all was silence, and Arndt smiled 
 bitterly as he thought of that father's words "Tivo Ikes." 
 
 "What would he think," said he to himself, "if he knew 
 of the actual amount of suffering his son's ambition has 
 already caused, and what, if he could see the total number 
 that man will probably kill and the lives he will wreck as 
 he builds up what he so glibly calls 'My success.' Why, 
 I would not like to show him the picture of the suffering 
 his son's ambition will cause within one week from today. 
 Two lives, indeed! Poor old man!" 
 
 At this moment the doctor returned, and Arndt looked 
 searchingly at his face; but the trouble he saw there was 
 answer enough, and he asked no questions. But Kenedy, 
 after a moment said, "I have telegraphed to Clyde for Dr. 
 
48 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 King. I will remain here until he comes. Has Mr. Endy 
 gone?" he then inquired. 
 
 "I think not," said Arndt, "I have not even heard 
 him." 
 
 As if the sound of his name had caused him to appear, 
 — at the moment the doctor was about to knock upon 
 the door, — it opened from within, and Mr. Endy walked 
 out. To the surprise of both men he appeared more com- 
 posed than when he entered; and he took the chair Arndt 
 handed him, with thanks and said, — addressing Kenedy, — 
 "How is Nettie?" 
 
 "The case is beyond me," was the reply, "I have tele- 
 graphed for King." 
 
 The old man shrank as if struck and cried, "Not for 
 King? surely it is not so bad as that!" 
 
 "Yes!" said Kenedy sadly; and left the room. 
 
 Mastering his emotion after a long pause the visitor 
 said, "Mr. Arndt, I am informed that you are engaged to 
 be married to Nettie; that gives you the right to be con- 
 sulted — especially as I know of no relatives of Angus 
 MacDonald nearer than Scotland. I would like to make 
 all the arrangements for the funeral of my old comrade. 
 Nettie has been a friend of mine ever since she was a 
 little child (though it is true that of late years she has not 
 visited at the mansion), and I would gladly have her 
 removed there if it could be done safely." 
 
 Arndt broke in hastily but quite respectfully, "She will 
 never be under the same roof as that which shelters your 
 son, Sir — no: not for a moment. My sister, who lives in 
 Clyde, will he here — probably on the same train as Dr. 
 King. She is a trained nurse, and with the aid of the one 
 from the hospital, who is now here, and the help which 
 the poor always give to those in distress, I can assure 
 you that Nettie will be well taken care of." 
 
 "I know exactly how you feel about it!" said the elder 
 man, "and I do not say that you are wrong; for that is 
 probably as Nettie would wish it. But, in regard to the 
 other matter; remember that I have a claim which only 
 an uninterrupted friendship of thirty-five years and over 
 can give, — and also," — looking straight at Arndt — "my 
 fortune was honestly earned, and is not yet my son's." 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 49 
 
 Arndt thought about the dividends of the Iron and 
 Steel Company — which he believed belonged partly to 
 the men — and he met the look steadily; but then, sud- 
 denly, he yielded to an impulse of pity as he thought of 
 the relations said to exist between father and son, and 
 he took the hand which was extended to him, saying, 
 "You are right! Do as you wish in the matter." 
 
 Robert Endy replied, v 'Thank you, and if you have 
 time, I wish to speak of a more personal matter." 
 
 "Oh," said Arndt, pulling himself together, "as for 
 time, I have plenty of that on my hands just now — and 
 there seems to be nothing to do but wait; but I think 
 there is nothing else that we need discuss." He was 
 thinking of his lost position. 
 
 "Permit me, Sir," said his companion, "to state my 
 case, — then you may be a more competent juror." 
 
 "You are right," said Arndt, "I haven't heard even 
 one side yet; and I, usually, try to listen patiently to both 
 sides before I render a verdict; but, today, you know — 
 today—" 
 
 "Yes, yes!" said his hearer, "I know. Today, we are 
 none of us quite ourselves, and that is precisely why I must 
 speak today. I consider it providential that I am able to 
 talk to you while we are both of us softened by the near- 
 ness of the suffering which is in this house. I am a rich 
 man; but, I think, not usually a hard man. Still, wealth 
 hardens all of us; and I find myself addressing even the 
 servants who have been with me for many years, in the 
 language, and with the slighting tones, used by my daily 
 associates, — and I am sorry for it, sorry for it; but one's 
 environment gets the better of one sooner or later. I 
 realized — as I stood by Angus, in there, — that this ter- 
 rible habit of feeling above one's fellowman (simply on 
 account of wealth or station) had lately caught such a 
 grip on me that I had been patronizing in my manner 
 even to him, who was better and wiser than most men. 
 
 "He might have been a much richer man today, for I 
 offered to secure him a better position when the works 
 were consolidated; but he said, 'This work I can do as 
 well as any one — that work requires a younger man: give 
 them the chance,' — and he refused me. So I am glad to 
 
5 o THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 say my say while I am free from the habit which would 
 assuredly prevent our understanding each other; for 1 
 think that if you find that feeling in a man you close your 
 shell pretty tight." 
 
 "Yes!" said Arndt, emphatically, "you are right. It is 
 the one thing I can't forgive the rich." 
 
 "Precisely!" said Mr. Endy, "I thought as much, and 
 that is why I have told you this; for I want you to remem- 
 ber, in the future, that if there is ever a trace of it in my 
 manner to you or any man, it is in the manner only: — 
 the feeling back of the manner is entirely different." 
 
 But Arndt said abruptly, "I think that I could not 
 promise so much. That supercilious tone and attitude of 
 the rich towards the poor is the sorest spot in the whole 
 sore question. I think I have carefully studied this prob- 
 lem, and I see so much in favor of the rich that I am con- 
 sidered a weak man by many in the Union; — but when a 
 man who is my superior simply because he is rich, or 
 because his father was able to give him a better start than 
 I had, addresses me as if he were talking to his dog, I 
 forget everything I ever knew in favor of men of his 
 class and then he will get nothing but what duty requires 
 out of me until he alters his tone. For I notice that I 
 never have to complain of anything of the kind in the 
 attitude of those who might with some show of justice 
 claim to be above the average. A man of extraordinary 
 goodness or learning does not take this position — unless 
 he becomes suddenly rich. We don't mind your having 
 things we have not — coaching parties and so forth ad 
 infinitum, — it's the dust you fling on us as you pass (and 
 the haughty, scornful looks of your fine gentlemen and 
 beautiful women) which cause us to remember that if they 
 were each of them doing — every day — the four hours of 
 actual labor which belongs to them as their share of the 
 world's work, we and our wives and sweethearts might 
 also be having a holiday. 
 
 "Let them take care — let them take care! Those 
 haughty looks and words and tones may, some day, cost 
 them dear; for they are never forgotten by the man or 
 woman to whom they are addressed. We may think that 
 other things have been partly our own fault; and God 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 51 
 
 knows we ought never to have allowed things to come to 
 this pass; but the humblest of us knows that he has done 
 nothing to deserve the contempt of such as many of them 
 are." 
 
 "Let me ask," said his hearer, "whether all work- 
 ingmen feel as you do in this matter?" 
 
 "Of course," said Arndt, "some of them have indi- 
 vidual causes of complaint, which, for the time, over- 
 shadow everything else. Some, yes, many, are Socialists 
 who take exception to the industrial system itself. But 
 to my mind this is the one standing grievance which was 
 and is never alleviated. And the numbering of the men 
 is felt to be an open expression of the contempt in which 
 they are individually held." 
 
 "Oh, I think not!" said Mr. Endy. 
 
 "I wish I could agree with you," Arndt replied, "but 
 as I look at it these things are attacks on our manhood 
 and freedom, and must be resented." 
 
 Mr. Endy said, "How?" but at that moment Kenedy 
 looked in and said, "I am going to the station for Dr. 
 King. I wish that you would not leave the house during 
 my absence, Charlie. I think Nettie is no worse." 
 
 Arndt replied, "Certainly I will not; but in that case 
 I shall have to ask you to kindly look after my sister — 
 who will probably arrive on the same train, — and you 
 must explain to her why I could not come to meet her." 
 
 "Never fear," was the reply; "I am too thankful to 
 have so good a nurse coming to help us as I know her to 
 be, to not attend to her getting here safely." 
 
 And then the two were left alone again. 
 
 "I am not surprised," said Mr. Endy; "in fact, I 
 expected something like this to be the case. Of course, 
 it is not only the poor man who is studying this problem. 
 There are plenty of rich men who feel as I do — which 
 would suit you very well, — only they act as I sometimes 
 do, or worse — and that you do not like at all: and I do 
 not blame you. Why, it makes my blood boil to hear 
 Robert order Rollins around. — though Rollins never 
 resents it, and — " 
 
 Arndt interrupted him: "Maybe you had better say, 
 
52 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 Never appears to resent it. I imagine that is nearer the 
 truth." 
 
 "I hadn't thought of that," replied his hearer, "perhaps 
 you are right; but I must come to the point — as the train 
 will soon be in and we may not have a chance to talk 
 together immediately afterwards. I want your help, Mr. 
 Arndt! I can neither control the conduct of my son nor 
 prevent the consequences of his acts. I foresee that what 
 he does will cause great unhappiness and suffering — the 
 former I cannot ward off: the latter I must do all in my 
 power to lessen. These working people mistrust every 
 man of my class; and there are also dishonest men among 
 you, as well as among us, and they would get the money 
 I intend for the worthy. Now, I expect that there will 
 be a strike soon — on account of that order about number- 
 ing the men — and I want you to be my agent in the relief 
 of suffering among the workers and their families. 
 
 "I had intended to ask Angus to undertake this work 
 for me, but — " his voice broke down and there was silence 
 for some moments, and then he said, "If it takes every 
 cent of my income — all right! Only, of course, this is 
 between us. I ask no credit from God or man for doing 
 justice and right." 
 
 Arndt sat as if stunned, and finally said, "How do you 
 know there will be a strike, or that I am the man you 
 need?" 
 
 The old man smiled for the first time since he had 
 entered the house, as he said, "Mr. Arndt, rich men never 
 get rich on their own 'labor, but by carefully selecting the 
 right man for the right place and letting him do the work. 
 I agree with you in thinking that they get entirely too 
 much pay for that little matter of good judgment; but 
 that is the fact. And I also suspect that you are one of 
 the men on the strike Committee; and I am pretty certain 
 you are the one who voted to defer action when this order 
 for numbering the men was promulgated. Now, I expect 
 you to change your vote. The fight may, as well come on 
 at once." 
 
 "I did not expect to do so at present," said Arndt, 
 "because winter is near and the men would suffer; and, if 
 I accept your offer, you understand that the strike will be 
 
THE RECORDING AXGEL 53 
 
 long and may extend over the length and breadth of the 
 land, and may embrace every employe of a corporation 
 (for they are all touched by this question), so that the 
 men would get little help from outside branches of the 
 Union if the strike became general. But, apart from that, 
 this is the time to strike. The company does not expect 
 it. They have been deferring signing the wage scale ever 
 since the last agreement expired — when they voluntarily 
 increased wages. I don't know what their object is; but 
 such being the case, there could be no charge of violated 
 contract brought against us if we strike now. Then again, 
 today, most of the middle class are with us on account of 
 the extortionate prices which the consolidated industries 
 have forced upon them, and also, the companies are 
 rushed with orders and will be correspondingly hurt if 
 they have to shut down for any length of time and could 
 not fulfill their contracts." 
 
 "Very good!" said Mr. Endy. "I am an old man. My 
 son has chosen his path — in spite of all that I could say. 
 I am an American, as well as a father. I believe in the 
 Brotherhood of Man, and instead of putting up public 
 libraries which the laborer has neither time nor inclina- 
 tion to use after the exhausting toil of the day is over, 
 and instead of endowing a University which only well- 
 to-do people's sons can attend, I am going to devote my 
 entire income, every year, from this day until I die, to the 
 actual relief of the sufferings of the class who earned this 
 money. And we will use some of the principal from time 
 to time when we can see our way clear to permanently 
 benefit their position." 
 
 "May Almighty God reward you for your decision!" 
 said Arndt. 
 
 "I am already amply rewarded, in the peace of mind 
 which came to me when I made that vow beside the coffin 
 of my friend," said Mr. Endy; "but as yet I have done 
 nothing, and when I do, it must not be known who is 
 doing it. I am particular about this; for I am made per- 
 fectly sick by seeing how every contribution from the 
 rich — of a tithe of one day's income, even — once in a 
 while — causes the whole Press of the United States to 
 overflow with praise." 
 
54 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 Arndt took advantage of the pause to exclaim, "That 
 was well put, Mr. Endy; for it is the Press, and some 
 of the middle class, who always get the benefit of those 
 donations — 'Mouth-closers,' we call them — who do the 
 overflowing. The actual working class are not fooled." 
 
 Mr. Endy quickly remarked, "I am glad of that;" and 
 then continued, "I believe in Liberty; and the course 
 which the young men who are now in command are pur- 
 suing, means the ultimate slavery of the working class, 
 the world over: a slavery compared to which that of the 
 Blacks previous to the war of 1861 was paradise. For 
 then — except in extreme cases — the bodies of the slaves 
 were, at least, well clothed and fed, and proper medical 
 attention was assured — together with good and clean 
 houses — while today! why, only yesterday I heard my 
 pastor remonstrating with an elder in our church about 
 the starving condition of a family that worked for him; 
 and the only reply he received was: 'Well, they are all 
 sickly and don't turn out as much work per capita as 
 others in our employ, — and the sooner they die the sooner 
 they will be out of their misery; and then we will get a 
 healthier family in their place!'" 
 
 In answer to a look of astonishment from Arndt he 
 said, "Oh, certainly! the rich know these things as well 
 as you do; and I expect that it is hurting the feelings of 
 many a one of us today; but we are all afraid to make a 
 move for fear that things cannot be controlled at the right 
 point. You know how that is." 
 
 "Well," said Arndt, "I expect the move has been made, 
 already; for I had no hope that the men would be held 
 back or listen to anything I could say when they heard 
 about the death of Angus: he was loved by all as few 
 bosses ever are. He had the good of the workers at heart 
 and believed in their manhood. So, I am more relieved 
 than I can tell you. I accept and thank you for your offer, 
 in their behalf. I will see to it that they do all in their 
 own power to help themselves; but when they need assist- 
 ance I will freely draw on you. The Union meets tonight, 
 and I expect there will be a strike ordered to take effect 
 at once, and to last until the offensive order is repealed — 
 and several other matters straightened out; but this is, 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 55 
 
 of course, strictly a secret. I may not be able to send you 
 word of the result of the meeting — I may not be able to 
 be there myself — " 
 
 "Bear up — bear up!" said Mr. Endy, "there is work for 
 us to do. I have some plans in my mind which I will 
 talk about some other day. I want to say that I will leave 
 here to go to my lawyer in Clyde in order to fix my will 
 so that if anything goes wrong with me, you will still be 
 able to help the men; for I want to aid in fighting this 
 evil which is crushing the manhood out of every one of us 
 — rich as well as poor." 
 
 "By the way," said Arndt, "excuse me; but your 
 income depends largely on these works keeping running." 
 
 "I was wondering whether you would think of that," 
 was the reply. "It did — but it does not. I have not liked 
 the methods used, and also as a matter of business precau- 
 tion I have gradually sold stock ever since I received my 
 allotment — so that, today, there is not enough left in my 
 hands to bother about. Of course, I could sell that at 
 once; but I could not consider that course honorable — 
 knowing what I know about the future." 
 
 At this moment they heard the noise of the approach- 
 ing carriage as it came rapidly along the almost deserted 
 road toward this humble house in Steelton. And the 
 thoughts of those in the carriage took no further range 
 than the room behind Charles Arndt and Robert Endy 
 where all that remained of Angus MacDonald lay silent in 
 death and the little room upstairs (directly overhead those 
 who so anxiously awaited their coming) where, appar- 
 ently as lifeless, lay the woman on whose life or death, — 
 Robert Endy thought, — hung the determining of whether 
 the labor question was to reach a final settlement without 
 the arbitrament of war. 
 
 And the thoughts of the great and busy world of 
 human beings so eagerly striving and struggling to secure 
 a living or to supersede one another, were not centered 
 on this house where a millionaire and a workingman had 
 met and talked as man to man and planned to bring about 
 peace — the Peace we prate about but never have had. 
 
 Few except the workers in the Steelton Mills were 
 thinking of the house at all; few outside of Steelton knew 
 
5 6 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 of its existence; and yet, Robert Endy as he stood beside 
 his companion looking out of the single, small window 
 towards the carriage — now in sight — took note of the 
 wintry sun that peered through the half closed blinds into 
 that darkened room where Angus MacDonald lay, took 
 note of the smoke belching from the numerous tall, 
 unsightly chimneys of the Company's works, and, as he 
 turned and gazed at that workingman and took note of his 
 strong, resolute face and realized what was written there, 
 he became fully convinced that there, and not at Wash- 
 ington nor anywhere else, was the center of things that 
 day; and he said, 
 
 "We must give our lives to preventing the resort to 
 the arbitrament of War." 
 
 "With all my heart," said Arndt as he clasped the out- 
 stretched hand. 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 "He laughs best who laughs last." 
 
 — Old Saying. 
 
 In the life of every thinking man or woman there are 
 moments or hours which stand out, afterwards, from all 
 the rest of the lifetime as if they alone were of any impor- 
 tance. These days and nights which followed his declara- 
 tion of independence were thus marked in the life of Charles 
 Arndt; but separate and apart — even in this isolation — 
 stood out the hours which followed the arrival of the two 
 physicians and his sister Annie: all of whom proceeded 
 at once to the room where the sick girl lay — leaving Mr. 
 Endy and Arndt together; and they, by mutual consent, 
 spoke no word, but listened to the footfalls on the floor 
 above. 
 
 With senses all alert to catch the sound of a footstep 
 which — pausing at the door of their room — should bring 
 a messenger announcing the verdict of life or death — or 
 even give them a word of hope, — they waited. But their 
 presence in the house seemed to have been forgotten; and 
 at last the strain of listening to those sounds above, and 
 to those others in the front room — where the body of 
 Angus MacDonald was being prepared for burial — became 
 too much for Arndt, and he commenced to pace up and 
 down the small room with his hands clasped behind him. 
 
 Then Mr. Endy said, "I can wait no longer. I must 
 get to the city to attend to that matter of the will, today." 
 
 So the two men passed out by the back door and 
 around the house to the front where Mr. Endy's carriage 
 waited for him; and as he entered it he said to Arndt, 
 "Please telegraph me the verdict at my lawyer's" — giving 
 him the address, — and then reached out his hand and said, 
 "Good-bye, my boy, and don't give up hope." 
 
 But Arndt could only wring his hand — he could not 
 trust his voice; and John, the coachman, who had been 
 
 57 
 
58 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 looking on in more open amazement than is usually per- 
 mitted in a servant, was evidently much pleased by the 
 kind tone of the words with which Mr. Endy addressed 
 him as he said, "Now, John, to the station as fast as pos- 
 sible — please." 
 
 And the pace at which they traveled over the hard, 
 smooth road might have told the employer that willing 
 service can be obtained only by kindness — which, after all, 
 simply recognizes the Brotherhood of Man. The other 
 kind of service is easily secured for money; but, from 
 the complaints heard daily, it cannot be very satisfactory. 
 
 But Mr. Endy was thinking of other things; and Arndt, 
 as he noticed the look of pleasure on John's face and then 
 observed the speed at which the carriage receded from 
 sight, said, aloud: "That man has discovered the solution 
 of the labor problem. I wonder whether he will be able 
 to put it into practical operation. It will take more than 
 one or two of us to do it." 
 
 He did not return to the house, for he felt as if he 
 would have to cry out for word from that room if he heard 
 the footsteps overhead. And so Kenedy found him pacing 
 up and down on the gravel walk in front of the back 
 door, — when he remembered about him. 
 
 No one in that house had thought about eating, and 
 it was now about three o'clock in the afternoon; and as 
 Arndt turned around and saw the satisfied look on Ken- 
 edy's face — a look which said, "We have fought and won," 
 he stood still and said aloud, "Thank God!" 
 
 For, whether we believe in a personal God or not, we 
 all involuntarily thank Him at such a moment. 
 
 "Yes!" said Kenedy, "Thank God — and Dr. King. 
 Come with us. We are going to the railroad station res- 
 taurant for something to eat. We can do nothing further 
 here at present, and King must return to the city by the 
 four o'clock train." And when Arndt would have pro- 
 tested against being brought to the notice of the great 
 specialist he said, "Nonsense! I want him to meet you, 
 not you him. You will need the influence of such a man, 
 and the better he knows a real working man the more 
 sure you are of his good will. Come along! I will take 
 no excuse." 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 59 
 
 So Arndt made no further objection than to say, "You 
 know that I am hardly presentable — and not at all myself 
 at this time;" and the hour which he passed in the com- 
 pany of true greatness and true gentlemanliness was the 
 second ray of happiness that had come into his life for 
 several days. The evident pleasure with which King told 
 of what he called a triumph of Science — never mentioning 
 himself alone in connection with the case as he described 
 the different means which as he said "We used" — was 
 never forgotten by Arndt (although the processes and the 
 technical terms soon passed from his memory). 
 
 As they took leave of him, King thanked Kenedy for 
 having given him a chance to study an extraordinary case; 
 and shaking hands with Arndt he said, "You are a good 
 listener, Mr. Arndt, and also, I think, something more, — 
 and I hope to have leisure to see you some other day. 
 Kenedy told me some things about you that please me 
 very much; and if ever I can serve you — or the cause you 
 represent — do me the favor to remember that I consider 
 myself in the debt of any man who gives me the oppor- 
 tunity to lessen the ills that afflict humanity. Good-bye, 
 Gentlemen." And then the train rolled out of the station. 
 
 On the way back to the house Kenedy said, "It is an 
 extraordinary case ; — there had to be measures used which 
 I, alone, would not take the responsibility for; and, also, 
 I had to have experienced help. We may even escape 
 any complications, by good nursing, — and I think we are 
 sure of that." 
 
 "Yes," said Arndt, "Annie will see to that; but even 
 at the best, Nettie will not walk in this garden (as they 
 went towards the house) for many a day; she will never 
 
 again look on her father's face." 
 
 ********** 
 
 The next day Angus MacDonald was buried. 
 
 Robert Endy, Sr., and Charles Arndt stood side by 
 side at the open grave, and clasped hands as they turned 
 away. 
 
 It was the hour of noon when the last words and the 
 last rites over the dead were concluded, and at that 
 moment the loud blast of the whistle of the C. I. & S. Co. 
 sounded shrilly on the winter air. 
 
60 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 Within the works was enacted a scene which at least 
 Robert Endy, Jr., had never before witnessed. Instead 
 of taking up their dinner pails and running for their favor- 
 ite seats, as usual, to eat the meal in company with those 
 whom they each selected to talk to, at the sound of the 
 whistle every man dropped his work — the fires in the 
 forges and furnaces were drawn — everything possible was 
 done to prevent loss to the company, and No. 1003 who 
 had been appointed to take the place of MacDonald (and 
 who was therefore selected by the Union to do the work) 
 stepped up to Mr. Endy, who said sharply, "What does this 
 mean, 1003?" 
 
 "Mr. Black, Sir, if you please," said the man he had 
 addressed — as with a motion of disgust he tore the brass 
 label from his workingman's cap and threw it on the 
 ground (and the motion was repeated by every man in 
 sight) — "Mr. Black, Sir, reports that the strike ordered 
 by the United Brotherhood of American Workingmen to 
 be started in these works at noon today is now in opera- 
 tion. These badges will never be worn by any American 
 Workingman after today." 
 
 And the men, at his words, gave a great cheer and 
 marched out of the works. 
 
 As they left the graveyard Arndt turned towards the 
 road which led to the house where Nettie lay; but Mr. 
 Endy said, "I would like to have you go home with me — 
 we have much to talk about." 
 
 So it happened that they rode side by side down the 
 street, and at the moment they were passing the gates of 
 the Company's works the men came marching out — 
 quietly and orderly, — and most of them solemnly. For 
 they realized that the struggle for the recognition of their 
 manhood, as well as for a just share of the hours of leisure 
 and the proceeds of their labor, had 1 commenced — prob- 
 ably for the last time — and accordingly most of them 
 were very quiet. But when they saw Arndt, their repre- 
 sentative, and Mr. Endy riding side by side and talking 
 familiarly together a wave of emotion swept over the 
 mass, and such a shout as arose that day has not often 
 rolled through the blue vault above us and reached — let 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 61 
 
 us hope — to the place where Eternal Justice has His 
 dwelling place. 
 
 For, in that cry was the note of hope — hope of ulti- 
 mate victory — which note has not often been heard in the 
 voice of an American Workingman. 
 
 The shout continued as they rode along — as each group 
 of men at the different gates caught the meaning of the 
 cry, — until at last Mr. Endy said to the driver, "John, turn 
 into the grounds at the nearest gateway." But the sound 
 of the shouting followed them even there as they passed 
 along the pleasant drives which led in great curves — 
 bounded on each side by magnificent trees — until they 
 reached the mansion. 
 
 Then as they stepped out of the carriage, Mr. Endy 
 said, "We will go into the office — if you please, Sir!*' and 
 Arndt drew back as if he had been struck; but he only 
 replied, "As you please, Sir." 
 
 "Now, Mr. Arndt," said his host, when they were 
 seated, "I thought you understood, perfectly, that I was 
 not to appear openly in this matter." 
 
 Arndt, who was about to make a hasty, and rather 
 hot, reply, checked himself as he thought what this man's 
 support meant to the cause; and the control which he 
 exercised over himself at this moment was the greatest 
 victory he ever achieved in his life. He quietly replied. 
 "Mr. Endy, the men whom you propose to aid are neither 
 fools nor are they lacking in gratitude towards their 
 friends. I have not intimated, even to my sister, that 
 you even approve of our cause; but if your feeling of 
 brotherhood causes you to heartily shake hands with me 
 in broad daylight, and the next day leads you to ask me 
 to ride home by your side — you must not forget that I 
 am the man whom your son discharged from the works, 
 nor that I have the honor to represent these men. 
 
 "Last night — in a speech at the Union — I, in'order to 
 strengthen some of the weak-kneed brethren who thought 
 that it was useless to continue any resistance against the 
 money power, said I was sure that there were many among 
 the rich — especially among the older ones — who were 
 already alarmed at the way in which the young men who 
 are now running things were managing business, and that 
 
62 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 I had every reason to believe that the order numbering the 
 men was obnoxious to every lover of mankind — be he rich 
 or poor. So, when the men saw us together today they 
 put two and two in the shape of an addition sum — and in a 
 mechanic's mind they sometimes give an answer of four. 
 
 "I am sorry you have doubted me. There are other 
 men whom you cannot doubt as being entirely honest and 
 wholly devoted to the cause of the working class — I would 
 like to call it the cause of humanity, which it really is. 
 There is John Black, the man who was chosen to inau- 
 gurate the strike today. I will get him to call on you. He 
 is a more able man than I, and in closer touch with the 
 members of the Union. I am too conservative for many of 
 them. I will now say Good-bye to you." 
 
 But his hearer stopped him and signed to him to keep 
 his seat, and after a moment said, quietly, "You are the 
 man I want. I am sorry for my suspicion of you ; but you 
 must realize that those shouts mean — probably — an open 
 rupture with my only son. 
 
 "It is true he has treated me with ill concealed con- 
 tempt — on business matters, lately — as one whose opinions 
 were not worthy of consideration; but, still, he is my son. 
 Well, the step is taken, and probably it is for the best. 
 I am now able to work openly in trying to enlist to our 
 cause some men who, I believe, still love liberty so well as 
 to be willing to have other men express their own opinions 
 without danger of losing their jobs — and who have man- 
 hood enough left to be willing to call a halt, even on their 
 own sons. 
 
 "Now, tell me all about the strike up to the present 
 moment." 
 
 Then Arndt grasped the hand that was extended to 
 him and took his seat again; and in the long struggle 
 which followed, these two men stood shoulder to shoulder, 
 and there was never, thereafter, the slightest misunder- 
 standing between them. 
 
 "Well," said Arndt, "the workingmen have been taking 
 lessons for a number of years, and I'll say right here that 
 the first thing they had to learn was to stop the oppressions 
 of the labor organizations themselves. There was a time 
 when they first started when there was very little choice 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 63 
 
 between the tyranny of the rich and the despotism of the 
 Unions. 1 suppose it was the unavoidable result of the 
 first realization of their power; but the effect was that the 
 best men wouldn't go into the organization only to be 
 ordered about by demagogues. Moreover, men who really 
 took pride in doing their work as well as possible con- 
 stantly complained that those who were members of the 
 Unions seemed to care for nothing but their wage and the 
 quality of their work fell off if they were not constantly 
 watched — and so they remained out. Well, you know we 
 had to teach those honest souls that under the present sys- 
 tem if they did two day's work in one and for one day's 
 pay they were simply taking the bread out of some man's 
 mouth, and the inherent love of turning out the best that 
 is in us soon corrected the other abuse. So we have 
 changed all that, and as a consequence there are very few 
 skilled workers in the country at this moment who are not 
 also active members of the Unions. 
 
 "Another thing they learned was that it was worse than 
 folly to notify the company of their intention to strike. So 
 we appeared to be satisfied when they raised our wages 
 instead of granting our request to abolish the order about 
 numbering the men; and all our members resolved to save 
 every dollar that was possible, out of the increase. 
 
 "The decision to leave the whole question of a strike 
 to a committee of three was unanimously agreed to, or at 
 least it was made unanimous after the first vote on the sub- 
 ject submitted to the branches by the main strike com- 
 mittee some time ago. We are only a sub-committee, in 
 reality; and we were thus empowered to act in view of the 
 fact that the strike was really determined upon when the 
 order for numbering the men went into effect. It was 
 only the time for commencing the strike that was actually 
 left to us. I, for one, would never have shouldered the 
 responsibility for the main decision. The result of their 
 wise action is that not a man except Black knew positively, 
 this morning, that the strike had been ordered — or when it 
 was to start. For the main strike committee determined 
 the first, and we determined the last — and all was done in 
 secret session. We had to take lessons of the millionaires 
 who do not have representatives of the Press at all their 
 
64 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 meetings. So the word was quietly passed, and cypher mes- 
 sages sent to the other points, after eleven o'clock. 
 
 "This was done, for one reason, in order to not give the 
 company time for getting out injunctions against us on the 
 plea of public necessity. They have got the injunction 
 business down so fine that the last time the employes of 
 the cattle yards in Chicago attempted to strike they were 
 threatened with imprisonment on the ground that the carry- 
 ing on of their business is a public necessity; and on the 
 same plea the miners were actually driven back to work at 
 the point of the bayonet when they defied the injunction 
 granted by the federal judges. We are deathly tired of the 
 government by injunction! 
 
 "Moreover, we notice that the Company can close down 
 for as long as it pleases at any time and no injunction can 
 be gotten to compel it to carry on business or furnish us 
 work." 
 
 "I am glad that we were able to head that off," said Mr. 
 Endy. "It has been a disgrace to the country ever since 
 the first injunction was issued and upheld by the highest 
 court. But, in any event, they would find their hands full 
 if they attempted to imprison the thirty thousand men who 
 went out in this strike at noon today." 
 
 "Yes," said Arndt, "our plans have worked out well, 
 and Mr. Craggie may even now not expect that his works 
 will be completely tied up — as they certainly will be tomor- 
 row morning. For, though almost all the telegraph opera- 
 tors are members of the Union, he has always heretofore 
 managed to have a non-Union man on at some point or 
 other, and so our messages have been betrayed. This time 
 there will be no messages — it being fully understood by the 
 leaders all over the country that the strike is to be general 
 in whatever industry it is first started. You will under- 
 stand, therefore, that our blow today is the first one that 
 has ever been struck without our opponent being fully 
 informed and, consequently, prepared for it." 
 
 "Yes, yes!" said Mr. Endy, "all is going well, and I 
 don't think they will even try to imprison any of the 
 leaders, this time. The last time that was tried, so many of 
 the middle class asked themselves the question, 'How soon 
 will it be my turn?' that even the courts were alarmed at 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 65 
 
 the outcry; and when they tried to restrain the Press by 
 instituting suits for slander against the editors of every 
 paper which mentioned a single judge's name in their 
 denunciations of the rulings of the courts in those cases, 
 the whole Press of the country became alarmed for their 
 liberty of speech, and the cases were quietly dropped — as 
 you are very well aware." 
 
 Arndt replied, "It is a burning shame that things are in 
 such a state; but we have gained much in the years that 
 have passed, and by the very defeats we have suffered. 
 There is only one Iron and Steel Company in the United 
 States today. The result is that there will be no iron or 
 steel manufactured in this country until this strike is ended. 
 It is our intention that the other trades shall go on work- 
 ing as long as possible in order to provide the sinews of 
 war; but, if necessary, we are prepared and determined to 
 close down everything in the United States. We have 
 faithfully tried patience, arbitration, the ballot; now we 
 will try this." 
 
 "What is the temper of the men in regard to making 
 this a test of passive resistance?" 
 
 "Fine! Could not be better!" asserted Arndt. "We 
 owe much to our Socialist friends for having instilled into 
 the minds of the workers that their present condition is 
 directly traceable to war, and that the military power is 
 their worst enemy. They realize that to win by force of 
 arms would be only to throw themselves into the arms of a 
 new set of masters and tyrants; and I can assure you that 
 it will be a test of passive resistance — such as the world has 
 never yet seen — // we can keep it there. 
 
 "You will observe that I place great stress on those last 
 words — especially on the 'We.' But we must not forget 
 that there is Mr. Craggie on the one hand " 
 
 Arndt hesitated, and his hearer reverently added, "And 
 the Almighty Power that rules the hearts and destinies of 
 men and nations, on the other. No, no! we must not for- 
 get that." 
 
 "Well," said Arndt. "We have instructed the men to 
 bear everything rather than give the slightest aid to the 
 company in its usual cry of destruction of property. There 
 are not enough iron and steel workers today, that is, com- 
 
66 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 petent men, outside of our Union to run a single shop if 
 they could all be gotten together — so there will be abso- 
 lutely no cause for any intimidation of any man who is so 
 lost to all spirit of fraternity as to wish to go to work in 
 our place. 
 
 "Our men have been instructed to promptly answer the 
 call of the sheriff for deputies; and to fire to kill at any man 
 found destroying property. We are going to keep the 
 tramps and thieves and hoodlums down — if the government 
 won't. But, if the worst comes to the worst, we are all 
 well drilled. Although we opposed Craggie's law compell- 
 ing us all to undergo military service, still we had to sub- 
 mit, and so the states have furnished the drilling, and we 
 can arm ourselves. But we propose to obey all orders so 
 long as we are fighting against the hoodlums or disobedient 
 members of our own body who are found destroying prop- 
 erty or lives. If an attempt is made to force the workers — 
 by injunction or by any other trick, to start these works or 
 to fire on peaceful, law-abiding workers — Well! we will see 
 about that when the time comes; but I tell you plainly, I 
 will die rather than obey such orders." 
 
 "But Craggie can rely on the standing army!" said Mr. 
 Endy. 
 
 "Perhaps he can," Arndt said smilingly, "but the stand- 
 ing army of these days is not the unthinking machine of 
 former times. The enlisted man has almost without excep- 
 tion come out of the ranks of the workers. His friends and 
 relatives are all of them standing in our ranks. Craggie 
 will find it one thing to order them to shoot a lot of naked, 
 half-civilized barbarians or even citizens of a foreign nation, 
 and quite another to make them obey such an order against 
 us. Moreover, even though the government did succeed 
 in getting the regular army raised to two hundred thou- 
 sand men — against the protest of the peace people — they 
 are nearly all so busily employed in keeping down our out- 
 lying and unwilling fellow subjects that they haven't as 
 many soldiers at home today as they had before the 
 increase. 
 
 "We have a cause, this time, which should command 
 the respect and support of every lover of liberty; and for 
 the rest we do not care. 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 67 
 
 "We are going to avoid the mistakes of the past. In 
 other words, some of us have learned that in demanding 
 liberty and freedom of speech for ourselves, we must not 
 deny it to others: We stand utterly and unequivocally 
 opposed to the whole system of suppression of opinion as 
 practiced by the government postal department and the gag 
 law it enforces in the army by which man must either have 
 no opinion or not express it." 
 
 Turning to Mr. Endy he asked, "Is there anything else 
 that I can tell you: you see I have opened my whole heart 
 to you." 
 
 "Resources," said his hearer, who had been listening 
 eagerly to every word. 
 
 "Oh, yes," said Arndt quickly. "Our resources. I 
 omitted that purposely. Only the committee of finance 
 know that, exactly. We have had no large strike for many 
 years. The futility of these local strikes was demonstrated 
 in the anthracite coal strike some years ago, which ended 
 ultimately in nothing permanently gained for the strikers; 
 and since then the men have had to digest their wrongs 
 as best they could. At least, they did not strike with our 
 consent. We have been accumulating funds — and military 
 instruction. Yes, I know it is a great trust and a greater 
 responsibility; but the money has been carefully invested 
 and has accumulated fast, as we have placed it wisely — 
 some of it in Standard Oil stock — and as for the commit- 
 tee? Well, Mr. Endy, since I have found one rich man 
 who loves his country and his fellowman and who proposes 
 to do for us what you are going to, you need not doubt 
 that we found enough honest, conscientious, capable, thor- 
 oughly disinterested men among ourselves to form a 
 finance committee of fifteen. I am not on it. Black is. 
 And I have every reason to believe in the patriotism and 
 honesty of every member of the body. 
 
 "But we realize that the support which the very fact 
 that you are with and for us will give us, will be worth 
 more than the money in the treasury — no matter how much 
 that may be. You had an evidence this morning of how 
 the men appreciated that." 
 
 But at this point they were interrupted by Rollins who 
 announced dinner. 
 
68 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 Arndt was astonished to find how the time had slipped 
 away, and he started to leave at once. But Mr. Endy 
 insisted on his remaining with him. "For," said he, "I 
 expect that it will happen often in the coming days, and 
 you may as well begin now. You know," he sadly 
 remarked, "there are no women in this house except the 
 servants. Money can do many things; but it cannot stay 
 the hand of the destroyer when one's time is come; and 
 money has failed to have any power over me since the days 
 when my wife and daughter followed each other to the 
 grave, ten years ago. I had Robert left then; but he is 
 so engrossed in business these last years, and occupies his 
 rooms in the city so much, that I sometimes stop and try 
 to realize that I have a son." 
 
 And so Arndt's heart was filled with pity for the old 
 man. 
 
 In the dining room they found Robert pacing rest- 
 lessly up and down ; but as they entered the large, light and 
 beautiful room he came to a sudden stop in his walk and 
 faced them. 
 
 His father said, "You need no introduction to Mr. 
 Arndt, I think?" 
 
 "Certainly not!" his son replied, "How do you do, Sir." 
 
 Arndt replied courteously and the three seated them- 
 selves; and then the elder man said to Rollins, "We will 
 help ourselves, Rollins," and so they were left alone. Never- 
 theless, the meal was eaten almost in silence, and when they 
 arose Robert said to his father, "I would like to speak to 
 you, Sir, and, if you have no objection, I would like Mr. 
 Arndt to hear what I have to say." 
 
 "Very good!" replied his father, "that will suit me, 
 exactly." 
 
 But Arndt begged to be excused, saying that he had no 
 wish to know anything about their private affairs. 
 
 Robert here lost control of himself, and he said, bitterly, 
 "I know nothing about your wish, Sir. I only know that 
 you are already in our private affairs; and I propose to 
 inform you exactly about them." 
 
 "Hush, Sir!" said his father — for Rollins was entering 
 the room. "Gentlemen, we will go to the library, if you 
 please. Rollins, say to all callers that we are engaged." 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 69 
 
 Without another word they proceeded to that room and 
 as soon as they were seated he said, "Now, Robert, say 
 your say; but please remember that I am your father'' 
 1 hen, lighting a cigar himself, he passed the box to Arndt 
 and to Robert— each of whom accepted; and so they sat 
 smoking around the open fire place, while in the back of 
 
 sweetl°° m a 6 mUSiC b ° X rUn by eIectricit y P la yed 
 
 Young Robert arose impatiently and stopped the 
 works; and as the sharp click of the spring was heard the 
 music suddenly ceased and he commenced his talk as if he 
 had only been interrupted— but this time he stood beside 
 the fireplace facing both men. 
 
 Arndt— who could see the face of both father and son— 
 quietly smoked on; but he said to himself: "When Greek 
 meets Greek, then comes the tug of war " 
 
 Robert said emphatically, "I think that it is you who 
 forget— and forget that you are my father— or you would 
 never have made the will you executed yesterday " 
 
 At the word "Will" his father straightened himself in 
 his chair and said sharply. "So! It is as I expected. Some 
 young man in Johnson's office finds it to his advantage to 
 tell you about my doings there. And I expect that I can 
 save myself the trouble of telling you about my operations 
 with my broker, also." 
 
 "Precisely so!" said his son. "A successful business 
 man must .know what even his own father is doing " 
 
 'Well, was the reply, "I think that I was generous 
 enough in that will to prove my affection for vou You 
 have a fortune of your own from your mother; I hesitated 
 yesterday, to leave you even so much as I did; for I do not 
 approve of the way you are using what you already have 
 
 ~n S i ^ V t ? ften tolcI y° u - Now - if you do not like the 
 will which I have made, I can easily change it; and as for 
 your knowing about it, I will say that I do not like the way 
 in which you get your information— it would be more 
 straightforward and manly to come direct to me I have 
 nothing to conceal— and, today, I have especial cause to 
 have no objection to your knowing everv word of it 
 Indeed, I intended to tell you of it and of my plans for the 
 future as soon as I had finished talking to Mr. Arndt For 
 
70 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 since the recent occurrence, it will be better for all of us to 
 understand exactly where we are and what confronts us." 
 
 "You refer to the ovation which the men gave to Mr. 
 Arndt and yourself," said his son sarcastically. 
 
 "Precisely so!" said his father, "and the sound of their 
 hearty cheers for Robert Endy will never be forgotten by 
 your father. But I referred to the death of my closest 
 friend at your hands, as well." 
 
 Robert started towards Arndt, crying, "What infamous 
 lies have you been telling my father, Sir? What had I to 
 do with the death of Angus MacDonald? Was I his 
 keeper?" 
 
 "That is an old question," said the white-haired man, 
 "and as you have decided it in the negative we will get 
 down to business. Now, the will I made, stands — unless 
 you think I had better make another one giving you only 
 half as much. But I shall add a codicil to that will tomor- 
 row, in which I shall cut down what I have left you three- 
 quarters in the event that I die before this strike is ended 
 — or in the event that the men are defeated. You need not 
 look at me in astonishment. I am still a good business 
 man (although you have so long considered me a 'back 
 number,' and have so spoken of me). 
 
 "If I had no other charge to make against the miserable 
 system which you call 'business,' the one charge I would 
 make is that it has cost me the love and respect of my only 
 son — and that, today, I do not know but that my early 
 death would be welcome to you." 
 
 Here the old man's feelings overcame him and his son 
 was moved by the sight of his distressed face to exclaim, 
 "Never that, Sir, never! You do me injustice there." 
 
 "Well," said his father, more calmly, "I am thankful for 
 even so much. But you brought it on yourself; for you 
 refused to spare MacDonald at my request." 
 
 "That," said Robert, "was a business necessity." 
 But the old man (who was an elder in the church), cried 
 out sharply: 
 
 "To the devil with such business!" 
 
 "Amen!" said Arndt. 
 
 The others seemed to have forgotten his presence — he 
 sat smoking so quietly — but his words recalled his enemy 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 71 
 
 to what he had wanted to say to him and he remarked 
 sarcastically, "That is usually the opinion of men whom the 
 company has found incompetent or insubordinate — and has, 
 consequently, discharged." 
 
 He paused, but Arndt made no motion to reply and 
 calmly lit another cigar which the old man passed to him 
 when he threw the remains of the first one into the grate. 
 So Robert continued, "I will say to you in my father's 
 presence that I don't know how you have managed to twist 
 yourself into his confidence — probably under the self-delu- 
 sion that you are disinterestedly working for the Union, 
 but, be that as it may, I wish to express my dislike of the 
 intimacy, and my intention to break it up. You are not 
 the first young man who has exercised undue influence 
 upon an old gentleman, and I can have you quietly disposed 
 of. We don't imprison labor leaders because of their occu- 
 pation. Some, we can buy — and that's the easiest and 
 cheapest way; but some are obstinate and have to go to 
 jail — and the corporation lawyers never yet had any trouble 
 in finding a charge good enough to answer the purpose — 
 no matter how honest the judge might be. So, the old 
 days and their methods are past and gone. You were a 
 little too smart for the company in this strike, therefore I 
 must now ask you to give me your word to have it ended 
 as soon as possible, and to never speak to my father again 
 — and then I will stop the wheels I have already put in 
 motion." 
 
 "Is that all you require?" Arndt asked calmly. 
 
 "I think it sufficient, Sir," Robert replied haughtily. 
 "Why do you ask?" 
 
 "Oh, I thought you might like to add to it something 
 that is possible," said Arndt. "This is a righteous strike, 
 and while I was empowered to have a voice in starting 
 
 Robert interrupted savagely, "Righteous! What bosh 
 and nonsense! Why don't you talk language that a busi- 
 ness man can understand. Is it going to pay either you or 
 the public or the company? If not, that settles it. I tell 
 you this strike will go down in history as the most illogical 
 one that ever was." 
 
 "How so?" said his father. 
 
72 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 "Would you have been numbered and worn a brass 
 tag?" asked Arndt, quietly. 
 
 "Never!" said Robert emphatically; "but I " 
 
 Arndt laughed. 
 
 "What do you mean by that, Sir?" demanded Robert. 
 
 Arndt met his angry glance squarely and remarked, 
 "And yet there are some who deny the existence of Class 
 in America." 
 
 "You never heard me deny it," Robert asserted; "but 
 that is beside the question. I would never answer to any- 
 thing but my name; but you and the others, with the excep- 
 tion of the thirty-two who utterly and unequivocally 
 refused, and who were discharged and blacklisted as a con- 
 sequence, did; it would seem that you might have got used 
 to what you call your degradation by this time. I say that 
 the strike is illogical, and I can prove my assertion. You 
 did not strike when Carter, one of the thirty-two, com- 
 mitted suicide because he could not obtain work; and I 
 doubt whether you know at this moment what became of 
 the thirty-one. They are certainly not working in any of 
 the Company's plants this day. Yet you pass all that by; 
 and because a man of over sixty years of age — who should 
 have been retired years ago, and who has a sufficiency for 
 his old age — takes his dismissal to heart and dies, you up 
 and strike." 
 
 "You insinuate that I let my personal feelings and per- 
 sonal affairs influence my vote, do you?" Arndt asked with 
 a little heat. 
 
 "I do more than insinuate, I charge you with it," Robert 
 replied emphatically. "And, moreover " 
 
 His father interrupted him. "You can retract both the 
 insinuation and the charge, Sir. / am the man who said 
 that this strike should be, and be now. I, and I alone." 
 
 His son paid no attention to the avowal, and continued, 
 "while I am truly grieved at the death of my father's friend 
 and at the illness of Miss Nettie, I utterly fail to understand 
 why the fight was made on his case and not on Carter's or 
 Laird's. MacDonald, I know, had a taking, hearty man- 
 ner, which the others lacked, and was very popular with 
 the men; but, surely, that is no reason for striking at this 
 time," 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 71 
 
 Robert was standing in such a way that by looking past 
 his father and Arndt he commanded a view of the main 
 drive, and Arndt had noticed that from time to time he 
 seemed to be more interested in that than in what he was 
 saying. So he was not surprised when Robert commenced 
 to thresh the same straw over again, asserting, "There is 
 neither sense nor logic in that. For the Company is now 
 paying higher wages and for less hours " 
 
 "But, for more work than ever before in the world's his- 
 tory," Arndt interjected rather impatiently. 
 
 "Than ever before," Robert contemptuously proceeded. 
 "I will use your words to complete my statement, though 
 I emphatically deny yours. I say that I simply cannot 
 understand " 
 
 Here his father arose from his chair and interrupted 
 him. His voice quivered with emotion as he said, "You do 
 not understand! And if you could, you would not be the 
 man you this day are. But I will tell you this: The 
 Power in whom you do not believe, and who despite your 
 disbelief still sways their hearts and governs men, makes 
 use continually of man's illogicalness to overthrow the 
 wrong. And if you could but see it, there is logic of the 
 sternest kind in all this. MacDonald's case stands for the 
 primal right of man to work, and at that thing he can do 
 best and joy in doing — which right this cursed competitive 
 system more utterly denies than it does the right to work 
 and live by the work." 
 
 Arndt nodded his head emphatically and Robert sneer- 
 ingly said, "Oh, I see; Socialists, out and out!" 
 
 His father sank back into his chair, and Arndt replied 
 quietly, "Not yet. But I am going to investigate their 
 position thoroughly and shall advocate and use it to over- 
 throw the present murderous system — under certain con- 
 tingencies. You cannot deny that the predictions of Marx 
 and the leading Socialist writers are being wonderfully ful- 
 filled today; and there is nothing like a fulfilled prophecy 
 to establish the truth either of a system or a creed." 
 
 But Mr. Endy protested. — "No, No! I have made a 
 thorough study of the whole question and have a complete 
 solution of it in my modified plan of co-operation and 
 profit-sharing. I will show it to you." 
 
74 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 Robert laughed long and sarcastically and said, "Yes; 
 and it will work at precisely the same moment that the 
 other ideal system works; namely, when you change man's 
 nature, or make something but a being who is a survival 
 of the struggle for existence, instead of him." 
 
 After a moment Arndt said heartily to Mr. Endy, "I 
 hope to God that you are right and have succeeded — I will 
 be glad to go into the matter thoroughly." 
 
 At this moment Robert again glanced from Arndt to 
 the window, and Arndt saw that his face brightened at 
 once, and he said airily, "Oh, well, there is no use wasting 
 any more time in discussion. I gave you my ultimatum 
 some time ago; and I will grant my father and you, say 
 half an hour, to think it over. I don't imagine that you 
 will leave the house before my return, as I see the officer 
 who lias a warrant for your arrest — on the charge I men- 
 tioned — standing at the door." 
 
 His hearers made no reply, although he waited for one, 
 and he said, "Good-bye, Gentlemen; I look for a com- 
 pliance with my request." 
 
 And he laughed as he left the room. 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 "The best laid plans of mice and men " 
 
 — By One who knew. 
 
 Neither of the men remaining in the room appeared to 
 be in the least disturbed by Robert's threats, but went on 
 smoking; and finally, the elder man said, "Now, I think that 
 you can understand why, I, who have been so bitterly 
 opposed to strikes and all warfare in every shape and 
 form, should consent to aid you at this time." 
 
 Arndt looked inquiringly at him and he continued: 
 "It seems to me to be simply a choice of evils; for I am 
 certain that unless some one with a very cool head and 
 whose heart is full of the love of the race intervenes, this 
 struggle will not end without the most dreadful civil war 
 the world has ever seen." 
 
 "My idea exactly," said Arndt, "only it will not be con- 
 fined to this country; for the workingmen of the world have 
 looked to America as the last chance for them to obtain 
 justice, and they will help us rather than have their only 
 asylum destroyed." 
 
 "Worse and worse," sighed Mr. Endy. "We must pre- 
 vent the breaking out of hostilities at all hazards. Now 
 these young men who are running things, and who are 
 responsible for all this trouble, seem to think they have all 
 the foresight there is in the market. I wish that Robert 
 had remained with us and kept on talking. He talks too 
 much for the good of his cause, and entirely too often." 
 
 Arndt smiled, but immediatelv looked very serious; and 
 after a few moments — during which the old man scanned 
 him narrowly as he paced nervously up and down the room 
 — he said, as he paused in front of his friend, "Don't you 
 think we might spare him the publicity which is sure to 
 follow? He is your own son; think of your own feel- 
 ings." 
 
 75 
 
76 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 Mr. Endy took the young man's hand and said, "Thank 
 you, my boy, thank you for that thought; but, as you see, 
 he has forgotten that he is my son — and for the time I 
 must forget it. The warrant he has sworn out says that 
 you are a swindler and implies that I am out of my mind, 
 and this is only the first step towards declaring the will 
 which I made in favor of the cause, null and void on 
 account of the incompetency of the testator. 
 
 "You, as a leader of the workingmen, have no right to 
 let that will be upset; and I, as a sane man, am going to 
 fight for an open declaration of my sanity. Besides all 
 this, you must not let the mistake he has made be lost to 
 the cause." 
 
 "That's what made me hesitate," said Arndt. "He has 
 played into our hands beyond all expectation, and I know 
 that I ought not to let the chance slip; but I thought that 
 I might make it up by getting him to go on a foreign trip 
 for a while — until the strike is ended. President Craggie 
 cannot afford to lose the services of men who profess the 
 principles — in business matters — that Robert holds. I 
 see, however, that you are right; we must take advantage 
 of every slip made by our opponents — though I am sorry 
 that this one was made by Robert and in this way." 
 
 "Well," said Mr. Endy, "I am more sorry than you can 
 be; but I am not going to be considered an incompetent 
 business man — and an imbecile besides — if I can prevent it; 
 and the last ten years of comparative idleness have been 
 spent largely among these books where you will find every 
 valuable suggestion ever printed on the labor question. 
 
 "That has been my hobby; and I have lost caste among 
 my fellow millionaires because I so constantly insisted on 
 and spoke in favor of giving the worker a fair share of the 
 proceeds of his labor. I will allow that I did not say any- 
 thing except among my own class; for there, it seemed to 
 me, the work needed to be done; I feared that any encour- 
 agement would lead the men to rebellion against conditions 
 which I constantly hoped would change for the better. 
 
 "But we will talk of this when we have more time. 
 Angus MacDonald and I, as you know, have spent many 
 an hour together in this room discussing this question 
 while you, I suppose, were at least as pleasantly employed 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 77 
 
 talking to Nettie. But now he is gone, and we have work 
 to do." 
 
 There was a little silence and then he roused himself 
 and said, very briskly, "Enough of dreaming! Please ring 
 the bell for the stables" — pointing to the switchboard in the 
 corner of the room. As soon as the answering ring of the 
 bell on the board was heard Mr. Endy spoke into a tele- 
 phone receiver which stood on the library table by his 
 side, and told John to bring the double team and closed 
 carriage to the door as soon as possible; and then turning 
 to Arndt, said, "I am sorry for it, but I think that you will 
 have to remain in prison tonight." 
 
 "Of course," was the reply. "If we are going to fight 
 this thing out, we could not afford to let that advantage 
 slip. There is no disgrace in imprisonment for this cause, 
 and I am more than willing to remain there more than one 
 night, if necessary; but I can tell you that this would be a 
 serious business if I had not you to fight for me. I could 
 narrate some tales of what has been done in so-called free 
 America — especially since the capitalists commenced hold- 
 ing secret sessions and sending out secret circular letters 
 — tales which would put to the blush the injustice and 
 cruelty practiced by any monarchical government in Europe 
 — Russia not excepted." 
 
 "I know," said his hearer, "probably more of those tales 
 than you do, for I am on the inside; and that is one of the 
 things that has determined me to fight till death the class 
 division in America. 
 
 "We are, today, a republic only in name. The ballot 
 it is true has been left in the hands of part of the people as 
 the easiest way to govern all ; but the will of the people, if 
 it cannot be made to coincide with that of the real rulers 
 of this country before election — and that is often done, 
 through a corrupt press and by other means — is deliberately 
 set aside afterwards; and in ways the law does not seem 
 able to reach or prevent. As for getting redress by putting 
 another party in power — you know what that amounts to. 
 The rich can always make the first years of the new admin- 
 istration disastrous years, if they have the will to do it — 
 and then the people themselves restore the old party to 
 power again. Then the reform legislation — which never 
 
78 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 had any chance to produce satisfactory results — is repealed 
 or becomes a dead letter. It never seems to make any 
 difference to Mr. Craggie and men of his ilk, which party 
 is in power." 
 
 "You are exactly right," said Arndt. "I have often 
 thought when I heard or read the charge that my Socialist 
 friends are traitors, that the real traitors are those who 
 deliberately thus wreck the prosperity of the country from 
 time to time. And there have been occasions when I have 
 seriously weighed the question as to whether the slaughter 
 and suffering thus entailed on the poor was not in the long 
 run worse in amount and quality than that brought about 
 by any actual outbreak of revolution." 
 
 "I had not thought of that!" exclaimed Mr. Endy; "but 
 there is the carriage at the door, and we will now see 
 whether Robert has been playing a bluff on us. No; we 
 will not wait to speak to him. I do not care to say any- 
 thing further to him this day." 
 
 As they passed Rollins in the hall Mr. Endy gave him 
 instructions — at a suggestion from Arndt — that he should 
 go to the house on the river road and see that all was well 
 there; "and also," said he, "Tell Miss Annie that all is 
 right with us, but that we are compelled to go to the city 
 on business and cannot possibly return until tomorrow. 
 And, Rollins, you had better remain with them if there is 
 no man in the house — and you might as well take some 
 things for hearty people as well as sick ones with you." 
 
 As they opened the front door they waited for the 
 gentleman — who had been standing by the carriage ever 
 since John drove up — to turn around. When he did so, 
 Mr. Endy said to Arndt, "Good!" Then addressing the 
 man as he advanced towards him he said, "Mr. Sheriff, I 
 thank you for this; I will not forget it." 
 
 "Oh, that's all right, Mr. Endy," was the reply, as the 
 offered hand was cordially shaken, "I thought I had better 
 attend to this little matter myself — some of the boys talk 
 too much to the reporters. Mr. Arndt," — turning as he 
 spoke — "I am sorry to have to ask you to consider your- 
 self my prisoner; it's a formality I have to go through with, 
 you know." 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 79 
 
 "Very good! Thank you, Sir," said Arndt — and again 
 he smiled. 
 
 "Now, Mr. Sheriff," said Mr. Endy, "I hope that you 
 have no objection to going to the railroad in this car- 
 riage." 
 
 "None whatever," was the reply; "in fact I rather 
 expected to do that very thing when I saw it drive up to the 
 door; and I also expect that you are going with us to the 
 city, Mr. Endy." 
 
 "Well," said the other, "I had thought of doing so if 
 you do not object to traveling in my company." 
 
 The officer laughed heartily as he said: "Not likely is it, 
 Mr. Endy? But I thought I might as well mention that 
 it will be too late to give bail tonight, when we get to our 
 destination — unless you have a special train and travel as 
 Mr. Craggie does." 
 
 "Of course, of course," was the reply; "but let us start, 
 for I see Robert coming towards the house." 
 
 After they were outside the grounds he asked to see the 
 warrant; but that document did not give much more infor- 
 mation than Robert already had imparted andi the three 
 men chatted pleasantly until they reached the station. As 
 they were about to enter the parlor car the sheriff, in a low 
 tone, said: "Mr. Arndt, I believe I will smoke — you will 
 meet me at the station in Clyde, will you not?" 
 
 As he spoke the last words the two men looked straight 
 at each other and Arndt said, "Certainly, Sir," and the 
 sheriff left them. 
 
 As the train rolled along smoothly and swiftly towards 
 Clyde, Arndt said, "I am beginning to see and feel some of 
 the direct advantages of being if not rich, at least in the 
 company of a rich man. I've seen too many men arrested 
 by deputies and policemen not to realize the difference 
 between this and riding in the smoking car with a uni- 
 formed officer beside me — and maybe, handcuffs besides." 
 
 "Yes," said Mr. Endy; "but this is Jones' way of doing 
 business. He was elected by popular vote in spite of the 
 opposition of the ring, as you know; and, having come up 
 from the ranks of the policemen through all the grades, 
 is, for once, the right man in the right place." 
 
80 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 Arndt laughed, and after a moment asked, "Do you 
 know that we have the Socialists to thank for Jones?" 
 
 "Of course, of course! But what could we do. Decent 
 citizens simply could not vote for such undisguised rascals 
 as the other parties nominated. A sheriff does not get any 
 opportunity to put Socialism in practice." 
 
 Again Arndt laughed. "Yes, I know," he said. "But 
 still he is a standing advertisement of what sort of men 
 are in their ranks — and his administration of the office is 
 making adherents for Socialism daily. All the working- 
 men like and swear by Jones, for his success has not spoiled 
 him; but if it had not been you and your son who are 
 involved in this matter, Mr. Jones would not have been 
 here." 
 
 "I had not thought of that," said Mr. Endy. 
 
 "Now," he continued, "we have a little time to arrange 
 a programme. I telegraphed Johnson to wait for me at his 
 office, and as soon as I reach Clyde I am going there and 
 have that codicil added to yesterday's will then and there. 
 Then I am going to sever my business relations with John- 
 son. A man who allows private information and confiden- 
 tial affairs to become public is not running business to my 
 satisfaction; and also, he is counsel for the Iron and Steel 
 corporation, and will be against us in this fight. 
 
 "Then I am going to employ your man Chandler, who 
 is counsel for the Union, to do my work hereafter." 
 
 "Good!" said Arndt, "I am certainly glad of that. 
 Harry Chandler is as smart a lawyer as any of them, and he 
 will prove it if he gets his chance. But his siding with the 
 working class has been against him thus far. He hasn't 
 had any big cases yet, and the Union employs him mainly 
 because he is an enthusiast in the cause of humanity." 
 
 "I think that he will get his chance tomorrow, or 
 maybe, tonight," Mr. Endy replied. "I am going to see 
 him as soon as I get through with Mr. Johnson, who I 
 think will lose some more of his millionaire clients after 
 all is told; for it was his own son who drew up that will, 
 and I am inclined to believe that he at least connived at 
 letting Robert know its contents. If I find Mr. Chandler 
 I am going to bring him around to the prison tonight to 
 see you. We have too much to talk about to wait until the 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 81 
 
 morning, and I never leave until tomorrow what can be 
 attended to today." - 
 
 "I am afraid you will overtax yourself," said Arndt. 
 
 "Never fear, my boy," was the reply, "I am all right! 
 These white hairs do not count for anything. I am as 
 sound as a dollar. I have not rested ten years for nothing. 
 And, besides, 'a man is immortal until his work is done.' " 
 
 When the train stopped in the depot at Clyde they met 
 the sheriff who saluted them as if he were greeting them for 
 the first time that day. Then Mr. Endy said: "Excuse us a 
 moment, Mr. Arndt," and he took the arm of Jones and 
 walked aside a few feet. Then he said, "Mr. Sheriff, the 
 man you have in charge is going to marry the daughter of 
 my old friend Angus MacDonald whom we buried this 
 morning. He is, therefore, if for no other reason, one of 
 my personal friends, and I am going to ask you to see that 
 he has every alleviation which prison discipline permits." 
 
 Jones looked sharply at his companion and said, "I can 
 easily keep him under my own care, and take him to my 
 own home, for the night; your word and his would be suffi- 
 cient for me." 
 
 "Thank you, Sir, thank you," was the reply; "but he 
 must go to prison. I would, however, thank you for a 
 permit to visit him — together with his counsel." 
 
 "Is that all?" asked the sheriff as he handed his card 
 on which he had written the desired permission. 
 
 "That is all, I think," hesitatingly. Then he said, 
 sharply, "No, Sir, that is not all— not quite. I am of too 
 much importance, today and tomorrow, to take any risks. 
 I have just had an impression made on my mind which I 
 cannot disregard. Mr. Sheriff, I want a man— one who 
 can be depended upon— to not lose sight of me for two 
 days — and perhaps longer." 
 
 "Capital idea, that," was the quiet reply, as he ran his 
 eye over the throng of people who were hurrying this way 
 and that along the platform — some leaving trains and 
 others entering, until to an inexperienced eye it appeared 
 impossible but that everybody must get into the wrong 
 car, and that those who were leaving the depot seemed to 
 be in constant danger of instant death from the baggage 
 trucks which were being pushed around among the crowd. 
 
82 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 "Good idea!" repeated the official to himself, "but I 
 don't see our man here. Let us pass through the depot 
 and along the front of the building. He was here when I 
 left for Steelton." 
 
 Then they rejoined Arndt, who, in the meantime, had 
 been examining the faces of the people as they passed and 
 had exchanged greetings with several. To one of these he 
 said briefly, "Strike is on! Telegraph President of the 
 Union — in cypher — to meet me as early as possible tomor- 
 row morning at the prison." 
 
 "All right," said the man, who was dressed as an engi- 
 neer, and his eye swept over the people until it stopped at 
 the sheriff and Mr. Endy; and then his face lit up as he 
 repeated very emphatically, "All right!" and he shook 
 hands with Arndt and went into the telegraph office. 
 
 As our party passed through the building the sheriff 
 looked searchingly among the moving mass, but neither of 
 the others saw him make a signal to any one, although Mr. 
 Endy was on the watch for something of the kind; but as 
 they stopped on the outskirts of the crowd he touched the 
 latter on his shoulder and when he turned around he said, 
 "Mr. Endy, permit me to introduce to you my friend Mr. 
 Arthur, who will carry out your wishes;" and he then 
 stepped aside for a moment and spoke to the man. After- 
 wards Arndt and the sheriff entered a carriage and were 
 driven to the prison, while Mr. Endy and his companion 
 went to Mr. Johnson's office. 
 
 Here Mr. Endy carried out his programme to the let- 
 ter, never intimating the least displeasure until the codicil 
 was properly added, and then, as the clerks who had acted 
 as witnesses withdrew from the room — for it was long after 
 office hours — he said that he would take the will with him, 
 and as he arose to go he remarked, "And, as I do not like 
 to have everybody know all about my private affairs, I 
 propose to transfer my business to other hands. So, please, 
 Mr. Johnson, send in the bill for what I owe you to date." 
 
 Upon that gentleman professing astonishment and 
 ignorance of what he could possibly mean, he received a 
 very brief but pointed account of what had occurred; and, 
 as he was himself a rich man and a corporation lawyer 
 with a large practice, he said only that he regretted exceed- 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL Sj 
 
 ingly that anything private should have leaked out oi his 
 office, and that he would sift the whole matter to the bot- 
 tom; but he made no effort to persuade his client to change 
 his mind — and immediately the two men took leave of each 
 other. 
 
 But Mr. Johnson went to the front window and looked 
 out, and he said, "Cranky sure enough;" and he raised his 
 eyebrows and whistled softly to himself as he saw who it 
 was that had been waiting in the outer office and now fol- 
 lowed Mr. Endy into the carriage. 
 
 "Arthur! By the Eternal!" he exclaimed. "I'd tele- 
 graph that fact to Endy's son if he hadn't made such a 
 fool of himself and got me into such a mess. Of course, 
 I suspect who told him. Endy's all wrong! No one in 
 this office was bribed to give information — that was simply 
 a matter of friendship between my son and his. These 
 young fellows hang together just as we old ones used to 
 when we were young. And I protested, plainly, against 
 that will — but if Robert hasn't sense enough to hold his 
 tongue he will have to fight his own battles without aid 
 from me or mine." 
 
 And then he turned away from the window and went to 
 seek an interview with his son. 
 
 From Johnson's office Mr. Endy rode swiftly to that of 
 Chandler, for he was afraid that he might find the offices 
 closed, as it was now after half past five. Fortunately they 
 found the lawyer still at his desk; and upon introducing 
 himself Mr. Endy said briefly: "I wish you to take entire 
 charge of my legal business — and in the first place, please 
 put this will in your safe for tonight. We have a fight on 
 our hands— first, to get Charles Arndt out of prison- 
 where he now is, on the charge of exercising undue influ- 
 ence and so forth and so forth — and besides, you are going 
 to have to prove, incidentally, that I am a sane man." 
 
 Chandler had said little — he was watching and studying 
 the old man— and he now irrelevantly observed, "I think 
 we had better have something to eat, as we have a long 
 night's work ahead of us." 
 
 "Precisely so!" said Mr. Endy. And to himself he 
 added, "They won't fluster him much ; Arndt knows a man 
 when he sees one, and we 'have the rijrht one now." 
 
84 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 At the restaurant Arthur started to drop away from the 
 others and leave them free to talk about their business; but 
 Mr. Endy said, "Mr. Arthur, please give me the pleasure 
 of your company while we eat — when I trust a man I trust 
 him entirely." 
 
 After they had finished their meal they returned to the 
 lawyer's office and procured necessary books and papers 
 and then drove to the prison where, on presenting the 
 sheriff's card, they were promptly admitted and were soon 
 busily engaged on the necessary legal documents. 
 
 It was nearly midnight when Chandler said, "That fin- 
 ishes it, I expect. There isn't an easier charge to make 
 than undue influence — unless it be mental incompetence — 
 and both are as difficult to disprove as they are easy to 
 make. Most of us think that we are perfectly sane; never- 
 theless, most of the things the sanest of us do, look crazy 
 to somebody or other — especially if it hits the somebody 
 somewhere." 
 
 But they had not been working on legal documents 
 exclusively. Among other things that were accomplished 
 during the rest that Chandler insisted on Mr. Endy taking 
 at nine o'clock was a paper which read, "SEQUEL TO 
 THE GREAT STRIKE INAUGURATED AT STEELr 
 TON TODAY! 
 
 "At ten o'clock tonight we learn of an effort to prove 
 the insanity of Robert Endy, Sr., because he has made a 
 will which devotes a large portion of his wealth to the aid 
 of the strikers. 
 
 "Charles Arndt, one of the advisory committee, that 
 ordered the strike, has been imprisoned on a trumped up 
 charge — See Editorial." 
 
 The editorial was likewise prepared at the same time 
 and place (but the editor that was fortunate enough to get 
 this haul forgot to tell his readers of that fact) . It read : 
 
 TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. 
 
 "We have a word to say, and especially to the rich. 
 
 "The time has now arrived when the business methods 
 which were inaugurated by the fathers are being operated 
 bv the sons. 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 85 
 
 "These methods produced much evil, as every man 
 knows, even when operated by men who, because of long 
 and intimate association with the workingmen, had still a 
 feeling of brotherhood for the masses. 
 
 "This feeling is totally absent in their sons. Reared 
 in luxury, educated at select private schools, with leisure 
 for any and every amusement, they have a feeling of con- 
 tempt for every man who has not made what they call ;* 
 'success' in life — not realizing that under present conditions 
 success is possible for the few only. 
 
 "They have lost every sentiment which shoujd mark the 
 difference between an American citizen and a member of 
 the aristocratic classes of Europe. There are few rich 
 men today in this country who do not know this to be true 
 of their own sons. Mr. Endy has found it too true of his, 
 to his sorrow; and tomorrow's session of court will see a 
 hale and hearty man, of undoubted sanity, called to the wit- 
 ness stand to prove that he is able to make a testament 
 that will hold in law. 
 
 "Who will be the next rich man to share his fate? 
 
 "The young men who are running business today are 
 the ones that are insane, or at least mentally unbalanced. 
 They stop at nothing in their mad effort to excel each 
 other in the piling up of dollars which most of them do not 
 need — forgetting that these dollars are often the price of 
 blood. There are those among the people who suspect 
 that this suit is only a secret method of striking at the 
 workingmen, since it is Charles Arndt, a labor leader, who 
 has been imprisoned. The Iron and Steel Company will 
 have a chance to disavow all connection with the matter 
 and we expect them to do so promptly, as the people are 
 deathly tired of such methods — and have said so, time and 
 again." 
 
 This was sent by telegraph to the paper having the 
 largest circulation in the United States, "The Plutocrat," 
 and also the "Clyde Daily Clarion" — a Socialist paper, that, 
 of course, favored the strikers. The "Plutocrat" was 
 assured that it would be the only paper in the East to get 
 that matter — thus insuring its publication. It was almost 
 one o'clock when Mr. Endy and Arthur went to a hotel and 
 secured adjoining rooms with a doorway between; and at 
 
86 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 least one of them slept soundly the remainder of the 
 night. 
 
 Arthur, however, had been up a long time before he 
 called Mr. Endy — at eight o'clock; and those who know 
 him will be certain that he would have been ready for any 
 emergency at any moment. 
 
 When the party assembled in the court room they found 
 it crowded to the doors, the space set apart for the bar 
 could not nearly hold the attorneys present, and Arndt 
 looked anxiously at Chandler — fearing that his friend might 
 be disconcerted. But Chandler seemed to be enjoying the 
 best of spirits; and when Mr. Endy caught Arndt's expres- 
 sion he leaned over and said, "Chandler is all right — never 
 you fear for him. I tell you when a man's heart is in his 
 cause the fear of man departs from him." 
 
 "Amen," said Arndt. 
 
 But, in the end, the people and the lawyers were cheated 
 out of their expected legal battle, and Chandler lost his 
 chance to make a speech which would certainly have made 
 him famous for all time. 
 
 For the magistrate, on calling the case, said briefly, that 
 the information lodged against the prisoner had been with- 
 drawn with the consent of the State's attorney and that Mr. 
 Arndt was therefore at liberty. 
 
 Chandler jumped to his feet and 1 wanted to make a fight 
 on certain legal informalities in the whole proceeding, and 
 also advised Arndt that he could recover heavy damages 
 from Robert Endy, the informant. 
 
 But Arndt said emphatically, "We stop this case right 
 here, Harry! Robert Endy will pay dearly enough for this, 
 if he has not already done so. 
 
 "That newspaper work of yours was a masterstroke. I 
 don't think you need regret the loss of that speech — you 
 can get it off some other day anyhow; for this fight has 
 only begun." 
 
 Now the fact was that Robert's father had not fully 
 realized the import of what was occurring until he found 
 himself in the court room; then the thought flashed across 
 his mind in all its hideous reality that his child, his son 
 Robert, was going to have to stand there before that mul- 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 87 
 
 titude and appear to doubt the sanity of his old father. So, 
 when the magistrate made his announcement and dismissed 
 Arndt, a great wave of relief and thankfulness swept over 
 him — only to be instantly checked by Chandler's words and 
 advice to Arndt. 
 
 It was characteristic of the man that he never gave a 
 sign of what his wishes would be; for he knew that the 
 advice was sound — and also just; but when he heard 
 Arndt's emphatic words he grasped the young man's hand 
 and in a moment transferred his own to the arm of Arndt, 
 and so the two went out of the court room arm in arm in 
 the sight of all men. 
 
 And as they passed from sight the significance of the act 
 dawned on the assembled people, and then a wave of feeling 
 swept over them and broke through all restraints, and cheer 
 followed cheer. There was no attempt made to stop the 
 disturbance, for a judge who is "Amenable to Reason" 
 does not always have to have his reason in the shape of 
 dollars. 
 
 Mr. Endy then went with Chandler to look over the will 
 and probably draw a new one. "For," said he, "I am 
 obliged to confess that I have serious doubts whether a 
 will that was drawn by a corporation lawyer — who openly 
 said that he did not like it — will hold together and do what 
 I want it to." 
 
 But there he was wrong; for the will and codicil were 
 technically perfect, as Chandler assured him. "And," he 
 continued, "I expected nothing else. The professional 
 instinct is strong. Many lawyers do perfectly illegai and 
 unjust things in the interest of their clients — but not 
 against them. It was certainly not Mr. Johnson that 
 betrayed you. Nevertheless, I advise that you have an 
 entirely new will drawn at once; every added codicil is just 
 that much added weakness to the instrument." 
 
 So Mr. Arthur had a chance to make up for some of 
 his lost sleep while the two were engaged on the will; and 
 they arrived at the station and met Arndt just in time to 
 board the train. 
 
 Upon their arrival at Steelton they were met by John 
 with the carriage who reported that Rollins had instructed 
 
88 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 him to say that Miss Nettie had not been doing so well 
 as the doctor had expected, owing to some anxiety about 
 Arndt which their assurances of his safety had not been 
 able to quiet. 
 
 Accordingly, Arndt was driven to the MacDonald 
 house, where he found it necessary to make his home for 
 the present, and Mr. Endy went to the mansion to meet his 
 angry and disappointed son. 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 "Do them — or they'll do you !" 
 
 — Business version of the Golden Rule. 
 
 The person who in the year 1900 traveled over the state 
 of Missouri, or looked on its map, would not have found 
 the city of Clyde or the smaller municipality of Steelton. 
 
 With their usual foresight the rich men who owned the 
 different Iron and Steel plants had consolidated and con- 
 solidated again, until at last, further consolidation was 
 impossible. 
 
 The great improvement in the methods of rendering the 
 ores and manufacturing the iron made it cheaper in the 
 long run to abandon many of the plants in the Atlantic 
 coast states, and new mills and furnaces with the latest 
 improvements were erected — and always further West and 
 South. The completion of the Panama Canal found the 
 central plant of the Consolidated Iron and Steel Company 
 located in the almost central state of Missouri, where an 
 unexcelled amount and quality of ore and everything 
 needed in the manufacture, and water as well as rail trans- 
 portation for the finished product, gave them additional 
 leverage for multiplying their vast wealth. 
 
 Little cared they for the workingmen who by a life- 
 time of saving had purchased homes in the eastern states, 
 and who now, in order to secure work had to sacrifice 
 everything and move West. The corporation made money 
 even out of this. 
 
 They located the works on the site of those previously 
 owned and operated by Robert Endy, Sr. He, seeing the 
 uselessness of resistance had made the best bargain he 
 could with them and secured a promise that his old 
 employes should be given employment. This promise 
 was kept in the manner that we have seen. 
 
 The Company owns all the surrounding country that 
 they could purchase. There was but little they wished 
 for that they did not find some means to secure. 
 
 89 
 
90 
 
 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 The mineral resources and manufactures of the state 
 were already, in 1900, well developed; and the country was 
 then full of flourishing towns. As far as the towns are 
 concerned they, soon after the putting of Mr. Craggie's 
 plans in operation, became a thing of the past; for those 
 that found favor in the sight of the officers of the corpora- 
 tion soon swelled to the size of cities — and the others 
 ceased to grow or died of stagnation. 
 
 At the close of the last century the hardship of the 
 farmer's life was already having its effect in this same direc- 
 tion, and as the consolidation of great masses of humanity 
 in the cities chimed in exactly with Mr. Craggie's plans he 
 facilitated the killing off of the small towns — regardless 
 of the suffering and loss entailed on individuals. The com- 
 pany made more millions than even they would ever own 
 up to in the founding of their new city, Clyde, situated on 
 the banks of the Mississippi. The way for it had been 
 silently prepared by the smart men who once in a while 
 secured a personal interview with Mr. Craggie to report 
 progress and receive new orders, and it was fully fifteen 
 years after he said the first word about it to any of them 
 before the public, or those who had formerly owned the 
 land, became aware of what was going on. Then the scale 
 on which the city was laid out and the open announce- 
 ment by Mr. Craggie that he intended to dwarf St. Louis 
 and, in fact, any other city in the world was made public. 
 And those who knew Mr. Craggie's record did not doubt 
 either his intention or ability to do as he promised. So they 
 bought. 
 
 And it was these purchasers who really paid for the 
 city; for every dollar they spent in improving their own 
 property was only another excuse for increasing the price 
 of the unsold lots, of which the company had retained — at 
 the start — every other one. 
 
 It is true that the charter of the I. & S. Co. did not per- 
 mit it to do anything but manufacture iron and steel; the 
 stockholders did not get a penny of these profits — they all 
 went into the pockets of the president of the company, the 
 Honorable Gustavus Craggie, and a few of his pets. But 
 the plans were made, and the executive work was largely 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 91 
 
 done, by the company's clerks and officers — and those bills 
 and numerous others the company paid. 
 
 No sooner was ground broken at Clyde than Mr. Crag- 
 gie had a straight line of track laid over the sixty odd miles 
 that separated Steelton from the metropolis; and the time 
 he allowed for the trip was forty minutes — if he was not in 
 a hurry. 
 
 He, with a few others, owned this road; and the com- 
 pany paid exorbitant freight charges on their product, 
 ostensibly to crush out competition, but really to fill the 
 coffers of the owners. 
 
 The Hon. Gotlieb Voss was then elected president of 
 this and several other roads; and he understood perfectly 
 that 'he had to thank Mr. Craggie for the position. 
 
 Therefore Mr. Craggie carried in his pocket an order 
 signed by Mr. Voss giving him the right of way at any and 
 all times. So what could one expect but that regular 
 trains would have to wait when Mr. Craggie received a 
 certain telegram announcing the death of MacDonald and 
 the circumstances attending it. He was at that instant at 
 Pittsburg, Pa., inspecting the plant there, and he proposed 
 to remain in that vicinity for at least a week longer. 
 
 By his side when he received the telegram was his pri- 
 vate secretary Archibald Chambers, a remarkably fine 
 looking man with the quietest manner and the palest face 
 imaginable. The way in which the heads of departments 
 spoke to him convinced everyone at once that Chambers 
 was no ordinary man. The President treated him as he 
 did every one; that is, in a curt, ungentlemanly way — 
 and Chambers never paid the slightest attention to the tone 
 or the words. His reply was always clear, concise and 
 courteous. 
 
 After reading the telegram Mr. Craggie handed it to 
 Chambers with the remark, "What did that infernal fool 
 send such a piece of information as that to me for. People 
 have to die sometime, don't they?" 
 
 Chambers met his angry glance and said quietly, "Shall 
 I order the car to be ready to start at the earliest possible 
 moment, Sir — say in half an hour? If you think well of it 
 I will send the man a check for fifty dollars; he has served 
 you well." 
 
92 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 No one was within hearing, yet Mr. Craggie made a pre- 
 tense of reading the telegram again. Then he said, "Yes, 
 yes, you are right — there is apt to be trouble. There is 
 really nothing to keep us here." 
 
 So, although at the moment all was quiet, they started 
 West. 
 
 On the road home he received another telegram 
 announcing the beginning of the strike, and later one 
 telling of the arrest of Arndt and giving the "editorial" 
 in full. 
 
 The special train had never in all its fast runs covered 
 the miles in fewer seconds than it did during the darkness 
 of that night after the receiving of that last telegram. 
 They had just made a stop in order to lay in some pro- 
 visions which had been ordered by wire. These were 
 not on hand at the moment of their arrival ; for they were 
 away ahead of schedule time — a clear track having been 
 secured for them. The cook left the car to attend to the 
 matter. In the meantime the last telegram arrived and 
 Mr. Craggie gave no further thought to eating. He was 
 furious, and had to have some one on whom to lay the 
 blame. The only person in the car — besides himself — 
 since the cook had been left behind — was Chambers. 
 
 He turned on him and fiercely said, "I can't for the 
 life of me see why this important piece of news comes so 
 late, and has reached me in this way after it is too late to 
 prevent its publication." 
 
 Chambers looked up from his writing and very quietly 
 replied, "Robert Endy evidently expected to have that 
 man Arndt make some sort of compromise with him, and 
 so he kept it quiet in the first place. I know Endy well, 
 and that's just him. Then, Jones made the arrest — that's 
 plain — and we haven't a hold on him — and he could pre- 
 vent its getting into the evening papers. Moreover, three 
 days ago you gave me orders not to open any mail or 
 telegrams that came marked "Private" — I always obey 
 orders, to the letter. Some operator may have sent you 
 a notice that way. Here are some that came while you 
 were sleeping. The operator at Steelton wouldn't send 
 you notice of anything." 
 
THE RECORDIXG AXGEL 
 
 93 
 
 "Wouldn't, eh? Well we'll attend to his case by and 
 
 "Yes; here's the telegram from that fool operator at 
 Clyde. I think he's expecting a reward. He's taken spe- 
 cial pains to bring himself to my notice. Well, I'll pay 
 him : Have him discharged ! News that don't get to me in 
 tune is worse than none. Blacklist the idiot." 
 
 And so they sped on through the night; and, as Cham- 
 bers said to himself as he stepped from the car the next 
 morning, "If there was a moment of the time that you 
 weren't making this earth a hell for some one— mostly 
 for me, old gentleman, I don't know of it." 
 
 ******* 
 
 But we, however, must leave those two to finish their 
 journey while we go back a few hours in order to account 
 for the reason why Mr. Chandler did not get a chance to 
 make the speech of his life, which speech would, in all 
 probability, have cast most of the odium of the suit, at 
 least in the popular mind, upon the Iron and Steel Com- 
 pany. 
 
 When Robert saw his father go with Arndt and the 
 sheriff he supposed that it was with the intention to secure 
 bail for Arndt, and so save him from prison. 
 
 Robert's lawyer — who was none other than Eugene 
 Johnson— had thought that it was his duty to inform his 
 client of what was so manifestly against his interest- and 
 so, as between the part of clerk in his father's office and a 
 lawyer building up a practice of his own, his ideas of what 
 was proper became mixed. He decided upon the course 
 which he thought would soonest fill his own pockets. 
 Therefore he had informed Robert that the will could 
 easily be broken, when the time came, and advised the 
 suit against Arndt as a preliminary measure: and every 
 word he told his client was true. 
 
 Many a man who has stood in the way of the money 
 power in this country discovered their methods— to his 
 cost — and has been disposed of easilv enough, — without 
 killing him either. Sometimes he is "ruined in business, 
 sometimes this and other times that wav is chosen; but 
 the man who does not cringe and bow and scrape to the 
 monied class in America today, sooner or later feels the 
 
94 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 mailed hand. It was bad in 1900. It is much worse, 
 infinitely worse now; and these proceedings against Arndt 
 could, easily enough, have landed him high and dry out 
 of the swim. 
 
 But neither Eugene Johnson nor Robert Endy cal- 
 culated on the genuine affection which had grown up 
 between Arndt and Robert's father; neither did they nor 
 any one else know of the slowly crystalizing resolution 
 of ten years' growth which had become hard as diamond 
 on the day when Robert Endy stood by the coffin of 
 Angus MacDonald, as he realized that but for his son's 
 ambition — not, to be rich, but, to excel all other men at 
 whatever cost, — the man then lying still in death would 
 be alive and talking to him as of old on the subjects which 
 were of equal interest to both. 
 
 And this lack of knowledge was the fatal flaw in the 
 chain forged by the plotters. Mr. Endy, for the time, 
 even forgot that the man he was fighting against was his 
 son; for when Robert said that the officer was at the door 
 waiting to arrest Arndt, every sense of hospitality in his 
 father's being was shocked to its foundation, and that 
 weighed with him even more than the implied threat or 
 hint of his mental unsoundness. 
 
 So Robert laughed as he saw them leaving the grounds, 
 — well knowing that no bail could be secured for Arndt 
 that day, and fully intending that none should be accepted 
 for him on the morrow; since Johnson had assured him 
 that the magistrate was "Amenable to Reason" — whatever 
 that may signify. 
 
 He, therefore, went whistling into the house and 
 decided to retire quite early, since there was nothing to 
 be seen or done in Steelton — there being not even the 
 works to interest him, — they standing dark and silent for 
 the first time since they had been erected. The. company 
 had always been prepared for previous strikes, and by 
 doubling up the force had heretofore kept at least a part 
 of the plant running. 
 
 So, after sauntering around the grounds until dark he 
 went back to the library, and after smoking a cigar while 
 he made a few more plans he went to bed and soon fell 
 asleep; but his last conscious thought was one of amuse- 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 95 
 
 ment as he imagined the disappointment he was sure had 
 come to his father and Arndt. 
 
 He arose early in order to take the first train to Clyde' 
 where he would have to appear as prosecutor in the case 
 against his former friend; and he now began to get 
 nervous as he realized, for the first time, that the suit 
 implied a doubt as to the mental condition of his father. 
 Oddly enough, this had never attracted his attention — 
 although it was the first thought of his father and Arndt 
 on the preceding day. 
 
 He was now sorry for the part he was going to have 
 to play; but he was so bitter against Arndt, whom he held 
 personally responsible for the strike occurring at this time, 
 — since it upset all his plans and calculations — that he 
 braced himself to face the matter to the end; — for, he 
 argued with himself, "It's partly true anyhow: Father 
 must be getting weak in his mind to have made such a 
 will." ■ 
 
 Nevertheless, he did not feel quite comfortable about 
 it; and it was while he was endeavoring to find some way 
 out of this unpleasantness without releasing his hold on 
 Arndt — and while still seated at the table trying to eat his 
 early breakfast — that he was startled to hear the servant 
 who was waiting on the table say: "Mr. Robert, Sir! 
 Mr. Craggie is in the library, and asks to see you at once." 
 
 Robert did not go at once; but it did not take him 
 long to finish the meal. The presence of the president of 
 the largest corporation on the face of the earth was enough 
 to spoil the appetite of any ordinary mortal; and Robert 
 never realized until long afterwards, that he had not asked 
 Mr. Craggie to be seated. 
 
 Mr. Craggie was evidently angry at the slight delay, 
 and as Robert entered the library he stopped his walk 
 and promptly handed him the telegram containing the 
 heading and editorial which we have seen prepared. The 
 newspaper, or some member of its staff, served the cor- 
 poration well, and had promptly notified Mr. Craggie of 
 the blow which was preparing. This had been foreseen by 
 Chandler — as was appreciated by all those who read care- 
 fully the last paragraph of the editorial. As a matter of 
 fact, the very newspaper that contained this matter also 
 
96 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 contained — in letters twice as large — a so-called interview 
 with Mr. Craggie (which was really dictated to Chambers 
 as they traveled swiftly through the night). 
 
 In this so-called interview the president emphatically 
 denied any responsibility for the arrest of Arndt, and said 
 that it was the last thing the company wished — which was 
 true enough — and that he expected to find that it was all 
 a trick of the strikers themselves — which he knew to be 
 a lie. 
 
 Robert, for a few moments, stood there perfectly 
 dumbfounded at the unexpected turn events had taken, 
 and all that Mr. Craggie said to him was, "Have you read 
 that, Mr. Endy?" and then he resumed his walk as Robert 
 started to re-read the words that showed him that his 
 chances for ever being president of the company were slip- 
 ping away — and very fast at that. 
 
 Therefore, when he looked at his guest he was not 
 surprised to have him stop directly in front of him and 
 order: "Please sit down and say in writing, over your 
 own signature, that the company has had nothing what- 
 ever to do with this matter ; that it is entirely your own 
 private affair; and also, that the company's name has not 
 even been mixed up in it, in any manner, shape or form — 
 first or last." 
 
 At the concluding sentence Robert winced' and then 
 said, "I cannot say that, since I tried to serve the com- 
 pany at the same time as myself by making it a condition 
 of my proposed abandonment of the suit that Arndt should 
 use all his influence to secure the return of the men to 
 work at once." 
 
 "Well! Well!! Well!!!" stormed Mr. Craggie, "it is 
 even worse than I expected. I would like to know on what 
 authority you acted! I would like to know how you 
 obtained tihe information that I desired the men to return 
 to work at all! If the strikers don't win this time I think 
 that we will have them whipped forever; for they never 
 had such another chance. And if they put you on the 
 stand you will have to swear to that?" 
 
 Robert simply nodded his head. 
 
 "Botheration!" said the president, "and so I've got 
 your conscience to fool with, have I? I would not for 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 97 
 
 ten thousand dollars that this had happened. There isn't 
 but one way out of it. They will have a good lawyer — 
 they have learned that much — and you simply must not be 
 put on the stand. You've got to let your private affairs 
 go for the present, and telegraph to your attorney to with- 
 draw this suit — at any cost. You can send the bill to me." 
 
 "I am able to pay my own bills, Sir," said Robert 
 haughtily, "and I will gladly withdraw the suit; but not 
 entirely on account of the company. I have made a blun- 
 der, and I will do my best to correct it at once." 
 
 "Do so!" was the ungracious reply of Mr. Craggie 
 as he went toward the door, and then together they passed 
 out of the house. 
 
 As he stepped into his carriage, which awaited him at 
 the door, he paused and said, "I forgot to mention that 
 after today the company will have no further use for your 
 services, Mr. Endy." 
 
 "Precisely so!" said Robert. 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 "It is the unexpected that happens." 
 
 — Old Saying. 
 
 When Arndt entered the familiar sitting room, Kenedy, 
 who was seated at the center table preparing some med- 
 icines, looked up and said somewhat sharply, "See here, 
 my friend! you are going to have to do better than this. 
 The strike may be of vast importance to the universe in 
 general, but I have an idea that the life and sanity of your 
 sweetheart should be of more importance to you. Doc- 
 tors and nurses can't do everything. We are compelled to 
 have a little aid from outsiders, once in a while; and I'll 
 tell you plainly that one or two more such nights as Nettie 
 has just passed through will be — well, — I'll not be account- 
 able for the result!" 
 
 Arndt said savagely, "Pile it on, Doctor, , pile it on! 
 You can't say too much on that subject; but, while you 
 are at it, go and say it to the man who caused me to pass 
 the night locked up in jail." 
 
 "In prison!" said Kenedy incredulously. "Who?" 
 
 "I," said Arndt shortly, "and put there by Robert 
 Endy; and if any evil result comes to Nettie- — ! Now you 
 go up and relieve her mind, at once. Never a word of the 
 prison to her! Blame it all on my lack of forethought, 
 if you will; and as soon as Annie can be spared bring her 
 here and I will tell all about it, so that once telling will do." 
 
 Kenedy gathered up his medicines and hastened from 
 the room and Arndt stretched himself on the sofa — the 
 same old high-backed sofa on which he had helped to 
 lay the body of Angus MacDonald — and immediately fell 
 asleep. 
 
 He was utterly worn out, or, perhaps, he would have 
 thought twice before resting there; but, yet, he might 
 have chosen that place, for he had none but pleasant 
 memories of his friend — and often the dead to him seemed 
 more near than those we call alive. 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 99 
 
 It was at least half an hour afterward when Kenedy 
 and Arndt's sister entered the room. The sound of the 
 opening door made him start up suddenly. 
 
 Kenedy said, "That's a shame! We should have known 
 that you would be resting." 
 
 "Much obliged to you for waking me," said Arndt. 
 "I've got an awful lot to attend to." 
 
 Then he looked at his sister and got up and threw his 
 arms about her and kissed her, saying, "I have had no 
 chance to thank you, properly, for coming, dear heart. 
 Let me look at you again! Why, it does my soul good 
 just to look at that bright face. I declare I believe you 
 are getting sweeter and prettier every day. If nursing is 
 what affects one so favorably — " 
 
 Annie put her hand over his mouth and laughed as 
 she said, "That will do, Charlie — if you are going to 
 credit it to nursing you need say nothing more." 
 
 "Well," Arndt retorted, "The last time I saw you it is 
 very certain that you were looking sort of hopeless and 
 woebegone; — never saw a greater change and improve- 
 ment in so short a time in my life, — did you, Doctor?" 
 
 Annie spoke up promptly, "Don't let him beguile you 
 into paying me any compliments, Doctor. And as for you, 
 Charlie, I say much obliged for the praise of my appear- 
 ance. It is due to love — and I credit the improvement to 
 the loved object." 
 
 "Not in love, at last, Annie!" exclaimed her brother. 
 "Are you engaged?" 
 
 She ignored his question and said, "Let us hear your 
 story and then I will tell you all about it." And then she 
 turned to Kenedy and laughingly said, "Doctor, I am 
 going to ask you to remain and hear my confession." 
 
 Kenedy said, "Miss Arndt, I shall be highly honored 
 if you will so permit me. A good, whole souled, love story 
 is, to me, a perpetual delight, even in books. Begin Arndt! 
 I beg of you, for I must leave in a little while and I want 
 to hear what your sister has to say." 
 
 In as few words as possible Arndt told them all, and 
 both expressed great indignation at the conduct of Robert 
 Endy, and Kenedy added a few contemptuous epithets 
 as his opinion of the man himself. 
 
ioo THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 Annie checked him, saying, "You are wrong. The 
 man is simply the product of the system. If you make 
 thieves and murderers by the wholesale you won't find all 
 or nearly all of them among what are called the lower or 
 middle classes. As I told Charlie in a letter some time 
 ago, I have been nursing a rich man in Clyde who spends 
 all his time, whenever he has the strength, in writing let- 
 ters and books advocating Socialism, and I also read a 
 great deal to him, — both letters from the leaders of the 
 movement and their books. But it is the letters more than 
 the books that has made a thorough convert of me. It 
 seems to me that in those private letters, so full of high 
 ideals, love of the race, devotion to principle, and tales 
 of sacrifices for a despised cause there is a record that if 
 the world could read it as I have read, and could see or 
 know of the life of the man I have been nursing, they 
 would all love the principles and the cause as I love them. 
 Yes: Socialism is my love, and I will tell you that neither 
 Charles, Mr. Endy, the strikers nor any one else is going 
 to accomplish anything permanent until they align them- 
 selves with us. Love rules, and 'has always ruled the 
 universe; and so far as I know, we are the only set of 
 people who truly love our cause. In that fact lies the 
 assurance of ultimate victory." 
 
 Arndt said — "A Socialist! Well, well — and so young 
 and sweet and pretty." 
 
 Kenedy smiled at her enthusiasm and said kindly, 
 "How dare I leave a patient that needs and must have 
 absolute quiet in the charge of one who will never miss 
 the chance to make a convert." 
 
 "Retain your peace of mind, Sir," said Annie, lightly, 
 "I know my duties in the sick room, and a Socialist is the 
 very one to perform duty faithfully. And, as for the 
 'sweet' and 'pretty,' Charlie, I'll tell you now that if 
 you want sweet and pretty and hopeful girls you are going 
 to have to give us either Socialism outright or the hope 
 of it. There was nothing in this world the matter with 
 me except sickness of heart at the sight of suffering, 
 useless suffering in the world, and, as I then thought, the 
 utterly hopeless outlook for the future. Socialism has 
 made a new woman of me, for it has given me hope: all 
 
THE RECORDING AXGEL 101 
 
 that I have or am belongs to the Cause. It is not at all 
 a case of sacrifice: I can never repay what it has already 
 done for me. Moreover," she added laughingly, "I am 
 going to convert both of you before I return to Clyde ; 
 I feel it in my nerves." 
 
 "Well, well," said Kenedy — "wonders will never cease. 
 It is the unexpected that happens — " 
 
 "And therefore I will convert both of you," said Annie 
 as she left the room and returned to her patient. 
 
 While this was taking place, Robert Endy, Sr., was 
 riding along the quiet streets of Steelton, for, on taking 
 leave of Arndt he instructed John to continue driving 
 about until he told him to turn toward the mansion; the 
 fact of the case being that he was in no hurry to meet his 
 son. He was so busy with his thoughts and so intensely 
 dreading the interview that he never once noticed the 
 respectful greetings given him by the workingmen as he 
 rode past them. 
 
 In each case it was only a respectful raising of the hat, 
 for they had all read or heard of what had occurred, and 
 they were truly sorry for him. Also, they were thinking 
 of what he was doing for their cause; and that touched 
 them more deeply than anything given to them personally 
 could have done. 
 
 At last the sky became overcast with floating clouds 
 which from time to time obscured the sun and the air 
 became so chill that John looked anxiously at his employer 
 and finally turned to Arthur, who was riding beside him, 
 and said, "Don't you think it would be well to remind Mr. 
 Endy of the weather? He is not in the habit of being 
 much out of doors during the fall and winter." 
 
 Arthur glanced at Mr. Endy and seeing his preoccupa- 
 tion said, "You are right. Just drive home as fast as you 
 can and I will call his attention to it when we are almost 
 there." 
 
 In a short time they were at one of the gates of the 
 mansion grounds, and then Arthur said, "Mr. Endy. if you 
 will excuse me for mentioning it I am getting quite cool — 
 the air feels as though we might have snow before morn- 
 ing." 
 
 Recalled thus to his surroundings Mr. Endy imme- 
 
102 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 diately told John to turn in, and then he thanked Arthur 
 for the suggestion. 
 
 But Arthur laughingly said, "No, no, that was John's 
 suggestion. I ought to have thought of it, but the fact 
 is that I was thinking of other matters." 
 
 As they stepped from the carriage the door of the 
 house opened; and as they entered the hall Rollins said, 
 "Mr. Endy, Sir, here is a letter that Mr. Robert told me 
 to hand you as soon as you returned." 
 
 "Where is Robert?" was the reply. 
 
 "I don't know, Sir," said Rollins, "Mr. Robert left the 
 house on foot soon after Mr. Craggie went away — he had 
 a small hand satchel with him and he left no other mes- 
 sage with me than the letter I gave you." 
 
 "Mr. Craggie?" said the old man, "When was Mr. 
 Craggie here?" 
 
 "At breakfast time, Sir. He did not stay in the house 
 half an hour." 
 
 "Well! Well!" said Mr. Endy as he seated himself 
 in his comfortable office chair, which they 'had by this 
 time reached. "That is really very remarkable. I wonder 
 what brought him here. But perhaps the letter will tell 
 me. You may go, Rollins, I will ring if I need you." 
 
 As he sat there — leaning back and apparently looking 
 at the burning coals cheerfully blazing in the open grate, — 
 Mr. Endy made a pleasant picture to look at, and the 
 background of dark wood of the office desk and shelves 
 seemed a fitting frame for him; but when one looked 
 closely at the picture it could easily be seen that the man 
 was not having an enjoyable time. The letter which he 
 held unopened in his hand appeared to have been forgot- 
 ten — but, in reality, he was thinking of nothing else — and 
 he found that between facing his son and opening this 
 letter there was small choice. His old habit of attending 
 promptly to all business helped him at last, and, with a 
 quick movement, 'he tilted the chair forward — reached to 
 the desk and picked up the silver paperknife which always 
 lay there, — and in another moment the knife and envelope 
 were on the desk and the opening words of the letter were 
 staring him in the face. Then his brain took in the mean- 
 ing of the words "My Dear Father!" and he said, "Thank 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 103 
 
 God," and tears sprang to his eyes and, for a time, blinded 
 him so that he could not see to read what followed; but 
 those tears did not fall, for to cry would have been to do 
 a thing he had not done since friends — over ten years 
 before — had carried the bodies of his wife and daughter 
 from that house. 
 
 As he recovered himself he took up the paper which 
 had fallen to his knees and read: 
 
 "My Dear Father: — I would say something about the 
 cruelty of the method of the punishment you have inflicted 
 on me if I did not, at this moment, realize that you have 
 every reason to believe that the view of my action that 
 is taken by the papers, is the true one. 
 
 "So far as Arndt is concerned, I am free to say that I 
 expected to get him out of the way and ruin him, one way 
 or the other; — for this I express no regret. He is my 
 enemy. I lay it to his account that you have looked upon 
 my action as an attack upon your mental soundness. I am 
 certain that he influenced you to this view. With this 
 idea in your mind, I consider that the means you have 
 taken to defend yourself from this imputation, have not 
 been harsher than were necessary; but I am going to pay 
 the man who put that idea into your mind if it takes every 
 dollar I have and every day of my life. 
 
 "My old ambition to excel others is still as strong as 
 ever, and I also hold Arndt accountable for the fact that, 
 owing to the publicity of his case, and the notoriety gained 
 for me by it, I will be unable to gain another start in this 
 country. For I have been discharged by President Crag- 
 gie who holds me responsible for having made a move that 
 gives him trouble — since it has failed. For it does not suit 
 his plans to have the labor leaders locked up at this time. 
 
 "I'd have done the same thing in his place; but, in my 
 judgment, he is making a mistake, and he should have 
 helped me to jail Arndt and all the rest of the leaders, and 
 then have secured an injunction from the courts and com- 
 pelled the men to return to their work by force of arms — 
 if necessary. If he lives long enough he will find that 
 sooner or later he is going to have to give in to the 
 demands of the men or adopt this or a similar measure; and 
 this, I am sure, would have been the course advised at the 
 
104 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 present moment by all the younger men who are managing 
 workers. It never pays to put off harsh measures. You 
 can't control slaves except by force — and the Socialists 
 are perfectly right in this one thing: the workers are, to 
 all effects and purposes, neither more nor less than our 
 slaves. Craggie is an old fossil, or he would at this stage 
 of the game, while he has a President he can control, use 
 the full force of the army against these traitors. But Crag- 
 gie thinks that money will buy or do anything and every- 
 thing. 
 
 "But this is not what I started out to say. I want to 
 assure you that I never for a moment realized that the 
 view which you take of my action was the one even implied 
 in the matter. It flashed on me for the first time this 
 morning; and, while I regretted it very much, it did not 
 seem possible to stop matters then. I want you to give me 
 your assurance that you believe this statement. For this 
 purpose I will send you my address in Europe as soon as 
 I have settled. If you cannot believe this statement of 
 your son, who, whatever his faults, has not made a practice 
 of lying to you — except when business demanded it, — I 
 assure you I will never touch a dollar of the money you so 
 generously left me by the will which caused this trouble. 
 
 "I shall have to use an assumed name. I have also to 
 thank Arndt for this. I shall use the name Walter Griggs 
 to which, since it was my Grandfather's, I have a sort of 
 right. I shall leave the country from a southern port, 
 since I am too well known in the North to make it com- 
 fortable for me to travel there, these days. 
 
 "You can tell Arndt what I say: I am his enemy as 
 long as there is breath in me — and, if possible, afterwards. 
 
 "He has ruined my life. My plans were all made — 
 they were working out finely until he got in the road. 
 
 "With love to you, your affectionate son, Robert." 
 
 As his father closed this remarkable document he 
 leaned back in his chair and said, "And that is the kind 
 of men that our system of exclusive advantages for a 
 select class is liable to turn out. I hope there are no more 
 just like him. He was an average boy — neither more nor 
 less ; — but the system made him believe that he was extra- 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 105 
 
 ordinary: and this is the result. He has never been the 
 same since he came back from that select school. 
 
 '"I am thankful though that his love for me survives; 
 but he is blaming the wrong man, for it is certain that if 
 any one is to be held responsible today, it should be the 
 man who yielded to the pressure brought to bear on him 
 by his aristocratic associates and took his son out of the 
 public school in order to give him special advantages, and 
 did not let him take his proper place in the world — and 
 I will tell him so." 
 
 He reached for pen and paper and then realized that 
 he could not communicate with his son by mail. He rang 
 for Rollins and asked him to send Arthur to him. 
 
 Arthur, who had been with Rollins inspecting the man- 
 sion and getting the lay of the land, as he said, came 
 almost immediately. When he walked into the office he 
 found Mr. Endy in the act of burning the letter Robert 
 had written; — but the envelope was inside of the old man's 
 pocket, nearest his heart, and enclosed in it were the first 
 and last lines of the letter. 
 
 "Mr. Arthur," said he, "I think that I am perfectly 
 safe at this place, and I have a little business for you. It 
 may take you as far south as Galveston or New Orleans. 
 Here is a photograph of my son. He left this house carry- 
 ing a small hand-bag, this morning. Rollins will tell you 
 how he was dressed. He has taken the publicity caused 
 by the trial very hard, and is going to leave the country 
 for a time. For the present, I. also, think this advisable; 
 but I wish to communicate with him before he sails. He, 
 probably left by the eight o'clock train going south. His 
 destination is Europe, but you need not follow further 
 than our own ports. You will give him the letter which 
 I will put in your hands within half an hour. After deliver- 
 ing it, please return to me." 
 
 Arthur said, "Yes, Sir; but, excuse me, Mr. Endy, — 
 I've been reading the papers a little, — and I think you had 
 better send some one else." 
 
 "Oh! I am perfectly saTe here. Why, there has been 
 newspaper notoriety enough to insure my safety. You are 
 the very man I need to attend to this other business. I do 
 not wish to take any one else into my confidence in regard 
 
106 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 to these matters — you understand. I thank you, however, 
 for the suggestion." 
 
 "As to that, Mr. Endy, I always take care of those 
 whom I have in charge, to the best of my ability. I also 
 obey orders. I will start as soon as the letter is ready." 
 
 So, half an hour afterwards, Arthur stepped from the 
 side door of the mansion with the letter addressed to Mr. 
 Walter Griggs in his pocket. 
 
 As Arthur stepped to the ground he was confronted 
 by Arndt who had left the inmates of the house he for the 
 present called home getting along as well as could be 
 expected — to use the phrase the physicians love so well. 
 
 Arndt had found that Rollins had made such com- 
 plete arrangements for the comfort of all that there seemed 
 to be nothing 'he could do for Nettie except to send her 
 a little bunch of forget-me-nots which he had purchased 
 in the city. 
 
 Now, as he grasped the hand of the detective he noticed 
 a few of the delicate flowers in the button hole of his coat 
 and he remembered that the sight of the box bearing the 
 florist's name had caused Mr. Endy to say: "Charlie, you 
 can get them much cheaper at my greenhouse." 
 
 Arthur, noticing the direction of his gaze, had his 
 thought diverted and said, "Yes: I've already been to the 
 greenhouse and made friends with the Scotchman. Ex- 
 quisite, are they not. They are my favorite flower." A 
 moment before, the impulse to speak to Arndt and give 
 him a word of caution about guarding Mr. Endy had 
 been strong upon him, but in this unimportant conversa- 
 tion he forgot it entirely, and after a moment's pause dur- 
 ing which he asked after the welfare of Miss Nettie, he 
 passed on. 
 
 He regretted to the end of his life this momentary 
 lapse; for the next day he handed to Robert Endy, Jr. — 
 whom he had traced southward a short distance and then 
 back to Clyde, and had even seen at the window of his 
 room (but so much changed in appearance by the shaving 
 off of his beard and mustache that none but a skilled detec- 
 tive would have recognized him) — the letter entrusted to 
 his care, and at the same moment he said — with emphasis 
 — "Mr. Endy! You are my prisoner! I arrest you for the 
 attempted murder of your father." 
 
CHAPTER XL 
 
 "But when to mischief mortals bend their will 
 How soon they find fit instruments of ill." 
 
 — Pope. 
 
 We must now return to Mr. Craggie who although not 
 naturally a very bright man was not a fool, even if Robert 
 considered him one. He was aware that the strikers had 
 gained two important advantages and also knew that the 
 time for taking those advantages away from them was fast 
 slipping by. So, as soon as he had disposed of Robert, he 
 called imperiously to the man on the box, 'To the station 
 as fast as possible!" 
 
 When they reached the car he stepped on board and 
 said briskly, "Mr. Chambers, have we any news?" 
 
 "Nothing, Sir. Court will not open 'until eight-thirty," 
 said the secretary quietly. 
 
 "Have we a clear track?" was the next question, snapped 
 out before the answer was finished. 
 
 "Yes, Sir, certainly." 
 
 "Then let us be off at full speed. We must be in Clyde 
 when that court meets. There must be no more blunders 
 made." 
 
 As Chambers was about to make a motion to the con- 
 ductor (who was standing on the track outside the car win- 
 dow), Mr. Craggie said hastily, "Find out, first, though, 
 whether Endy has sent a message to 'his attorney in Clyde, 
 and also what the message is. If he has obeyed my orders 
 there will be no need for us to hurry. His crazv old father 
 won't have telephone connection with the world — sticks to 
 his old private telegraph, you know;— which suits me, just 
 now, precisely." 
 
 Without a word Chambers stepped from the car and 
 walked leisurely to the telegraph office, and on the way he 
 thought, "Yes! wanting peace and quiet is a sign of insan- 
 ity." As he entered the room he even took time to think 
 
 107 
 
io8 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 as he heard the ticking of the instrument, "Well, well, no 
 improvements seem to be able to permanently relegate the 
 old key and sounder to the scrap pile — at least so far as 
 railroad work is concerned," and he then passed around the 
 corner of the desk and stood behind the operator who was 
 at that moment sending the message which he had just 
 received by telegraph from Robert. 
 
 When Chambers passed behind the desk the man, with- 
 out looking up, said emphatically, "No admittance," and 
 when Chambers paused behind him he quickly threw his 
 hand over the written message; but when he looked up and 
 saw who it was he flushed to the tips of his ears as he met 
 the man's cool gaze, and then he reluctantly and slowly 
 drew his hand away and went on sending. But he was 
 cursing, inwardly, the conditions which made him such a 
 slave that he did not dare to obey even the rules estab- 
 lished by the very company that employed him. 
 
 As Chambers passed out, the man at the instrument 
 said bitterly, "If I didn't have a wife and children I'd see 
 whether you got private information out of this office. 
 I'll pay you back for this degradation some day, sure !" 
 
 Chambers did not hear a word of this; but when he 
 entered the car he repeated what he had read, and casually 
 remarked, "The operator at Steelton doesn't give informa- 
 tion to us very readily or very willingly, I am sorry to say. I 
 mentioned his case before." 
 
 "Make a note of it!" said Mr. Craggie savagely. "I've 
 a little influence on this road myself. We'll attend to his 
 case and that one at Clyde at the same time." 
 
 The result of which was that that evening, as the oper- 
 ator — tired out with doing three men's work — was putting 
 on his coat to go home, the man to whom he had turned 
 over the key said to him, "Listen to this Fred, old boy," and 
 they both heard the words: "Superintendent of Telegraph 
 — Steelton Division: Discharge Paisley, day operator at 
 Steelton. Charge — incompetence. Blacklist. Banks, Supt. 
 Telegraph," ticked out letter by letter; and these lying and 
 unjust and cruel words took from an honest man the means 
 to earn his living. 
 
 The president's car having in due time arrived at Clyde 
 it was immediately shifted to a side track, and it was not 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 109 
 
 many minutes thereafter when Mr. Craggie and lawyer 
 Johnson, the elder, were talking behind closed doors. 
 
 No sooner was the click of the latch heard than Mr. 
 Craggie said, "Well, we are making a mess of things these 
 days; and the trouble, most of it, seems to have originated 
 in this office." 
 
 This was an unexpected blow to the lawyer, who, if he 
 could afford to be independent with men like Mr. Endy, did 
 not like to think of the loss which the displeasure of such 
 a man as Mr. Craggie was sure to cause him. So he 
 hastened to assure that gentleman — with even greater 
 obsequiousness than even he demanded from his clerks — 
 that he certainly had been misinformed. 
 
 "I am not usually misinformed, Mr. Johnson!" was the 
 curt reply. "Mr. Endy has taken no pains to keep back 
 all the facts in this case — quite the contrary, I can assure 
 you; and I have been thinking — as I came down the road — 
 that his decision to remove his business to an office that 
 doesn't leak, is a good one." 
 
 This sentence finished up all the manhood that was left 
 in the lawyer, and the spectacle that he made of himself 
 disgusted even Mr. Craggie — to whom a certain amount of 
 that kind of thing had become an absolute necessity ; so he 
 stopped him with the question, "No news yet from court?" 
 
 "Oh, yes!" said the lawyer, "case is dismissed and 
 defendant released." 
 
 "Good ! I blocked their little game that time." 
 
 "You?" 
 
 "Yes, I; and no one else!" 
 
 The two men stood looking at each other for a moment 
 and then the president said: "Now, I want to have a talk 
 with you. We had better go on the car. This strike is 
 altogether too important to have any more leakages." 
 
 Mr. Johnson winced. 
 
 So it was not very long before they arrived at the car, 
 and then Chambers was very much surprised to be told to 
 remain in Clyde and follow on the regular train until he 
 overtook them. 
 
 "Phew !" said he. below his breath — as he busied himself 
 with a few final preparations — such as putting the work he 
 had been engaged on in a drawer of the table, etc. — "Phew ! 
 
no THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 Things are getting very secret indeed when I cannot hear 
 them. I am afraid that you are getting too confident of 
 your ability to manage things without suggestions from 
 yours truly, Mr. President. Really, I think that you might 
 as well have trusted me, Mr. Craggie." 
 
 But he left the car promptly and gave his orders to the 
 conductor; and then the private train of the President of 
 the Iron and Steel Company was almost instantly in 
 motion. 
 
 Mr. Craggie stood looking from the door, (and he 
 watched Chambers until they were half a mile down the 
 track), and then he closed and locked the door and, taking 
 his seat at the side of the table he usually occupied he 
 turned suddenly to his visitor and said sharply, "Mr. John- 
 son! I don't think that many men in the United States 
 appreciate the gravity of the situation. This is probably 
 the final struggle of organized labor with capital. If we 
 win this fight we can give every working man, woman and 
 child a number, and they will have to work when we say 
 the word — and for whatever wages we choose to give them, 
 and for as many hours at a time as we care to demand. 
 
 "The man who can do all that can do anything else he 
 wants to. The man who can do all that and anything else 
 he wants to — sits before you. You have known me a long 
 time. I ask you to look backward and see whether, to 
 your knowledge, I have ever ultimately failed to do any- 
 thing I had set myself to accomplish." 
 
 "You are right ; you certainly have accomplished won- 
 ders !" Johnson hastened to assent. 
 
 "Very good, Mr. Johnson ! Now, I do not intend to 
 brag; but it is necessary for you to make a decision today, 
 and I want you to have all the facts. 
 
 "There are many other men in this country who have 
 millions. I have control of enough money, besides my 
 own, (which is more than any other individual's) to wipe 
 their fortunes out of existence whenever I wish to do so. 
 With the exception, perhaps, of those who hold govern- 
 ment securities, they are all at my mercy, through the 
 stock exchange and the many other agencies I control. 
 
 "You are man of the world enough to know that my 
 power is great, and I could demonstrate that every iota 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL in 
 
 of my assertion is true — if we had time. Is it necessary?" 
 
 "Scarcely! Please proceed," was the succinct reply. 
 
 "Very good, then! Now this strike must be defeated. 
 We have been checkmated twice, and I want you to remem- 
 ber that this is the first time that a strike has even been 
 inaugurated at a moment when we were not, at least, par- 
 tially prepared for it — and most of the times we had nagged 
 them into the striking. But this time — and you must fully 
 understand this — we thought the men were fooled by the 
 temporary increase of wages and had given up the fight 
 about the numbers, and because of this delusion we had 
 failed to sign the wage scale for this year, for the reason 
 that, the election being over and those placed in power who 
 will do as I direct, we did not intend to make any more con- 
 tracts with the men singly or in a body; it will be to our 
 advantage hereafter to hire and pay each man by the week 
 so as to be able to drop him at any time. Then, since 
 there are almost as many unemployed as employed men, 
 these days — Oh, well, you know what that means to us. 
 Therefore we were on the point of extending the number- 
 ing system to all the other divisions of the company's 
 works; afterward it would inevitably have been forced on 
 every workingman in the United States and, perhaps, in 
 the world — for I have a pretty good understanding with the 
 continental rulers." 
 
 Johnson interrupted : "Excuse me, you have forgotten 
 the farmers." 
 
 And then the president smiled, and Mr. Johnson laughed 
 aloud. And Mr. Craggie said, "Poor fools! We don't 
 need to number them. We already own them. They sup- 
 port the world and have to take anything we choose to give 
 them and pay anything we please to charge them for every- 
 thing they use; and also, there are quite a number who owe 
 us so much on mortgages on their property that if we fore- 
 closed we could own absolutely a large portion of the best 
 farms in the country; and we don't do it today, because we 
 get more as interest than we would get as rent. So long 
 as a farmer thinks that he owns his home and farm he 
 will take better care of them than a renter would. Besides, 
 in this we save the cost of agents to watch the properties. 
 
ii2 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 Oh," and then they both laughed outright, "the farmers 
 are the biggest fools of all." 
 
 Then the lawyer said, "I think that you have omitted 
 the greatest reason for leaving them in their present condi- 
 tion. If we do not cause them trouble, directly and openly, 
 they will not aid the other workers. At least, now they 
 never do." 
 
 "Right!" said Mr. Craggie; "Chambers pointed that 
 out to me years ago. Chambers is a smart man; but the 
 heads that planned this strike are not empty, by any man- 
 ner of means; and it is my impression that those same men 
 will not let the strikers make the usual mistake of destroy- 
 ing property, either. 
 
 "So, now I think you can understand the seriousness 
 of the situation. Three hundred thousand workers in iron 
 and steel are out today. They are obeying the commands 
 of three men whom we cannot buy (for we've tried that); 
 they are aided and advised by one of the wealthy men of 
 the country. The old methods don't seem to fit now. 
 Injunctions have had their day — if for no other reason, 
 then because the Judges refuse to grant them on the 
 usual grounds. They say plainly that it is not good law ; 
 but the fact is they are scared, and the worst of it is that 
 they are not scared by the people, but by the growing 
 wealth and power of a few men like myself. 
 
 "Now, you know that when I have an attorney, to state 
 to him all the facts has always been my practice. This aid 
 given by old Endy is the severest blow we have ever had. 
 There are numbers of the holders of great wealth who have 
 either become tender hearted — at what they call the suffer- 
 ing of the poor — or are scared for the same reason that 
 weakens the judges. If Endy is allowed to go on they 
 will rally to his side and aid the strikers ; and I will tell you 
 another thing, Mr. Johnson, if you don't look to your laurels 
 that young man Chandler is going to make you take a back 
 seat at the bar." 
 
 Johnson laughed amusedly, and the other man went on 
 as if he had not noticed the interruption. 
 
 "I've been watching him for some time, and if he could 
 have been bought he would be retained at this moment as 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 113 
 
 your associate counsel. Yes; you need not start," as the 
 lawyer drew himself up hastily. 
 
 "We must have the best brains and ability obtainable; 
 but we must also be able to control them, and Mr. Chandler 
 — while I think him a fool for his pains — is honestly work- 
 ing for the men for something besides money or fame. So, 
 that disposes of him. One can do nothing with these 
 fanatics. 
 
 "But I can tell you, with the chance he had at you today 
 if he had had an opportunity to deliver the speech I am 
 sure he would have made, you would now be second best 
 man at the bar, instead of first. 
 
 "Now, then, add to these facts the other one that we 
 don't know how much they've got in their treasury, and I 
 think that you and I will deserve the thanks of the public 
 and some reward if we manage to end this strike — without 
 — anybody — being — killed." 
 
 These last words were spoken slowly and deliberately, 
 and again Mr. Johnson winced. 
 
 Every syllable of this talk had been spoken impressively 
 and in a loud voice. After saying these ominously ambig- 
 uous words Mr. Craggie paused and closely examined his 
 companion's face; but, as Mr. Johnson made no sign, he 
 continued in a very low tone, "I have a plan about which I 
 want your advice — and your aid in its execution." 
 
 At this point he spoke so low and leaned forward so 
 close to the lawyer that a man five feet away from them 
 could not have heard a word he said. 
 
 At last he raised his voice and remarked, "And if things 
 don't go smoothly, and don't work out just as we want 
 them to, we have always young Endy on hand to act as 
 scapegoat for us. He deserves some punishment for the 
 mess that he got us into, anyway. That is my plan, and 
 unless you have something better to advise I think we will 
 be compelled to use it." 
 
 After waiting for a few moments, during which his com- 
 panion seemed to be thinking deeply, Mr. Craggie said 
 impatiently, "Have you nothing to suggest?" and then the 
 attorney replied. 
 
 "No, Sir, I have not. I am accounted a good lawyer, 
 and I always try to advise for the best interest of my 
 
ii4 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 client, and my advice to you, today would be to give up the 
 contest at this point — unless you think you can exhaust 
 their treasury or can nag them into open antagonism to 
 the general government, and then defeat them by force of 
 arms. I myself think that they should be considered trait- 
 ors and dealt with as such ; they have no right to tamper 
 with the prosperity of the country. Or it may be that their 
 treasury will be soon exhausted, for I don't anticipate that 
 many rich men will furnish them much but sympathy — and 
 that, you know, doesn't fill empty stomachs. 
 
 "You might try shutting down all the other works 
 which you control, and so cut off the aid the strikers 
 are sure to get from them, and by " 
 
 But the president stopped him: "That was tried last 
 time at Chicago and there was such a howl, even from those 
 papers we thought we controlled, at that and at my threat 
 to remove our plant from any town or city that gave aid to 
 the strikers, that I won't try either of those moves again 
 unless virtually compelled to. For we must have the 
 sympathy and moral support of the middle class; and 
 those moves touched their pocketbooks. 
 
 "As I said, we must have the sympathy of the middle 
 class — we used to have that permanently by their thinking 
 that they would one day become rich men themselves; but 
 since our methods have reduced so many of the well-to-do 
 and rich to poverty, why, of course, they are not absolute 
 fools, and they can no longer be depended on, not on that 
 ground. And then again, they always came over to our 
 side as soon as some of their property was destroyed; but, 
 if the strikers are going to shoot to kill when they are act- 
 ing as deputies — as I see by the posters sent out by the 
 committee — it will not be so easy to manage that in the old 
 way either." 
 
 "No," said Mr. Johnson, "and I want to remark right 
 here that, in my opinion, the very worst thing that could 
 happen to the company today would be either the death or 
 sudden disappearance of any of the labor leaders or Mr. 
 Endy and, personally, I would deplore it very much." 
 
 This was said as slowly and deliberately as the president 
 had previously spoken; and he, after looking at his com- 
 panion for a full minute, said, "Certainly, certainly! No 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 115 
 
 one could deplore that more than I. It would spell ruin 
 for us; but 1 think my plan could be made to work — if 
 carried out carefully — without either of those things hap- 
 pening. When I spoke of anybody being killed I, of 
 course, referred to the possibility of this strike ending in a 
 civil war. If they rebel we can crush them easily, and I 
 was prepared to have them strike, and to have something 
 of the kind occur, next spring when we were going to 
 extend the numbering system and reduce wages at the 
 same moment. I was certain that that committee of three 
 (which they thought to keep me in ignorance of), was only 
 waiting to collect funds. Their securing the aid of Endy 
 is what upset my calculations. Next spring I would have 
 been ready for them; our contracts would have been filled, 
 and as prices are already declining, we would then rather 
 have closed down, for say six months, than not. There 
 ought to be a law to string up men like Endy as a traitor to 
 his class — though, of course, I hope that nothing will hap- 
 pen to permanently injure him." 
 
 "Oh, I understand, of course, that is quite another mat- 
 ter," said the lawyer. "It really looks to me as though 
 Mr. Endy is certainly already not quite level-headed or he 
 would not want to aid those men who are working against 
 the interest of his own class. I have absolutely no sym- 
 pathy with him. And, by the way, I remember that Arthur 
 was with him at my office yesterday." 
 
 "Botheration!" said the president. "Well, Arthur must 
 just be sent on other business; I've a little influence at his 
 headquarters, also; and, anyhow, you will need time to 
 get the man I must have in communication with me." And 
 then he added, significantly, "I knotv that your side used 
 him in the Hotchiss will case last week." 
 
 The lawyer turned pale as he met the other's look, who 
 then said, "We will try this plan first. If we don't suc- 
 ceed in ending the strike our way in one month we will 
 try some way of dealing with the labor leaders. I am 
 determined to win this fight. I have money — more than I 
 can use. What I want is power. As president of these 
 consolidated companies these men have defied me and 
 my power, and until the works are running again, and oper- 
 ated by men every one of whom wears his number, there 
 
Ii6 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 will be a power in the United States greater than I. The 
 presidency of the United States, did you say, Mr. John- 
 son? Why, my dear Sir, who is the greater, the man who 
 orders or the man who carries out orders. What happened 
 to Garfield when he refused to let others dictate to him, and 
 to McKinley when he went back on protection, and to the 
 Czar of Russia when he was about to grant a constitution 
 to his people? Remarkable coincidences, eh?" 
 
 "No, no!" expostulated the lawyer, "those men were 
 killed by crazy persons and anarchists." 
 
 "Oh, yes, of course! the actual killing was," said Mr. 
 Craggie hastily; "but I have a theory that when a man 
 gets to be hated or even disliked hard enough by a large 
 number, or an influential enough crowd, it creates a moral 
 atmosphere which is liable to affect the brains of some 
 crank or other. And then, the anarchists are always with 
 us. Anyway, they don't provide nearly enough protection 
 for a president to make me wish to do the bossing openly. 
 I can always find some small calibre fellow who is more 
 than willing to take the risks for the sake of being my 
 mouthpiece; and I can assure you that there will be some 
 other office at the head of this government when I want it. 
 No; it suits me exactly as it is. We don't want to over- 
 turn the form of this government violently or any other 
 way — not at present; that would cause trouble, and it is 
 working to suit such men as you and I precisely, as it is. 
 There is no other country where they turn out rich men 
 so fast or make them quite so rich and powerful, either." 
 
 Here he looked out of the window and seeing a 
 station in the distance he pulled the bell cord, and as they 
 slowed up he said, "Good-bye, Mr. Johnson; send the man 
 as soon as possible. We have no time to lose." 
 
 "All right," said the lawyer as he stepped from the car. 
 
 And then the president called after him, "No; it isn't 
 'good-bye,' yet. I must wait here for Chambers ; and that 
 express will be a good hour behind us. I am going on as 
 soon as he arrives, and we may as well improve the time by 
 having a good meal. I did not have a cook on board when 
 we started last night — couldn't wait for him; but we can get 
 a first class lunch right here." 
 
 So together the two men left the car and entered the 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 117 
 
 railroad restaurant, where their conversation was on gen- 
 eral topics exclusively. 
 
 During the hour's delay the express on which Chambers 
 was following the president arrived; but, as Mr. Johnson's 
 train was behind time, Mr. Craggie remained with him ; 
 nor did he take leave of him until the train was in motion, 
 and then Mr. Craggie hurried to his own car. 
 
 As Johnson dropped wearily into his comfortable seat 
 in the parlor car he muttered, below his breath and with a 
 twinkle of amusement in his eyes: "Who would have 
 thought it! The man who has a world-wide reputation 
 for taciturnity does become as voluble as a school girl! But, 
 what can one expect; a man can't keep bottled up all the 
 time. I suspect he has talked just that way to Chambers 
 more than once." 
 
 In the meantime the secretary had entered the car and 
 unlocked the drawer in the desk and removed a cylinder 
 from the small machine and looked closely at it, and after 
 a moment he said, "Cylinder is full. By Jove! I wonder 
 what went wrong where that blank space is. I'll have to 
 get this down in writing as soon as possible." 
 
 He then placed the cylinder in a small box especially 
 prepared for it from which he took another cylinder which 
 he carefully fitted in the machine, and this he then thought- 
 fully locked in the drawer. 
 
 The box he placed in the hand-bag which he stood care- 
 fully down in a corner of the car where he could keep his 
 eye upon it. 
 
 He had just taken his seat again when he heard the 
 president's step in the wash room; and when that gentle- 
 man entered the office apartment Chambers was busily 
 engaged at the typewriter, but stopped for a moment and 
 said, "Operators at Steelton and Clyde are discharged." 
 
 "Very good!" said Mr. Craggie. 
 
CHAPTER XII. 
 
 "Beyond the infinite and boundless reach 
 Of mercy, If thou didst this deed of death 
 Art thou damn'd." 
 
 — Shakespeare. 
 
 As the detective took leave of him Arndt stepped to 
 the door which Rollins was still holding open for him, and 
 as he shook hands with the faithful old servant he gave him 
 encouraging news in regard to Nettie. 
 
 Instead of going with him Rollins detained Arndt and 
 said, "Mr. Endy left word that whenever you came you 
 would find him in the office, and that I was to show you 
 about the house before you went to him ; but I told him 
 that you knew this house as well as he did — having been all 
 over it many times with Mr. Robert, when you were boys 
 together. He was pleased; but he said, 'Well, well! men in 
 active business seem to know pretty much everything that 
 is going on in the world except what is occurring in their 
 own homes,' and I guess he is correct — he mostly is," con- 
 cluded the old man musingly. Then recollecting himself, 
 "Now you are free of this house, and I am glad of it." 
 
 "Thank you, Rollins, I will see Mr. Endy at once, as 
 I have not long to stay." 
 
 When he entered the office he heard his friend whistling, 
 and the cheerful tone of his voice as he said, "Glad to see 
 you, Charlie," convinced Arndt at once that the dreaded 
 interview had turned out unexpectedly well— at least for the 
 father. So he was not surprised at the news which the lat- 
 ter told him, and only said — in regard to the threats Robert 
 had made and about which his father felt it his duty to 
 inform Arndt — "He is your son, Sir, and therefore not the 
 man to resort to personal violence; he will probably try to 
 ruin me financially or discredit me with the Union; but I 
 hope that we can parry his blows; and, if he is going to 
 Europe, we will have no trouble for a while. I hope he 
 will know me better before he returns. 
 
 118 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 119 
 
 "I would like to remain and talk with you, but I am 
 obliged to meet the Union this afternoon. They are 
 entitled to know how matters are proceeding, and the two 
 other members of the committee will be anxious to hear 
 from me. We must devise some means of employment for 
 the men. Whether there is anything in the idea about 
 Satan, I, for one, doubt; but I know that the rest of the 
 line that says, 'Satan still some mischief finds for idle hands 
 to do,' has a good foundation in fact. 
 
 "PresidentTrueman of the Union, whom I saw, (Oh, 
 yes, he was in Clyde, and Chandler and I parted from him 
 only at the door of the court house — This in answer to a 
 look from Mr. Endy) said that while there had been no 
 trouble anywhere yet, still the great work of the local 
 branches must be put into this matter of employment and 
 amusement; and he thinks if we can keep the men from get- 
 ting into mischief or discontented we will win this strike; 
 and he hopes that, if won, it will be the last strike — and it 
 must be won by sheer force of public opinion. 
 
 "The way things have been going, so far, he said, could 
 not be bettered; and I think that we will have less trouble 
 than usual, since even the youngest and most thoughtless 
 members of the Union seem to realize the importance of 
 keeping everything quiet. 
 
 "Chandler says we must have the laws on our side; that 
 the laws are mostly right, and that we must not allow our- 
 selves to be aggravated into breaking them. He is par- 
 ticularly emphatic about that point. He savs he will guar- 
 antee us victory if we will keep down the' destruction of 
 property— and hold out. My own idea is that a great many 
 of the laws are all wrong — having been placed on the statute 
 books by the power of money; but Chandler insists that 
 the trouble all lies in the unjust interpretations placed on 
 those laws by judges who are more often swaved bv public 
 opinion than by money. At anv rate, we 'will have to 
 keep wide awake almost all the time, dav and night, to 
 head off Mr. Craggie. He is apt to be on his mettle by this 
 time ; and he keeps the rails hot— these days. Thev say that 
 the time he made in coming from Pittsburg to Clyde beat 
 the world's record for fast traveling." 
 
120 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 "The way he goes about regardless of others' rights 
 should not be permitted," said his hearer earnestly. 
 
 "That will come to an end, soon, I think. I was much 
 pleased to hear quite a lot of kicking at Clyde about the 
 way regular trains are delayed in order to give him the right 
 of way. Even twenty years ago he could not have done 
 that ; and, if we win, it is certain that he nor any other private 
 individual will hereafter be able to do it. But Mr. Voss 
 is his creature — as he was practically elected to his position 
 by Mr. Craggie. Well, I must be going!" 
 
 "All right," said Mr. Endy, "as soon as I get a little 
 lunch I am intending to run down and call on Nettie and 
 your sister. Come to me tomorrow, if you can find time. 
 I have some plans I want to discuss with you." 
 
 "Very good, Sir," said Arndt, and left the house. 
 
 The remaining hours of this, Friday evening, and until 
 almost midnight, were spent by Arndt in the committee 
 room of the Union. A strike involving what this one did 
 takes thought and careful management, and it is not always 
 easy for three men to agree as to what is best to be done, 
 even in small matters. 
 
 When Arndt left the room he said good-night to his 
 companions at the outside door of the building and walked 
 briskly — for the night was cold — toward the river road. 
 
 Now the shortest way to his destination lay right 
 through the Endy grounds, and the gates of this place had 
 not been closed in ten years; but, of course, as these 
 grounds were private property the public did not pass 
 through them. And so it was with a feeling of pleasure 
 that he felt himself at liberty to walk along under those 
 beautiful trees, which although now bare of leaves were 
 still an ornament to the place; and as he strode swiftly over 
 the smooth paths he thought, "If it did not mean so much 
 injustice and such deadening of manhood it would certainly 
 be nice to feel oneself the owner of such a place. Maybe, 
 in time to come, when things are straightened out and 
 each man is receiving his just share of the proceeds of his 
 labor, many more may rightfully, and with an easy mind, 
 possess such places, but, of course, in miniature, as the 
 world is not large enough to give many of us such a slice 
 as this. I am going to suggest to Mr. Endy that he allow 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 121 
 
 the public to walk through here; it will be good discipline 
 for the people to learn to enjoy their privileges at the same 
 time that they learn to respect his legal rights." 
 
 Busy with these thoughts he had taken the wrong turn- 
 ing at one of the numerous curves in the path, and when 
 the moon came out he found himself on the road that led 
 directly past the mansion. 
 
 "Psha!" said he aloud. "Looks as if I will have to learn 
 the place over again. I might as well have gone around 
 the outside; been home just as quick. Well, I will go 
 right on till I meet the main carriage drive and that will 
 take me straight home." 
 
 The night was so dark — when the moon was behind the 
 heavy, snow-laden clouds — that he came opposite to the 
 mansion without noticing where he was ; but as he stepped 
 from the gravel walk on the turf — in order to make a short 
 cut to the carriage drive — he detected the sound of another 
 footstep besides his own. It was close behind him, and, 
 instinctively, he dodged — making a quick movement to one 
 side, and probably in that movement saved his life; for the 
 blow aimed at him from behind, barely grazed the side of 
 his head and did him no injury except to cause uncon- 
 sciousness for the time — and a very sore head for a great 
 while longer. 
 
 As he lay on the ground, only stunned for the moment, 
 his assailant advanced towards him saying, "I'll make sure 
 of you anyhow, young fellow. You aren't going to order 
 your men to shoot to kill, without paying for it." 
 
 The last half of the sentence was distinctly heard by 
 Arndt; but, in spite of the fact that his memory recorded 
 the words, his brain did not take in their meaning until 
 afterwards — and now only busied itself with repeating the 
 sentence over and over again. The sense of his danger 
 seemed swallowed up in the mental operation, and the 
 assassin would undoubtedly have accomplished his purpose 
 if there had not at this moment been heard a terrible cry 
 of pain coming from the house and Arndt's assailant 
 paused. 
 
 Then, as another man rushed from the house, out of 
 the front door, close to where Arndt was lying, the person 
 
122 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 who had felled him turned and fled as fast as his feet would 
 carry him. 
 
 That cry restored Arndt to the full possession of his 
 faculties and he was instantly in the house saying loudly, 
 "Rollins! Rollins!" and feeling for the place to turn on the 
 electric current. 
 
 Stopping where he thought the knob ought to be he 
 groped about for a moment, and then as his hand touched 
 it, the hall was flooded with light and the servants rushed 
 in. 
 
 Nothing appeared to be wrong within sight and they — 
 Rollins and Arndt — hastened to the only room whose occu- 
 pant had not already appeared. This room was on the 
 second floor of the mansion, and outside the windows of 
 the adjoining room (which was Mr. Endy's study) was an 
 open balcony surrounded by a railing of ornamental iron 
 work, and the whole balcony was virtually surrounded by 
 the limbs of the ancient oak that stood some distance from 
 the main building — many of its limbs having been trimmed 
 away to make place for the balcony. It was this fact that 
 had caused Arthur's uneasiness ; for he knew that a pane of 
 plate glass is no protection — especially where access could 
 be so readily gained to it. When Rollins and Arndt 
 reached the bedroom they found the door to it standing 
 wide open — propped back with a chair — and within, lying 
 insensible on the floor, they found Robert Endy, Senior, 
 and the blood was flowing from an ugly wound on his 
 head. 
 
 To quickly place the insensible man on his bed and 
 dispatch a servant for Doctor Kenedy was the work of a 
 moment. Rollins busied himself with the water and 
 towels, and Arndt — who was still feeling shaky — sat down, 
 and then thought to request the servants to not touch any- 
 thing about the place until the detectives arrived. Then he 
 himself looked about the room but found nothing until 
 Rollins called him and showed a small bunch of black hairs 
 grasped tightly in the clenched fingers of the unconscious 
 man. These he instructed Rollins to leave just where he 
 found them. 
 
 While waiting for the doctor and the detectives Arndt 
 had time to consider things a little ; and as he smoked a 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 123 
 
 cigar in the library he reviewed all that had occurred and 
 finally said to himself, "Well, we all need to learn a whole 
 lot, yet. I never once thought of danger from that quar- 
 ter; yet what could be more natural. These men of the 
 lowest class (whom I pity from the bottom of my heart, 
 for they, as well as the rest of us, are the product of the 
 times in which we live and are the direct result of 
 hereditary influences and their environment — ) these men, 
 are more the foe of the middle class than they are of the 
 rich. A rich man's house or bank or store is rarely 
 burglarized, for they are able to pay for protection. More- 
 over, I believe that we would find the majority of the vic- 
 tims of the murderer among the poor and not among the 
 rich — and that, also, out of all proportion to the difference 
 in numbers between the rich and the poor. Why! when I 
 come to think of it, it is a fact that a thug would probably 
 get more out of my pocketbook at this moment than he 
 would out of Mr. Craggie's — for Craggie rarely pays for 
 anything at the time he buys it — his credit is unlimited and 
 he handles almost no cash at all. And, besides, if the thug 
 knocked me down and robbed me, there would not be much 
 of a row; but if it were Mr. Craggie, the earth wouldn't 
 have a hole secret or deep enough to hide the man in. 
 Why, this is the reason the rich are not scared at the ter- 
 rible increase of the class that refuses to work. They don't 
 prey upon the rich, but upon the workingman and the 
 man of moderate means. 
 
 "Now, in the history of every strike in the past one can 
 clearly read that this class — together with the less intelli- 
 gent among our own men — have always been the indirect 
 cause of our defeat. They are our natural enemy, and since 
 that order to shoot to kill, why, of course, they see that 
 we are beginning to realize it; and, as the big corpora- 
 tions will have to bear the blame for anv murders that take 
 place during the strike— if they can't shift the blame on to 
 us — these fellows expect for a certainty to go free without 
 even a shadow of suspicion. 
 
 "Well, I'll not say anything about this except to our 
 own leaders; and so these men will not be put on their 
 guard. I'm sorry for them, but we will be more certain, 
 now than ever, to shoot to kill." 
 
124 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 At this point Doctor Kenedy arrived and Arndt went 
 with him to Mr. Endy's room. As soon as the physician 
 saw his patient he said to Arndt: "Send for King, and 
 arrange for a special to bring him out at once; this is 
 serious — the shock alone is enough to kill a man of his 
 age." 
 
 After he had given the necessary orders to Rollins and 
 while he was assisting Kenedy to the best of his ability, 
 Arndt thought, "They talk about the equality of the rich 
 and poor; but I don't see it. Now, I am thankful that 
 Nettie and Mr. Endy will be able to get the benefit of Doc- 
 tor King's great ability; but it is no merit of theirs that 
 secures them this advantage. It is money that does it. 
 I see no reason why the poor should have to put up with the 
 services of inferior men or be practiced on for the benefit 
 of students while learning. Equality! Psha! We haven't a 
 speck of it." 
 
 Shortly after this the first detective arrived on the 
 ground and asked to see Arndt. 
 
 Arndt's first question was, "Did you bring the hounds?" 
 
 "Not a bit of use," said the man shortly. "Snow is six 
 inches deep. Perfect blizzard raging out there ever since 
 midnight or so. Dogs ain't in it in this case. Will you 
 please tell me all you know about it?" 
 
 Arndt told everything except the attack on himself and 
 then took the man to Mr. Endy's room and showed him all 
 there was to see there — including those incriminating 
 hairs. 
 
 No sooner did he see them than he said, "Black, of 
 course! Color of his son's hair. Been having a row with 
 his father — afraid another will might be made that would 
 cut him off entirely — case is as plain as a clay pipe stem — 
 piece cut out of the pane of glass in the study is just a 
 blind — front door and this one found wide open and 
 propped back? Just so! He came in that way, and he had 
 a key. Robert Endy, Jr., is my man." 
 
 He had made up his mind and would listen to nothing 
 Arndt had to say on the other side, and so Arndt was 
 powerless to prevent him leaving and swearing out a war- 
 rant for Robert's arrest. 
 
 When King arrived, another detective — from Clyde — 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 125 
 
 came. This one took things more leisurely and asked a 
 great many more questions, and he soon discovered that 
 there was something Arndt was not saying anything about. 
 He was a much shrewder man than the first, and finally 
 said, "Now, Mr. Arndt, I want to say this to you: I think 
 from the facts Goodenough discovered that he is right 
 enough as to his conclusions; but you are not telling me 
 all. I am perfectly sure that there is no labor leader in this 
 land but what would die in defense of Mr. Endy. So far as 
 I know he has not an enemy or ill-wisher on the face of the 
 earth unless it be his son or Mr. Craggie. Now, I have 
 often worked with Arthur and am a great friend of his. 
 You know Arthur. Would you tell him everything?" 
 
 "Certainly," said Arndt, "it is my intention to do so. If 
 you are a personal friend of his, I have no objection what- 
 ever to telling you all, and my reasons for wishing to keep 
 my portion of the adventure quiet for the present." 
 
 Then he told, and together they went out and hunted 
 around in the snow for evidence to corroborate his state- 
 ments. The snow was not over three inches deep, even 
 then, and they found a bunch of keys and his hat— which he 
 had not missed till they started out — and the club with 
 which he had been struck. It was a sand-bag. 
 
 After they had returned to the house, Wellington, the 
 detective said to him, "Mr. Arndt, you are wise to say 
 nothing about this other matter. Of course, your hair is 
 very light and the other is jet black ; but you were the first 
 on the scene; you are suffering from an injury on the head; 
 and in a certain way the strikers would be benefited by the 
 death of Mr. Endy — provided they could saddle the blame 
 on the corporation. That you are entirely innocent is 
 clear to me; but there are a lot of fool detectives, like Good- 
 enough, who would be very willing to make things quite 
 unpleasant for you. I shall say nothing whatever about 
 the attack on you unless you need my testimony to help 
 clear you." 
 
 Arndt thought to himself, "My God! and what would 
 even he suspect if he knew that by that last will the strik- 
 ers actually derive more benefit from Mr. Endy's death than 
 life." But he thanked the detective and prepared to return 
 home. 
 
126 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 In the hall he met Kenedy who noticed that he was suf- 
 fering, and to him he confided all the facts — for on Kenedy 
 he could implicitly rely, — and then Kenedy examined his 
 head and shoulder and applied some remedies which he 
 said would soon make him as good as new. "But," he 
 added, "you had a narrow escape — you can't do that twice 
 without being killed." 
 
 And then Arndt — who could do nothing more — went 
 home and took the rest he so much needed. At least, he 
 took part of it. 
 
 In the meantime, Goodenough was hot on the trail of 
 Robert and went south after him with a rush; but he could 
 not resist the temptation to pocket a hundred dollar bill 
 which a wily newspaper man — reporter for the Clyde Daily 
 Clarion — offered him when he found him puffed up with 
 self-importance. 
 
 And so, as Arthur was eating breakfast in Clyde, 
 whither he had traced Robert when he doubled back the 
 preceding day, it was but natural that the big and staring 
 headlines announcing the attack on his employer and the 
 additional fact that Robert was the suspected man should 
 meet his glance. And it was then the work of but a few 
 moments to swear out a warrant and drive to Robert's 
 apartments — with the result we have seen. 
 
 And then Arthur heartily said "Amen!" in answer to 
 Robert's emphatic words: "I am innocent, Sir. May that 
 man who touched a hair of my old father's head be ever- 
 lastingly damned." 
 
CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 "Why the world are all thinking about it, 
 
 And as for myself I can swear, 
 If I fancied that heaven were without it, 
 
 I'd scarce feel a wish to go there." 
 
 — Moore. 
 
 The clock in the hallway of the mansion was striking 
 two as Arndt closed the door behind him. 
 
 With aching head and nerves all unstrung by the rush 
 of events, which had, as it seemed to him, crowded the 
 occurrences and sensations of a life-time into less than a 
 week, as he looked back over the last few days it seemed 
 as if he had been living outside of himself — living another 
 man's life. 
 
 Where were the days of hard labor of body and brain, 
 which he had so much enjoyed, gone to? 
 
 He realized, at this moment as never before, that every 
 one of those days during his courtship and engagement 
 had been sweetened by the thought of the evening which 
 was sure to follow; evenings when there would be Nettie 
 listening as he and Angus talked, or, Nettie singing or 
 playing the music he loved, or Nettie listening to him read 
 the poems of her choice, or, best of all, Nettie to himself 
 either at an occasional concert or entertainment or at 
 times all to himself on the nights when Angus went to the 
 Endy mansion and there was no one but the hired woman 
 and Nettie and he in the house. 
 
 Thinking thus he walked slowly towards home ; for his 
 thoughts occupied him so that he forgot to hurry as was 
 his custom; and notwithstanding the snow, which was still 
 falling, he walked even slower as he thought how thev had 
 on those nights talked of the future, a future which to 'them 
 seemed to have only sunshine in store — for with Nettie 
 beside him he always forgot that "Some davs must be dark 
 and dreary." 
 
 Now, in the stillness of the night, as he mechanically 
 
 127 
 
128 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 followed the windings of the river road to the place where 
 she was lying — sick and suffering — it seemed as if a life- 
 time had passed since she had pressed her sweet lips to his; 
 and he found himself, in thought, again standing with her 
 arms about him and heard her loved voice saying, "I will 
 never give you up, unless you wish it !" 
 
 Those other words of hers which had been ringing 
 through his brain every moment since he heard them — 
 and which had caused him to feel so bitter towards young 
 Endy that it had been only after a great struggle with 
 himself that he had in each case succeeded in doing the just 
 and merciful thing — were now, for the first time since 
 he had heard them, forgotten; they were crowded out of 
 his mind by sweet memories. 
 
 His thoughts flew back over the years when they had 
 been children together, and played as children do; and as 
 all the intervening years swept by there was joy and hap- 
 piness in every one of them — in every moment of the time 
 passed in company with these recollections. 
 
 For the little misunderstandings of childish days had 
 always been cleared away; and even the lover's quarrels, 
 which had come as their lives were adjusting themselves to 
 each other — after the long years of separation while she 
 was away at school — had never lasted over the next time 
 of meeting. 
 
 Arndt was at least as just as most men, and he this 
 night realized that whatever of decision and hatred of injus- 
 tice there was in his character were due to the influence 
 exerted silently on him by his old friend — who had taken 
 him up and made a companion of him while Nettie was 
 away — and his little sweetheart; and as he came back into 
 the present he found his mind filled with the picture of her 
 beautiful face, and his brain was ringing softly with the 
 words "Nettie! Nettie! Nettie!" even as he, time and 
 again had found himself listening to those same words as 
 they seemed to be pounded out by the great hammers of 
 the foundry, or sung by the birds, or whispered by the 
 leaves of the trees as the wind passed through the branches. 
 
 He came to himself with a start as he stepped on the 
 porch and walked towards the door which opened sud- 
 denly. 
 
THE RECORDING AXGEL 129 
 
 He found himself face to face with his sister who threw 
 her arms about his neck and kissed him and in a low voice 
 said, "Are you all right, dear? I'm more nervous than I 
 ever before was in all my life. What in this world has kept 
 you so long, Charlie? That poor girl has been almost 
 beside herself tonight; she seemed to think that you were 
 in some danger. At one time we could hardly keep her in 
 bed, and I sent for Doctor Kenedy; but he could not be 
 found. This excitement and worry is the very worst 
 possible for her." 
 
 "Now, please go and tell her that I am all right, Annie." 
 said Arndt quietly, "and then, if you can be spared, I will 
 tell you all about it." 
 
 Upon her return Annie said, "It's no use; you will 
 just have to go up and reassure her; the anodynes don't 
 take effect, and I've already given the limit allowed by 
 Doctor King. We simply must get her to sleep." 
 
 So, instead of retiring, as he had intended, Arndt passed 
 into the room where the silence was broken only by the 
 soothing voice of the nurse and the restless movement of 
 the white hands on the cover; and taking the soft hand in 
 his firm, close grasp he leaned over her and kissed her on 
 the lips which murmured softly, "Charlie. Charlie," and 
 then he said in a voice which was clear and slow and quiet- 
 ing, "I am all right; no harm has come to me; go to sleep 
 little sweetheart." 
 
 Without another word he seated himself in the chair 
 which the nurse pushed towards him and for a few 
 moments allowed himself to return that loving gaze, and 
 then — without relaxing his hold on her hand he said: 
 
 "The day is done and the darkness 
 
 Falls from the wings of night 
 As a feather is wafted downward 
 
 From an eagle in his flight." 
 
 The eyes which had refused to close, still rested upon 
 him, lovingly, questioningly, wonderingly. As he went 
 on with the beautiful poem which has itself done so much to 
 "Quiet the restless pulse of care" the wondering and ques- 
 tioning died out and. at last, only Love was left; and then, 
 as the closing words died away, the love was hidden from 
 
130 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 mortal sight; for consciousness had gone with the Arabs 
 as they silently folded their tents and stole away. 
 
 When Doctor Kenedy arrived — at five o'clock in the 
 morning — he found Arndt sitting as motionless as a 
 statue, still holding the little hand and gazing at the pale, 
 thin face ; and the doctor — coming noiselessly to his side — 
 said : "You can lay her hand down and come away. She 
 will not rouse for hours." 
 
 Arndt's arm was so cramped and stiff that it required 
 quite an effort to move it, and when he left his chair his 
 sister took his place. 
 
 Kenedy shook hands heartily with him and said, "Just 
 as I told you; we have to have the help of outsiders once in 
 a while — if only we could always get hold of the right one 
 we might do away with a lot of the drugs. She will prob- 
 ably get well fast, now. The trouble has been to get her 
 to sleep. I have come here straight from Endy's. King 
 and I have been working with him all this time. King is 
 still there. The blow would not be a dangerous one for 
 a young man to sustain, but his age is against him. How- 
 ever, his constitution is good and he will probably pull 
 through — but we fear for the effect on the brain. He is 
 only partially conscious now; does not speak coherently. 
 We will hope for the best; it may leave no evil effect — 
 at least on his physical health." 
 
 Arndt's head and shoulder where the glancing blow 
 had taken most effect, had been throbbing almost unbear- 
 ably during the hours of his vigil. He now made an 
 involuntary motion with his hand; and Kenedy said, "Here, 
 you had better let me fix that (it was a narrow escape), 
 and then you go to sleep." 
 
 So at half past five a. m. Arndt was sleeping; but at 
 seven his sister called him — though very reluctantly. She 
 said the man who was waiting at the door would take no 
 refusal, insisting that it was of the utmost importance, and 
 demanding to see him in the name of the Union. 
 
 With eyes only half open Arndt walked to the door; 
 but when he saw Baker, his colleague of the strike com- 
 mittee, standing there he reached to the table in the hall- 
 way and took his hat. 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 131 
 
 At the gate they found a horse and sleigh, and without 
 a word both got in. 
 
 After they were started Baker used the whip freely and 
 swore under his breath as he said, "We have had too much 
 good luck; things are going to go against us if we don't 
 make good time. The men have heard of the assault on 
 Mr. Endy and they charge it up to Craggie, who, they 
 have just learned, spent the night in his car at the station. 
 The men are boiling over; there will be one less millionaire 
 if they get their hands on him this day." 
 
 "Drive faster!" said Arndt sharply, and his friend plied 
 the whip. 
 
 "Where is Savage? Why did you have to come so far 
 out of your way for me?" Arndt shouted to his companion 
 — for they were now going at a terrific rate over the sleet 
 covered snow and the wind cut their faces sharply. 
 
 "Savage just said that the men could kill Craggie as 
 soon as they wished, for all of him. You ought to have 
 known that from your experience with him on the commit- 
 tee," said Baker. "Savage is a good man, but he is mightily 
 tired of Craggie and his methods." 
 
 "Can't blame him ! Nevertheless, we must save Crag- 
 gie." 
 
 "My idea exactly," said Baker, and then they gave up 
 trying to talk. 
 
 In less than ten minutes they were at the station, and 
 as he stepped from the sleigh Arndt said to his companion 
 — slowly and emphatically — "Drive back along the main 
 street and post one of the men at each corner with instruc- 
 tions to stop every striker from coming thi,s way, by telling 
 them that the evidence all points to the guilt of Mr. Endy's 
 own son — whom the detectives have already sworn out 
 warrants for." 
 
 "Great God!" said Baker and drove furiously away. 
 
 So Arndt was left alone with the fast gathering crowd 
 of workingmen. Many of the men distrusted him on 
 account of his taking the part of the rich when he con- 
 sidered them unjustly abused. His talk to Mr. Endy and 
 with Doctor Kenedy was of an altogether different tone 
 from that which he used when arguing with his fellow 
 workers. It was as if he spoke fearlessly to the face of the 
 
132 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 rich what he would not say behind their backs ; and the men, 
 hearing only such statements from him as would tend to 
 make them bear up under the unjust conditions that 
 hemmed them in, had little use for him. In fact he owed 
 his position on the strike committee solely to the cir- 
 cumstance that President Trueman knew his man and when 
 the question was up in the main committee to leave the 
 entire matter in the hands of a sub-committee of three, he 
 stated positively that he would not consent and would use 
 all his influence against the measure unless the decision of 
 the sub-committee had to be unanimous and Arndt be one 
 of the number. 
 
 A large portion of the crowd now here were, of course, 
 of the more violent class; and Arndt knew, when he looked 
 at them, that whatever he did to aid Mr. Craggie must be 
 done without their assistance. 
 
 He passed quickly through the crowd with a word of 
 good morning for all, and approached the conductor who 
 was standing alone on one corner of the platform and 
 asked, "Mr. Jennings, are you ready to move out?" 
 
 "All ready, Mr. Arndt, but the old man hasn't made his 
 appearance and I can't start a wheel without orders from 
 him or Chambers — who hasn't come down from the hotel 
 yet. There he comes now, though!" 
 
 "Good!" said Arndt. "Go to the switch and watch for 
 his signal — give the word to the engineer as you pass." 
 
 The strikers had been watching Arndt; but when he 
 came quietly walking back towards them they fell to talk- 
 ing again, and so the words he spoke to Chambers were 
 not noticed; and as the switch was on the far side of 
 the car the first intimation they had of any movement was 
 hearing the voice of Chambers as he called to the con- 
 ductor. 
 
 He, in his excitement, almost spoiled Arndt's plans; 
 but the engine and car pulled away from the station at a 
 speed that defied pursuit. 
 
 Some bullets and a shower of rocks and other missiles 
 struck the car. As soon as it was beyond their reach some 
 of them were sent in Arndt's direction; and as he was then 
 standing looking after the retreating car one of the rocks 
 struck him squarely on the back, and he dropped to the 
 platform like a log. 
 
CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 "There are several ways to kill a cat." 
 
 — Old Saying. 
 
 Being possessed of only the usual powers of created 
 beings we cannot be in more than one place at a time, and 
 so we must return to Robert Endy who stood perfectly 
 still for several moments after proclaiming his innocence 
 and curse on the guilty — saying to himself: "Not dead? not 
 dead? He can not be dead?" And then he pulled himself 
 together and sighed deeply and said, in his old, sharp busi- 
 ness-like manner, "Who are you, Sir, and when did this 
 happen, and where did you get this letter." 
 
 The detective smiled as he as curtly said, "My name is 
 Arthur — two members of the city police force are outside 
 the door. You probably don't need any answer to the 
 second question. I received the letter from the hands of 
 your father on Friday afternoon. We must be going now. 
 You will have plenty of time in jail to read it before the 
 examining trial takes place. My instructions from your 
 father were to follow you South. As you know, I did not 
 have to go far in that direction. I left the others outside 
 in order to say to you that I am sorry for you, for your 
 father's sake if you are innocent or guilty; for I have 
 learned to esteem him highly in the short time I have been 
 in his company, and if he dies — and you are guilty — I will 
 do my best to have you electrocuted for it. But I will 
 say this much to you — on the supposition that being your 
 father's son you are therefore innocent; things look black 
 for you, therefore, don't talk." 
 
 "Thank you. Sir," said Robert, who, when his mind 
 ran back over the last few days, saw that there were many 
 things which would naturally appear against him, "Thank 
 you, Sir, my word to you or to any man who is not work- 
 ing for me is that I am innocent; that is my only word." 
 
 "Good," replied Arthur, but he smiled as he said fur- 
 ther, "They all say that same, Mr. Endy." 
 
 U3 
 
134 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 Since he was a rich man's son — and wealthy himself — 
 and also because there were three to one, Robert did not 
 have to wear bracelets, although one of the officers insisted 
 on the formality being observed, saying that what was 
 good enough for a poor man was, in his opinion, good 
 enough for a rich one. But his companion said. "You'd 
 better go slow. The strikers are on top now, but the strike 
 is not ended ; and we have not heard from Craggie yet — 
 you know." 
 
 His assistant sullenly said, "Maybe you're right, but I 
 wish that we never hear from him. A man daren't say his 
 soul's his own, the way he runs things these days." 
 
 "Oh, I'm not much struck on Craggie," was the reply, 
 "not me; but that's because he hasn't found out yet that 
 I'm here — he takes mighty good care of the men who do 
 work to suit him. Anyway, it's Craggie or maybe a worse 
 one; and I'm not helping to topple one master over until 
 I've examined the build of his successor. See?" 
 
 "Maybe you're right," was the reply; and then they 
 were silent until the vehicle in which they were driving 
 stopped at the same door that not so long before had 
 opened for Arndt. And it was the genial voice of the 
 sheriff which greeted them and said : "Good morning, Gen- 
 tlemen! I am truly sorry to see you here, Mr. Endy." 
 
 As soon as he was in the building — and while waiting 
 for the necessary formalities — Robert read the letter Arthur 
 had delivered to him ; and there were tears in his eyes 
 as he handed it to the detective saying, "Read it, please." 
 
 And that word please marked the beginning of the 
 transformation of the man. Many utter the word, but not 
 in the way he said it. 
 
 Then Arthur read: "My Dear Son — I was, upon open- 
 ing your letter, greatly relieved to find that your affec- 
 tion for your father had not been lost in the whirl of events 
 of the last few days. 
 
 "The actions I have taken have all been carried out 
 through a sense of duty to' humanity, although I am obliged 
 to confess that some of them were begun under the sting 
 of wounded personal feelings. 
 
 "The publicity which has attended the performance has 
 not been a result of any wish of mine — and the notoriety 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 135 
 
 can hardly be more unpleasant to you than it is to me. It 
 is contrary to the habit of my whole life; but it is a part of 
 the price that is necessary to be paid by any one who 
 would aid the working class. 
 
 "The value of my name and influence to the cause of 
 equal justice is as great as or greater than the money I can 
 bestow; so I must give up my quiet life — as well as my 
 money. 
 
 "I want you to be immediately assured that I implicitly 
 believe every word you say in regard to your intentions in 
 the suit you brought against Arndt; and I am more relieved 
 than I am able to tell you at your disavowal — since an 
 attempt of the kind that seemed to be indicated by the evi- 
 dence before me, was capable of but one interpretation — 
 and that was that you had lost all respect and love for me. 
 "I so interpreted it and acted accordingly. 
 "We owe Mr. Craggie a debt of gratitude — which I will 
 seek an early opportunity to pay — for having caused you to 
 abandon that action against Arndt. It is true he thus 
 prevented us gaining an important advantage in favor of 
 the strikers; but he, at the same time, saved my feelings as 
 a father. 
 
 "You are entirely wrong in regard to Charles Arndt. I 
 myself sought him out and asked his aid in the distribution 
 of the money I had dedicated to the workingmen's cause. 
 He even advised me to await your return to the house in 
 order to give you another chance, even though he would 
 have lost the advantage to the cause which your hasty 
 action had given us — and, also, he refused to prosecute you 
 for false imprisonment. But, my son, I know you well 
 enough to be fully aware that no evidence to the con- 
 trary will make you see Arndt in the proper light; for, 
 according to your own confession, you do not believe that 
 any disinterested motive can actuate a man in this life. 
 
 "There was never a greater mistake of judgment than 
 that. The history of the world is full of such cases : and it 
 can never be read aright nor can conduct be properlv 
 ordered, by a mind distorted by such a bias. 
 
 "Unselfishness is the key which will inevitablv unlock all 
 the problems that are now closed doors between man 
 
136 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 and man; and it will eventually solve all the vexed questions 
 of society. 
 
 "Hoping for the day when you will realize this, I am 
 now, as always, Your loving father, Robert Endy." 
 
 As Arthur quietly stood reading the letter Robert sat 
 with his head buried in his hands ; and when he had finished 
 the detective said, "I would keep that if I were you — it will 
 help you a whole lot with a jury, if your lawyer can get 
 it before them. But I am very sorry, now, that I did not 
 deliver it to you last night." 
 
 Robert gazed at him in astonishment. 
 
 "I saw you look from the window of your front room 
 precisely at nine-thirty-two, Mr. Endy, and I immediately 
 entered the building to hand you the letter." 
 
 Robert started to ask, What made you change your 
 mind? But he never said more than "What." 
 
 "I was on the way to your door when I saw you open 
 it and admit 'The Princess'; and then I concluded to wait 
 until morning," continued Arthur significantly. 
 
 Robert did not reply and sat thinking deeply until Mr. 
 Bertram, the lawyer he had sent for, arrived. 
 
 They immediately had a conference, and as a result, 
 Arthur was called to their assistance; and in reply to a 
 question of Mr. Bertram's he said: 
 
 "I have severed my connection with the Agency. This 
 I did willingly at the request of Mr. Endy's father, as I am 
 pretty tired of being hauled off of one case after another 
 simply because Mr. Craggie doesn't want it investigated; I 
 am now employed by Mr. Endy and can serve no one but 
 him, for the present." 
 
 Then Robert said to him: "You can serve my father, 
 better no other way than by hunting up his assailant; and 
 when you find that man you will clear me. I have nothing 
 to conceal from you — so you had better remain while I 
 state my case to Mr. Bertram, as it will save you a lot of 
 time and trouble to know exactly every move I made — and 
 the reasons for them — since I left home." 
 
 "Certainly, if you are willing, nothing could suit me 
 better," said Arthur; and after hearing him to the end 
 without interruption, he continued, "It may be possible 
 that she will be willing, for a good round sum, to testify to 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 137 
 
 the truth — but I doubt it! Moreover, the testimony of 
 women of her class goes for very little with even the aver- 
 age jury." The lawyer interrupted — "And worst of all, 
 you positively can not afford to use her testimony, even if 
 she is willing to give it. We must think of your future. Of 
 course, if things come to the worst we must prove our alibi 
 with whatever testimony we can get; but for the present 
 I see nothing for it but to waive an examining trial and 
 let Arthur put all his skill into finding the guilty man. 
 The janitor will of course swear that you were here all 
 last^ night ; but he might also swear to more than that." 
 
 "Don't you depend on the janitor — I think he positively 
 hates me; he will tell nothing to my advantage!" 
 
 Arthur and Bertram exchanged significant glances, for 
 they both knew about Robert's way of treating workers; 
 and both doubted whether he had a single friend or well 
 wisher among them. 
 
 Robert's thoughts passed on to the woman and he ex- 
 claimed: "May perdition seize the Princess! If it had 
 not been for her I would not even be subject to suspicion. 
 God knows, I have been sick to death of her for over a 
 year ; but when I remembered the appointment I had made 
 for last night I also recollected that I could not afford to 
 break with her and complicate matters at this time. I would 
 not have my old father know that I had even spoken to 
 her or such as her for the world. I tell you, Mr. Arthur, 
 you must just find that guilty man ; for I'll die before I'll 
 have her name connected with mine." 
 
 Arthur said, "You may depend on it, I will do my very- 
 best ; but I get on the case rather late— and you may have 
 to use both the janitor's and the Princess' testimony. I 
 will go to them directly; for, although I don't like to 
 
 remind you of it, your father may not survive, and " 
 
 But he left the room without finishing his sentence. 
 
 And thus it happened that when Mr. Craggie received 
 the reply to the telegram which he sent after his talk with 
 Mr. Johnson— asking to have Arthur detailed to work for 
 him,— the answer he received caused him to use violent 
 language (which was a very unusual indulgence for him). 
 The answer read: "Arthur has left us— present where- 
 abouts unknown." 
 
138 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 This was received just as he entered his private car 
 after his dinner at a station seventy-five miles beyond Steel- 
 ton. Mr. Craggie had distinctly stated to the lawyer that 
 he intended to go on further up the road, and so Mr. John- 
 son had returned to Clyde on the regular train. 
 
 But when Mr. Craggie sat down on the opposite side 
 of the table at which we left the secretary so busily writ- 
 ing, he said, "Good evening, good evening, Mr. Chambers. 
 I trust that you enjoyed your little rest. Beautiful day, is 
 it not? Anything new?" 
 
 "Yes, sir — several things." 
 
 "Well, just tell the conductor to run us back to Steel- 
 ton — any time he can get a clear track. There is no hurry, 
 and I don't want to get Voss into any more trouble than 
 is necessary. I hear that there is a good deal of muttering 
 about our going over the roads whenever we please and as 
 fast as we please, eh! Mr. Chambers?" 
 
 "A good deal of grumbling, Sir," was the reply as the 
 young man went out to give the necessary orders ; but he 
 thought, as he hunted up the conductor, "I wonder what 
 makes Craggie in such a good humor today, — and the strike 
 going dead against him, too?" 
 
 After the return of Chambers the president dictated a 
 few articles for the daily newspapers which were very care- 
 fully worded, but were intended to convey the impression 
 that after all Mr. Endy's son had not been entirely wrong 
 and that a young man who found himself on the point of 
 losing a fortune — which he considered almost his own — 
 was justified in feeling very sore about the matter, and was 
 almost, perhaps, warranted in doing something to the man 
 he considered responsible for the loss he was about to sus- 
 tain; — and that, maybe, he was even justified in think- 
 ing that his father's mind was unbalanced, — slightly, at 
 least, — when he made so monstrous a will. 
 
 As to the method by which the son came into posses- 
 sion of the knowledge of the contents of the will, that, of 
 course, was indefensible for all parties concerned — if it 
 were true, as told. "But," the article concluded, "But, it is 
 never safe to believe all we hear in these cases. We have 
 even heard outsiders remarking on the intellectual decline 
 of Mr. Endy, Sr." 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 139 
 
 And the president smiled benignly as he said to Cham- 
 bers, "And the thing the dear people won't believe is the 
 story told by old Endy as to the affair at Johnson's." 
 
 "You ought to dictate our foreign correspondence, Sir. 
 The diplomatic corps has needed you for a long time," said 
 Chambers. 
 
 "Oh, that's all right, Mr. Chambers, that's all right." 
 And Mr. Craggie laughed at his own cleverness and the 
 compliment that had been paid him ; and then he settled back 
 in his chair in a way that Chambers knew, from long experi- 
 ence, meant lighting a cigar and talking about himself. For 
 the great man had to have some one to unburden himself to, 
 and the talk with Johnson was the only one during his whole 
 life in which he had been perfectly open with one on his own 
 social plane. Chambers had made himself indispensable by 
 never refusing to carry out a single order, by his discreet- 
 ness, by the perfection of his work, and by paying delicate 
 little compliments at the proper time. 
 
 And so the cigar being lighted, Mr. Craggie repeated, 
 "That's all right, Mr. Chambers. They appear every once 
 in a while to be getting things into a terrible mess ; but it all 
 works our way in the end — if you have noticed. I drop 
 them a bit of advice about once in so often — as you know — 
 and they mostly pay considerable attention to what we sug- 
 gest, Eh ?" 6 
 
 Chambers knew that he was not expected to reply, so he 
 said nothing; but he still had the same appreciative smile on 
 his face that invariably took its place there when he reached 
 under the drawer and touched a little spring which worked 
 very easily from much use. And he smiled, and smiled even 
 more appreciatively, as he said to himself: "Whenever Mr. 
 Craggie says us or our he means only himself— just like a 
 good many people." 
 
 There were quite a number of these so-called edi- 
 torials written, differing in wording but all intended to 
 break down the growing sympathy of the middle class for 
 the strikers. They were models in their wav ; and the care- 
 fulness displayed in selecting the proper editorial for each 
 leading paper was also a good lesson to any one that needed 
 it— but that one was certainly not Mr. Chambers, to whom 
 the president knew he could safely entrust the matter. So 
 
140 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 he sat back, quietly smoking, in his revolving chair ; and he 
 even thought as he watched the secretary swiftly reducing 
 the pile of stenographic notes to clear and absolutely accurate 
 typewritten sheets, "Chambers is a valuable man, in fact, 
 an invaluable man. I will find something suited to his 
 ability some day; but I can't spare him now — and it won't 
 do to raise his salary at present; he might get the big- 
 head. Really, his unconsciousness of his value makes him 
 quite a companionable fellow ; it would never do to spoil 
 that." 
 
 The result of this reflection was that he soon inter- 
 rupted Chambers by the remark : "Well, I am not altogether 
 sorry that we had those reverses at first. Those easy vic- 
 tories will make the labor leaders careless ; and besides, 
 I enjoy a good fight, anyhow. The victories over organized 
 labor in the past have been hardly worth while; injunctions, 
 intimidated judges, purchased leaders, and men persuaded 
 to turn traitor to their fellows all used to answer very 
 well ; but they came cheap — and the men paid for them, every 
 time; for we always added the sum total to necessary run- 
 ning expense account and took it out of the men's wages 
 sooner or later. And when our property has been destroyed 
 the strikers suffered the odium and lost the sympathy of the 
 property owners everywhere. We lately have succeeded in 
 collecting our losses of this kind out of the whole people in 
 the shape of taxes ; for we made the States pay us, on the 
 plea that it was the duty of the State to protect our property 
 — though, if an incendiary burns up a private individual's 
 house or store or factory the owner can get nothing out of 
 the State. What a pack of fools the people are, that they do 
 not insist that the application of that law must extend to 
 the losses of all the people ; but it would be a sorry day for 
 the rich if they did — and I am not apt to put them up to it. 
 The people are really utterly unfit to govern themselves." 
 
 And then there was silence, and the secretary resumed 
 his work ; but after a little while the president laughed heart- 
 ily and said, "Really, this is the best joke of all." 
 
 And the thought was so funny that he had to confide it 
 to Chambers ; who again touched the little spring — this time 
 with his knee. 
 
 "There was one fool editor who actuallv twitted the cor- 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 141 
 
 porations because as he said, under this plan the people had 
 found a means of making the rich help pay for their own 
 losses ; and when I saw that article I laughed until I would 
 have presented the fellow with ten dollars for the enjoyment 
 he had given me — but the fool would not accept it." 
 
 "Yes," in reply to a look from Chambers, "that was the 
 fellow who sent back the ten dollars with a note saying that 
 he could not receive money for which he had rendered no 
 equivalent. That told all about him. There are not many 
 of his kind. He ought to have lived in some other world 
 than this. I watched to see what would happen — and I did 
 not interfere at all, for that would have spoiled the value of 
 the experiment ; — and that man went to the wall inside a 
 year, and he is this day setting type for a patent outside 
 paper that I control absolutely. The world doesn't want that 
 kind of man, so far as I can see. 
 
 "But, I am hindering you— though there is no particular 
 hurry about those editorials. We don't want them to appear 
 too near together. You will just pay out of your fund 
 whatever is necessary to insure their insertion as editorials. 
 In fact, I think that we may have to increase that fund 
 shortly. But I would send out only the ones to the two 
 nearest papers today — and you might telegraph them. The 
 rest we will hold until we see the effect of these." 
 
 "When the president's car was safe on its siding at 
 Steelton he told Chambers that he would not need him 
 during the night, as he proposed to make up for the rest and 
 sleep he had lost by turning in as soon as he had eaten the 
 supper which the secretary was instructed to have sent to 
 the car from the railroad station restaurant. 
 
 "And, by the way, what has become of that cook? It 
 doesn't always suit to stop for meals." 
 
 "Oh," said Chambers, "I forgot to tell you that he tele- 
 graphed to know whether he should follow us with those 
 provisions ; and I told him to wait where he is until he got 
 orders from you, as I didn't know where to tell him to meet 
 us." 
 
 "Very good ! Tell him to come on to Clyde at once — 
 we are apt to be around here for several days." 
 
 Chambers then said that he would go up to the hotel for 
 the night, where he could be found if needed, but that he 
 
142 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 would first have to finish the two articles as he had deferred 
 them until last because they had less distance to travel. 
 
 Mr. Craggie thereupon said he would order his own meal 
 and get some fresh air and a little exercise. 
 
 No sooner had he disappeared within the building than 
 Chambers carefully removed the little machine — of which he 
 seemed to think so much — and placed it by the side of the box 
 which was lying in the hand bag. He then speedily finished 
 his work ; and with the telegrams in one hand and the hand- 
 bag in the other he left the car, after first seeing that the 
 windows were all tightly closed ; and as he shut the door be- 
 hind him he carefully locked it. Then, after leaving the 
 telegrams at the office with the remark, "Send them at 
 once !" he went to the hotel, where a good part of the night 
 was spent in listening to the assertive voice of the president 
 as he conspired with Mr. Johnson. 
 
 When the machine stopped talking and then after a pause 
 went on again, Chambers said, emphatically, "Damn !" 
 
 After a few words more the talking came to an abrupt 
 end ; but this time there was a very faint click which told the 
 listener that the cylinder was full. 
 
 "Botheration ! as Craggie says," he exclaimed ; then after 
 a moment — "I guess there is enough of it, after all. I'm 
 powerful glad that there is not another machine like you in 
 the world," and he patted the marvelous little instrument 
 which was small enough to be a child's toy ; and as he care- 
 fully wiped and oiled every part of it he remarked: "You 
 certainly did cost me a pretty penny, lots of hard thinking, 
 and plenty of trouble ; but you are worth every bit of it." 
 
 Then he set the machine going again at the beginning and 
 went busily to work putting down in shorthand the whole 
 conversation that was on that cylinder. Afterwards he put 
 on some other cylinders and took notes from them. 
 
 It was in the small hours of the morning when he 
 finished, and the machine was kept steadily going until he 
 blew out the light and went to bed. 
 
 He had done a hard night's work, and so he slept 
 soundly ; and it was rather late when he stepped on the sta- 
 tion platform — for he intended to eat his breakfast where 
 he could see the car. 
 
 He was in such a rush that he did not see the angry looks 
 
THE RECORDING AXGEL i 43 
 
 which were cast upon him as he hurried past the men who 
 also were hastening to the station. As he stepped on the plat- 
 form he was confronted hy Arndt, whom he knew well, who 
 said— without a word of greeting— "Chambers ! Order that 
 conductor of yours to pull out of here at once. The men 
 will not be held in much longer. They will kill Craggie if 
 they see him today." And as Chambers hesitated he added 
 emphatically, "Move, man! Robert Endy was almost mur- 
 dered last night." 
 
 At that word Chambers sprang to the car and, disre- 
 garding Arndt's warning to not let the men know what he 
 was about, cried aloud to the conductor who was standing at 
 the switch with his hand on the lever, "To Clvde— at full 
 speed." 
 
 And this time they went without asking for the right of 
 way ; but, since it was a double track road, they had only 
 to keep a lookout ahead. The conductor did not have time 
 to lock the switch, and barely succeeded in catching the 
 rail of the car steps and swinging himself aboard— followed 
 by the execrations of the men, and several harder things. 
 
 Chambers— who had stood where he could give a helpino- 
 hand to the conductor— then stepped into the car and found 
 Mr. Craggie at the wash bowl holding on to its side as the 
 car swung with a lurch on to the main track. He motioned 
 to the conductor, who was close behind him, to pass on to his 
 place in the cab opposite to the engineer. The conductor 
 glanced at Mr. Craggie's wrath-swollen face and made all 
 possible haste. 
 
 "What does this mean, Sir?" cried the president "I 
 gave no orders to start." 
 
 There was a new and thrilling tone in the voice of Mr 
 Chambers as he quietlv said, "But I did, Sir. Mr Endv 
 was murdered in his bed— last nio-ht." 
 
CHAPTER XV. 
 
 "A consistent liar is the Devil incarnate." 
 
 — Homely Truths. 
 
 When Mr. Craggie heard the words of his secretary he 
 turned pale and stepped to the door as if to get air. As he 
 did so he caught sight of the men at the same moment that 
 they discovered him, and the sounds which reached his ears 
 were not calculated to steady any man's nerves. 
 
 By this time the train was flying along the straight track 
 at a rate which promised to cover the distance between Steel- 
 ton and Clyde in considerably less time than it had ever 
 before been attempted, and the car was swaying violently. 
 
 Before they passed out of sight Mr. Craggie noticed that 
 the anger of the men seemed to be turned toward a single 
 individual who stood by himself on the platform, and who 
 appeared to be paying no attention to them, but was looking 
 after the retreating car. 
 
 "Who is that man, Chambers?" he demanded. 
 
 "That is Charles Arndt, labor leader; and you probably 
 owe your life to him at this moment," was the emphatic 
 reply. 
 
 Now, even a Mr. Craggie loses some of his dignity when 
 he is standing with the water dripping off a half washed face 
 and with his shirt sleeves rolled up, and he felt that he 
 needed eve'ry aid he could secure ; so he said abruptly : "Ring 
 to slow down ! There is no need for such reckless travel- 
 ing ; every one would think — to see the way we go — that we 
 were running away." 
 
 Chambers without a word pulled the bell cord. 
 
 The president speedily completed his toilet, and in the 
 meantime Chambers carefully deposited his hand satchel in 
 a corner where he could keep his eye on it, and then went 
 to work sorting the letters which had been written the 
 previous afternoon ; and when Mr. Craggie took his seat at 
 the opposite side of the table the secretary smiled into his 
 
 144 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 145 
 
 face as he coolly took up a lot of the letters and threw them 
 into the waste basket. 
 
 "What are you doing, Sir?" Mr. Craggie stormed. 
 
 Chambers hesitated a moment until he placed the last 
 letter on one of the other piles and then he looked the presi- 
 dent square in the eye as he asserted — very calmly — "You 
 know those editorials will not be needed now and might bet- 
 ter be destroyed. It is too late for you to try that trick. 
 Moreover, they are rather incriminating themselves — in view 
 of what took place last night." 
 
 Mr. Craggie took a full minute to look into the calm face 
 of the secretary, and then his jaws closed with a snap and he 
 said — in a tone of voice that usually had a bad effect on the 
 nerves of those who heard it — "I think that you and I will 
 part company at Clyde, Mr. Chambers ! You are a valuable 
 man and have been with me for many years, and I owe you 
 something for a good turn the other night, but I never allow 
 a man to address me in that manner. Because a few hun- 
 dred crazy strikers choose to howl and throw rocks and vio- 
 late the law by firing on this car, is no reason why you 
 should forget who I am." 
 
 "Oh, you are right enough there, Mr. Craggie," was the 
 prompt reply, "that is not sufficient reason — certainly not ! 
 We may part company at Clyde — that will be for you to say 
 after you have heard the reason which I do consider to be 
 quite sufficient to justify my manner." 
 
 This was said by Chambers in such a quiet, level tone 
 that Mr. Craggie become impressed with the idea that he 
 had at least better hear what this fool had to say. That was 
 what the president was mentally calling Chambers ; for he 
 thought that the chance for that fellow to earn a living in the 
 United States after that day would be very slim. So he said, 
 "Say your say, Mr. Chambers; we have nothing to do until 
 we reach Clyde." 
 
 Chambers coolly took a cigar from his pocket and lit it — 
 and the insubordination of this disregard of one of Craggie's 
 strictest rules told the president that he had a dangerous 
 man to deal with. 
 
 He pushed his own box of cigars over to Chambers say- 
 ing, "I don't like the kind you use. Sir. Mine are better." 
 
 "Naturally !" replied the other. "Naturally ! Am happy to 
 
146 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 be able to agree with you. What's good enough for you is 
 good enough for me," and he took a cigar from the box and 
 lit it from his own which he then threw away. Then he 
 leaned back in his chair and placed his feet on the table, in 
 exact imitation of the president's style, and said: "At the 
 snail's pace that we are now traveling there will be plenty of 
 time to tell you everything in minute detail before we have 
 to say good-bye to each other — for which last, I for one will 
 be sincerely sorry." 
 
 As Mr. Craggie did not audibly reciprocate this senti- 
 ment, Chambers continued, "It is quite as interesting a story 
 as any I ever read. I wish that I had the literary ability to 
 do it justice." 
 
 Here the patience of his hearer came to an end and he 
 glared at Chambers, savagely, and cried: "Have you any- 
 thing to say? If so, say it!" 
 
 The secretary smiled, straightened up in his chair, threw 
 the newly lighted fifty-cent cigar into the cuspidor, and 
 briskly said, "Last night, after I retired to my room, a friend 
 of mine called on me. He said that he had been concealed 
 in the cook's room ever since the night we started, so sud- 
 denly, on this trip and left the cook behind us. Says that 
 he slipped in to beg a bite to eat from the cook — knowing 
 that he'd be sure to get it if he said he was my friend ; but 
 the cook was out, and, suddenly the car started — and he 
 kept quiet; at first because he did not want me to discover 
 him in his dirty condition, — for he had got low down, sure 
 enough — thinking that he would slip out at the next stop- 
 ping place. Afterwards he staid for other reasons. Says 
 that he found our conversations so very interesting that he 
 could not tear himself away. Says that he has heard every 
 word that either you or I or Mr. Johnson spoke." 
 
 He paused. 
 
 Mr. Craggie started up exclaiming: "Impossible. It is a 
 lie!" But as his thoughts flew backwards he knew that it 
 was not impossible. So he sank back into his chair and said 
 nothing. 
 
 "Impossible is the very word I used," continued Cham- 
 bers, "and when my friend said that he had heard every word 
 that was spoken by us I called him a liar ; but when I remem- 
 bered that we had rolled this table down to this end of the 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 147 
 
 car because the cook was absent and it gave us more room, I 
 knew that it was not impossible, but highly probable. When 
 I called him a liar he said, 'Go slow young - fellow ! I don't 
 take any harsh talk from Craggie or any of his men since I 
 left that car. But I did stretch the truth a little, just a 
 trifle : There were some words said by Mr. Craggie in the 
 conversation between himself and Johnson that I didn't 
 catch.' " 
 
 Chambers, from under his half closed lids, watched the 
 man before him as a cat watches a mouse, and he was sure 
 that he saw a look of relief on the face of the man ; then he 
 said to himself — as he reached over and took another cigar 
 from the box and lit it, "Risky shot, that; but reached the 
 mark.'* 
 
 After this he talked slowly and puffed gently at the 
 cigar ; and between the sentences he blew smoke rings above 
 his head and watched them float away and dissolve. 
 
 "Still," said he, "I did not pay much attention to the 
 man, for I told him that if he stuck to the truth there was 
 nothing that you or I had said that would be a cause for us 
 to give him a dollar to hold his tongue ; for I know that a 
 clever lawyer like Johnson can bother any man so badly on 
 the witness stand when he comes to tell a story about a two 
 or three day's old occurrence that I just laughed at him and 
 told him that I was sorry for the inconvenience he had been 
 put to and that I hoped the good grub he had eaten at your 
 expense and the pleasure he had derived from listening to 
 our unadulterated opinions of the world in general, was 
 sufficient to compensate him ; for that was all he would 
 ever get out of them. 
 
 "But then he laughed at me, and called me a fool, and 
 said that I could judge better about that after he had given 
 me a sample of his wares. And he then insisted on reading 
 from his stenographic notes a specimen here and there " 
 
 At this point Mr. Craggie got up and took a drink of 
 water and then restlessly walked about the car during the 
 remainder of the story. Chambers continued to talk and did 
 not seem to care whether the president was in front of him 
 or behind him. This sense of perfect security struck the 
 president very unpleasantly. 
 
 "I found," concluded Chambers, ''that my friend was a 
 
148 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 very expert stenographer indeed, and that he had every im- 
 portant bit of conversation that has been uttered in this car, 
 on this trip, since that night. I took down at his dictation, 
 as a test of the accuracy of the rest of his notes a few parts 
 where I knew all the facts ; and finding them correct to the 
 letter, I then took down the conversation between you and 
 Mr. Johnson yesterday morning. I myself had a little 
 curiosity to know what you were unwilling to have me hear 
 — and I must say that I don't wonder that one for an 
 audience was sufficient." 
 
 Here Mr. Craggie interrupted him, saying bitterly, 
 "There is the weak spot. I have always known it — there's 
 the single and only weak point ! If a man did not have to 
 take a human being into his confidence he might be Lord of 
 the Earth in a year. They all betray you whenever it pays 
 them to do it. How much do you want to hold your 
 tongue?" 
 
 "Now," said Chambers coolly, "that is not kind ! I don't 
 see where the talk about betrayal comes in. I never yet be- 
 trayed anything that any man trusted me with. You have 
 not trusted too much, but too little. It is good advice to 
 'Trust all or not at all.' And you've not been betrayed. 
 Who was there to betray you but Mr. Johnson — You surely 
 do not suspect him ! You never trusted my friend ; yet he 
 has not betrayed you, for it is all still in your own hands — 
 though, of course, he must be paid. 
 
 "But, suppose that what you say is so. We will try to 
 imagine it for the sake of the argument. You look on me. as 
 an accomplice. I deny it; but supposing it were anybody 
 but Archibald Chambers and that he had been working for a 
 man for fifteen years and that he could not remember a 
 single instance in all those years where the slightest thought 
 had been taken for his welfare, but could without any diffi- 
 culty remember times without number when he had had to 
 work to the point of exhaustion, when he had had to smile 
 and say nothing when he was made the butt of his em- 
 ployer's ill temper, when he had had to demean himself by 
 carrying out orders which an honest man and a gentleman 
 should never have conceived. Add to that, if you please, 
 that the employe is in all respects, save only wealth, at least 
 the equal of the employer, and that for all the harsh treat- 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 149 
 
 ment, injustice, supercilious tones and manner there has 
 been no offset in the shape of a single holiday or any increase 
 in wages — and that there can in reality never be any offset or 
 recompense for such things. Then suppose that such a 
 secret as has been confided to me were confided to him and I 
 ask you — what have you a right to expect?" 
 
 Mr. Craggie made no reply, and after a few moments 
 Chambers continued : "You know very well what you 
 would have done under the circumstances. Now, see what 
 I did. Mr. Craggie, I did just what you would hare done: 
 I became possessor of that secret — and at a terrible price ; 
 the price of being looked upon as an accomplice in the dirt- 
 iest piece of rascality known to the world : blackmail. 
 What do I want with so dangerous a secret? The same 
 thing that you are working for: Power. I hold a secret 
 that makes the most powerful man in the United States 
 tremble — but not I alone, and therein lies my safety." 
 
 "What do you propose to do with your power, Sir," 
 demanded Mr. Craggie. 
 
 "I propose, in the first place, to talk to you as an equal 
 and without reservation until we arrive at Clyde. I have 
 been with you for over fifteen years. I've never been spared 
 — day or night — in all that time. After you have dictated 
 until exhausted you go to bed and I work until the letters 
 are ready for the next mail, no matter what time in the 
 morning that may be. I've been your slave. I have done 
 two men's work and have received slightly more than the 
 market price for a stenographer of my ability." 
 
 "You never asked for an increase of salary." 
 
 "That is perfectly correct, I never did. And therein, and 
 in all other respects, I am totally different from our sup- 
 positious man. I have been amply compensated — though, 
 perhaps, in ways you have not contemplated and cannot 
 imagine. Let us take the matter of cash remuneration. I 
 have brought up the salary to a figure perfectly satisfactory 
 to me by using almost the full allowance which you set aside 
 to purchase the silence or compliance of other men. I 
 think you have had better service in that direction since I 
 took charge than ever before — so, there I have not defrauded 
 you. You paid for the article and got it. 
 
 "I will tell vou this much right here. It is useless for a 
 
150 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 rich man to play the game you are all playing, and think 
 of winning by bribery. Fear is a much more powerful 
 lever. I'm a pretty rich man myself today — entirely too 
 rich to risk losing it by blackmailing any one — owing to 
 those so-called presents. I call it "That corruption fund.' 
 You expected me to steal part of it, you know. I never stole 
 a cent of it, for I gave you full value for every dollar ; but I 
 did not waste those dollars on other people. It takes time 
 and energy — which I couldn't spare from my life work — to 
 bribe people ; and it always gives me a nasty feeling to try it. 
 Moreover, it is not invariably successful, either; and then 
 you have an insulted man on your hands. 
 
 "So, I simply used the power of your name and the 
 power of your position ; and there isn't a man in the country 
 today who refuses to obey the orders I give in your name — 
 or if he does he may as well hunt for a comfortable existence 
 in heaven or in hell — he will not find a chance to earn it on 
 the earth. And I don't have to use your name very often, 
 either. 
 
 "You are certainly candid, Sir; would you object to stat- 
 ing your other compensation?" said Mr. Craggie sneeringly. 
 
 "At the proper time, I shall take pleasure in doing so; 
 but at present, I find neither the time nor the inclination to 
 state more than that none of the things which would in- 
 fluence our suppositious man to purchase the secret have 
 power to move me. I find my joy and my life in the 
 sense of power which the faithful performance of my daily 
 work brings me. For this reason I wish to continue as your 
 private secretary. Moreover, because the money you are 
 to pay to my friend must pass through my hands, it will be 
 necessary for me to so remain, at least until the payment is 
 completed. He is working for himself and says that one 
 million in greenbacks, Gold Certificates, or National Bank 
 notes will do for him the remainder of his life. He refuses 
 to personally deal with you, as he says he would not give a 
 pinch of snuff" for his life if you could lay hands on him. 
 I told him that he does not know you, that you would not do 
 such a thing — for one reason, because you have not the 
 courage to plan such a thing — much less execute it. 
 
 "But he pointed out the blank space in the stenographic 
 notes and retorted, 'What was he saying to Johnson when I 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 151 
 
 who had my ear not ten feet away. from his head couldn't 
 hear a word for several minutes ?' ' : 
 
 (There was more than one risky assertion in this last, 
 but Chambers was pretty sure of the habits of Mr. Craggie, 
 by this time, and he saw at once that he had scored again.) 
 
 "How did your man get out of the car?" demanded Mr. 
 Craggie. "The door was locked when I returned from the 
 restaurant, for I had to use my key. I remember that very 
 distinctly, and also that all the windows were tightly fast- 
 ened on the inside — for I looked at them before I retired." 
 
 "Oh," said Chambers, "I almost forgot to give you the 
 key I made him surrender to me." And here he handed to 
 the president a key — plainly a duplicate made to order. 
 "That key," said he, "is, you know, the one we had made 
 for the cook. He always hangs it in his room behind the 
 door, when he is in the car." 
 
 "I'll have those locks changed, tomorrow," said the 
 president. 
 
 "It will scarcely be necessary, Sir. My friend will cer- 
 tainly not trust himself in this car again — there is no neces- 
 sity for him to know more than at present." 
 
 During this whole conversation Chambers had not once 
 shown the slightest sign of being in a hurry, nor had he 
 raised his voice ; and, while his words were impudent, his 
 tone was not; the thought in his mind being, "I'll tell you 
 today all that I want to say — tomorrow's mighty uncertain." 
 
 The effect on Mr. Craggie was to impress on him how 
 absolutely sure this man must be of his position, that he 
 dared to sit there and talk in this manner to him. Chambers 
 had started suddenly when asked about the key; but his 
 subsequent words accounted for that — but he said to him- 
 self, even while handing the key, "Narrow shave, that! Good 
 I thought about that key while he was washing." 
 
 "Here," said he, "is the translation, and, I may be mis- 
 taken but, it seems to me that that blank space on the paper 
 is about the worst feature of the whole business— in view 
 of the attempted murder of Mr. Endy." 
 
 "I thought you said he was dead!" said Mr. Craggie 
 sharply. 
 
 "You must have been excited," said Chambers with a 
 smile. "Arndt said only, 'nearly murdered,' or something 
 
152 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 similar. I had not a moment to waste in asking him par- 
 ticulars; it was a case of getting this train moving; but it 
 makes very little difference either way — the man may be 
 dead now for all we know, and if not, here is the situation in 
 a few words." 
 
 "Oh, you need not repeat it !" said his hearer impatiently. 
 
 "Well, I'm glad that you grasp it," said Chambers coolly, 
 "only, you must add to it several other things, one of which 
 is the corroborating testimony which I would have to give if 
 put on the stand — and I've never perjured myself yet for any 
 man, and don't propose to do so — even for you. I feel per- 
 fectly safe in serving my friend in this way because, even if 
 you should fail to see that I am in reality serving you more 
 than I am serving him, you will not fail to understand that 
 the man who had the nerve to take those notes isn't going 
 to let anything happen to me without handing over the whole 
 evidence to the labor leaders — even if he doesn't get a cent 
 besides what I have already given him — which, by the way, 
 I'll thank you to give me a check for right now." 
 
 "This is simply blackmail ! What did you give the fellow 
 money for?" stormed Mr. Craggie. 
 
 "To keep him from handing over the evidence of your 
 guilt to the strikers," said Chambers. "If you regret or 
 disavow my action, you can openly repudiate it' now, and 
 everything is as it was except that I am out the money. 
 And as for the blackmail, why of course it is that — neither 
 more nor less — on his part; but I have heard you say, very 
 often, that hard names break no bones, and the man is pur- 
 suing your own methods so closely that I asked him whether 
 he had not taken lessons from you. But he only laughed at 
 me and said that there are plenty more rich men built on 
 your plan, in this country, to take lessons from. As for 
 the money I paid him — " here he took another cigar from 
 .the box and lit it — "you can do as you please about that. It 
 was only a thousand dollar bill, (a special 'Canal-completion- 
 (commemorative Gold Certificate' — one of the issue with the 
 'Craggie-portrait' medallion, — you know — ) that I have 
 fallen into the habit of carrying about with me ; and I would 
 willingly lose several times that amount to prevent the strik- 
 ers from knowing what my friend and I know." 
 
 Without saying a word in reply Mr. Craggie drew out 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 153 
 
 his check book and filled out a check for the amount ; for 
 although he had that same little habit of carrying about a 
 thousand dollar bill in order, as he said, to never be caught 
 without change, he did not give the bill to Chambers. 
 
 As he handed the paper to the secretary he said, "This 
 purchases those lying notes, I think?" 
 
 "Certainly, if you wish them. I can get as many dupli- 
 cates as are necessary, though, of course, the others might 
 not agree with this word for word" — and he handed the 
 papers to Air. Craggie who, as he took in the accuracy of the 
 work involuntarily exclaimed, "I'd like to hire that man. He 
 is a better stenographer than you." 
 
 "Much better," was the quiet reply. "I thought I said 
 that he is the best I have ever seen. Nothing escapes his 
 ear, and his notes — where he has anything on which to rest 
 his book — are almost like copper plate if one does not dictate 
 over one hundred and eighty-five words a minute. 
 
 "That translation of the notes, is, of course, in my hand, 
 as you see ; and so far as penmanship goes there is nothing 
 to be said for it — for he was in a great rush to get away and 
 in hiding. I am glad that you acknowledge the general 
 accuracy of the work, (the president winced) and I think 
 you will agree with me as to his ability when I hand the 
 original notes to you — as I hope soon to be able to do. At 
 present they are not in my possession, and will not be until 
 the last cent has been paid. I don't, however, think that he 
 will trust himself any closer to you than he at this moment is 
 during this life — if he can help it." 
 
 After Mr. Craggie had finished reading he asked : "Why 
 is not the remainder of the conversation here? I think that 
 what followed would have convinced even you that there 
 was no intention of anything more than a slight incon- 
 venience to Mr. Endy intended by either Mr. Johnson or 
 myself. You know that neither the company nor I could 
 have received a worse blow than that any injury should 
 befall Mr. Endy or any of the labor leaders at this time." 
 
 "I know nothing about any more of the conversation," 
 interrupted Chambers. "I assure you on my honor as a 
 gentleman that that is every word he let me hear. My 
 informant said that while the rest would be likely to be of 
 great interest to me or to the court or to the public, yet he 
 
154 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 proposed to stop right there. And he further remarked 
 that he did not intend that there should be any more of it — ■ 
 and so he made a hiatus of the remainder of that conversa- 
 tion and said that Johnson and you could try to recollect the 
 other part so as to be able to tell it on the witness stand, to- 
 gether with the portion he could not hear — if you wanted to 
 do so and thought that anybody would believe you if it hap- 
 pened to contradict his testimony, backed up by his good 
 character and evidence." 
 
 "Good character of a common sneak thief and black- 
 mailer! I like that," said Mr. Craggie. "Of all the gall 
 that ever I heard that is the most unadulterated." 
 
 Chambers shook his head in disapproval of the sentiment, 
 and said, "If you knew him you would not think so. I will 
 say to you that my friend — up to this time — has led a per- 
 fectly blameless life, and that his testimony on the stand 
 would be simply unimpeachable. He could even deny — 
 truthfully — that he had even attempted to blackmail you, for 
 I have not a bit of authority to do more than hand you those 
 papers and see whether you wish him to show them to the 
 strikers. The million I mention is simply the amount he 
 named as his price to them." 
 
 "Why, he must be the devil incarnate," said Mr. Craggie. 
 
 "Oh, no, I think not ; he is no worse than several men I 
 have met. Not a bit worse. Simply following your own 
 practice, and living up to the motto of all rich men, which 
 runs, 'EGO ! EGO ! EGO !' " 
 
 "Well, here we are at Clyde," concluded the secretary 
 after waiting in vain for some reply to his last impertinence. 
 I will leave you to think the matter over. If you wish to 
 deliver me to the police, there is one on the platform ; or if 
 you wish me to still act as your secretary I will telephone to 
 Johnson to come down and talk with you immediately. I 
 have no wish that you should decide this matter at once or 
 without his advice. It may be that he can discover some 
 means to save you without silencing my friend ; if he does, 
 he is even smarter than I think he is — for I see but the one 
 way out. And I must have a decisive answer before five 
 o'clock this afternoon. I expect to return before that time 
 — but I may be detained, as I have several matters besides the 
 
THE RECORDING AXGEL 155 
 
 cashing of this check to attend to. Shall I telephone, or 
 call the policeman?"' 
 
 "Telephone," was the reply of the badgered man ; but to 
 himself he said, 'I'll pay you for every moment of this morn- 
 ing some day, young fellow." 
 
 As soon as Chambers left the car (with the little satchel 
 in his hand) Mr. Craggie walked to the partition of the 
 cook's room and examined it minutely ; and at the height of 
 an average sized man he found a hole bored through the 
 partition at a place where it would not be noticed unless 
 carefully looked for. (Chambers knew it was there, for he 
 had caught the cook listening at it— and that gave him his 
 hold on the cook.) 
 
 Now, this corroborated Chambers' story to such an ex- 
 tent that the president only walked to the telegraph office 
 and sent a cypher message to his confidential agent in Steel- 
 ton, saying, "Find out whether any one visited Chambers 
 in his room at the hotel last night." 
 
 The reply came while he was ordering breakfast: "No 
 one seen to enter or leave the room ; but a man was seen 
 leaving the hallway, and servant says that some one was 
 heard speaking in the room during a great portion of the 
 night, and at times a conversation was carried on. Servant 
 says there would be no trouble in going in or out without 
 being detected." 
 
 That finished the investigation by Mr. Craggie. An able 
 man might have seen further and done more ; but men of 
 the world all knew that if Mr. Craggie had been born poor 
 he would never have been heard of outside of his own fam- 
 ily. Indeed, shrewd financiers often openly expressed their 
 wonder and astonishment at the success of such a man. But 
 the chiefs of departments who occasionally — though rarely 
 — had personal audiences with him (for it was his policy to 
 make himself almost inaccessible) spoke secretly of the 
 amazing ability of the Private Secretary; and Martinvale, 
 the most bitter opponent of Craggie, once — after such an 
 interview in which he came off defeated, owing to a low 
 voiced suggestion of Chambers — sat down and wrote to 
 Chambers, saying, "Multiply your present salary by five, 
 and come to me — or if that is not sufficient, set your own 
 figure." But Chambers seemed to be perfectly satisfied and 
 
156 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 contented, and courteously refused all such offers — stat- 
 ing simply that he expected to remain with President Crag- 
 gie until the day of his death, unless Mr. Craggie should 
 intimate that he no longer desired his services. 
 
 And this was truly the first day since Chambers entered 
 his employ that the idea of doing without him had presented 
 itself to the rich man. And after he returned to the car — ■ 
 to which he ordered the breakfast brought — he thought 
 gloomily of the future and called Mr. Endy very uncom- 
 plimentary names for having by his folly made of himself a 
 shining mark for some one to strike at, thus involving him, 
 Mr. Craggie, in trouble. 
 
 Then, on the platform of the station, he saw a detective 
 who had often worked for him, and he signaled for the man. 
 As soon as he approached the side of the car Mr. Craggie 
 said, "Follow Chambers ! First National Bank. Notice 
 whom he speaks to, and report to me." 
 
 The man touched his hat and went at once. 
 
 Chambers, on leaving the car, first of all telephoned for 
 Mr. Johnson who did not seem anxious to obey orders that 
 morning; for the news of the attack upon Mr. Endy, the 
 night before, was, of course, the one thing talked about — 
 hourly bulletins were being posted as to his condition. 
 Moreover, when Mr. Johnson learned from Chambers that 
 the president had followed him back towards Clyde as far as 
 Steelton, immediately on their saying good-bye on the pre- 
 ceding day, he put several things together in his mind, as is 
 the habit of lawyers, and they did not in this instance make 
 a very pleasant total to look at. 
 
 So, it took quite an emphatic word from Chambers to 
 make him say that he would see Mr. Craggie at once ; and 
 his carriage passed that of Chambers who was then on his 
 way to the Bank. 
 
 Now, on coming out of the Bank, Chambers became 
 aware that he was being followed ; but, as secrecy was no 
 part of his plans at this stage of the game, he took no meas- 
 ures to evade the detective but stopped his carriage a num- 
 ber of times and went to the sidewalk to speak to four dif- 
 ferent persons — one of these he talked to very earnestly for 
 several minutes. 
 
 On re-entering the carriage this last time, he called out 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 157 
 
 loudly to the driver : "To the Safe Deposit and Trust Com- 
 pany's building!" and as he already had a private box there 
 no time was wasted after his arrival ; and soon he had placed 
 within the box everything his hand satchel had contained. 
 Then he returned to the office and said to the clerk, whom 
 he knew very well: "Freddy, old man, I may have to go 
 abroad on business for Craggie, and these ocean voyages in 
 winter time are not always pleasant. I guess I had better 
 fix up some papers so that there will be no trouble for my 
 heirs to get things out of my box, Eh?" 
 
 "It is a good plan, even if you stay at home," was the 
 reply. "Better make out a power of attorney at once. Here 
 are some blanks." 
 
 "All right! Thanks. I'll do so, and leave it in the 
 hands of my attorney, as I have no direct heirs — haven't any 
 wife or children, you know." 
 
 Every word of this conversation was carried on slowly 
 and earnestly as if he desired to make an impression on the 
 mind of his hearer. 
 
 After he left the Deposit Building he instructed the 
 driver to carry him quickly to the office of Harry Chandler, 
 Esq. 
 
 Before entering the carriage he stood with his foot on the 
 step and waited for the detective who was shadowing him, 
 and who was passing the building. "Howdy, Johnnie," he 
 said. "Better come along. What's the use of following? 
 It will be much easier, and considerably cheaper, to find out 
 all about me and my doings if we travel together." 
 
 "Follow, nothing!" exclaimed the man as he shook hands 
 with him. "What's got into your head?" But then he 
 laughed and said, "All right ! Good idea of yours. No ob- 
 jection if you hain't," and he stepped into the carriage after 
 Chambers. 
 
 As soon as they were started he said in a low tone to 
 Chambers, "What's the matter with the old man that he's 
 telegraphing cypher all over the country about your doings 
 and setting me on you at this end?" 
 
 "Oh, that's just like him," said Chambers, "he got up 
 that cypher himself and thinks that no one but the initiated 
 can read it. He's just wild to use it. Never misses a chance. 
 There is nothing the matter — nothing unusual. I simplv 
 
158 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 told him that I had a little private business of my own to 
 attend to> today, and as I didn't think it necessary to tell him 
 all about it he is trying to find out on his own account. Yoit 
 see, he is only at his usual business of trying to keep up 
 with all that's going on in the universe, in order to run it his 
 way ; and, as I am not able to help him today, he's making a 
 mess of it. Things will move along a trifle smoother when 
 I take hold again. Now, I have a little business to attend 
 to right here, and I think you might as well remain in the 
 cab until I come out ; but, of course, you'll not do it." 
 
 "Couldn't think of it!" was the laughing reply. 
 
 They entered Chandler's office together. As soon as the 
 clerks saw who the two men were there was a little stir of 
 commotion, and then Chambers said to the chief clerk, "Pri- 
 vate business with Mr. Chandler." 
 
 In a few moments the door of the private office opened, 
 and Chambers smiled as he said — in a low tone to the detec- 
 tive : "I'll leave you here, and I understand that that room 
 does not leak. Now go and tell Craggie that I am in con- 
 sultation with the strikers' attorney." 
 
 "Had to come as far as possible," was the reply. 
 
 "That's all right, Johnnie ; didn't expect anything else of 
 you," and he waved his hand pleasantly to him as he stepped 
 into the room — where Chandler at his desk had been watch- 
 ing this little by-play — and then he shut the door behind 
 him. 
 
 He went close to Chandler and said — in a low tone of 
 voice : "You know me ?" 
 
 Chandler nodded. 
 
 "Well," he continued, "I want you to draw up a power of 
 attorney for me, giving Arndt and yourself — or either of 
 you — the authority to take possession of my box number 
 ten-hundred-and-five in the Deposit Vault, thirty days after 
 you fail to receive through the mail a daily letter from me 
 which will say only, T am well.' " 
 
 Without a word the lawyer drew up the brief form neces- 
 sary and then pressed the button on his desk, and to the 
 clerk who opened the door he said quietly and very kindly : 
 "A Notary and two witnesses, please." 
 
 The Notary was in an adjoining office and the two clerks 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 159 
 
 served as the witnesses, and the whole business was com- 
 pleted in a few minutes. 
 
 Chandler had left the room while the Notary was doing 
 his work, and on his return he said: "Gentlemen, this is en- 
 tirely private." 
 
 "Certainly, Sir," was the reply from all. 
 
 When they were again alone Chambers said, "In order to 
 impress upon you the importance of that paper I will say 
 that it is of immense value to the cause of the workingmen 
 the world over. I have no love for the men or their cause ; 
 if I had, I should hand the box and its contents over to 
 you at once; but there are certain contingencies, which may 
 arise, which would cause me to wish them to succeed in their 
 fight with Craggie — and I have taken this method to insure 
 that result. 
 
 "You will understand that a man who has occupied the 
 position I have filled for fifteen years will hold so many 
 secrets in his head that some day that head may not rest 
 very securely on his shoulders. 
 
 "If that time should ever come to me, I will be all the 
 better off if I am able to point to the fact that you hold this 
 document. 
 
 "For the present I want you to acknowledge the receipt 
 of those daily letters, until I tell you to stop. Acknowledge 
 them by the next mail and use a plain envelope. This is 
 very important ! I've got Mr. Craggie to deal with — please 
 remember. I want to remain as private secretary for a while 
 longer." 
 
 Chandler said, "All right," and placed the paper in his 
 private compartment of the safe, and then made the remark 
 that Chambers was showing a good bit of confidence in the 
 honor of Arndt and himself. 
 
 "Oh, that's all right ; I know my men. One has to trust 
 somebody in this world all the time. It's only a question 
 of choosing the right men. I would not trust any man who 
 had associated with Craggie — any more than I would trust 
 him." 
 
 "Why, that lets you, yourself, out!" 
 
 "I suppose so, but I can't make any exceptiono," said 
 Chambers, and laughed heartily. 
 
 He then placed five one hundred dollar bills on the table 
 
i6o THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 with the remark : "Put that to my credit. It will give you a 
 lot of trouble to attend to those letters ; for you must attend 
 to them personally, and I cannot tell how long I may be 
 compelled to keep in touch with some one who has an inter- 
 est in me, in this way. Remember, no clerk must even post 
 those letters; money must not be spared to keep my affairs 
 secret. Say the word when you want more." 
 
 Chandler remarked — as he entered the amount in a book 
 — "It does not take so much money as you seem to think. 
 This will go a long way. I simply pay my clerks exactly 
 what their services are worth to me. Of course, that is 
 much above the market rates ; but I have never had to 
 change clerks, and secrets do not leave this office, and simply 
 because I treat the clerks like men — their interests and mine 
 are identical. But I will attend to all this personally, if you 
 wish it." 
 
 "Do so! May be you are right — years ago I thought as 
 you do. But it isn't Craggie's way, any more than it now is 
 mine. I use fear, mostly." 
 
 Then he went to the door, and after standing for a 
 minute or longer with his hand on the knob he came back 
 and seated himself again, saying, "Chandler ! You are a man 
 who — if my life had not been spoiled — would have been my 
 choice as a comrade. At present and in the future I must 
 stand alone ; but I am going to give you a proof that I appre- 
 ciate your not asking me for any information that could aid 
 the strikers, although I have as good as told you that I have 
 it in my power to defeat Craggie. Now listen : "Keep the 
 men from doing anything that zvill give the general govern- 
 ment even a shadow of an excuse for bringing the regular 
 army against them, and use all the pozver and influence of 
 your organization to prevent the president of the United 
 States from entangling us in a war zvith any foreign nation 
 — at least until this strike is over. Let me emphasize that 
 last ! The men will be compelled, by force of arms, to run 
 the works if war is declared — or they will be executed as 
 traitors if they refuse. I know what I am saying; Craggie's 
 plans include that and much more for the strike he expected 
 to force the men into on the first of April next. I am be- 
 traying no secrets of my office: This information I have 
 from outside sources." 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 161 
 
 Then Chandler got up and shook hands with him, say- 
 ing, "I believe you care more for the men and their cause 
 than you are willing to allow." 
 
 "But Chambers indignantly repudiated the idea. "No, 
 no!" he exclaimed: "I tell you the mass are not to be 
 trusted — if it were not for their playing the traitor to their 
 fellows and acting as slave drivers for such men as Crag- 
 gie, Craggies would never be. What I have said is not for 
 them or their cause ; I spoke, perhaps foolishly, solely for 
 and to Harry Chandler. When the men are ready for and 
 wish equality they can and will get it within twenty-four 
 hours. Good-bye." 
 
 When Chambers went into the public office he was not 
 surprised to find that Johnnie had departed, and he saw him 
 just coming from a telephone office on the corner of the 
 street as he rode past. He stopped his team and called to 
 the man ; and when he was seated beside him and they were 
 once more on the way to the station he said, "Through with 
 that job for Craggie?" and as soon as he received an affirma- 
 tive reply he continued, "Well, I want you to work for me 
 now. You must find out everything about this Endy case ; 
 where Robert was ; what he did ; whether he is guilty or 
 not, — everything, and don't let them discover what you are 
 up to as easily as I did today." 
 
 'There's not another Chambers in the bunch," said the 
 detective, "and even you would not have found out so much 
 if I had been able to forget who it was that helped me out 
 of the tightest place in my life " and he grasped Cham- 
 bers' hand and shook it heartily. 
 
 There was a genuinely pleasant smile on the pale face of 
 Chambers as he returned the hand clasp ; but it immediately 
 died away, and he said, "That's all right, that's all right, 
 and we are soon going to be more than even — for this is 
 my tight place, and I am needing you." 
 
 "Till death !" said his companion and left him at once. 
 
 When Chambers arrived at the depot he saw that the 
 private car was still on its siding and he seemed to be in no 
 hurry to know what decision had been reached, for he spent 
 a full hour in eating the dinner he ordered at the restaurant ; 
 but he seated himself near the window where he could see if 
 any one entered or left the car. Then he leisurely went 
 
1 62 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 across the tracks ; and as he entered the car he heard Mr. 
 Craggie say petulantly, "Well, if that is all you can sug- 
 gest, Mr. Johnson, I have no option but to pay." 
 
 There was great significance in the haste with which 
 the lawyer arose and allowed Chambers to take his usual 
 place at the desk, and Mr. Craggie took note of it. 
 
 Chambers said coolly, as he dropped into the chair, "If 
 it were not for the fact that sooner or later Mr. Johnson 
 would get it all back from you, I would suggest that you 
 ask him to help bear the expense, as he is in it pretty deep 
 himself." 
 
 "I can prove an alibi, easily enough," was the quick re- 
 tort. 
 
 "Certainly, certainly!" said Chambers, "you were not 
 there — and Mr. Craggie insists that he was not — but still, 
 there is the crime committed, and there is my friend with his 
 damning testimony ; and I will ask you how much difference 
 does the law make between an accessory before the fact and 
 a principal, Mr. Johnson?" 
 
 To this he received no reply, and he said, speaking to the 
 two men — "I have just had a conference with my friend, 
 and—" 
 
 "You have just had a conference with Chandler," said 
 the president. 
 
 "Which is what I was immediately going to tell you," 
 said Chambers. My friend does not at all like the risks he 
 will have to run, and he upbraids me with putting him in the 
 position of a blackmailer, and he insisted on my seeing Chan- 
 dler to ascertain whether the strikers were willing and able 
 to pay for information of a certain character. I think 
 you know me well enough to be certain that I found out all 
 I want to know — and that without telling Chandler more 
 than I wished him to know. My friend agrees to wait till 
 midnight before going to the strike leaders. I told him I 
 had promised you that much time — I thought that you might 
 wish to leave the country if you decided not to pay. Or, 
 on the other hand, his plan is that I shall be furnished with 
 a sum in notes, every morning for the ensuing ten days, 
 commencing on Monday next ; each package to contain one 
 hundred thousand dollars." 
 
 Mr. Johnson had been thinking earnestly, and he now 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 163 
 
 suggested, "Why not have Mr. Craggie and me get the first 
 installment today and pay it at once?'' 
 
 But Chambers only smiled at him and said, "No, thank 
 you, Mr. Johnson, I neither could nor would receive a cent 
 today. The money must not remain in my hands over night 
 at any time, and it is necessary th.t I receive a communica- 
 tion from my friend before I shall know where to deliver to 
 him even the first payment ; and, besides, you will need time 
 to make arrangements for the bank to have the money 
 ready for you. My friend is in no particular hurry. If you 
 want a little more time to start payment it might, I suppose, 
 be arranged ; but once started it must be continued punctual- 
 ly. My friend insists on this and makes it a condition of his 
 not handing over the evidence in his hands at once to the 
 strikers. 
 
 "He also insists that the notes be in various denomina- 
 tions, none larger than one thousand dollars, and at the end 
 of the payments I am to receive from him, and hand over 
 to you the stenographic notes which, together with my own 
 personal pledge that there have been no copies taken, will 
 be sufficient to end the matter. If you persist in regarding 
 me as an accomplice you won't, perhaps, think much of the 
 value of that assurance ; but it is the best I can do, and as I 
 propose to remain right here as long as Mr. Craggie can 
 find use for my services I think I can guarantee that good 
 faith will be kept. Mr. Craggie can look back over our 
 years of intimate association and answer as to whether I 
 have been trustworthy or not. I assure you on my word of 
 honor as a gentleman that I will not profit by this transaction 
 — not one penny." 
 
 "The president here said, — as if struck with an idea, — 
 "Can't we deal with you and leave your friend out? I'll 
 make it a million and a half if you will surrender your friend 
 to us together with his notes. I'll not draw a free breath 
 while that fellow is running around loose. I must have 
 been delirious the other day when I talked as I did. You 
 know that I would not have him harmed ; but he should not 
 be permitted to imperil the safety of the country by talk 
 which would in all probability end in a revolution preceded 
 by a civil war. For it will take that, and nothing less, to 
 
i6 4 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 overthrow me or prevent my defeating these miserable 
 strikers." 
 
 "Can't be done !" said Chambers promptly and emphat- 
 ically. "He is my friend. I never go back on a friend — 
 ten millions would not tempt me to do it; and besides, the 
 other party controls the whole situation until we get those 
 notes. After that is all finished you and I can deal. 
 
 "What !'' exclaimed the president, "Is there to be no end 
 to the demands ? We might as well fight it out now as any 
 time if that is the way this thing is to go, eh, Mr. Johnson ?" 
 
 "Just what I told you," was the reply — very emphat- 
 ically. 
 
 "Oh, I was merely trying to be perfectly open and above 
 board — I am not hard to satisfy," said Chambers. "I 
 merely wish to hold down this secretaryship and to have a 
 slight increase in salary — say double what I am now getting. 
 I am perfectly willing to leave it to Mr. Johnson's decision as 
 to whether I am not worth at least that much. If you will 
 look at this letter from Martinvale — who, by the way, is 
 aiding the strikers both financially and by molding public 
 opinion against us, simply because he wishes to rule in your 
 stead — -you will see that he tells me to set my own price and 
 come over to him." 
 
 After Mr. Craggie had read and returned the letter 
 Chambers continued, "That should convince you that I am 
 not the man to blackmail you ; I could get more the other 
 way in a short time ; Martinvale is a very liberal man to his 
 employes, I am told." 
 
 "What did you reply to that letter?" 
 
 "I thanked him for his kind offer and told him that 
 I expected to remain with you till the day of my death, 
 if you wished me to." 
 
 "And you have had that letter five years and never 
 made it the basis of a demand for an increase of salary?" 
 
 "Certainly ! And there are others ; but I regret having 
 to show you even that one. You don't seem at all grate- 
 ful for the trouble I took to keep my friend from carrying 
 his notes straight to the labor leaders ; and if I had then 
 known of the attack on Mr. Endy I can assure you, gentle- 
 men, I would have let him go straight to headquarters with 
 his information ; for I liked the old gentleman very much, 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 165 
 
 and, as my friend said, there could be no criminal prosecu- 
 tion if he took that course— and that you know to be true. 
 It is no crime for a man to overhear things not intended 
 for his ears, or to tell it afterwards ; and the labor leaders 
 wiU pay liberally and no questions asked, I know. 
 
 "But I hoped to head off the result of yesterday's con- 
 spiracy, and so bought his silence; and when I arrived at 
 the station I heard that the deed had been already accom- 
 plished. Then, in the excitement of the moment, I ordered 
 the train to start ; and so, in a manner, helped to save your 
 life. Now, pay particular attention to me: I am not at 
 all pleased that you forget that I am trying to escape giv- 
 ing a lot of damaging corroborative testimony against you, 
 and that you persist in looking on me as an accessory to 
 blackmail. It is true that my friend— I must still consider 
 him that, as I am under great obligations to him for past 
 services— proposed to give and insisted that I accept two 
 hundred thousand dollars for acting as a go-between At 
 once I thought to just get him to reduce his demand that 
 much ; but now I am glad I hit on this other plan, since it 
 enab es me to prove to you that I will not benefit one cent's 
 worth in the matter. I intend to hand over that amount 
 at once by refusing to receive the fifth and tenth day's pay- 
 ments, which he said were to be mine." 
 
 "What do you think of that, Mr. Johnson?" asked Mr 
 Craggie. 
 
 "He certainly makes out a good case for himself; and if 
 it were not for the impression with which you yourself 
 tilled my mind in stating his manner to you " 
 
 "Of course," interrupted Chambers hastily, "vou object 
 to my manner of addressing you, Mr. Craggie; but that is 
 due, partly, to excitement. Also, a man who holds such a 
 secret cannot be very deferential in private. I will assure 
 you, however, that my manner in public will be as usual 
 I hope that you will see that I have acted solely for your 
 interest in this matter. If you do not wish to retain me 
 at the end of the ninth day, why, of course, I will resign. 
 But, if you buy the silence of my friend, for ten days we 
 will be together,-and it might as well be made as' com- 
 fortable for all of us as possible. 
 
 "At present there seems to be nothing to do but keep 
 
166 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 the strikers from learning that any attack on anyone had 
 ever been contemplated by any of the company's officials, 
 at least that is the way it looks to me; and, that, I have 
 thus far succeeded in accomplishing. That my friend has 
 it in his power to place both of you in an unfortunate posi- 
 tion and probably give the strikers the victory, I presume 
 you realize. As I have already benefited you, I think that 
 you will have to admit the reasonableness of trusting to my 
 good faith." 
 
 Mr. Craggie looked at the lawyer — who made no 
 motion — and then said, "All that sounds reasonable enough, 
 and while emphatically denying being directly or indirectly 
 concerned in the attack on Mr. Endy I think that we must 
 agree to commence payment, for I see no other way out, at 
 present. If the popular mind were not so prejudiced against 
 us I would defy your friend as Mr. Johnson advises, — and 
 during the next ten days I may find it expedient to do so. I 
 warn you of that ; and I will try to discover him and punish 
 him so long as breath is in me. And if we are to continue 
 together you will certainly have to alter your tone in 
 addressing me, Mr. Chambers. I'd rather pay a million 
 dollars than have a man around me acting and speak- 
 ing as you today have done." 
 
 "Certainly, Sir," said Chambers, "the excitement is 
 already beginning to wear off, and I think you will have 
 nothing further to complain of. I have a little informa- 
 tion, Mr. President: (and the old manner was perfectly 
 resumed), Robert Endy, Jr., was committed this morning 
 for the attempted murder of his father, and no one else is 
 even suspected." 
 
 And it was this piece of information, which he had 
 received from one of the men he had stopped to talk to 
 on the street, that was the immediate cause of the change 
 of tone of Chambers. 
 
 Mr. Craggie and Mr. Johnson then started to the bank 
 to make arrangements about the money and as soon as 
 they were on their way the president said, "Why didn't 
 you tell me about the arrest of young Endy — I've been 
 dreading to hear that I was suspected, all this day." 
 
 "Thought you knew it; and, anyway, after your saying 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 167 
 
 — and that fellow hearing you say it — that young Endy 
 would do for a scapegoat, I don't see that it helps much." 
 
 To this M r. Craggie did not reply ; but after a little 
 while he said, "Johnson, I am yielding, against your advice, 
 and I am not altogether convinced about this business ; but 
 I am yielding for the present largely because of that fel- 
 low's confidence in his safetv. Did you ever see anything 
 like it?" 
 
 "No; it seemed to me that he had other cards up his 
 sleeve." 
 
 "That's just it ! I must keep him where I can watch 
 him — for I simply cannot make blackmailing fit with his 
 years of faithful service, or with those offers of better posi- 
 tions." 
 
 Just before they arrived at the bank the lawyer asked 
 suddenly : "What made you start and wince so violently 
 when he asserted that he never went back on a friend, 
 and again when he named ten million as not sufficient to 
 make him deliver his friend into your hands?" 
 
 And then Mr. Craggie lied, saying hastily : "That was 
 only your imagination ; you must be getting nervous about 
 this business — those remarks meant nothing to me. Did 
 they to you ?" 
 
 But although Mr. Johnson did not know the zvhy he 
 knew that Mr. Craggie was lying; and he dropped the 
 subject. But he thought: "If you lie to me about one 
 thing it maybe that Chambers is right — maybe you know 
 more about the attack on Mr. Endy than you have told." 
 
 And that was the reason for the lawyer's lukewarm- 
 ness throughout the strike. 
 
 To all parties this strenuous day had been the most try- 
 ing of their lives, but there was still one little act in the 
 drama ; for when the president returned to his car he found 
 Chambers calmly reading an account of the attack on Mr. 
 Endy which appeared to interest him greatly, and when 
 he laid it down Mr. Craggie eagerly picked up the paper 
 and turned to the same article and read it ; and Mr. Cham- 
 bers smiled with his eyes — though not a muscle of his face 
 moved — when he noticed that in reading about the finding 
 of the hair the president's hand involuntarily went to the 
 
1 68 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 top of his head, and that after a moment he hastily entered 
 the wash room and was absent quite a while. 
 
 Chambers was busily writing when the President 
 re-entered the working compartment of the car, and said 
 nothing; but he noticed that Mr. Craggie had turned very 
 pale; and after a few moments the president said, "Your 
 friend can depend on the payments being made promptly." 
 
CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 "I cannot tell what you and other men 
 Think of this life ; but, for myself 
 I had as lief not be, as live to be 
 In awe of such a thing as I myself." 
 
 — Shakespeare. 
 
 The speed with which that crowd of ultra-strenuous 
 strikers vanished from sight when they saw Arndt fall 
 would have been a valuable lesson to those who believe in 
 the courage of the violent class of men. A moment before 
 they had been cursing Arndt and Craggie and shouting 
 "Kill the traitor ; kill the man that aided Craggie to escape ; 
 stand up for your rights !" etc., but only half a dozen of 
 them had the courage to face the result of their action — 
 and even they started to run when they saw the freight 
 agent and the telegraph operator raise Arndt and carry him 
 within the building. 
 
 But these last ran right into the arms of Baker who 
 was just returning from performing the mission on which 
 Arndt had sent him. Baker had thoughtfully brought with 
 him a detachment of the city police, and they caught every 
 one of the rioters after a short and sharp tussle. Among 
 them was one ragged specimen of humanity who, when he 
 found himself actually in custody, boldly corroborated the 
 testimony of the others and asserted that he was the man 
 who had the honor of having "downed the traitor," as he 
 persisted in calling Arndt. 
 
 In the meantime the station agent had telephoned for 
 Kenedy. He promptly responded and examined Arndt, who 
 was perfectly conscious when the doctor arrived, — the cold 
 water applications of the agent having done their work. 
 But he still felt too weak to rise, and it was only the word 
 of Kenedy : "Brace up, Arndt ! brace up ! There are no 
 bones broken. Don't you get down now and give Nettie 
 another shock," that sent the blood bounding through his 
 
 169 
 
170 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 veins and enabled him to control the quivering of his 
 relaxed muscles. 
 
 When he was confronted with the fellow who was still 
 loudly bragging of his exploit Arndt seemed dazed, for 
 there were notes in the man's voice that made him think 
 that he had met him somewhere ; but, for the life of him, for 
 the time being, he could not place the man. This bothered 
 Arndt very much, and all the way to the police station 
 he was trying to recollect; and at last he said, "I do not 
 believe that I have ever seen his face before : I never 
 forget either a face or a voice." 
 
 And then he had a very important thought which caused 
 him to say to the lieutenant in charge of the force, "Officer, 
 I wish you would be particularly careful in guarding that 
 man with the sandy hair and beard. I may have a more 
 serious charge to bring against him than rioting." 
 
 "He will not get away from me," was the reply as he 
 handcuffed the man to two of the officers. "There are 
 several of his class up here from Clyde and St. Louis and 
 other big cities just now, and they are keeping us much 
 too busy to suit me." 
 
 He soon saw the fellow behind the bars, and to the 
 questions of the officer in charge the man gave the highly 
 original information that his maiden name was John Smith 
 and that he came from the town of "Nowhere" and was 
 going to return there, to the best of his knowledge and 
 belief — and that all he regretted was that he had not suc- 
 ceeded in sending Craggie and Arndt there ahead of him. 
 
 The strikers who had been arrested with him were left 
 to suffer the result of their action, and the refusal of the 
 Union to interfere in this and other cases in which a few 
 turbulent men violated the law had an excellent effect ; for 
 as Chandler once said to Arndt, "We cannot make much 
 of a fight against the rich man's breaking the laws while 
 we are doing the same thing." 
 
 As soon as they were committed for trial Arndt took the 
 electric car that passed closest to the river road and was 
 quickly at the door of his present home. He was afraid that 
 some report of his recent danger might have reached them, 
 and indeed, Kenedy had taken the precaution to pass that 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 171 
 
 way and tell Annie. Arndt found that Nettie was still 
 sleeping - soundly. 
 
 After telling his sister all about the occurrences of the 
 past night and morning she looked carefully at his pale face 
 and compelled him to admit that he was feeling very badly ; 
 but he still insisted that he must go to the mansion to find 
 out about Mr. Endy and see whether he could be of use 
 there. 
 
 "Well, you may think you are going to do that — think- 
 ing won't hurt you a bit; but I know that you are going 
 to bed — and that right now," said Annie, very emphatically. 
 And then she added, "Those are Dr. Kenedy's instructions, 
 and here is the medicine he left for you." 
 
 And then Arndt obeyed orders ; and when he awoke after 
 dark, when the excitement under which he had been work- 
 ing had passed away, he found himself unable to get up. 
 In fact, when Arthur arrived on the noon train on Sun- 
 day he learned all that he could at the mansion and then 
 came to see Arndt, and found him still in bed. To Arthur, 
 Arndt related the minutest detail of what had occurred, 
 not omitting even his thoughts in connection with the 
 events. And then Arthur said : "Well, when I saw that 
 hair which was such damning evidence in the mind of 
 Goodenough, I just smiled serenely. Now, I am going to 
 tell you that there is not the slightest doubt of the inno- 
 cence of Robert Endy. He is as guiltless of that crime as 
 cither you or I. Fortunately for him I was on his trail 
 within a short time after he started, — although he doubled 
 on me, and I thus lost track of him for a while. But he has 
 told me all about his doings and I find that every statement 
 of his is corroborated. Still there are reasons why he must 
 remain in jail until I can lay my hands on the guilty man. 
 Among those reasons are : First, the controllable magis- 
 trates put in office by the rich, are now being controlled bv 
 popular clamor. The testimony I can produce will not now 
 be given a fair hearing. 
 
 "Secondly, he is safer in jail, at present: there might 
 even be some rich man who would be willing to discredit 
 the workingmen's cause by having him killed and putting 
 the blame on the strikers. 
 
 "Thirdly, as long as Endy is in jail the really guilty per- 
 
172 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 son will be off his guard — and this is an advantage I cannot 
 forego. In order to bring him through with his name 
 unsmirched I must lay my hand on the guilty party; and I 
 tell you, now, that I haven't the slightest clue, today. 
 
 "I am worse off than I ever was before in my life. I 
 thought it might be the man who attacked you (when I 
 heard about that), but since he was coming after you at 
 the same moment you heard the cry, that lets him out. 
 There must have been another man. I thought of Craggie's 
 secretary (though I ought to be ashamed to say it — he is a 
 real nice fellow), simply because Craggie has a motive for 
 wishing Mr. Endy put out of the way, if only he could 
 throw the blame on some one else. For I have found out 
 that Johnson did not tell him about the change in the will 
 by which the strikers are to benefit in case of Mr. Endy's 
 death. I went to see Mr. Johnson as soon as Robert was 
 committed ; he had just heard of the attack on Mr. Endy 
 and talked pretty freely : — something must have got him 
 down on Craggie. 
 
 "And so far as the secretary is concerned I find that 
 he was talking to some one in his room in the hotel almost 
 all night, and certainly at the time of the attack ; for both 
 his voice and that of the other party were heard at that 
 hour — and that lets him out. And besides, apart from doing 
 Craggie's work Chambers lacks a motive — and he would 
 scarcely be likely to put his head in a noose for the presi- 
 dent's dollars. I have known for some time that Chambers 
 is, financially, well fixed. 
 
 "And, as to Craggie ; why, I don't think that he has the 
 courage to do it, though otherwise I would not put it beyond 
 him. I tell you, a man that will deliberately ruin his best 
 friend because he has the opportunity to add ten millions 
 to his pile, and then never shows the least sign of remorse 
 or does one thing to right the wrong when his friend takes 
 his poverty to heart and blows out his brains, is simply 
 a murderer at heart and is only restrained by fear of the 
 law from killing all those who stand in his way. And that's 
 Craggie — though few people know it. Rut, in this instance 
 he could not have struck a worse blow to his cause than 
 this one, — and he has not usually acted like a fool. Still, 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 173 
 
 I will continue to watch him — and I am going to pump 
 him dry if I can secure an interview with him." 
 
 But Arthur said not one word to Arndt about the Prin- 
 cess, even though she had totally surprised him by promis- 
 ing at once that she would willingly and without pay testify 
 to the truth, if her testimony were needed. 
 
 Arndt then insisted that he was able to go with Arthur 
 to the police station in order to try to identify his assailant 
 at the depot as the man that had attacked him by night. On 
 the way there he remarked, "The newspapers today must be 
 very unpleasant reading to President Craggie." 
 
 "Psha !" said Arthur, "they disgust me. After being 
 bought for years with his money or by fear of him, to turn 
 as they have done, in a day, is enough to make one lose faith 
 in human nature." 
 
 "You must expect just that result," said Arndt. "If you 
 take a man's manhood away — no matter by what means — 
 you haven't a thing left to rely on." 
 
 "Right you are !" cried Arthur, "that's what's the mat- 
 ter with the whole infernal system. It isn't empty stomachs 
 and bare backs that is the chief grievance : it is simply 
 degraded manhood and lost freedom." Then they were 
 both lost in thought until they reached the station ; and, 
 when they saw the man, although Arndt felt sure, after 
 hearing his voice again, that it was the same person, still 
 he would not make a charge on so slight a ground, and 
 he was preparing to come away when the fellow himself 
 helped him out by exclaiming — as Arndt rested his aching 
 head on his hand — "Ha, ha ! Head's pretty sore, ain't it ? 
 I sure would have finished you if you hadn't dodged." 
 
 But when he saw that Arthur (who until this moment 
 had been listening a little further down the corridor) had 
 heard, he would not be induced to say another word. Then 
 Arndt lodged information against him, and the newspapers 
 had another day of big head lines and sensational editorials. 
 
 As he parted from the detective Arndt promised to run 
 down to Clyde on the next day and convey Arthur's assur- 
 ance to Robert Endy that all would be well in the end, since 
 the testimony necessary to corroborate the detective's knowl- 
 edge of his being in Clyde on the night of the crime had 
 been secured. 
 
174 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 So Robert heard the words that assured him of ultimate 
 freedom from the lips of the man whom he had vowed 
 to pursue with his vengeance through this life, and after- 
 wards if possible. 
 
 Arndt had undertaken this mission very unwillingly, 
 and had only consented when Arthur assured him that he 
 himself positively could not spare the time from the case 
 either to write or go personally to report. And the cool 
 reception Robert gave him made him regret very much 
 that he had yielded. But Robert had been studying his 
 own and other men's lives by the light of the letter his 
 father had written — which he had read and re-read since his 
 incarceration, — and his brusque manner to Arndt was in 
 reality only a mask to hide his softened feelings. So, when 
 Arndt turned to leave the cell, after asking him if there 
 was anything he could do for him, Robert spoke up 
 promptly: "My father insists that I have grossly mis- 
 judged you and your motives and that you are a truthful 
 and disinterested man; I want you to answer me one ques- 
 tion — Have you ever doubted my innocence of the charge 
 brought against me?" 
 
 Arndt looked him steadily in the eye and replied : "Never 
 for an instant. I protested and protested against Good- 
 enough's interpretation of the evidence and against his 
 swearing out a warrant for you. Although I have not the 
 slightest idea who is the guilty man, I knew that it was 
 never your hand that struck that blow." 
 
 And then for the first time Robert broke down, and 
 had to turn away to hide his feelings. Of the remainder 
 of that interview there is not a word to record. At the 
 sight of the distress of his boyhood's friend all the hard 
 feeling died out of the heart of Arndt and he even forgot 
 Nettie's vow — for the time. They remained together talk- 
 ing earnestly for several hours, and when Arndt left the 
 prison he knew all that Arthur had not felt free to com- 
 municate. 
 
 And the old turnkey smiled as he overheard Robert call 
 after Arndt, "Good-bye, old fellow, bring me news of father 
 and Nettie as often as you can," and Arndt's whole-souled 
 reply, "Good-bye, old man, I will be sure to do so. Keep 
 a hopeful heart in you. Better days are almost in sight." 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 175 
 
 Now this was the same Monday morning- on which the 
 first installment of the million was to be paid to Chambers 
 for his friend. If the secretary felt any doubt as to its 
 being promptly on hand he certainly showed none. Mr. 
 Craggie was very nervous and could scarcely attend to busi- 
 ness until the express package from the bank arrived and 
 had been handed to Chambers. Then he brightened up and 
 readily granted the respectfully asked permission of the 
 secretary for time to count the money and examine the 
 bills to see that none of them had been marked — that being 
 contrary to stipulations. Chambers then retired to his apart- 
 ment in the car and was absent about half an hour, and 
 when he came out he brought with him the package done 
 up precisely as before and placed it on the table in front 
 of him where both he and the president could see it con- 
 stantly. Mr. Craggie objected emphatically to this arrange- 
 ment and stated plainly that he did not wish to be reminded 
 every moment of the day that he was the victim of a black- 
 mailer. 
 
 Chambers said in his usual quiet tone that he regretted 
 the necessity, but that, since he was responsible for the 
 money until he delivered it to his friend, he could not put 
 his mind on the usual work of his secretaryship unless the 
 package were where he could see it ; and he then suggested 
 that in the future they should have it sent to them at Steelton 
 by the late afternoon express so as to leave him free to 
 attend properly to his work. 
 
 And Mr. Craggie was only too glad to agree to this. 
 Thus it came to pass that every afternoon except the fifth 
 and tenth the payments were promptly made to Chambers ; 
 and in the mail received at that same hour he always found 
 a letter for him without marks on the outside. This he 
 would then proceed to read and destroy in the president's 
 sight and would then immediately name a station — some- 
 times up and sometimes down the road. Even then, the 
 president and his detectives never knew where the money 
 was to be delivered, since they sometimes stopped short of 
 the station and twice went far beyond it. 
 
 Their starting from Steelton as a base suited Mr. 
 Craggie perfectly, as he was obliged to be on the spot to 
 attend to the strike. Giambers and the train crew lost a 
 
176 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 lot of sleep — as the stopping place often was not reached 
 until the night was far gone; — but as the car stood almost 
 all day on the side track at Steelton, and as Chambers 
 thought that some of the corruption fund could be profitably 
 used on the crew, there was no grumbling heard. 
 
 Mr. Craggie had immediately set his detectives to work 
 on the case ; but, since he would not tell them all he knew, 
 although they carried out their instructions to the letter 
 and watched every motion of Chambers — whenever he could 
 be kept in sight, — and although they shadowed every man, 
 woman and child to whom the secretary addressed a single 
 word, and even went to the extent of opening some of the 
 letters he wrote, they found out only continual evidences 
 of the innumerable acts of benevolence that Chambers was 
 performing — and they one and all ended in concluding that 
 Chambers was the best man they had ever met, and that 
 Craggie had certainly gone crazy to put them to watching 
 him. 
 
 Mr. Craggie daily reminded Chambers that he would 
 stop the payments the instant he could catch the black- 
 mailer ; but as he did not even find a clew, and as Mr. 
 Endy continued in a very precarious condition for many 
 weeks, day after day found one more payment made and 
 Mr. Craggie less and less likely to take the only method 
 of protecting himself; namely, by defying Chambers to 
 do his worst. This he dared not even think of doing — 
 and Chambers knew it. 
 
 In fact, he practically gave up all attempts to catch 
 Chambers' accomplice after the fourth day ; for on the 
 morning of the fifth the secretary said, "Now, Mr. Craggie, 
 you were complaining yesterday that the circumstance of 
 your drawing such large sums of ready cash from the bank 
 was being bruited abroad and that it was hurting our cause. 
 I will explain that: My friend is very much displeased 
 at the unnecessary trouble you are giving him — and he has 
 probably taken this method of warning you to stick to your 
 bargain. The truth is, your man came very near to run- 
 ning on my friend the other night, and he was very angry 
 and said that if the violation of the spirit of the agree- 
 ment was not stopped he would take some means of show- 
 ing you that he could damage you even if he was bound 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 177 
 
 not to carry the notes to the strikers. For, you see, I did not 
 tell him of your threat to try to catch him, as he had made it 
 a sine qua non that all efforts to trace him be discontinued 
 until the last payment was made. And I knew that he 
 would immediately throw you overboard if I reported your 
 determination. Anyway, I will ask it as a personal favor 
 that my old friend, the conductor, be restored to his place, 
 and the detective conductor you put on yesterday be sent 
 about his business. I am not a blackmailer. I am simply 
 doing a certain work in the only way it can be done." 
 
 So, the detectives were called off, the payments were 
 promptly made, and on the tenth morning Mr. Craggie 
 was handed the stenographic notes. These included the 
 Johnson interview and several other important conversa- 
 tions which had occurred during the trip at moments when 
 the president had unburdened himself to Chambers. 
 
 Referring to these, Chambers said, "Those are the ones 
 I tested him on; and of course, these notes are not at all 
 like his ordinary style, for they were written in a very 
 cramped position." 
 
 "How am I to know that they are what you say they 
 are," asked Mr. Craggie petulantly; "I cannot read a word 
 of this style of stenography." 
 
 "I had not thought of that, but I am perfectly familiar 
 with light-line stenography, although I do not write it. 
 You take the paper and I'll see what I can make out of 
 the notes," said Chambers. And then he read them off so 
 fluently and they agreed so perfectly with the long-hand 
 copy before the president that he was thoroughly satisfied 
 and immediately proceeded to burn both the notes and the 
 translation. And when there was nothing but a pile of ashes 
 left he said with a great sigh, "That's over ! Now, I am 
 going to get even with Johnson for not standing by me 
 in this matter." 
 
 "In regard to the rest of my friend's stenographic notes 
 — which you don't seem to have thought about — " said 
 Chambers, "especially the remainder of the one with Mr. 
 Johnson, I can assure you that they are today but a memory. 
 My friend, as well as I, saw that these were all he needed." 
 
 "So I should think !" said Mr. Craggie. 
 
 Not once during these days had there been a recurrence 
 
,;R THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 of the impertinent words of Chambers. He was a con- 
 stant wonder and study to Mr. Craggie. His old manner 
 of deferential consideration and Unobtrusive suggestion of 
 valuable points never failed ; and if it had not been for the 
 daily evidence of the payments, the president would at times 
 have been in doubt as to whether he had not in reality 
 dreamed that day's interview with his secretary. At first 
 he had attempted to administer the "Secret service fund" 
 himself, but he found it too entirely foreign to his exclusive 
 habits to come into direct contact with the man or men 
 he wished to purchase or control ; and as Chambers was 
 right at hand and doing his other work faithfully he soon 
 entrusted the matter to him again. 
 
 So he was quite prepared to answer the question : "Have 
 you a man ready to take my place ?" which Chambers asked 
 as soon as the last midnight trip had been made and the last 
 installment been safely delivered to the unknown "Friend." 
 
 "No, Sir," replied the president slowly, "I have not; 
 and I think that I will make no change so long as this strike 
 lasts, or, perhaps, so long as your conduct and work are as 
 satisfactory as at present." 
 
 To himself he said, "I think it will be best to keep you 
 right where I can watch you, Sir." 
 
 Chambers immediately replied, "Thank you Sir," and 
 Mr. Craggie added, "Your salary will, of course, remain 
 doubled. If you desire more, say so. I want to know that 
 the fund is being spent as I direct." 
 
 Chambers smiled as he replied, "Every penny is leaving 
 my hands. Rut, of course, in thus changing methods I can 
 not be answerable that results shall be satisfactory. If you 
 will pardon me I will say that I believe fully in the efficacy 
 of the doctrine of fear. All the promises of heaven have 
 not, in all the centuries, produced the results that half a 
 dozen thoroughly earnest sermons on a red hot hell can 
 show — so far as making the mass pliable to the will of the 
 riding class is concerned. Of course, if one is working for 
 a moral change in the subject, there is little choice between 
 rewards or punishments ; but we are not taking any concern 
 for that — and fey purchasing instead of driving we simplv 
 deplete our treasury. Nevertheless, I will carry out youi 
 instructions to the letter." 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 179 
 
 Mr. Craggie looked at Chambers in astonishment ; but 
 he did not offer to change his methods, and simply said, 
 "We start for Washington at daybreak — let us make the 
 trip as speedily as this new freak of Voss's will permit. 
 I'll give him a lesson at the next election of officers of the 
 road." 
 
 Again Chambers smiled, for he knew that President 
 Voss had just issued an order as president of the consoli- 
 dated railroads of the United States forbidding the delay of 
 regular trains for any person for any cause except upon 
 request of the President of the United States, who should 
 say that it was on government business. So Chambers said, 
 "That is an instance of what I was just asserting. You 
 made Yoss. What was he before you took him up ? Simply 
 a third-rate lawyer in a county town. Now, he thinks you 
 cannot advance him any further, and immediately the ele- 
 ment of fear proves to be the stronger — for he is now afraid 
 of public opinion and it rules him, even to the extent of 
 sending you a letter in which he openly avows that because 
 public sentiment is so emphatically in favor of the order, 
 he has been obliged to sign it and will not dare to violate 
 it." 
 
 "Damn the public and their sentiment!" said Mr. Crag- 
 gie, "It is the most unreliable thing in the world, and no 
 one ever knows what it will operate on next. Did you 
 notice the account of that woman who had the impudence 
 to say to a rich man when he presented his pass on the 
 road, T, even as poor as I am, have helped to pay your way, 
 Sir ! A rich man should not take favors from such as I 
 am,' — and don't you know that the headlines those rascally 
 papers gave to the affair are going to make any one with 
 any fine feeling in his make-up refuse to travel on passes 
 hereafter?" 
 
 Chambers said, "I think you are right in your estimate 
 of the importance of that apparently small affair ; for the 
 papers reported that she was so vigorously applauded in 
 the car that not another pass was shown, and the thing has 
 spread like wildfire over the land. Now there are hundreds 
 of thousands of people in this country whom I could neither 
 bribe nor drive and yet who thankfully accepted every pass 
 1 had sent to them — and then found themselves unable to 
 account, even to themselves, why they continued to support 
 
180 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 a system which is clearly working in the interest of the rich. 
 How am I to reach such people in the future?" 
 
 But Mr. Craggie gave him no answer and retired to 
 sleep soundly for the first time since the night of the attack 
 on Mr. End}- ; and on the next day they went to Wash- 
 ington to set certain already prepared wheels in motion. For 
 in spite of all his efforts the strike had continued to go 
 against him; and the funds of the strikers seemed in no 
 danger of exhaustion; and so Mr. Craggie decided to not 
 wait for the expiration of the month's time he had named, 
 before asking the President of the United States to remem- 
 ber certain obligations he had incurred and certain promises 
 he had made before he received the nomination. 
 
 From the very commencement of the strike the burden 
 on Trueman and the strike committee and the various sub- 
 committees was very great, and it was made harder to bear 
 during the first six weeks by the knowledge that if they 
 had been able to consult with Mr. Endy and have his active 
 co-operation, as promised, many of their difficulties would 
 never have shown themselves. During all these anxious 
 days Arndt spent every minute that he could spare from his 
 duties either with Robert in the prison or by the bedside of 
 Mr. Endy or in doing what could be done to cheer and 
 comfort Nettie MacDonald. It was a happy day for all 
 when at last Mr. Endy was pronounced out of danger ; and 
 then King told Arndt that he might answer questions when 
 they were asked — but not before. So that even then it was 
 weeks before he was able to tell his friend about Robert 
 and of the need of the strikers for financial aid. 
 
 In the meantime he had drawn on the fund he had set 
 aside for going to housekeeping until the fund was ex- 
 hausted ; he had spent every dollar he received for his 
 services to the Union in relieving cases of sickness or dis- 
 tress that came to his notice ; and he was actually poorer 
 than ever before in his life. TTe had been acting as secre- 
 tary for Mr. Endy. by Robert's instruction, and although 
 Arndt said nothing of his own financial condition. Mr. 
 Endy, as soon as he was able to think on business matters 
 at all, requested him to continue in that capacity, and named 
 a liberal amount as his salary. So Arndt, as well as the 
 rest of the strikers, had pecuniary cause to be thankful for 
 his friend's recovery. 
 
CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 "It's an ill wind that blows no one any good." 
 
 — Old Saying. 
 
 What happened when Mr. Craggie, after a tedious trip 
 of two days, arrived in Washington and had his historic 
 interview with the president — whom he thought he owned — - 
 will never be known. The interview was entirely private 
 and lasted from shortly after midnight till three A. M., but 
 all the world knows that the evening papers of the next 
 day all over the country had significant telegrams from 
 their Washington correspondents which hinted, rather 
 broadly, at strained relations between Germany and Eng- 
 land, and the United States. 
 
 Chambers was not at all surprised that Mr. Craggie 
 was in an exceptionally good humor when he came down 
 to the car the next morning and announced : "Well, Mr. 
 Secretary, I think that we deserve a little holiday. What 
 do you say to a trip of inspection of all the plants, imme- 
 diately. There is no telling how soon we may be called 
 upon by the government to start them without delay." 
 
 Of course he expected no reply. It was only his most 
 pleasant way of ordering Chambers to have all things in 
 readiness to start at the earliest possible moment, and be- 
 fore night they were well on their way. 
 
 For a week after this Chambers read the papers very 
 carefully, but could find no indication that the warning he 
 had given Chandler had been acted upon. They were again 
 at Pittsburg when his face lighted up for an instant as he 
 took in at a glance the startling headlines which announced 
 that every labor organization had ordered its members to 
 remember that they had no quarrel with their brother work- 
 men across the ocean or anywhere else ; that the Monroe 
 Doctrine was simply a piece of unpardonable selfishness 
 which had never caused us anything but trouble, and which 
 in these days of fast travel had become perfectly ridiculous 
 
182 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 as a means of defense, and then directed them to refuse to 
 perform military service unless to repel foreign invasion. 
 And when he read the telegraphic dispatches from all over 
 the world showing that like action had been taken by the 
 workers everywhere he simply handed the paper to the 
 president without remark. 
 
 It was while Mr. Craggie was reading this that the 
 telegram from the president announcing that all difficulties 
 with each and every foreign power had been satisfactorily 
 adjusted, arrived. The rage of Mr. Craggie was somewhat 
 terrific. Forgetting his recent experience with Chambers 
 he vented his anger on him ; but if he had taken time to 
 notice the expression on the face of the secretary he cer- 
 tainly would have said less. Chambers made no reply until 
 the abuse was turned on old Mr. Endy as a traitor to his 
 country for advising such a move, and as a traitor to his 
 class for giving aid to the strikers ; and then Chambers, with 
 a face whiter even than its habitual deathly whiteness, said 
 slowly, clearly and calmly, "I request you, Sir, to remem- 
 ber that that gentleman is still suffering as the result of 
 an unknown party's murderous blow." 
 
 "Well, to the devil with them all !" roared the presi- 
 dent. "They may win in this strike, but it will be only be- 
 cause that white-livered traitor now in the White House, 
 went back on his pledges and refuses to use the army and 
 navy against them. He has had just as many pretexts 
 furnished him as ever were needed before, but he has be- 
 come wonderfully in favor of the working- class since his 
 election. He thinks he is a mighty shrewd politician. He 
 is a fool. He hopes that the laboring class and the Socialists 
 will unite and make him their nominee and re-elect him ; but 
 he will find that I will hare so many of them disfranchised 
 by that time, in all the doubtful states, that they won't cut 
 any figure." 
 
 The control over himself exercised by the secretary was, 
 he thought, amply recompensed, for this was the first really 
 confidential talk that he had listened to since the demand 
 for the million had been made. TTe laughed aloud. 
 
 "What are you laughing at?" demanded Craggie fiercely. 
 
 "Just laughing to think how the political economists and 
 newspapers have puzzled their brains and failed to find the 
 
THE RECORDING AXGEL 183 
 
 reason for the startling increase of the uncast and purchas- 
 able vote." 
 
 "Ha, ha!" he laughed again. 
 
 And the president forgot his anger and joined in. 
 
 And then they resumed their tour of inspection and let 
 the strike drag on its weary way. For Mr.-Craggie's sole 
 hope from that day was to starve the strikers back to work. 
 
 And it is shown by the books of the strike committee 
 that it was at this very time that contributions in sums vary- 
 ing from one to one hundred thousand dollars began to 
 come in from different parts of the country, sent through 
 the ordinary mail and with no clue to the sender. Mr. 
 Endy also secured many large contributions from rich men 
 who feared or disliked Mr. Craggie, and some from those 
 who gave in order to strike at the system ; and, because of 
 this, although there was considerable suffering, it was not 
 as severe as in many previous and smaller strikes. 
 
 And so New Year's day came and passed with the strik- 
 ers still resolute, Mr. Craggie still on his tour of inspection 
 and more determined and obstinate than ever, the supply 
 of iron and steel almost exhausted, and the stock of the 
 corporation down to sixty — fallen from two hundred and 
 ten. Above all, the Board of Directors of the Iron and Steel 
 Company were becoming somewhat restless ; for many of 
 them depended on the dividends of the company for their 
 income — and they now began to realize that there would 
 be no dividends for three months more, even if the works 
 should start at once. But they thought they were help- 
 less since Mr. Craggie and his retainers held a majority of 
 the stock. 
 
 It was at this time, when Nettie seemed fully recovered 
 and Mr. Endy was able to see company, that invitations for 
 a meeting to take place in his library were sent out to cer- 
 tain gentlemen. He had not been convinced by any or all 
 of Annie Arndt's Socialist arguments, but clung tenaciously 
 to his long-cherished plan. He delighted in the young girl's 
 society and conversation, for she was as wise and witty 
 as she was beautiful, and she listened with untiring patience 
 to his unfolding of his plan and his reasons for thinking 
 that it would do the work he intended. And she had fallen 
 into the habit of taking her daily outing by walking over 
 
184 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 to the mansion and talking to him. She was wise. She 
 made no attempt to argue with her brother ; and when 
 Kenedy, whom she never missed a chance to converse with 
 on the subject, demanded the reason, she plainly stated that 
 she never wasted her breath — that Mr. Craggie's methods 
 of trying to defeat the workers would inevitably convert her 
 brother before the strike was over. 
 
 These invitations were to be mailed on the fourteenth of 
 January ; and for the purpose of attending to it Arndt 
 arrived at the mansion early in the morning. This was 
 the second day after Nettie appeared down stairs ; and no 
 sooner did Mr. Endy see Arndt's face than he exclaimed, 
 "What is the matter, Charles? — nothing wrong with the 
 strike or the folks?" 
 
 "No, Sir ! the matter is entirely personal and I want 
 to speak to you about it." 
 
 "Before you say another word, Charlie, I want you to 
 look at the envelope on the desk." 
 
 As he picked it up Arndt saw that the handwriting on 
 it was Mr. Endy's own, and the letter said simply. "I beg 
 the man who has been more than a son to me in these try- 
 ing days to give me the pleasure of seeing him use the 
 enclosed sum in fitting up a proper home for his sweetheart 
 — or in any way that he may prefer. Robert Endy." 
 
 And the check was for ten thousand dollars. 
 
 Arndt, who' was a very proud man, drew back a step 
 and was silent for a moment, and then he said, "I do not 
 think, Sir, that I have deserved that you should think that 
 I am serving you for gain. I cannot — " 
 
 But Mr. Endy stopped him with a gesture of the hand 
 as he replied kindly, "Neither do I think that I have deserved 
 to have you say that I think so. Money, to any sane man, 
 means only the ability to purchase a certain amount of 
 pleasure, or, if you prefer, happiness. With each man this 
 happiness takes a different form — mine consists, largely, 
 in seeing other people happy. I have a son who, today, is 
 unable to be happy — and I am correspondingly miserable. 
 Money docs not seem able to help him. Yon will not deny 
 me this pleasure, my boy. 
 
 "Now, it is Robert's wish, as much as mine, that yon 
 should accept this small token of the affection we both feel 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 185 
 
 for you. Put it in your pocket and do not even say thank 
 you. I would have given Nettie a like amount, but she 
 does not need it. She is quite a rich woman today." 
 
 Upon an exclamation of surprise from Arndt he said, 
 "Yes : I cannot tell how it has escaped my mind so long ; 
 but I never once thought about the estate left by Angus 
 MacDonald until yesterday, when Kenedy made some 
 remark about it. Then it flashed upon me that I had Mac- 
 Donald's- will in the safe, and we got it out and Kenedy 
 took it up to Clyde and proved it. 
 
 "The lapse of time will do no harm — owing to 
 the nature of the will. It was made immediately 
 after Kenedy told him of his actual condition. Like 
 the canny Scotchman that he was, Mac had put off 
 parting with a dollar of his hard earnings and accumulated 
 interest until the last moment ; and even I who had made 
 many of his investments for him, was completely surprised 
 to find what his estate totals. He wasn't very hard in his 
 judgment of us millionaires, if you remember, — had a sort 
 of fellow-feeling for us, you know. He had a little nest egg 
 when he first came to this country, and I always paid him 
 good wages which more than sufficed for their simple way 
 of living. 
 
 "He leaves the tract of woodland on the edge of Steel- 
 ton to the city for a public park and pleasure ground, and 
 as he says in the will, nothing to you personally, — since you 
 are to get it and everything that he loves, after all. The 
 entire estate with that exception goes to Nettie, encumbered 
 only with the remark that she knows all the charities which 
 he would like to aid and that he leaves to her the pleasure 
 of the distribution of as much as she wishes to give. He 
 goes on to state the absolute truth that heredity had been 
 too much for him. that he had not been able to part with 
 the money in his lifetime. The will is in his handwriting 
 and is characteristic of the man ; — honest, even to giving 
 to the world to see plainly the one defect in his character." 
 
 Nothing whatever was said by Arndt about the check 
 which he still held in his hand ; but to those who know the 
 man it will be no surprise that the paper published in Steel- 
 ton the next day contained a statement that the Board of 
 Managers of the Public Hospital gratefully acknowledged 
 
1 86 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 the receipt of ten thousand dollars, which they would use, 
 first, in paying off the present debt, and second, in extend- 
 ing their building, according to the expressed wishes of the 
 giver — whose name they were not at liberty to mention. 
 
 In regard to the will Arndt said, "I am glad that he 
 finally gave the land for the park himself. We talked it 
 over, often. It was the only property that I knew he pos- 
 sessed except the small home place on the river road. Of 
 course, Nettie would have done it in his name ; but I am 
 glad he did it himself. As for my getting Nettie, I am 
 not so sure about that — as you know. She has never said 
 a word about what occurred on the night of her father's 
 death ; but she may some day remember it all. And, indeed, 
 I would long ago have mentioned it to her so as to know 
 just where we stand, had not Kenedy expressly warned me 
 against doing so. And now I am thankful that I did not." 
 
 Mr. Endy looked inquiringly at him, but Arndt gave 
 him not a word of explanation and simply folded the check 
 and placed it in his pocket. Then he took the hand which 
 was extended to him as his friend said, "Thank you, my 
 boy, thank you;" and after a moment Arndt said, "But 
 that was not at all what I wanted to talk about. I am in 
 trouble as to what is best to do with Nettie and Annie. 
 Nettie is now well enough to come down stairs. The nurse 
 has to return to the hospital tomorrow to take charge of 
 another case, and it will not do for the two women to be 
 alone in that house ; and you know that I — " 
 
 Mr. Endy laughed heartily at him and said, "You might 
 have trusted the ladies to avoid any unpleasantness, my boy. 
 As soon as I heard from your sister that Nettie would soon 
 be able to be about I made arrangements to carry out a cher- 
 ished plan of mine. Your sister has ably seconded me in 
 the matter, and I hope that you will not oppose me. Here 
 is a letter from Robert which I think explains it all and 
 says some things about you that I wish you to see." 
 
 So Arndt read : 
 
 In prison, Clyde, 
 "My Dear Father: January 13, 19 — 
 
 "The letters you have sent me since your partial recovery 
 have almost reconciled me to the enforced idleness which 
 would otherwise have eaten out my life. I hope that the day 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 187 
 
 of release will soon come. In fact, I am seriously consider- 
 ing- having my attorneys have the case tried at the next sit- 
 ting of the court ; for though Arthur assured me some time 
 ago that he had evidence enough to clear me and would 
 thereafter spend all his energies on finding the real criminal, 
 so as to make a trial of my case unnecessary, he seems to 
 be no nearer attaining that than he was on the first day ; and 
 certainly the public clamor has now quieted to the point 
 where my witnesses would be given an impartial hearing. 
 
 "But I will candidly confess that I dread the whole busi- 
 ness ; and while in this place I have spent my time in study- 
 ing the methods of our courts and juries and have about 
 concluded that an absolutely fair and unbiased verdict is 
 rarely rendered. Oh for some method or system by which 
 we would cease the cutthroat competitive system which 
 makes us criminals ! 
 
 "My views of life are changed. Arndt has faithfully told 
 me all your plans; I thoroughly believe in the views you 
 hold, and I feel sure that hereafter you and I can work hand 
 in hand for the good of all. 
 
 "In regard to your last I have only to say that I approve 
 of every detail of your proposition except as to the amount 
 you propose to give Arndt. I would double that or quad- 
 ruple it. You, certainly, cannot realize what his visits to 
 this prison have meant to me, when you mention ten thou- 
 sand dollars. In the first days of my confinement his was 
 the voice that brought me the assurance of ultimate free- 
 dom, — although I had, but a moment before, refused his 
 outstretched hand — and his words of cheer came to me when 
 I stood with my back toward him. 
 
 "These visits of every other day during these soul-crush- 
 ing weeks have a value for which our united fortunes would 
 be too small to pay. So, please change the amount. 
 
 "The rest of your plan is perfect — and may I soon be 
 released to enjoy its consumation with you ! 
 
 "Nettie has always seemed like a daughter to vou, I 
 know, and I am rejoiced that she has agreed to your plan 
 and will soon be living with you. Of course, Arndt's sister 
 will be with her. I do not remember her at all ; for their 
 home was broken up when his father failed, and after that 
 she lived — so Arndt informs me — with her grandmother in 
 
1 88 THE RECORDING AXGEL 
 
 St. Louis. But I suppose you already know more about hef 
 than I do — judging- by your letters. Being Arndt's sister, 
 she is sure to be all right; and since Miss Nettie will need 
 a companion in that big house you must persuade Miss 
 Annie to give up the nursing of the public for as long as you 
 possibly can. 
 
 "As for Arndt continuing as your private secretary, that, 
 I am sure, would be very pleasant for you and agreeable to all 
 of us ; but I am almost certain that when once those works 
 start again he, as well as I, would not be content anywhere 
 except within hearing of the roar of the furnaces and the 
 crashing of the forges and hammers. You know, the rush 
 of active life gets into the blood ; and at nights I dream only 
 of standing where the hammers are ringing and the locomo- 
 tive is going together piece by piece. 
 
 "An idle life to him who wants it! I have had vaca- 
 tion enough for many a year. 
 
 "Take care of yourself for my sake. It will require 
 many years of happiness on your part to make up for the 
 time I neglected you and did not know the value of a father's 
 love. My constant prayer to the Eternal powers is that I may 
 be able to avoid giving you cause for suffering or unhap- 
 piness in the future. 
 
 "Be sure to persuade Arndt to live in the mansion with 
 you. I will hold him responsible for the welfare of all of 
 you. Lovinglv your son, 
 
 ROBERT." 
 
 As he folded the letter and handed it back to the father 
 the latter took his hands from before his eyes and said : "It 
 is a good letter. There was never a truer saying than 'It's 
 an ill wind that blow r s no one any good.' I have been a lonely 
 old man ; but, from this day, I shall be lonely no more." 
 
 And he was right. For, Kenedy decided that they had 
 better take advantage of the mildness of the air and the 
 bright sunshine; and so Nettie and Annie arrived in the 
 closed carriage about the middle of the afternoon — and the 
 mansion seemed to be made bright and home-like by their 
 very presence. 
 
 And after that, what joy and happiness the days and even- 
 ings held ! No matter how vexatious and arduous the duties 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 189 
 
 of the day, there was always the memory of the preceding 
 evening and the anticipation of the one to come. And those 
 evenings in the long disused drawing room ! Surely, as Rol- 
 lins said, "Surely, no one will ever forget such music as 
 the ladies make !" And he was even heard to whistle — 
 which made Mr. Endy laugh heartily as he jokingly threat- 
 ened to discharge him on a repetition of the offence. 
 
 But the happiness was not complete, for Robert an- 
 nounced that he had decided to not come to trial at once — 
 provided his attorneys could secure a continuance of the case. 
 Of course, court would not be in session until the first of 
 March — and in the meantime Arthur might succeed in his 
 search. 
 
 Robert confided to Arndt that upon his directing Arthur 
 to have his witnesses ready he was astonished at being in- 
 formed that they had disappeared, and that the detective had 
 in reality been employing almost all his skill and time for 
 weeks in an endeavor to trace them. It was evident that 
 some one had been using both money and influence against 
 Robert ; and from this moment they were compelled to recog- 
 nize the fact that Robert's position was really dangerous — 
 and that of his friends became painful. 
 
 Other detectives were put to work looking for the missing 
 witnesses, without stating what they were wanted for. This 
 was done through Arthur, and he devoted himself entirely to 
 seeking for the would-be assassin ; and money and effort was 
 not spared. 
 
 The actual state of the matter was, by the orders of Dr. 
 King, carefully kept from the knowledge of Mr. Endy — 
 and he accepted their statement that Arthur was on the trail 
 of the criminal, who would be scared into taking flight if 
 Robert presented the evidence of his innocence. 
 
 So it came to pass that the twenty-third day of February 
 (the day for the meeting called by Mr. Endy) found the 
 mansion lively enough. The presence of two such women 
 in any house would be certain to have that effect. 
 
 The invitations had been sent to even- rich man holding 
 stock in the corporation who was known to be in any degree 
 favorable to the cause of the workers, and it explained that 
 they were asked to come to Mr. Endy's residence since it was 
 
iqo THE RECORDING AXGEL 
 
 important that he should be present, and his state of health 
 would not permit him to be exposed to the weather. 
 
 As many as were within reasonable distance responded 
 personally, and there were some who said by letter that they 
 would stand by anything that might be decided upon. 
 
 Old friends of Mr. Endy commenced to arrive early in 
 the day, and from then on until one o'clock — the hour named 
 for the meeting — each train brought others till it became 
 doubtful whether even the large library would comfortably 
 hold them all. They were well entertained and Mr. Endy 
 enjoyed it all thoroughly, though he admitted to Arndt that 
 he was a trifle anxious as to whether they could all be 
 brought to look on the plan (his cherished plan!) favorably. 
 
 Arndt reassured him, saying, "Their only alternative ! 
 They will accept — it is your plan or none, for them, so far as 
 I can see." 
 
 But by the time they were all seated Mr. Endy found 
 that it would be too much for his strength to address them 
 himself. In reality the anxiety as to what they might do in 
 regard to his proposition had made him very nervous. For 
 this reason, when he was wheeled into the room in his big 
 office chair he was obliged to say: "Gentlemen, although I 
 had intended to state my case to you personally — and did 
 not address you by letter or circular for that reason, more 
 than for the sake of secrecy — I find that I will be compelled 
 to ask Mr. Arndt to speak in my stead. He is thoroughly 
 conversant with my views and plan." 
 
 Arndt, as he arose, attracted the attention of every man. 
 Many had already met him, and all knew of him as a strike 
 leader. He had always been a notable man both in appear- 
 ance and manner, and the months of daily association with 
 his friend had added to him those indescribable touches of 
 refinement we sometimes find in the possessors of wealth. He 
 addressed them easily and naturally: "Gentlemen, it is very 
 difficult to speak for another and keep one's own opinions out 
 of sight, yet this is just what Mr. Endy desires me to do. 
 My task might, possibly, be easier were I to simply state 
 the plan projxxsed, but Mr. Endy desires that although you 
 are called together for a strictly business meeting, you be 
 made acquainted with the line of thought which causes him 
 
THE RECORDING AXGEL 191 
 
 to adopt the method he has chosen as the one most applicable 
 under present circumstances. 
 
 "He has here a collection of books — unrivaled in the 
 world — on the subject of the solving of the problem which 
 has confronted mankind ever since one man found himself 
 possessed of more property than his fellow. Here, on these 
 shelves, are as many solutions or attempted solutions as a 
 ten years' search has been able to bring together. 
 
 "You, of course, are familiar with many if not most of 
 those plans ; and I shall only state that Mr. Endy has studied 
 each and all of them thoroughly and has ended by rejecting 
 many of them absolutely and combining the best features of 
 others into a system which he thinks will, at least, fully meet 
 the present situation." 
 
 Here Arndt proceeded to give a very fair and clear pre- 
 sentation of the plan, and then continued : 
 
 "Now, Mr. Endy — in order to put that plan into actual 
 operation has already acquired control of almost a majority 
 of the stock — either by purchase or by proxies, but he wishes 
 to have more than the financial support of the stockholders — 
 he wants their moral support. For this reason he has fully 
 stated all this. If you approve of the plan the first step will 
 be to secure the remainder of the proxies needed and then to 
 retire President Craggie and his board of managers — at the 
 meeting which takes place on the first of March." 
 
 Here Arndt sat down and there ensued much discussion 
 and figuring ; and for a time it appeared that there was great 
 uncertainty as to the result ; but, after asking Mr. Endy per- 
 sonally a few questions, Mr. Martinvale, known to all as 
 Mr. Craggie's rival, arose and said : 
 
 "I am going to stand by Mr. Endy in this matter. I have 
 no love for anything which contains the elements of the pro- 
 posed plan ; namely, profit sharing and issuing stock in small 
 denominations, with inducements to the workers to buy. I 
 make no pretensions to anything of the kind ; but I see clearly 
 that we had better take less in the shape of dividends than to 
 have the men striking on our hands every once in a while, 
 as they have done ever since Mr. Craggie has been in con- 
 trol. It is either that or a glutted market, all the time. I 
 am not going to let him remain in power if I can help it. If 
 he is allowed to run things in his grab-it-all style much longer 
 
192 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 he will make Socialists enough to let them elect a President 
 and Congress — and then we would have to fight; for I say 
 candidly that I would never stand by idly and see a Socialist 
 government instituted in this country. I and all of my class, 
 I am sure, will fight first." 
 
 He was interrupted by several saying that they were not 
 discussing that point at all. 
 
 "Neither am I discussing it. I am simply stating my 
 reasons for the action I am going to take. I am going to 
 support the movement with all the stock I now have and all 
 that I can buy. If any of you gentlemen do not feel con- 
 strained to go in with us I will purchase his stock at an 
 advance of five points over the market this afternoon. Does 
 any one wish to sell ?" 
 
 As he looked around the room man after man said, "Not 
 I! Not I, Sir!" until he turned to his host with a genial 
 smile and said, "I think you ought to be satisfied with the 
 verdict — even though we don't profess to love your plan. 
 Your plan does not go far enough. If the contention of the 
 Socialists is right then the full product of the men's work 
 belongs to them ; but if I am right, then, while I may make 
 concessions to them, it is poor business to give them more 
 than I must. Now, I see that we must do something, and 
 you are in a position to set the workers at producing things 
 again — and I am tired of this no-profit, which is what we 
 always get when they quit work. I desire to express to you, 
 both for myself and the assembled company, our complete 
 confidence in you and our perfect willingness — under the cir- 
 cumstances — to give your plan a fair trial ; and when I state 
 that there were three thousand shares of stock offered in 
 New York this morning that found no taker, even at a 
 decline of fifty per cent from par, I think you will be able to 
 better grasp the significance of the fact that not one of your 
 guests will part with his holdings. You certainly should 
 be satisfied." 
 
 "Thank you, thank you !" said Mr. Endy : but there was a 
 tone of bitter disappointment in his voice, and he appeared 
 very weary. 
 
 Arndt noticed this at once and asked them all to excuse 
 his friend and wheeled him to his room, where he left him 
 
THE RECORDING AXGEL 193 
 
 under the care of Rollins while he went clown to assist in the 
 departure of the guests. 
 
 When he re-entered the library he found most of the gen- 
 tlemen waiting to hear of Mr. Endy's condition, and Mr. 
 Martinvale seemed much relieved when Arndt stated that he 
 seemed to be resting comfortably and that he expected no 
 serious results. Then he added: "But I must inform you 
 that his attending to this matter personally at this time was 
 against the wishes of his physicians, and it was deferred until 
 the last moment by their express orders. His life is bound 
 up in his plan. He has thought and studied on nothing 
 else for years. His sole aim is to benefit humanity and pre- 
 vent what many think inevitable." 
 
 Martinvale replied: "I see! I see! I should not have 
 spoken my mind so plainly. I am glad to know, Mr. Arndt, 
 that you have stood out steadfastly against the Socialists in 
 the Union. You may rest assured that when the works are 
 set running and the present management replaced by men 
 who will never ask a workman to tag himself like a chattel, 
 we will not forget your services, and " 
 
 Arndt interrupted him: "Gentlemen, I speak to all, be- 
 cause none of you repudiated the sentiments expressed a 
 short time ago by Air. Martinvale. I have stood out against 
 my Socialist friends for many years. I have, since this strike 
 commenced, been making a thorough study of their position 
 — for the first time. I have had enough experiences during 
 this strike, in heading off the utterly lawless methods of 
 Mr. Craggie, to make a Socialist of any thinking man. Doubt- 
 less, I would have numbered myself with them had it not 
 been for the arguments and entreaties of Mr. Endy ; for he 
 assured me that the rich, as a class, did not and would not 
 approve of anything directly unlawful. I, however, have this 
 day heard the second most influential and wealthy man in 
 the United States openly and candidly avow that in the event 
 of the Socialist party succeeding legally in electing a presi- 
 dent and congress, he and his class intend to start a civil 
 war to prevent that legally elected president and those legally 
 elected officials from taking their seats. I thank God that 
 you are Mr. Endy's guests, and not mine — otherwise I would 
 not be privileged to tell you that within the last hour I have 
 found out who are the traitors in this country. I will never 
 
194 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 again work for you, gentlemen. When those mills start I 
 shall use all my time, strength and money in fighting the sys- 
 tem that breeds, rewards and protects rich men. My only 
 regret is that having heard that expression of sentiments in a 
 private meeting in my employer's home I shall not be at 
 liberty to publish it broadcast." 
 
 And without offering to assist any of them in their 
 departure he turned and left the room. 
 
 He was, in fact, much more anxious about his friend's 
 condition than he had stated ; but he did not wish to appear 
 as an alarmist, and so made as light of it as possible. 
 
 He felt certain that King was already almost at Steel- 
 ton ; for when Mr. Endy was compelled to request him to 
 speak in his stead he at once telegraphed to Clyde, stating 
 the situation. He had also sent for Kenedy, but Kenedy at 
 the time the message reached him had just started a surgical 
 operation at the hospital. 
 
 It was therefore with a sense of great foreboding that 
 he went to the front door to look down the avenue to see 
 whether King was in sight. 
 
 Instead of King he noticed in the distance the messenger 
 from the telegraph office coming at full speed, and so he 
 waited at the open door as the guests one after another 
 passed him without a word. 
 
 The telegram was for him, and as his eyes took in the 
 news he exclaimed : "Thank God !" and hastened towards Mr. 
 Endy's room. 
 
 For all that Arthur said, was, "Got my man. Robert re- 
 leased. Prepare Mr. Endy." 
 
CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 "The devil incarnate would still be partly human." 
 
 — Homely Truths. 
 
 Mr. Craggie, although he had been, on the day preceding 
 the commencement of this strike, the most powerful per- 
 sonage in America, was in reality a very ordinary man. 
 
 The men who accumulated the beginnings of the vast for- 
 tunes during the last century would not have been weak 
 enough to have fallen victims to a Chambers — they had come 
 out from the working class. Craggie's one special boast was 
 that he was a successful business man ; but, in reality, it 
 would have taken even a worse manager than he to have 
 prevented the millions handed down to him by his father 
 from rolling up daily and hourly into the fortune which, by 
 the time he was able to take complete control of it, was so 
 great that no dozen families could possibly have spent or 
 squandered the daily income. And Craggie made a boast 
 that he never gave away anything. 
 
 Still he was shrewd enough to realize that he had better 
 not antagonize a man who held so many weighty secrets in 
 his head as did Chambers ; and after hearing the secretary 
 express himself as he did about Mr. Endv he constrained 
 himself for several days to pretty decent treatment of that 
 man — and vented his ever increasing rage at the way the 
 strike was going against him, on whoever else came handy. 
 
 Chambers smiled sardonically when he noticed this ; and 
 from that moment — although in presence of others he was 
 the same deferential, low-voiced, courteous factotum — he, 
 in ways utterly indescribable, made the life of the president 
 when they were in private, what Craggie himself called "A 
 Hell on Earth." 
 
 A hundred times each day he resolved to discharge Cham- 
 bers ; but he did not dare trust the fellow out of his reach. 
 And yet the daily sight of him, the daily contact with this 
 man who had proved, even to his satisfaction, that in brains, 
 
 195 
 
196 THE RECORDING AXGEL 
 
 in the management of men and in most other things he was 
 vastly Craggie's superior, had hecome so galling to the presi- 
 dent that it seemed impossible to be endured. 
 
 But how to get rid of him without murdering him he did 
 not know. He never seriously entertained the thought of 
 murder ; but there was one moment of special exasperation 
 when Chambers coolly reminded him of some bitterly dis- 
 agreeable truth that the idea did flash across his mind. But 
 then, there was the undiscovered friend ! 
 
 And the secret service fund ! What a mint of money it 
 was eating up, and how utterly fruitless was the expenditure. 
 He one day insisted on making another attempt to bribe a 
 member of the strike committee. Chambers told him plainly 
 that it could not be done. The next day he had the mortifica- 
 tion of having the thanks of Baker printed in the paper, and 
 there, right below it, was the statement that the amount had 
 been turned over to the strikers' treasury. 
 
 This was too much ! He forgot himself and commenced 
 to abuse Chambers. Among other pieces of information he 
 stated that he wished that his secretary was in the infernal 
 regions. 
 
 "Why of course you do," was the taunting reply; "but, 
 don't be too impatient. I'll get there, all in good time. I 
 expect, though, that I would have been there before now if it 
 had not been for a certain friend of mine who is discreetly 
 absent. You haven't discovered him yet, — not yet. Let me 
 reassure you ! Some day you will — and then " 
 
 This last reflection pleased Chambers so much that he 
 reached over the desk and took a cigar out of the president's 
 box, lit and smoked it. 
 
 Usually he said he preferred his own brand; and besides. 
 he once in a while remarked to the president that he was 
 rather afraid that Mr. Craggie's cigars might not eventually 
 agree with him. 
 
 But this morning he was so well pleased with his words, 
 or with his thoughts, that he said — as he mixed the cigars 
 before selecting a second one — as he closed his eyes and 
 picked it from the box, "I always did like gambling in every 
 shape and form — and this time I am staking my life on a 
 single draw." 
 
 Mr. Craggie left the car. 
 
THE RECORDING AXGEL 197 
 
 The next day two detectives were set to work again ; and 
 this time Chambers made no protest. But during the course 
 of the week Mr. Craggie called them into the car and gave 
 them a scoring for having accepted money from Chambers. 
 He was too angry to notice that Chambers, who was appar- 
 ently paying no attention to the affair, once in a while glanced 
 up from his writing and winked to the men over the presi- 
 dent's shoulders. They did not attempt to defend themselves 
 and were promptly discharged ; and after they had left the 
 car Chambers soothingly remarked: "Now! that was sen- 
 sible. We will be ever so much more comfortable without 
 them. It never seems quite pleasant or homelike with spies 
 around. A detective seems very like a snake to me — and, 
 besides, they were so expensive. They insisted that you were 
 paying them very liberally — and so I had to be even more 
 generous." 
 
 By this time Chambers showed openly that he was enjoy- 
 ing the situation. Mr. Craggie's conduct, words and 
 appearance indicated clearly that the enjoyment was confined 
 strictly to one man ; but that one evidently got enough pleas- 
 ure out of it to have satisfied a regiment. 
 
 In reality it was only the next week that he felt im- 
 pelled to state that fact to the president. He worked around 
 to it by saying that at first he had thought that he had paid 
 too dear for his secretaryship — a situation which he was per- 
 mitted (by the blessing of Providence and the kindness of 
 his hearer) to occupy solely because of his merits. 
 
 "But I will tell you, candidly," he continued, when the 
 president glared at him, "that it is cheap at the price. The 
 two-hundred-thousand I gave up was a lot of money ; but, 
 what with the pleasure of your society and the increase in 
 salary, I figure that I am pretty near even — and if it be per- 
 mitted me to add the delight I find in stating truths and 
 unadulterated opinions to the most powerful man in the 
 world without a sentiment of fear or the trembling of an 
 eyelash, I am uncountably ahead." 
 
 Although the inspection was not nearly complete Mr. 
 Craggie ordered a return to Clyde, where, by assuming per- 
 sonal management of the strike, he would be able to fill the 
 day with conferences with his superintendents and man- 
 
198 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 agers and thus would be able to prevent having to listen to 
 such things. 
 
 But when he heard that order given Chambers smiled 
 even more sardonically than before — knowing how greatly 
 his chief detested coming in personal contact with his under- 
 lings. 
 
 From that moment Chambers seemed to be repentant, and 
 took no advantage of the hours while they were on the home- 
 ward trip. Even after their arrival at Clyde his good con- 
 duct continued, until, Mr. Craggie — being heartily sick of 
 going into details with his lieutenants — remarked that the air 
 of Clyde never had agreed with him and that he proposed to 
 finish the inspection, and gave Chambers orders to have all 
 things in readiness the next day. 
 
 Chambers laid down his pen and looked squarely into the 
 president's eyes as he remarked, significantly, "The trip was 
 the most delightfully enjoyable that any mortal ever took ; but 
 I am rather tired of traveling now, — and I would like to 
 rest." 
 
 Now this was the very day the public became aware that 
 Mr. Craggie was selling Iron and Steel stock ; and it was this 
 fact that sent it down to sixty. The telegram which was 
 handed to the president at this moment informed him that 
 the bottom was out of the market. This, together with the 
 insubordination, was the proverbial last straw. 
 
 Mr. Craggie cursed Chambers to his face. 
 
 He did it only once. 
 
 Chambers made no reply, but quietly arose and put on his 
 hat and coat and walked towards the door. 
 
 He came back to the desk and mixed the cigars in the box, 
 picked one at random and lit it. 
 
 "Where are you going, Chambers?" the president de- 
 manded. "That work must be " 
 
 "Mr. Chambers, if you please, Sir. I have no objection 
 — none whatever — to informing you that I am going to hunt 
 up my friend who took down your exceedingly interesting 
 conversation witli Johnson. I merely wish to ascertain 
 whether he can reproduce that conversation from memory. 
 He has a most remarkable memory, Mr. Craggie — almost a 
 phenomenal memory, in fact. Once let him hear a word or 
 
THE RECORDING AXGEL 199 
 
 sentence, and I've never known him to forget a syllable 
 of it." 
 
 Here he walked to the door and stood with his hand on 
 the knob, waiting for the president's reply. 
 
 At the mention of those fatal stenographic notes Mr. 
 Craggie fairly boiled over. As Chambers looked he became 
 thoroughly convinced that he had stirred up the final erup- 
 tion ; but he seemed to be well pleased with the situation. 
 
 The president paced up and down the car with rapid 
 strides and said furiously, "That's exactly what I've been 
 expecting all along. There is said to be honor among 
 thieves, but one need not expect it from you. I wish to God 
 that I had followed Johnson's advice the first day, and dared 
 you and your infamous friend to do your worst. Johnson 
 warned me of this very thing; and if it had not been for that 
 cursed fool — whoever he was — who attacked Endy that night 
 — and so, almost put a halter about my neck — I would have 
 defied you quick enough." 
 
 Here the secretary took advantage of the president's being 
 out of breath and having to pause, and remarked soothingly 
 as he resumed his chair, "We, most of us, have spilled con- 
 siderable milk in our time ; but I believe it is universally con- 
 ceded to be unwise and wasteful to cry over it. Never do 
 it, myself ! Every one of your remarks is true. I remem- 
 ber an old saying which goes something like this : Tf Cleo- 
 patra's nose had been shorter the face of the whole world 
 would have been changed.' Now, if it had not been for 
 your little afternoon's enjoyment as you bragged to Johnson 
 of your achievements and intentions, and if you hadn't 
 dropped your voice and put your head so close to Johnson's, 
 at a point that didn't amount to a hill of beans anyhow, 
 (according to the statement of both of you), and if un- 
 friend hadn't been so unkind as to stop his interesting narra- 
 tive at the very point which you and Johnson insist would 
 have cleared you, and if you hadn't fooled Johnson by let- 
 ting him go back in an ordinary train while you coolly trav- 
 eled over the same route as far as Steelton in style, and if 
 you had not been such a fool — to use your own words — as 
 to have slept, that night of all nights, at Steelton, and if 
 you had been able to prove an alibi, and if and if and if — 
 Let me tell you, Mr. President, IF is pretty nearly as small 
 
20o THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 a word as well could be ; but it's the only thing in the entire 
 universe I am afraid of ; it makes the difference, at last, be- 
 tween Heaven above and Hell beneath. I once took an after- 
 noon's stroll with one whom I loved, as I never before or 
 since have loved, and we planned a beautiful and useful and 
 pleasant existence together for years to come. We forgot if. 
 Inside of half an hour after our return that one had died a 
 suicide's dishonored death. 
 
 "No, no ; It will not do to forget //." 
 
 And the secretary threw down his cigar, took off his hat 
 and coat, and resumed his writing where he had left off — 
 just as if nothing out of the usual had occurred. 
 
 There was silence in the car until he finished his work — 
 and all this time he looked very solemn. 
 
 Never once in all these months had Chambers neglected 
 the duties of his office. His work as private secretary had 
 been excellent, in all the preceding years, — now it became 
 perfection. His stenographic notes were taken at a speed 
 which even Mr. Craggie, who from long practice had become 
 an expert dictator, could not keep ahead of; and his work 
 was so clear and easily read that once the president — in spite 
 of his dread of the man — made the remark that if he kept 
 on improving he would soon surpass the sneak thief — as he 
 spitefully called the secretary's friend. 
 
 As Mr. Craggie sat there looking at him this morning 
 he could not but recall the answer. 
 
 "Yes, Sir, thank you. I don't think he today is much 
 more expert than I ; but then, he is entirely out of practice. 
 I saw him the other day ; and he assured me that he had not 
 taken down a single word since the last one he took of yours 
 before leaving the car. Don't have to, you know ! He is 
 well able to take a prolonged rest. In fact, may never do 
 anything more difficult than talk, in future. I myself, might 
 have been able to go abroad, as you are aware ; but I could 
 not bear to tear myself away from you and your society — 
 and, besides, I'd have missed the work. I've been in the 
 harness too long to stop until the end comes. I enjoy seeing 
 a well finished piece of work — no matter if it be only the dig- 
 ging of a grave, let the walls be plumb and smooth — and I 
 enjoy the finishing. 
 
 "I am really sorry that you have not enjoyed these last 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 201 
 
 months as much as I have. I am just as sorry as any fish 
 ever was when he ate the other fish for dinner, and I don't 
 forget that there is a bigger fish in the pond who may — 
 and probably will — eat me, in due time. I suppose if there 
 could have been a universe constructed in which no one 
 would have had to provide the materials for the other fel- 
 low's meal — and that out of his own body — it would have 
 been arranged that way. I am really sorry it wasn't. 
 
 "But, on the other hand, I am not like the strikers or 
 Arndt or Endy. I've no use for that kind. Before I came 
 to you, I had. Now, you please me much better. They are 
 either enthusiasts who cannot see but one side of the case, or 
 they are knaves. I call every man dishonest who declaims 
 against existing conditions and at the same time helps those 
 conditions to exist (by his vote or otherwise) in the hope 
 that some day he or his may be able to get the benefit of those 
 conditions. Socialism is an undoubted solution, and would 
 end all the suffering and crime which grow out of the 
 present inequalities of station and wealth — but these very 
 workers will have none of it — and never will have, unless you 
 are foolish enough to deprive the middle class of its holdings 
 and push the farmers to the wall. They don't want Equal- 
 ity, in spite of all their talk. 
 
 "That was a fine idea of yours, Mr. Craggie, to publish 
 so-called interviews of so-called self-made men, which always 
 say — plainly or by implication : — Go thou and do likewise ; 
 there's a chance for every man to. do as I have done. 
 
 "That was really as brilliant a thing as ever you con- 
 ceived ; but it is a constant source of surprise to me that the 
 public have never seemed even to suspect that you are finan- 
 cially interested in all those publishing houses. Yes ; it was 
 a brilliant thought. 
 
 "That hope has done more to prevent your unjust laws 
 being upset than all the money you ever spent on the legisla- 
 tures. The workingmen say little or nothing when their rep- 
 resentatives make those laws, and they permit them to remain 
 on the statute books and operate to their present disadvan- 
 tage — and they would do neither if they did not hope and 
 expect to personally get the benefit of them. 
 
 "When they actually want Equality and the Brotherhood 
 of Man they will get them fast enough — and in spite of us. 
 
202 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 "Now, I don't believe there is pie enough to go around 
 and keep me and a few others of large capacity with full 
 stomachs. A half-filled bread-basket may suit the men who 
 are going to win this time ; but it would not suit either of us, 
 Mr. Craggie. 
 
 "Something, or Somebody, gave you and me an immense 
 capacity ; and we are going to live up to our natures and have 
 that capacity fully satisfied, if it takes the death of h-alf a mil- 
 lion small fry to provide the meal. Ain't that the way, Mr. 
 President?" 
 
 And Mr. Craggie remembered the talk so perfectly that 
 he was not one whit surprised when — as he reached the 
 conclusion of his thought — Chambers looked up from his 
 work and said, "Yes, I am sorry for the small fry — ain't you, 
 Mr. Craggie?" 
 
 And that remark made the president notice that Chambers 
 was clearing his desk rapidly and with even more neatness 
 and accuracy, if that were possible, than ever before ; and, 
 in spite of his rage, the man could not but take pleasure in the 
 way the work was done. 
 
 When the last letter was written and the last envelope 
 sealed and placed in the mail bag which hung against the side 
 of the car, Chambers lit one of his own cigars and leaned 
 back luxuriously in his chair and said, "This life in a car 
 suits me exactly. It fits me all over. I never liked hotel 
 life. Have to brush up against too many people to please 
 me. Have the same feeling that you have in the matter. 
 Like to choose my company. Would be sorry to leave you, 
 
 but " and here he spoke slowly and very emphatically — 
 
 "but one must retain one's self respect, and when a man 
 curses me I always either kill him or let him apologize : / 
 never touch him with my hands, either. This morning, I 
 was just going to jog my friend's memory, you see. But, 
 as I stood at the door, I thought of all the many pleasant days 
 you and I have had together, both before and since the Endv 
 episode ; and I concluded that the latter way would answer — 
 this time." 
 
 He paused — took the cigar from his lips — looked straight 
 at Mr. Craggie, and waited. 
 
 Mr. Craggie apologized. 
 
 "That's sufficient between gentlemen. That incident's 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 203 
 
 closed," remarked Chambers as he arose to take the mail bag 
 to the door to give it to the conductor. 
 
 But he was mistaken. 
 
 Mr. Craggie had paid eight hundred thousand dollars. 
 He had been badgered daily for nearly four months. He 
 had been beaten at every point by the strikers ; his cup was 
 full. 
 
 When he apologized to Chambers it ran over — and he 
 was a dangerous man. Too dangerous for even a devil to 
 tackle. 
 
 He made no remark as Chambers left the car; but that 
 apology stuck in his mind, and he heard himself repeating 
 the words in which he had assured Chambers of his sorrow 
 that, in a moment of anger and irritation, he had been guilty 
 of using language unbecoming an officer and a gentleman — 
 words which had been dictated by Chambers, and which 
 repeated themselves so often in the president's mind that at 
 last he realized the enormity that had been committed ; that 
 he, Gustavus Adolphus Craggie, multi-millionaire and Presi- 
 dent, had apologized to his secretary. 
 
 And then there came a look in his eyes that should have 
 warned any man that it was time to run away. But, 
 although the secretary examined the face of his chief and 
 saw the look, he only remarked as he resumed his seat, 
 "I would like to take a little vacation this afternoon, if you 
 have no objection, Mr. Craggie. Private business of great 
 importance to the country to attend ,to, you see." 
 
 Mr. Craggie was too angry to say anything, so the sec- 
 retary proceeded. 
 
 "Now, I always like to leave a clean table behind me. 
 Therefore I will say, in regard to your passing remark 
 about honor among thieves, that you seem to have for- 
 gotten our agreement. You will please correct me if I 
 misquote. I was to guarantee that every scrap of paper on 
 which my friend's notes had been taken, had been either 
 destroyed or delivered to you. Now, I always have prided 
 myself on two things : the accuracy of my language and 
 the fact that 1 never tell an unnecessary lie. 
 
 "Please note ! My friend's memory was not even men- 
 tioned, and it will never be invoked unless I am either in 
 danger or die a violent death. My friend's memory could 
 
204 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 not have been silenced for ten million, — as you know. I 
 am sorry to have to allude to this matter; but every part 
 of my agreement has been lived up to, — to the letter." 
 
 Mr. Craggie said sullenly, and as though reluctantly, 
 "Go, if you want to." 
 
 Late that afternoon Chambers walked into the office of 
 Chandler and jovially said, "You notice, I'm alive ! Thought 
 I'd just bring my daily report in person. Is the evidence 
 satisfactory ?" 
 
 "Perfectly! But both you and your chief look rather 
 the worse for wear." 
 
 "Well, what can you expect? There's Arndt and Mr. 
 Endy and yourself, — to say nothing of over a million strik- 
 ers and the Almighty alone knows how many people out 
 of work, — to keep up with, stock way down, and Craggie's 
 temper something awful. You don't expect two lone men, 
 living in a car, tramping all over the country, to lay on 
 flesh under such conditions, do you?" 
 
 "Not much, I'll allow," said dandier. 
 
 "Well, so far as Craggie is concerned I think that he 
 would get fat, and fast enough, if it were not for just one 
 man; and as for me, I would not be able to get in or out 
 the door of the car, on account of surplus flesh, were it 
 not that every once in so often the temptation to gamble 
 gets too strong for me, and then I shut my eyes and pick 
 out Of Craggie's box, a cigar, — which may some day be 
 the wrong one." 
 
 Chandler hastened to say : "Don't let yourself get mor- 
 bid. I know that the strain is something fearful, on both 
 of you ; but Craggie is not that kind : he would never kill 
 any one." 
 
 "Let me assure you that Craggie has been in an abso- 
 lutely murderous mood ever since this strike started ; and 
 so far as not killing any one, perhaps not directly with his 
 own hands — he's too big a coward for that ; but I know of 
 one man that he murdered, or rather, assassinated." 
 
 Chandler looked incredulous and then Chambers said, 
 "T have no time to go into that today; but you may rely 
 on the statement, and T will on a future occasion give you 
 the facts and my reasons for keeping silent. As I said, 
 the strain of those moments during which I am waiting — 
 
THE RECORDING AXGEL 205 
 
 as I calmly smoke that cigar, expectantly waiting — is tell- 
 ing on me. So 1 have come up here to have you destroy 
 the old power of attorney and draw up a new one which 
 shall read : 'Thirty days after failure to receive a daily 
 letter from me which shall contain the words T am well,' or 
 immediately upon receipt of conclusive evidence of my death, 
 Harry Chandler and Charles Arndt or either of them, or 
 their legal representative, are herebv authorized, and so 
 forth." 
 
 When this was properly attended to, with due secrecy 
 as before, Chambers said — as he stood at the door — "That 
 makes me feel better. I may be able to live considerably 
 longer if I am able to point out the existence of this docu- 
 ment to a certain gentleman. Perhaps it would be just as 
 well to have your clerk make a copy of that and send it 
 to me. No! I will wait for it." 
 
 He went back to his chair, and while they waited he 
 talked fluently and brilliantly on general topics ; and as he 
 arose to go he remarked, "Well, the strike is nearly at an 
 end. You ought to have seen Craggie when the foreign- 
 war conspiracy exploded. Did you ever hear him curse? 
 No? I forgot, he is a church member and does that only 
 in the presence of his God and his secretary. I can tell you. 
 if hating would kill a man the president of the United States 
 would have been slain by Craggie's hate, that day or since. 
 I don't think he's missed a day from that until this in call- 
 ing him a demagogue and white-livered traitor. He doesn't 
 love Mr. Endy either. Perhaps you had better resume your 
 daily answers. They filled the bill exactly, the time before. 
 Did the work to a T. They will make me feel as if I were 
 in touch with friends. It is pretty tough when a man has 
 to ask his lawyer to simulate friendship because in all this 
 wide world there is not one of his equals who would care 
 if he dropped out tonight. But I am not complaining. One 
 can't have everything ; and I suppose you are correct in 
 saying that love is the proper force — if only I had been 
 born in a world that was built that way! Certainly, fear is 
 not peculiarly adapted to inspiring love or friendship. Well, 
 good-bye ! Think as well of me as you can." 
 
 And he shook Chandler's hand again, but did not wait 
 for any reply. 
 
206 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 As he passed from sight Chandler said aloud, "That, 
 man is an enigma : he is too smart for me." 
 
 During all this time Mr. Craggie had been very busy. 
 
 An hour after Chambers was out of sight his chief began 
 to look anxiously toward the door, and very soon it opened 
 and a remarkable looking individual made his appearance. 
 
 Mr. Craggie addressed him at once as Mr. Arthur and 
 expressed his pleasure that his summons had found him at 
 home. 
 
 Arthur replied : "Mr President, I felt confident .that 
 you would take advantage of the offer I made you as soon 
 as I was certain that you were not the guilty party in the 
 Endy affair. If you had trusted me then, everything would 
 now be different ; and I wish to say that if you do not 
 intend to trust me fully and unreservedly I do not wish 
 to hear one word. You have had some of the most skilful 
 detectives in the world on this case; and every one that 
 has said anything to me about it tells the same story : You 
 are the man that knows what we must find out before going 
 further." 
 
 And so the president made a clean breast of the whole 
 affair. The telling of the tale took a long time and it was 
 not once interrupted by the detective, who took notes in a 
 cypher of his own. At last Mr. Craggie finished ; and then 
 Arthur said, "I was correct in one thing, anyway: I left 
 you out of the assault business, long ago ; but I will tell you 
 frankly and plainly that what you proposed would not appear 
 as being so very much better, either to the court or the 
 public — nor does it to me. You rich men have got in 
 the habit of having your own way at any cost ; and in 
 order to justify yourselves you give high-sounding names 
 to actions that I call by very short and evil-sounding ones. 
 
 "You must excuse me for speaking plainly ; I have a 
 personal regard for Mr. Endy. and this conspiracy against 
 him touches me closely. But this is not to the point. I am 
 very sorry you destroyed the notes and the papers Chambers 
 gave you ; — that was a mistake, — almost as bad a one as 
 could be." 
 
 And then his hearer took from his pocket some papers 
 and handing them to Arthur said, "I had to destroy the 
 notes and the papers in his sight. He insisted on it: said 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 207 
 
 that personally he cared nothing about the matter, as he 
 freely acknowledged that he had made the copy from the 
 dictation of his friend, but that the principal insisted that 
 nothing should be left in existence which would go to 
 establish the fact that there had ever been any papers sold 
 to me. I simply had to comply ; for I have never believed 
 that that devil has done his worst. A man never acts as 
 he has acted who has played his last card. But I got ahead 
 of him to this extent : I made a copy of the translation 
 while he had gone up town, and before Johnson arrived." 
 
 "Good!" said the detective, "Now I have something 
 definite to work with. Both this man and his accomplice 
 have kept themselves free from any entangling alliances 
 with women, I am certain. Many a criminal has found that 
 to be the weak link in his chain, and I make this remark 
 at this time with the intention of calling your attention to 
 it afterwards. I am absolutely certain of it before we have 
 a single clue as to who the principal blackmailer is." 
 
 He read the paper aloud. 
 
 Even Mr. Craggie blushed when he heard his own words 
 read by another. 
 
 After he had finished Arthur said, "I don't see how you 
 could have escaped paying, — the evidence in his hands being 
 what it was, and a confederate on the outside in possession 
 of the facts which even you and Johnson would have been 
 obliged to admit, if put on the stand. 
 
 "And then that damning silence ! Who would have 
 believed anything that either of you said after the attack 
 on Mr. Endy was once made? And then this saying, 'If 
 things go wrong there is always young Endy for a scape- 
 goat.' Why, if you and Johnson had tried to hang your- 
 selves you could not have done it more effectually than 
 that. I always speak right out, and my clients usually know 
 exactly how a case looks to me — and it appears that way 
 to most unprejudiced minds. 
 
 "Now, let us see whether this paper sheds any light on 
 the matter. 
 
 "These are exactly your words?" 
 
 "Exactly !" was the reply. "It was as if I could hear 
 myself saying them, when I first read it ; and I complimented 
 Chambers on the accuracy of the work. The accuracy 
 
208 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 actually led me into the trap, and before I realized what 
 I was doing I had as good as told him that his friend's 
 information w r as true. It is as accurate as if a machine 
 had done it.'' 
 
 "Machine!" cried Arthur, springing from his chair. ''Mr. 
 Craggie, you have said the word, right there : that is the 
 key to this whole business. Where does Chambers usually 
 sit?" 
 
 "Over there," said the president, pointing across the 
 desk ; "but there is no machine in existence that can take 
 down a man's words on a moving train, and it out of sight." 
 
 "Never mind about that," said Arthur, "the machine is 
 in existence ; for as sure as you and I are here, one took 
 down your words — I see right through this case as if I had 
 Chambers here telling me how it was done." 
 
 It was the work of only the moment occupied while 
 speaking these words for Arthur to get to the indicated 
 spot ; and as he stooped and looked upward underneath the 
 desk he saw the spring that set the machine operating, and 
 then he whistled softly and said, "Have you a key to this 
 drawer ?" 
 
 "Certainly ! All the drawers on this side unlock with 
 the same key — it lies right there on top the inkstand." 
 
 But when they tried it they found that it did not unlock 
 that drawer, even if it did open all the others. 
 
 "Now," said Arthur, "the machine that's been taking 
 down your talk must be an extraordinary one, and it 
 undoubtedly is in this drawer ; for Chambers knows a good 
 thing when he sees it, and he has certainly -not stopped 
 taking down your conversations. I suppose that by this 
 time he has enough evidence against you to make the coun- 
 try too hot to hold you. You've been in the habit of talk- 
 ing confidentially with him, I infer. I never knew a par- 
 ticularly reticent person who was not correspondingly con- 
 fiding with some one." 
 
 "Nothing to amount to anything since the night Eudy 
 was attacked," said Mr. Craggie, sharply. 
 
 The detective remarked, "I see! Well, we must not 
 break or tamper with the lock or he will know that I am 
 after him. We must get hold of this machine ; although I 
 expect lie will have hidden the records we want. Give 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 209 
 
 me your key to the car and take him up the road with you 
 tonight on the regular seven-thirty. And you had better 
 keep your eye on him most of the time, too ! In fact, I will 
 send a man whom I can trust, to keep him in sight while 
 you sleep. 
 
 "Send your cook and conductor and engineer on a vaca- 
 tion for two days." 
 
 He walked to the cook's room and looked in. "No 
 evidence of any cooking lately!" 
 
 "None on this car," said Mr. Craggie emphatically. I 
 paid eight-hundred-thousand dollars for what I thought was 
 heard through this little hole (pointing it out), and I 
 decided that was enough. I ought to be kicked for not 
 seeing through this. He has as good as told me, a thou- 
 sand times, that it was a machine." 
 
 Arthur could not keep from laughing. "Of course he 
 has! That's just Chambers all over! He has simply been 
 playing with you — and I know him well enough to be cer- 
 tain that he has been enjoying even the risk of detection: 
 fancy his staying with you after swindling you !" 
 
 "He is a devil !" said the president fiercely, "but I will 
 be too much for him, in the end." 
 
 "Keep your eyes open. He is pretty shrewd. I don't 
 expect that he ever told you it was a man at all." 
 
 "You are partly right," said Mr. Craggie, "it was almost 
 always 'A friend of mine.' " 
 
 "I'll bet he paid a pretty penny for the friendship," said 
 the detective as he left the car." 
 
 It was towards nightfall when Chambers returned, and 
 the president was beginning to become anxious lest he 
 had become frightened and run away. But when he came 
 in sight of the car he was whistling his favorite air from 
 "II Trovatore" and appeared to be in unusually good spirits. 
 He remarked that he hoped that the president had not been 
 lonely or suffered from any lack of excitement during his 
 enforced absence, — which he said had been unduly prolonged 
 owing to his having had a farewell interview with his 
 friend, — and that he wished to assure his hearer that the 
 silence of his friend was solemnly pledged until after the 
 death of a certain person with whom the president was 
 very well acquainted. 
 
210 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 Mr. Craggie could not help retorting: "I've had all the 
 excitement that was good for me, I expect;" and Cham- 
 bers expressed neither surprise nor opposition when he was 
 informed that they were to take the regular and travel north 
 all night. He only said — below his breath — as he lit another 
 of the president's cigars, "I got that new power of attorney 
 attended to just in time." 
 
CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 "Life is a disease of which sleep relieves us ; it is but a palliative : 
 death is the remedy." 
 
 — Cham fort. 
 
 The early dawn of the twenty-third of February gave 
 promise of one of those rare days, scattered throughout the 
 year, which make us breathe deep, walk erect and with a 
 light step, face the sun and floating fleecy-white clouds and 
 unfathomable depth of blue beyond with gladness, and which 
 seem to shout to our willing senses, "Sorrow and Death 
 are passed from the universe." 
 
 To Robert, greeting the first rays of the life-giving sun 
 from behind prison bars, it said not quite so much ; but 
 even to him it seemed the harbinger of hope, and he found 
 himself again making plans for the future — plans vastly 
 different from those of other days. 
 
 He knew that Arndt would not be able to visit him 
 as usual, owing to the great meeting at the mansion; so 
 he tried to while away the hours by reading. But he soon 
 found his mind wandering to what he supposed was tak- 
 ing place at the meeting. He was not so sanguine of a hearty 
 acceptance of the plan as either Arndt or his father. He 
 knew the men they had to deal with far better than they. 
 Still he was convinced that without the shares his father 
 owned and controlled Martinvale would be unable to re- 
 organize the company and overthrow Craggie. 
 
 From that his thoughts carried him forward to the day 
 when he could again walk the earth a free man ; and so 
 perfectly in accord with such reflections was the present 
 day that he stood for hours at the grated window, not let- 
 ting his eyes look on man's work, but gazing straight and 
 steadfastly at the sky and clouds, and unconsciously absorb- 
 ing their quieting calm. 
 
 Three o'clock found him standing thus ; and the inser- 
 tion of the key and the opening of the door recalled him 
 
 211 
 
212 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 to his surroundings. He turned instantly and read on the 
 faces of Arthur and Chandler that he was free. 
 
 (Bertram had been dismissed from the case about three 
 weeks previous, owing to his having proposed to Robert 
 to secure his release and final acquittal by means of pur- 
 chased, perjured testimony.) 
 
 Arthur said simply, "Come! Let's go at once. I have 
 wired Arndt to prepare your father. I got my man at last." 
 
 Chandler wrung Robert's hand in silence and then aided 
 him to pack what he wished to take with him — leaving most 
 of his books to be sent by express. 
 
 They were out of the building and on their way to the 
 station at four. Some time was wasted while waiting for the 
 next train. Just before it arrived they noticed King's car- 
 riage drive up, and when he entered he came straight to 
 them and said: 
 
 "I congratulate you, Mr. Endy. I am on my way to 
 visit your father." 
 
 "He is not worse?" Robert demanded anxiously. 
 
 "He found himself unable to personally address them, 
 Arndt wired me ; and as you know, I counseled against his 
 having the meeting at all. I thought it better to go with- 
 out being sent for, this time." 
 
 The train was one of those resultants of the capitalistic 
 system of production and distribution which the rich inflict 
 on the poor. Robert had tried to secure a special, but had 
 been answered curtly that it was impossible. Their first 
 glance at the engine and cars as they pulled into the station 
 showed Robert that the outfit had been suited only to the 
 scrap pile for years. But they could do no better and got 
 aboard. 
 
 They turned the back of one of the seats and faced each 
 other, and then Robert said, "I suppose that there will be 
 plenty of hot boxes on this wreck if we go over ten miles 
 an hour. Craggie should be made to ride in this himself, 
 for a day or two." 
 
 He noticed a look of understanding pass between the 
 others ; and then he turned and said to Arthur : "You might 
 as well while away the time by telling us of your search. 
 Tell it from the beginning. It should be worth hearing." 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 213 
 
 "Go on," said Chandler as he saw Arthur hesitate, 
 "King is one of us." 
 
 "There is not much to tell until about a week ago," was 
 the reply. "Then things began to come my way. All the 
 other time seems to have been wasted — simply wasted — 
 because we were all on the wrong trail, — owing to the lack 
 of the knowledge which Mr. Craggie would not disclose. 
 
 "I had followed Mr. Endy, as you all know, and soon 
 had evidence enough to have set him free ; but right there 
 I lost myself as I have never before done. I followed trail 
 after trail only to every time land at the same spot. I had 
 the wrong man again on the string when Mr. Craggie let 
 me know tha't he wanted to see me. 
 
 "I had been wanting to have him talk to me in some other 
 character than a suspect, for some time; and therefore had 
 given him an address where he could communicate with me. 
 At the time I did so he very emphatically informed me that 
 I would never again do another bit of work for him or his 
 friends ; but I left my card just the same. 
 
 "And right then he, unwitingly, was the cause of my 
 losing much time ; for I told him plainly that the guilty 
 party could not possibly be Mr. Endy's son — and I proved it 
 to him. And then he said that he had reason to suspect 
 a man in Pennsylvania whose name and description he gave 
 me. But if the grave has not already yawned for that man 
 I don't know what has become of him. And the telling me 
 that did not help me a particle, for even now he refuses 
 to tell the reasons for his suspicion. 
 
 "Well, it did not take me long to secure that interview. 
 Fortunately I was right there when the message arrived. 
 I was at the car inside of an hour. It was at Clyde. I 
 had a most interesting conversation with Mr. Craggie, 
 which, as it was in my capacity as agent for Mr. Craggie, 
 I cannot divulge. This much I can say. Chambers has 
 been running a blackmailing scheme by means of some 
 marvelously powerful and accurate talking machine which 
 he had concealed in the drawer of his desk. How long he 
 has been taking down the president's private conversations 
 none of us know. His public ones, as we all are perfectly 
 aware, haven't much in them. And he, knowing full well 
 that the secretary's uncorroborated word could never harm 
 
2i 4 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 him, has been turning himself loose from time to time. He 
 admitted as much. It was that machine that threw every 
 one of us off the track. I have never seen it ; and we don't 
 know where it is ; but it must be nearly perfection ; for it 
 took down what was said while it was inside a closed drawer 
 and while the train was in motion — though that last doesn't 
 count for much, as the president's car moves along so 
 smoothly that there is scarcely jolt or jar. Not like this one ! 
 
 "There seemed to be no clue to how Chambers had done 
 his work (other than his own explanation, which was false 
 in every particular) until a chance word of Mr. C. put me 
 on the track. Then everything was clear as daylight. 
 
 "Then I had the secretary taken on a little trip up the 
 country and I investigated the car. I did not find the 
 machine ; but I found another bottom for the drawer — 
 one without any holes or spring — and something else. I 
 thought, then, that Chambers had, like is usual with most 
 criminals, carelessly left his trail open ; but I'm not so sure 
 about that now. 
 
 "Well, the next step was to go to the hotel where Cham- 
 bers had spent that night. There I found that there were 
 at least two persons who would swear that a conversation 
 had been carried on in Chambers' room during a great part 
 of the night of the attack on Mr. Endy. One of them I 
 had previously talked to, and it was only because I did not 
 then know what Mr. Craggie had to tell that I lost the trail. 
 I found that it was easy enough for a man to have entered 
 and left the hotel any number of times that night without 
 being seen. You remember, it snowed, and few people are 
 on the streets of Steelton after midnight. 
 
 "But I had still only proved Mr. Craggie's case. I had 
 not helped ours a particle. I could find no proof that Cham- 
 bers had left the hotel, although I was by this time cer- 
 tain that he had gone out; for the tale told by Mr. Craggie 
 showed that he had a motive sufficient to make him do so. 
 
 "It was at this point that I again came to a complete 
 standstill ; and, as usual at such times, I just walked up and 
 down and waited for something to turn up, or for some new 
 thought on the subject. I sauntered into the station at 
 Steelton ; and the lieutenant of police who arrested John 
 Smith of Nowhere — as they still call him — said that Smith's 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 215 
 
 sentence for the rioting would soon be served, and asked 
 whether Arndt intended to prosecute on the other charge. 
 I told him that he would — so far as I knew. Then the 
 officer said that in that case Smith would get a chance to 
 take a trip to the place he calls Nowhere, and that pretty 
 soon. He explained that he had heard from Clyde — where 
 Smith is in the county prison — that he seems to be dying — 
 as some of them do — simply because they can't get used to 
 being housed up. 
 
 "Right there I had another thought like the one I had 
 in the car, and I boarded the next train and visited Mr. 
 Smith. 
 
 "The smell of spring is already in the air and he is 
 needing freedom pretty badly ; so, when I stated my case, 
 which was that if he would tell who it was that ran away 
 from the Endy house on that night, and prove what he said, 
 I would guarantee his not being prosecuted by Arndt. 
 
 "I felt perfectly justified in making that promise, 
 although there was no time to consult with anyone. You 
 see, we really had scarcely enough evidence to hold him on 
 — in fact we could not have done it if that had been the 
 only charge. For he has insisted, from the first, that what 
 he really said was, He, not /. And he put up a plausible 
 enough tale about his knowledge of the affair by saying 
 that he had been told all about it, after the occurrence, by 
 a pal of his, whom he would not go back on. 
 
 "Consequently, he has kept on asserting that he would 
 prove an alibi, when the time came. 
 
 "Now, it appears that Chambers called at the prison on 
 two occasions to see this fellow ; and in his last talk with 
 me Smith again asserted the same and refused to admit a 
 thing or take advantage of my offer. He added : 'I don't 
 mind saying that I can prove by the testimony of Mr. Cham- 
 bers, Mr. Craggie's secretary, that I was in his room at the 
 hotel talking to him at the very time you say I was making 
 an attack on Arndt. In fact, I was there almost all night.' 
 
 "I just laughed when I heard that, and said, 'Yes! and 
 when Chambers, who has been very kind to you in other 
 ways, adds to his kindness by perjuring himself for you, and 
 when you swear to the same thing, he will have you where 
 you cannot help shouldering the part of principal in a neat 
 
216 THE RECORDING AXGEL 
 
 little blackmailing- villainy of his by which he extorted eight- 
 hundred-thousand dollars from president Craggie. How 
 much of that money did you get ?' 
 
 "When he saw through that he was hot, I can assure 
 you ; and I then said, 'Did you ever tell him that you had 
 followed him to his room?' 
 
 " 'Do I want to be put out of the way ?' he asked. 
 'Never said a word like that to anybody, yet ; but if you'll 
 guarantee what you said, I'll tell all I know.' 
 
 "So I took down his testimony and had him swear to it. 
 And it turns out that he followed the man who ran from the 
 house, — the soft snow underfoot and the falling flakes mak- 
 ing it perfectly easy to follow very close without fear of 
 detection, — and that, although the man led him hither and 
 yon for almost an hour he never lost sight of him until he 
 passed into the room which he said Mr. Craggie occupied. 
 I told him that that would never do, since Chambers him- 
 self would corroborate Mr. Craggie in denying that. But 
 he insisted that he had heard Mr. Craggie speaking when 
 the man opened the door and went in, and that he knew 
 the president's voice well enough to never forget it. He 
 hates Craggie more violently than I thought a human being 
 could hate any one. He cannot utter his name without curs- 
 ing — though in all his other talk he scarcely uses an oath. 
 He says he was formerly an employee of Craggie's and that 
 because he was not deferential enough on one occasion the 
 president discharged him and blacklisted him — reducing 
 him to poverty and his present condition. Of course, I know 
 nothing about the truth or falsity of this." 
 
 "I can well believe every word of it," Robert asserted. 
 
 "Be that as it may, I must ask your indulgence for a 
 moment; for I feel ashamed of the lack of success in this 
 case ; but when a man has to deal with two rascals who are 
 good in spots and who yet do not mind lying or even per- 
 i juring themselves, that person who is trying to catch up 
 with them has a hard row to hoe. 
 
 "In the very outset it occurred to me that this man might 
 have followed the other one ; but even there I was on a false 
 scent, for I thought the fact was that they were confed- 
 erates and that the reason Smith persisted in his knowing 
 nothing was because he was standing true to a pal. 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 217 
 
 "During my investigation I found out that Chambers 
 had been kind to this man at different times ; and then it 
 occurred to me that it might be friendship for the secre- 
 tary that was influencing him ; and it was only after my 
 assuring him that the evidence against Chambers was 
 already enough to convict him of the blackmailing that 
 Smith consented to speak at all. If people were bad all 
 through or good all through, we could get at them easier. 
 
 "Now, at the rate we are traveling, there will be plenty 
 of time to tell you everything, but if you wish me to cut it 
 short, I will do so." 
 
 "By no means," said King. "We are completely at the 
 mercy of one of the tentacles of the Octopus. We will 
 arrive at Steelton about sunset — provided we don't break 
 down completely — simply because of the through express : 
 this local will have to be on the side track at that place, I 
 understand, in order to let the through express pass. Other- 
 wise, I should not be sure of arriving there tonight." 
 
 Arthur laughed, for he saw that King was becoming 
 irritated at their delay at every little station, and he said, 
 "Never travel to Steelton on the local before, Doctor?" 
 
 "Never, Sir ! and never shall again." 
 
 "Poor people have to put up with it all the time," said 
 Chandler sententiously ; "but go on with your story, Mr. 
 Arthur." 
 
 "Well, you can see that Smith had a motive, both times, 
 for trying to kill Arndt. He says that any workingman who 
 will shoot to kill even the lowest hoodlum, or will order 
 others to do so, is a traitor to his own class, since most of 
 the criminal element have been or are the victims of the 
 rich. He has it all worked out in his own mind, on the 
 anarchistic theory ; and you ought to hear him curse the 
 Socialists. He hates them just a little less than he does 
 Craggie. 
 
 "Now, his testimony in regard to hearing Craggie speak- 
 ing in the secretary's room fits in so exactly with the talk- 
 ing machine business that I saw at once how we had all 
 been fooled, simply by Chambers being smart enough to 
 wind that machine before he started out to attack Mr. Endy. 
 I say wind, but in fact I suspect that there is some motor 
 attached to the affair to make it run so long as it does. 
 
218 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 "As for the motive for the attack, it was to fasten the 
 guilt upon Mr. Craggie ; but in order to explain that to you 
 I would have to tell you what Mr. Craggie told me in con- 
 fidence. You can just take my word for it that if Mr. 
 Robert had not been set upon by the detectives, Chambers 
 would have had the president behind the bars on the same 
 charge, — provided that was what he wished. What he 
 really was after I don't pretend to know. Mr. Craggie him- 
 self is obliged to admit that there are many reasons to cause 
 one to conclude that it was not money. This much is sure : 
 he could not foresee that Mr. Robert was going to be impli- 
 cated at all. He only intended to get his chief completely in 
 his power. Afterwards it was impossible for him to help 
 the way things were going, without relaxing his hold on Mr. 
 Craggie. So far as I now know he intended to let Mr. 
 Robert suffer for the crime unless he could control Mr. 
 Craggie otherwise ; but he insisted not. He expressed great 
 pleasure at being able to bear witness to your innocence, 
 Sir." 
 
 Robert's thoughts were evidently far away and he made 
 no reply, so Arthur turned to the others and continued : 
 
 "I swore out a warrant for the arrest of Chambers. 
 
 "No ; I swore out only one. Mr. Craggie will never 
 prosecute on his charge — for various reasons. 
 
 "I knew that the two men had again taken to the car, for 
 Mr. Craggie kept me informed of his movements and inten- 
 tions. He had also taken the cook on board, since he knew 
 that the whole yarn about the conversation's leaking out 
 through there was a lie. 
 
 "It was about half after ten this morning when I boarded 
 the car at the pipe mills fifty miles beyond Clyde. I waited 
 in the cook's room until we were spinning along at a clipping 
 rate, and I had to hold a revolver at the cook's head to keep 
 him from giving warning. As soon as I felt that it would 
 be impossible for Chambers to jump from the train (for I 
 could not look for much help from Craggie) I stepped out. 
 
 "When I opened the door I expected to have to make 
 a rush for Chambers and would not have been a particle 
 surprised to have heard the hum of bullets coming my 
 way, for I was obliged to go in facing him. Rut as soon 
 as he caught sight of me he arose, quietly, and said, 'How 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 219 
 
 do you do, Mr. Arthur? I am very glad to see you. There 
 is no need to state your errand. I was really becoming anx- 
 ious lest even the smartest detective in the United States — 
 or perhaps in the world — was not going to be able to pick up 
 any of the clues I have been throwing about all over the 
 country.' 
 
 "Here he held out his hand, and he is such a gentle- 
 manly fellow that before I knew it I found myself shaking 
 hands with him ; and that made Craggie mad, and he began 
 to taunt him and sneer at him. I brought that to a close, 
 for Chambers turned to me and smilingly said, 'Don't you 
 usually protect your prisoners, Mr. Arthur? Don't you 
 know that words are sharper than knives ? T 
 
 " 'Gods !' cried Craggie, T wish you had remembered that 
 before.' 
 
 " T have never forgotten it for a moment during the last 
 four months, Mr. President, and very infrequently during 
 the preceding fifteen years,' said he coolly." 
 
 "That man is a jewel of a knave. What a pity that we 
 live under a system that perverts such abilities as he and men 
 like him possess," said King meditatively. 
 
 Arthur continued : "True ! If we could have made an 
 honest man out of him I would have been thankful to have 
 taken him into partnership. The two of us could have run 
 down any rogue that ever lived, I believe." 
 
 And then after a pause he said, "I shall never forget that 
 ride ! He asked to see the warrant, and when he noted that 
 it was not for the blackmailing affair he laughed until I 
 thought he would never stop. 
 
 " 'Well ! Well ! ! You are certainly a clever detective ; 
 but I don't think much of the courage of Mr. Craggie. Why 
 is not the other charge pressed, Mr. President? Of course, 
 you could not get the money again, for it is spent ; but I 
 should have thought that you would like to have your re- 
 venge. You know that Mr. Endy did not die, and I can be 
 prosecuted only for assault with intent to murder; and a 
 clever lawyer such as I will be certain to retain, will make it 
 only burglary. Mr. Endy recollects nothing, and you have 
 never found the instrument with which he was struck.' 
 And then he proceeded to badger Mr. Craggie in a style that 
 I could have enjoyed had he been any other man's prisoner. 
 
220 THE RECORDING AXGEL 
 
 So I told him that what was sauce for the goose, and so 
 forth. 
 
 "He smiled as he paid me another compliment and said, 
 'How do you propose to make me stop, Mr. Arthur. Do 
 you contemplate gagging me ?' 
 
 " 'I propose to ask you as a personal favor to not make 
 this ride any more uncomfortable than is absolutely neces- 
 sary,' said I. 
 
 " 'You are a gentleman, Sir, and I take pleasure in con- 
 versing with you,' and he turned his back on Mr. Craggie ; 
 and such a talk as I listened to for the rest of the journey 
 it has never before been my privilege to enjoy. He had 
 men, women, literature and art at his tongue's end; and a 
 golden tongue it was. 
 
 "At last he glanced out of the window and said, 'Yes ; 
 we are nearing Clyde, and I will have to deny myself the 
 pleasure of further conversation, at present — and the place to 
 which I am going is not supposed to be very attractive to 
 visitors.' 
 
 " 'I shall take pleasure in coming to see you,' said I. 
 'How in the world did you ever find time to keep so well up 
 with things?' 
 
 " 'Don't make rash promises ; remember with what I 
 stand charged. I thank you for your courteous offer — but 
 I could not wish to see you, there, even as a visitor. As to 
 your question : A man that remembers whatever he hears 
 and whatever his eye once rests upon — be it animate or inani- 
 mate — soon acquires a stock of information in spite of him- 
 self. I had a remarkable memory even as a child ; and I 
 have strengthened it — for a purpose that knows no yield- 
 ing — until nothing escapes me. Let me show you. And 
 he reached to the table and picked, at random, out of a pile 
 of unopened mail a book which he hastily unpacked, and he 
 then read the first three pages rapidly. Then he handed it 
 to me, saying, 'Test me, please. On my word of honor as a 
 gentleman, it is the first time I ever saw a word of it.' 
 
 "And gentlemen, he repeated those three pages ver- 
 batim. 
 
 " 'How do you ever do it!' I exclaimed. 
 
 " 'Oh, that one was particularly easy, because I am in- 
 terested in political economy. You would testify as to my 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 221 
 
 ability to remember and repeat accurately, would you not, 
 Mr. Arthur?' 
 
 " 'I certainly would,' said I, 'and with pleasure, if you 
 needed it.' 
 
 " 'Thank you, Sir; but then, really, you have no idea of 
 what I can do when I put myself to it, for those subjects on 
 which we conversed have been the recreation of a very busy, 
 and not altogether useless life.' 
 
 " 'Worse than useless!' interposed Mr. Craggie. 
 
 "Chambers paid no more attention to him than if he had 
 not spoken. 
 
 "Turning to me from looking out of the window he said, 
 'I believe that I will light a cigar. These,' as he opened his 
 cigar case, 'are the brand I like best; but Mr. Craggie objects 
 to them, so, on second thought, I will fill the other side of 
 the case from his box to remember him by, and will smoke 
 one of them — so as not to disoblige him, at the last.' 
 
 "Clyde was near at hand — we were running in very slow- 
 ly, being in the rear of the local — and the president pushed 
 the box towards me, saying, 'Help yourself, Mr. Arthur.' 
 
 "I accepted and lit a cigar and Chambers lit his from 
 mine, and then said very seriously, 'Really, I would not ad- 
 vise you to gamble with Fate as I do ; for, though life is a 
 disease of which sleep relieves us ; it is but a palliative ; 
 death is the remedy — as Chamfort says.' 
 
 " 'What do you mean?' said I. 
 
 " 'Simply that Mr. Craggie has not enjoyed my society 
 lately, and I have been gratifying my love of gambling by 
 smoking his cigars.' 
 
 "'Gambling?' said I. 
 
 " 'Neither more nor less,' he replied seriously. 'Giandler 
 remarked just the other day that I was getting very thin and 
 even more pale than usual ; and it is all through anxiety as to 
 whether any of those cigars will eventually permanently dis- 
 agree with me.' 
 
 "He was smoking very rapidly and did not even take the 
 cigar from between his lips when he said. T wash to thank 
 you, Mr. Arthur, for the kindly way in which you have made 
 pleasant a most trying episode. There is the depot of Clyde 
 in sight ! It is a beautiful country, this ! I want you to 
 take notice that I acknowledge my guilt on both charges, 
 
222 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 though you prefer only one. On further consideration I 
 have decided to cheat the lawyers out of a fat fee ; I shall 
 make no defense.' 
 
 " 'Be careful,' said I. 'Whatever you say I shall have to 
 use against you.' 
 
 "He continued to smoke very fast, and paid no atten- 
 tion to my warning. 
 
 " 'I have had an exceedingly pleasant time the last three 
 months and more, in Mr. Craggie's society. I've been a sort 
 of big fish myself, you know; and I've enjoyed that almost 
 as much as my friend, the President, does.' 
 
 "Turning to him he said, 'Sir, I hand you a communica- 
 tion which you will find of the utmost interest;' and as Mr. 
 Craggie took it from his hand he said, 'Good-bye, Sir, I shall 
 be pleased to see you whither I am going.' 
 
 "Mr. Craggie immediately tore open the envelope and 
 Chambers turned to me and after an instant's pause said, 
 'Here is my confession in writing. You may need it to set 
 young Endy free at once. Tell him that I would never 
 have seen him actually convicted of the crime — even though 
 I did spirit his witnesses out of his reach. I have carried 
 that confession about with me ever since the day of his 
 arrest. I am truly thankful that Mr. Endy did not ' 
 
 "He stopped ; the cigar fell from his lips ; and, as Mr. 
 Craggie dropped the paper he was still holding unread while 
 he listened, he, Craggie, almost screamed, 'Poisoned, by 
 Jove!' and Chambers fell forward. 
 
 "I caught him and laid him on the floor of the car 
 
 "He was dead." 
 
CHAPTER XX. 
 
 great Caesar fell. 
 
 Oh, what a fall was there, my countrymen !" 
 
 — Shakespeare. 
 
 The exclamation of horror which sprang from the lips 
 of Robert Endy caused the detective to pause in his narra- 
 tive, and he wiped his face vigorously — the while remarking 
 that the car was very warm. It was a fact; but it was 
 mostly his eyes that he wiped. 
 
 Robert's thoughts had been so completely with his father 
 that although he heard the detective's words their meaning 
 did not make a very clear impression on his brain, and the 
 last statements had therefore taken him somewhat by sur- 
 prise. 
 
 He could see that to King and Chandler the death of 
 Chambers was no news. After a moment he said, "And so 
 he has paid the penalty of his crime. My friends, I thank 
 you that you did not mar the joy of the moment of my de- 
 liverance with such news. Well, well ! And so it was 
 Chambers ! Now, I think of it he had black hair ; but I 
 never once suspected him." 
 
 "Yes," said Arthur, ''and it matches the sample a great 
 deal better than Mr. Endy's does, but still it doesn't match. 
 I tell you, there is black hair and black hair. I had just 
 come from an interview with you, when I first saw those 
 hairs ; and I never even took the trouble to make any closer 
 comparison than that. But don't think that I did not ex- 
 amine Chambers' hair — months ago. It will be after today 
 when we get to the bottom of the hair business." 
 
 "He had on a wig," said Chandler positively. 
 
 Arthur smiled as he said emphatically. "Wrong again ! 
 Just as I was. The hair was fresh, and not dead, and had 
 been pulled out by the roots. It was a long time before I 
 could get any of Mr. Craggie's hair to examine ; but when 
 I did I would immediately have had him arrested as the 
 
 223 
 
224 THE RECORDING AXGEL 
 
 guilty party had I not previously found out certain things 
 that make it physically impossible for it to have been him. 
 On that night, snow fell from shortly after twelve until 
 nearly three. There were no footmarks towards the door in 
 the snow on the car platform or steps, nor about the car the 
 next morning. There were some coming out — they were a 
 woman's. I have the measure of them." 
 
 "And yet, you say ! Why how in the world?" said 
 
 King. 
 
 "I don't know," said Arthur, "but I'm going to keep on 
 trying until I find out. And there are some more things 
 in this case that I don't yet know. I must find out what be- 
 came of our witnesses." 
 
 Robert had become interested and King was glad to 
 notice it, and said, "Hurry, Mr. Arthur, at least tell us all 
 that you know." 
 
 "Well, the first thing I did was to throw the nearest 
 window wide open ; then I stooped to pick up the remainder 
 of the cigar, and as I did so I noticed the paper Mr. Craggie 
 had not yet unfolded lying there close by the cigar, and I 
 picked both of them up and handed the paper to Mr. Craggie 
 and carefully placed the cigar in the case which I drew from 
 the dead man's pocket. 
 
 "No ; he had not substituted one of his cigars ! His are 
 short, thick, very black ones ; and that side of the case is still 
 full, and the only vacant space in the case, when I opened it, 
 was just where I had seen him place a cigar from Craggie's 
 box, and then — on second thought — take it out again, light 
 and smoke it. 
 
 "His words kept ringing in my ears until, in spite of my- 
 self, I threw the remainder of my cigar out of the window. 
 
 "As I did this Mr. Craggie — who had been standing as 
 though rooted to the spot — seemed to come to himself, and 
 he replaced the paper in the envelope which he still held and 
 put them in his pocket. 
 
 "Then he said sharply, 'What did you do that for?' 
 
 " 'Couldn't help it,' said I. 'Chambers was smoking one 
 of yours when he died.' 
 
 " 'Why, you certainly are not fool enough to believe that 
 man's crazy talk. Why, he poisoned himself to escape hang- 
 ing.' 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 225 
 
 "Mr. Craggie stopped right there. In fact, the last 
 syllable was only a gurgle in his throat; and then he cried 
 out, 'Great God ! and his life was not even in danger.' 
 
 "I had been watching his face closely and I then said: 
 'Now, I think that you are an innocent man — this time ; but 
 I'll tell you candidly that innocence don't always save a 
 man — as you ought to know. If you will look back over the 
 past four months you will see that things look black for 
 you. If Chambers has been expressing fears for his life to 
 people in general as he did to me, and if there are others 
 who know that you had a reason for getting rid of him and 
 his testimony, I am going to have a hard time clearing you. 
 My advice to you is to say absolutely nothing until I or your 
 counsel give you the word.' 
 
 "And then I examined the other pockets in Chambers' 
 clothing, and in one of them I found a certain power of at- 
 torney whose wording showed at once that others held just 
 that information. And when I showed this to Mr. Craggie 
 — Well, gentlemen, I have no words to describe the effect on 
 that proud and overbearing man. He pleaded with me to save 
 him. He promised half his wealth. He kept repeating 
 over and over again : 'My God ! My God ! why was he so 
 bitter towards me. I always treated him as well as I did 
 anybody.' 
 
 "At last I said, 'If we knew his motive we would prob- 
 ably solve the whole affair. You rich men don't seem to 
 realize that the way you are carrying on is liable to ' 
 
 "But right there I came to a stop. 
 
 "The car had been shifted to the siding where it usually 
 stands, and we had been so taken up with our own affairs 
 that we had not noticed the black cook when he leaped from 
 it before it came to a standstill. 
 
 "As soon as he touched the ground he cried to the con- 
 ductor and engineer, 'Good God, men ! Mr. Chambers has 
 been murdered by that old devil in there.' 
 
 "All of these men were attached to Chambers ; and when 
 we realized what was going on we were brought to our 
 senses with a jar, for the train was surrounded by a howl- 
 ing mob, crying. 'Lynch Craggie !' and so forth. 
 
 "I had scarcely time to push him into the cook's room — ■ 
 which was the only place that could be defended — when, as 
 
226 THE RECORDING AXGEL 
 
 I faced about — with a gun in each hand — I found that the 
 conductor and engineer were coming into the car. I had 
 had no time to lock the door. When they saw Chambers 
 lying there the tears rolled down their faces and they 
 cried to those outside, 'It is true. He is dead!' and I do not 
 wonder that Mr. Craggie cowered into the remotest corner 
 when he heard the screams and execrations of the crowd. 
 I have faced mobs before, but may God Almighty save me 
 from ever confronting such another one. There was not a 
 hoodlum or a tramp in that crowd. It was largely made up 
 of the passengers who had been waiting for the next train, 
 and the railroad employes. 
 
 "After gazing at Chambers for several minutes the men 
 turned to search for the president. Rocks and some bullets 
 had smashed every window in the car. Mr. Craggie had 
 been hit more than once by the rocks, but at that point the 
 man who used to be telegraph operator at Steelton, Fred 
 Paisley, by name, sprang on to the car steps with a rope in 
 his hand all ready looped and knotted, and cried, 'Stop that 
 firing ; you might kill him. Bullets are too good for Crag- 
 gie — here's the rope to finish him !' 
 
 "They stopped to listen to him and he said, T used to hate 
 Chambers ; thought he caused me to lose my job and had me 
 blacklisted — I found out the other day who it was that has 
 been keeping me and my family from want. It was Archi- 
 bald Chambers. Death to the man that killed him !' 
 
 "I began to think that my own time was getting pretty 
 close, for I don't usually abandon an employer. The con- 
 ductor and engineer saw me standing there, as soon as they 
 turned. At the same instant I called to them to throw up 
 their hands and said I would shoot the first man that came 
 towards me. I tried to argue with them. I told them that 
 Mr. Craggie was my prisoner and that I proposed to hand 
 him over to the authorities. Nothing did a bit of good. I 
 suppose there would have been but one termination to the 
 affair if some one at the station had not telephoned for 
 Jones, and while I was still arguing he came on the scene. 
 I don't know how Jones does it ; he didn't have a single 
 deputy with him ; he didn't apply to the governor for troops 
 — but the fact remains that he made his way through the 
 crowd to my side and had the engineer and conductor dep- 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 227 
 
 utized and persuaded to help us keep the peace, in a few 
 minutes. The man is absolutely fearless, for one thing; but 
 i think that I am not much of a coward, and I could do noth- 
 ing. 
 
 "Of course, it wasn't pleasant for Mr. Craggie to face the 
 crowd ; but it had to be done ; and I am free to confess that 
 they hustled him about considerable before we reached the 
 prison van, which was drawn up as close to the car as the 
 mob would let it come. That was the only time that Jones 
 drew his gun ; but when he did, he used it. Just as he 
 was pushing Craggie up the steps of the van the ex-operator, 
 Paisley, who still held the rope, slipped up and dexterously 
 threw it over the prisoner's head. He pulled vigorously on 
 it and cried to the others : 'Catch hold, boys — we'll have him 
 in spite of Jones. Jones has sold out to the millionaires.' 
 
 "That word was his last ; and the rope was off of Mr. 
 Craggie before he took another step. The sight of the dead 
 man cooled the courage of the mob, and we drove off at full 
 speed. Then the prisoner was soon behind bars and stood 
 committed for trial. For the magistrate refused him bail 
 when he learned that Chandler and the engineer and the cook 
 and the conductor — to say nothing of myself — all had heard 
 the dead man express fears for his safety; and when I was 
 obliged to say that Chambers had told me of those fears in 
 the presence of the prisoner not five minutes previous to his 
 death, and that the cigar, which I suppose was the direct 
 cause of his death, had been, to my certain knowledge, taken 
 out of Mr. Craggie's box, the magistrate — who usually knows 
 which way the popular wind is blowing — would not. listen to 
 my supposition that Chambers himself had placed it there, 
 (for that's the way I interpret Chambers' talk about gamb- 
 ling) but said, 'That will do, gentlemen. This court does 
 not need any more testimony. Committed without bail.' " 
 "That's the end of Jones' popularity, mark my words !" 
 said Chandler. 
 
 "Watch for the reaction against Socialism," said Arthur. 
 The train at this moment pulled up at a station twenty 
 miles from Steelton, and the usual tinkering with hot boxes 
 commenced. The four men were nearly wild with impa- 
 tience. Arthur left the car and went into the telegraph 
 office and wired to Arndt, and in a few moments Arndt re- 
 
228 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 plied : "My God, man ! Are you that far away yet? Thought 
 you were coming on a special. Carriage is waiting at the 
 depot for you now. Hurry, I tell you, hurry." 
 
 Arthur did not show the telegram. He went to the engi- 
 neer — an old acquaintance of his — and said: "Introduce me 
 to that conductor of yours, will you. There is a thousand 
 dollars in it for you and him if you will drop those two 
 cranky coaches on the siding, put all the passengers in ours, 
 (which hasn't had but four men in it the whole trip), and 
 land us in Steelton just as fast as this engine can get there.'" 
 
 Seeing that the man was wavering Arthur added, "You 
 don't need any orders from headquarters — all you have to do 
 is to try to make up some of that lost time ; you are now 
 way behind the schedule, you know," 
 
 The engineer hesitated and finally said, "Sorry I can't 
 oblige you, but you know the rides. Much as a man's job 
 is worth to think for himself and use ordinary good judg- 
 ment, these days. So far as a clear track, you are right 
 enough, for we are on number four — (formerly for freight 
 — not much freight from Steelton these days) — and they've 
 put us over here to be out of the way of the through ex- 
 press. No; it isn't right of way that is the matter, but it's 
 the dropping of those coaches, you see. Blacklist is a pretty 
 tough proposition, you know." 
 
 Arthur replied by handing him the telegram, at the same 
 time saying, "Mr. Endy's son is in that car — going home to 
 his father." 
 
 "Come along! Come along!" said the engineer, starting 
 toward trie conductor, "I thought the old gent was all right 
 again." 
 
 Arthur said, "So we all thought. Something must have 
 gone wrong today." 
 
 After a few moments' conference the conductor said, "If 
 all of you gentlemen will agree to bear me out in my state- 
 ment as to the dangerous condition of those forward coaches 
 I will drop them. I am much obliged for your offer, Mr. 
 Arthur; but I don't want a penny in such a case; if we get 
 fired it will be in a good cause." 
 
 So they went to the others and stated the case, and in a 
 few moments they were traveling at a fairly satisfactory- 
 rate of speed towards Steelton. 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 229 
 
 While the change was being made Arthur wired Arndt : 
 "Could not get a special. Twenty miles away. Are com- 
 ing on with but one coach. May be with you in thirty 
 minutes." 
 
 All the party were much cheered when they felt the swift 
 onward movement of the train. Even this car was not filled, 
 for everybody seemed to be going toward Clyde. The trains 
 that sped by them on the regular passenger track were 
 all crowded, and from the number of them that went by it 
 could easily be seen that extras were being run. Arthur had 
 noticed this, but Robert now did for the first time, and he 
 said, "So Mr. Craggie is having a chance to find out how an 
 innocent man feels in prison — for I presume that he is inno- 
 cent. But it may be that he will be very glad that the walls 
 are thick and that Jones has him in charge, before morning. 
 Did you notice how crowded that last car was that passed us 
 now ?" 
 
 Arthur replied : "Yes ; and so were all the others ; and so 
 was every train that has passed us this afternoon. As to his 
 innocence, I thought so and I hope so ; but Chandler told me 
 some things that are troubling me mightily. As to the moral 
 guilt I think, from what I have learned since this strike com- 
 menced, that he is many times a murderer. I am going back 
 tomorrow to consult with him, and " 
 
 An exclamation burst from King: "Didn't you know it! 
 I thought you were concealing it from Endy ! Mr. Craggie 
 is dead." 
 
 Each looked at the others in speechless amazement, and 
 finally King resumed: "I was just stepping into my carriage, 
 intending to catch the two-thirty express for Steelton when I 
 was called to the magistrate's office to attend a dying man. 
 What they sent for me for I don't know ; for he had shot 
 himself in the mouth and blown the top of his head most off. 
 Why will people kill themselves in such horrible ways! 
 There was not a thing for anybody to do; so when I got 
 there — knowing that I had missed the express — I asked for 
 particulars. You must have started from there as soon as 
 he gave his corroborating testimony in regard to Chambers' 
 confession of Endy's innocence." 
 
 "Yes," said both Arthur and Chandler, and the latter 
 added, "We had to go through with the red tape business 
 
230 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 necessary to liberate a falsely imprisoned and perfectly in- 
 nocent man, you know." 
 
 "Miserable farce!" said King, "that's my opinion of the 
 law — as we have it today. Well, as soon as he was com- 
 mitted for trial, and while waiting for the prison van to 
 arrive — or something else — he took from his pocket a letter 
 addressed to him by Chambers. He laid the envelope on 
 the desk in front of him, read the letter and then slowly 
 tore it into minute fragments and dropped wad after wad of 
 them into the reeking cuspidor into which the policeman 
 who had him in charge was expectorating mouthful after 
 mouthful of tobacco juice. He seemed to be so unconcerned 
 that no one thought to stop him, and he smiled every time a 
 lot of the pieces were engulfed in the filth. Almost every- 
 body had drawn away from him ; and when the last of the 
 letter had disappeared from sight he requested the officer to 
 get him some water to drink. The man was not ten feet 
 away from him before Mr. Craggie was dead." 
 
 "In God's name !" said Arthur, "what could have been 
 on that paper? Mr. Craggie said to me while we were 
 standing over the body of Chambers, T wonder why he was 
 so bitter towards me.' And my guess is that he had found 
 out." 
 
 "The country is well rid of both of them, I think," said 
 Chandler. 
 
 "Not much choice between Mr. Craggie and Martinvale 
 or some of the others who are likely to succeeed them in 
 running things," said Robert — "but here we are at Steel- 
 ton !" 
 
 And without waiting for the train to stop completely 
 Robert sprang from the car and grasped old Rollins by the 
 hand, with the single word "Father?" on his lips. 
 
 And Rollins, not knowing of his ignorance, said bluntly, 
 "Still alive, Sir; but sinking fast." 
 
 Arthur was by this time at Robert's side and supported 
 him when he staggered under the blow. In another moment 
 Robert had regained control of himself and sprang on the 
 back of Arndt's pet, which he had recognized as he left the 
 car; and then the mud of Steelton's streets was sent to right 
 and left under the rhythmic blows of willing, speeding feet 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 231 
 
 — and Robert was out of sight before his companions could 
 enter the carriage which stood waiting for them. 
 
 In Clyde there was neither mud nor sleet. In Steelton 
 the depth of the mixture made traveling slow. 
 
 When they were fairly started Arthur said: "Man prcv- 
 poses ! I worked like a beaver to get Chambers arrested in 
 time to let Robert get home on the day of the meeting; for 
 his father assured me that it would lack only that of being 
 the proudest and happiest day of his life. He had not a 
 doubt of his plan being accepted." 
 
 "Do not upbraid yourself," said King. "Had you any- 
 thing to do with the guilt of any of the others ? Suppose 
 that Robert were still in prison? My idea is that if his 
 father is as low as that, he would now be dead were it not 
 for the sustaining hope you gave him of seeing his son 
 again. And great and small, and high and low, are instru- 
 ments of HIS." 
 
CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 "For, Some days must be dark and dreary." 
 
 — Longfellow. 
 
 On this same day, as Arndt turned to hasten to Mr. 
 Endy's room he confronted Kenedy who had been admitted 
 at the side door. 
 
 He immediately showed him the telegram from Arthur, 
 and his face was very pleasant to look at, for the joy on it 
 was genuine, as he said, "I tell you, Doc, this arrives in the 
 nick of time. Mr. Endy took the acceptance of his plan 
 much harder than I feared he would its rejection. I think 
 he had braced himself for its rejection ; but when in his con- 
 versation before dinner with Martinvale and others he found 
 that the pension plan which, on account of its liberality, was 
 what he feared would be the great stumbling block, was not 
 strenuously objected to — he took heart and talked enthusias- 
 tically of the future, and a great deal too much. 
 
 "I warned and warned him ; but you know his favorite 
 saying: 'A man's immortal till his work is done' — and once 
 he added playfully, 'And don't you know, my boy, I've got a 
 lifetime of work ahead, to put this plan in successful opera- 
 tion ?' 
 
 "I had not the heart to tell him that several of them had 
 said plainly to me — supposing that I was no longer a work- 
 ing man — for it has been told everywhere recently that I am 
 soon to marry a rich woman — that there would be no diffi- 
 culty' in keeping the amount paid out under the pension sec- 
 tion very small, simply by discharging the men on one pre- 
 text or another before they became eligible under the time 
 limit. 
 
 "I tell you, Doc, I was converted to Socialism right at the 
 moment when Martinvale himself had the audacity to tell me 
 that. He is shrewd. He supposed that I would hear it being 
 talked, sooner or later, and so he closed my mouth by tell- 
 ing it to me himself. Of course, now, I cannot repeat it in 
 public. 
 
 232 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 233 
 
 "And if you could have heard the way they figured and 
 cut on each proposition that would make it easier for a 
 workingman to accumulate anything, I think that I would 
 not have much trouble in converting you either." 
 
 They were by this time standing outside of Mr. Endy's 
 door and could hear Nettie and Annie talking to him, and 
 Kenedy said bluntly : "You'll never do it, Charlie — never in 
 this world ! Your sister completed the work long ago," and 
 then he held out his hand and said cordially, "Shake, Com- 
 rade." 
 
 Mr. Endy heard their voices and called eagerly, "Charles, 
 Charles, come quickly. I need you at once." 
 
 Kenedy, as soon as he heard that voice, knew that a great 
 change had occurred, and he whispered to Arndt as he re- 
 turned the telegram, "Not till I give you the word!" 
 
 As soon as they entered Mr. Endy called out, "Come, 
 come, my dear boy, I must have a new will drawn up at 
 once. The strike is about over; and what is left of the 
 estate must be willed to Robert unconditionally. I must 
 give him that last proof that I trust him fully. Get me pen, 
 ink and paper. I will write it myself. It doesn't take many 
 words to give all of a person or all of an estate or all of 
 Heaven or Hell." 
 
 While he was speaking they had passed to where they 
 could see his face; and the way in which it had aged, and 
 the way in which the light of hope had died out of it, brought 
 tears to their eyes — and Arndt was glad of the excuse to 
 leave the room and go into the study for what was wanted. 
 
 Kenedy immediately commenced to talk cheerfully of the 
 future and how glad he was to learn that the plan was to be 
 put in operation, and while he talked he prepared some res- 
 torative and then asked Mr. Endy to take it. 
 
 "What's the use, Doctor? Don't I know that my work 
 is done — that the plan will be used to further the interests 
 of the rich, will be used to defer the day of final payment, 
 will be used to put new shackles on the worker ? No, no ! I 
 have prayed, 'When I can no longer be instrumental in 
 averting strife between the rich and poor, do not let me 
 live to see the inevitable struggle.' Martinvale said plainly 
 that he and the others would never submit to the will of the 
 voters if it took the shape of Socialism. The workers have 
 
234 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 submitted year after year and century after century to legis- 
 lation adverse to their interests, and have done it with little 
 murmuring. They are the patriots. The men I enter- 
 tained this day and all like them are the traitors." 
 
 Again Kenedy begged him to take the medicine, and 
 again he refused ; saying, "I have strength enough left to 
 make that will and write some farewell words to my son — 
 that is enough. I do not care to live beyond the last gleam 
 of that shining sun." 
 
 Arndt had returned while he was speaking and Kenedy 
 looked meaningly at him. 
 
 Arndt simply placed the open telegram in the father's 
 hand. 
 
 Nettie was seated by his side and Annie stood with her 
 hand resting on the pillow close by his head, and when he 
 took in the meaning of the joyful news he closed his eyes in 
 silent thanksgiving for quite a while, and at last said, "Give 
 me your medicine, Doctor — whatever you will — my boy is 
 free, is coming home — I must be here to welcome him." 
 
 Nettie leaned over and kissed him, saying, "Father, 
 don't forget that I have no one to lean on but you — you 
 must stay with me for many, many years." 
 
 It was the first time she had given him that endearing 
 title ; and he clasped her hand tightly and said : "Dear child, 
 I would to God that I could, for your sake — but I must go ; 
 and you will not need me," looking significantly at Arndt. 
 
 But both of them knew that things were not as they had 
 been between Arndt and the girl — not since the day of her 
 arrival at the mansion. 
 
 Arndt placed the paper on the invalid's table and pushed 
 it to the bedside, and then Mr. Endy wrote the necessary 
 words in a surprisingly steady hand, and said, "Friends, I 
 acknowledge that to be my last will and testament and 
 request all to sign as witness of my acknowledgment and 
 that I am of sound and disposing mind." 
 
 In the meantime Arndt had sent for a Notary before he 
 returned to the room with the pen and paper, and while they 
 were signing that official arrived and took the acknowledg- 
 ment of all in legal form. 
 
 When everything was finished Mr. Endy leaned back 
 and rested for a time and Arndt accompanied the Notary to 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 235 
 
 the door, and upon his return to the bedside his friend spoke 
 to him — and all could note that his voice was plainly weaker 
 — saying, "Charles, how soon do you think they can be 
 here?" 
 
 "I hope, within an hour, Sir, if they got a special and 
 started when the telegram was sent." 
 
 Once more he took the remedy and rested ; and when he 
 looked at them again it was much more brightly, and he 
 said, "See here, Doctor, I don't want to go to sleep. I 
 have much to say to Robert, and many things may happen to 
 delay him. I will talk. Charles, get ready and take down 
 my words — my final words to Robert. I feel that there 
 should be little left to say when he arrives." 
 
 Kenedy replied promptly, "It will do you no harm to talk, 
 but you should not give up. There is no need for you to die, 
 if you will only think so and use your utmost endeavors to 
 survive the shock you have sustained. I know how severe 
 a one it is — and Mr. Martinvale should be hanged — but you 
 can still do much for humanity." 
 
 "Doctor," said he, "I have done with fooling myself. I 
 am wedded to that plan of mine. If they had rejected it I 
 would still have worked to secure for it a chance, and, even 
 now, convinced as I am that the ten years' work was wasted, 
 I could not refrain, if I survived, from seeking to put this 
 and the other feature of it in operation. I would be a 
 hindrance to the young men who have quite another work to 
 do ; and it is because I so fully realize this weakness of mine 
 that I know my work is done. All I ask of you is, abide 
 with me till night shall come, and keep me here and in con- 
 dition to welcome my boy — and, if I might so far presume on 
 our years of acquaintance, stand shoulder to shoulder with 
 the workers, in the future. You are a laboring man, as 
 well as they. Their highest interests are yours." 
 
 "You mean the Socialists? I am already enlisted. So 
 is Arndt; let me greet you, my Comrade." 
 
 "That is good ! That is good ! Oh, what a word that is ! 
 That is the word I have missed — all my life. At the last I 
 have learned to say and love it." 
 
 Turning to Annie Arndt he said : "Dear girl, let me thank 
 you for the untiring kindness with which you tried to show 
 me this. But you know we can learn our lesson in but one 
 
236 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 wa y — you in yours, I in mine. I am thankful that it was 
 so gentle a hand that snapped my chains and set me free." 
 
 Annie leaned over and kissed his forehead and said : 
 "Comrade, I will never forget those words of thanks. They 
 shall nerve me for the days to come." 
 
 Arndt said that he was ready and Mr. Endy requested 
 the others not to leave, as he had nothing to say that all 
 might not hear; and then sentence by sentence, slowly, 
 slower and slower and ever more feebly he spoke as the 
 hours dragged interminably along. Ever the pauses between 
 the sentences became longer. At times they thought that he 
 would never speak again; but when Arthur's message was 
 read, setting a definite moment for the arrival of his son, he 
 seemed to revive wonderfully and hurried through what he 
 had still to say. 
 
 Arndt alone knew that he had sent Jeanette to the station 
 for Robert ; he could not be there to greet him — he sent his 
 best, instead. And Robert read the loving thought and 
 blessed him for it. 
 
 Arndt knew the thud, thud, thud of those faithful feet as 
 far as they could be heard; and as soon as Robert left the 
 muddy highway and entered the mansion grounds the tid- 
 ings of his coming was borne to Arndt's ears and he whis- 
 pered to Kenedy, "He is coming, he is here !" 
 The ears of Death are sharp. 
 
 Mr. Endy caught each word, and when Robert — finding 
 no one to meet or restrain him, supposing that his father 
 was dead — rushed into the room, he found the old man 
 standing with open arms to greet him and crying, "Praise the 
 Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, praise his Holy 
 name ; for this my son was lost and is found — was dead and 
 is alive." 
 
 For the moment Robert was so shocked, so overjoyed, 
 that he did not take another step, and then his father said — 
 but ob, how weak and trembling the voice had become — *'I 
 bid you welcome home, my boy. All that I have is yours. 
 All these are comrades mine, and all are pledged for life — 
 are you of us? Can you yet speak the Comrade word?" 
 Now, the only reservation in Robert's mind when he 
 wrote to his father the last time was the fact of his conver- 
 sion to Socialism. Annie Arndt had sent him book after 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 237 
 
 book and paper after paper and finally several letters on the 
 subject; and so it was with great relief and joy that he was 
 able to squarely meet his father's look and say, "With all my 
 heart I can ; all that I have or am is for the cause. God 
 bless the Comrade cause!" 
 
 "My work is done," his father said, and would have 
 fallen if Robert had not clasped him to his heart. 
 
 Then Kenedy and Arndt, who noticed how nerveless 
 
 hung- the hands of their friend, went to Robert's assistance ; 
 
 and when they laid his father down they saw that that which 
 
 we call "Life and Thought had gone away, side by side." 
 ******** 
 
 Annie and Nettie could not restrain their tears. They 
 went into the study adjoining the bedroom, and to the win- 
 dow that opened out on to his much loved balcony ; and when 
 Arndt saw them there he also came and stood beside them 
 and noticed that the last rays of the sun — that sun that had 
 shown so brightly, warmly, cheeringly, through all this awful 
 day — was gilding the western sky more gloriously than he 
 had seen before. The room behind him was filled with the 
 tender light, and he now remembered that throughout the 
 day the birds had been singing and twittering their delight 
 at what they thought was spring at hand. 
 
 And as he stooped to kiss his sister he said, "And yet 
 the Spring, the day of birth, is far away — there's much 
 of winter yet to face and bear." 
 
 At that kiss Nettie turned away and glanced through the 
 open doorway behind them, and as she did so she saw the 
 agony on the face of Robert Endy, who had thrown himself 
 on his knees and was gazing at his father's face as one who 
 never could gaze enough. The sight brought back to her — 
 as in a flash of swiftest lightning — the wild, wild words she 
 had spoken of him the night her father died. Dimly the 
 recollection of that night had been ever with her; but now 
 she heard herself, and saw it all again. 
 
 She gazed until she found that Arndt had also turned 
 and understood her thought, and then she went from them 
 and softly closed the door. 
 
 Returning, she reached to him her hand and said : "Do 
 curses, righteous curses, ever work despite the human in- 
 strument? And yet, have I not also lost, have I smote 
 
238 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 him and not my friends ? No, no ! You had the right ; 
 we are so bound that none may smite but he smites all ; that 
 none may steal but he thieves from himself. You were most 
 right ; we smite a system, not a man ; and though we have 
 befriended, pitied, loved that man, still is his life — the life he 
 used to lead — made desolate and a failure — and you are quit 
 of your oath. Here, as though in the presence of the dead, 
 I ask you if you wish to give me up — or whether my father's 
 wealth — now dedicated to the cause we love — shall stand be- 
 tween us any more." 
 
 Arndt winced. She had probed his most secret thoughts. 
 He answered in her very words: "Remember, you are mine, 
 and I am yours, and I will never give you up — unless you 
 want me to," and then he kissed them both ; and so they 
 stood and watched the dark creep up to meet the coming 
 day. 
 
 How long they stood none knew. 
 
 Within the room there was no sound until Robert, who 
 had come up noiselessly behind them said, "Come, I now 
 must hear of all there is to tell. Miss Arndt, you have my 
 heartfelt thanks — I shall never forget that it is to you that 
 I owe being able to give my father the answer he wanted." 
 
 Annie noticed how firm, resolute, manly was the tone 
 of his voice, and she replied, "I did my duty, nothing more. 
 My life and all I have belongs — like yours — to this great 
 Cause. Could I do less than I have done ?" 
 
 And then they went down to their friends who were 
 anxiously waiting for them in the library. Owing to the 
 condition of the streets King and the others had not arrived 
 until after Mr. Endy's death, but they remained to offer their 
 services and sympathy to Robert. Little was said, for sup- 
 per was soon announced ; but afterwards the story of that 
 day was told by Arndt to sympathetic hearers, and when he 
 ended he went to the desk and took from it the paper he had 
 written during that solemn afternoon and handed it to Rob- 
 ert, who immediately asked to be excused and went with it 
 to his father's room. 
 
 It was then nine o'clock and King and Chandler and 
 Arthur decided that they must return to Clyde by the ten 
 o'clock express, and Kenedy went for his wife to remain 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 239 
 
 with the ladies at the mansion until after the burial of Mr. 
 Endy. 
 
 As Chandler was leaving he said to Arndt, "You are 
 named with me on a power of attorney signed by Chambers ; 
 and I think it will be best, if you can be spared from here 
 tomorrow, for us to see at once what is in that box of his. 
 I would like to invite Mr. Arthur to be with us when we 
 open it, as he can tell us more about things connected with 
 this case than anyone else." 
 
 Arndt gave Arthur a cordial invitation, saying, at the 
 same time, that he did not know what ever possessed Cham- 
 bers to put his name on such a document, since if he hated 
 anyone on the earth or beyond, it was the man that had 
 struck his friend. He agreed, however, to go to Clyde on 
 the morrow, if possible. 
 
 Soon after the arrival of the Kenedy's the mansion was 
 shrouded in darkness, save where the light gleaned into the 
 night from the window of Mr. Endy's room. 
 
 There Robert sat and read the paper and the will en- 
 closed therein and thought of all the past and planned for 
 the future until the first glimmer of dawn allowed him to 
 extinguish the light; and then he called Rollins to take his 
 place by the side of the dead. 
 
 Even then he started at the beginning and read those last 
 words of his father once more before retiring. 
 
 "To my dear Son: Greeting. 
 
 "My work is done ; your begins. 
 
 "First: Tear from your heart the love of wealth; for I 
 say unto you that it is easier for a camel to go through the 
 eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom 
 of Heaven. 
 
 "Second : Tear from your heart the love and pride of 
 place ; for I say unto you that Equality alone can make you 
 free. 
 
 "Third : Tear from your heart the love of power ; for I 
 say unto you, 'How can a man love God whom he hath not 
 seen, if he love not his fellow whom he hath seen?' And 
 doth he rule by force who loves? 
 
 "Behold, my son, I show you this my secret heart. I 
 have lived far, far from men — live close, close, close to them 
 
240 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 — to all; for they are God incarnate here, and all His ways 
 are shown in them. 
 
 "By grace of Truth this I see now : My work for Peace 
 was vain ; for War in guise of Peace has ever been abroad 
 and stalking through all lands. Oh, wasted years, Oh, 
 blinded eyes ! There was a way, a sure and certain way, 
 to Peace that never had been yet attained, a way long 
 since declared by those of purest hearts ; and I, my son, saw 
 not that way and spent the fruitless years in casting up a 
 highway of my own — on which the slayer followed in my 
 track. 
 
 "Give heed, my son ! This is that why that blinded these 
 fond eyes ; this is that why that deafened these too credulous 
 ears ; I was, like that young man of old, possessor of much 
 wealth — and could not use the Comrade word because of it. 
 
 "Have I not known for years the crimes against God's 
 law and Man's committed by the rich? 
 
 "Have I denounced them with a fearless tongue? 
 
 "Have I not paid, with money earned by those who knew 
 not ease or what man's life should be, a man to speak smooth 
 words to rich men day by day ? 
 
 "Have I denounced him when his coward tongue with 
 silence cloaked their evil, grasping lives? 
 
 "Why have I not? 
 
 "Look on this earth and say if it is thine! 
 
 "Look on this earth and show your title from its maker 
 to an inch of it ! 
 
 "These words I utter lest my blindness should be thine; 
 yet I have hope that light has dawned on thee, — for prison 
 walls can not bar Truth. 
 
 "There is a cry of Traitor in the land. 
 
 "My son, I had them in my house and at my board this 
 day. 
 
 "One man for four years' term and nine for life rule over 
 this fair land and make a mock of Freedom and of law. Be- 
 ware of them ; for they are tools of whosoever can control 
 the purse. 
 
 "I speak as one who is beyond the reach of man and 
 shortly shall see God. This is not courage, son ; do you 
 show more. 
 
 "There needs not that I say to you to treasure as your 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 241 
 
 dearest friend the man that writes these words for me. Yet 
 will I say it, since the time is short and I would place on 
 record that I love him well. 
 
 "O child of mine ! Think what a world this world might 
 be if but equality and justice reigned. 
 
 "Your task is ready to your hand. 
 
 "See that the hour of your departure finds it finished and 
 the Nations one in love and aim and Brothers all, and War 
 forever slain. 
 
 "When future days are dark and dreary turn from the 
 day and find a joy that shall illume the blackest cloud in 
 working for and loving outcasts and the unprotected weak, 
 until that day when none of these shall be. 
 
 "Behold! I send you word: The dawning of that day 
 is near at hand." 
 
CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 "The telling of it all, by Saint or Scamp, lets in a flood of light." 
 
 — Old Truths in New Clothes. 
 
 As fickle as February weather, should be a proverb, if 
 it isn't, thought Arndt as he faced the keen wind on his way 
 to the station the next morning. 
 
 Robert had assured him that everything had been 
 attended to that could be and that he himself was very 
 desirous to know what further revelations there were in 
 store. 
 
 So Arndt, who, after the previous day's experiences 
 and the excitement of hearing of the death of the presi- 
 dent and his secretary, was feeling very much like doing 
 nothing for a day or two, said that it would do him good to 
 walk, and refused the use of the carriage. He had thought 
 to use his pet, but concluded that, although she showed no 
 ill effects from the race of the preceding day, he would 
 let her rest. 
 
 Jeanette was Arndt's one extravagance. Years before, 
 while walking on a Sunday afternoon in the country with 
 Nettie she saw the animal — then but a colt — frisking in 
 the pasture, and both of them admired her so much that 
 Arndt invested a good portion of all he had then saved in 
 purchasing her. 
 
 Jeanette was one cause of Arndt's unpopularity with 
 the men — or rather had been when the strike began, — for 
 they insisted that it was aping the rich for a workingman 
 to own such an animal as Jeanette had proved to be. We 
 consider every man's extravagance unjustifiable, but our 
 own. Arndt stuck by his pet, and she showed in a hun- 
 dred ways that she loved her owner. Jeanette apparently 
 has nothing to do with the strike ; yet it was the comrade- 
 ship of the man and the brute that first attracted Mr. Endy 
 to Arndt and finally made him trust him so entirely. We 
 are too prone to accept the visible causes of things as the 
 
 242 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 243 
 
 real causes — and we do it, oftentimes, because of their large- 
 ness or nearness. 
 
 As Arndt walked briskly along he was thinking of the 
 petty meanness of the rich men who had dragged his friend 
 Jack Cassady, cripple as he was, to Washington to testify 
 before the Strike Commission appointed by the president 
 as to Arndt's owning and supporting Jeanette, and of how 
 their well fed attorneys had harped on that fact as demon- 
 strating the baselessness of the claims of the strikers. 
 
 The thought of Jack and his crippled condition caused 
 Arndt to look at his watch ; and finding that he had time 
 to spare he went several blocks out of his way to drop in 
 at the little news stand where he, with Mr. Endy's aid had 
 set up Jack in business. 
 
 By the time he reached the place he was chilled through 
 and was glad to stand by the stove and chat for a few 
 moments, and in the course of the conversation Cassady 
 said, "By the way Arndt, I want you to put this paper 
 in your pocket, and when you get time read that little piece 
 in fine print down in the corner that I have marked. It is 
 certainly curious how those capitalistic sheets manage to 
 give, and yet not give, the news that reflects on the doings 
 of the rich. I marked it for you because of that." 
 
 Arndt was obliged to hurry to catch his train, and when 
 he was comfortably seated he took out the paper and read : 
 
 "Some curious developments in the Hotchiss will case. 
 
 "Our readers will probably recall the noted case of 
 Robert Hotchiss, in which he, the testator, cut off his heirs 
 with as little as the law would allow and bestowed all the 
 remainder in trust to the Co-operative Commonwealth when- 
 ever it should be established either in this country or in 
 other lands. The case was taken by him on a feigned issue 
 to the courts during his lifetime so that litigation after his 
 death might be prevented. The courts decided that the 
 will was perfectly legal. Then his natural heirs attacked 
 his will on the ground that he, the testator, was not of 
 sound and disposing mind. The old gentleman was evi- 
 dently prepared for that, and during the first day of his 
 examination by the court gave unimpeachable evidence of 
 his sanity. To the surprise of all, the second day com- 
 pletely established the contention of his heirs, and he was 
 
244 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 immediately sent to a private sanitarium where he yester- 
 day killed himself, — thereby disclosing the fact that a 
 minute opening had at some time in the past been made 
 through the skull, and through this opening — evidently by 
 means of a hypodermic syringe — some solution which after- 
 ward hardened on the brain was injected by some person 
 or persons at present unknown. It is probable that when 
 the substance which has been pressing on the brain is 
 analyzed the detectives may have some clue as to the per- 
 petrators of the crime. At all events, it is a remarkable 
 co-incidence that Mr. Hotchiss should have fallen a victim 
 to such an outrage at just the moment his heirs were try- 
 ing to prove his mental unsoundness. But the wealth and 
 social standing of those who' now inherit his millions and 
 lands place them beyond suspicion." 
 
 Arndt smiled sarcastically when the last sentence was 
 finished, and he carefully folded the paper and placed it in 
 his pocket, saying to himself, "I wonder if Arthur has seen 
 that ? If not, I have a surprise in store for him." 
 
 This early express being the train on which the rich and 
 well-to-do traveled from their suburban residences to Clyde 
 was luxuriously appointed and made excellent time, and 
 Arndt settled himself comfortably to rest and sleep, if pos- 
 sible ; for he had not been able to sleep much the night 
 before. But even now his thoughts ran riot. He gave up 
 the effort and glanced about the car in search of some one 
 he knew, to whom he could talk. 
 
 There were several of the men who had been at the 
 meeting, but they had not even noticed him when he 
 entered the car, and he would not have cared to talk to 
 them, in any event. 
 
 Finally he glanced immediately behind him and was 
 pleased to see Hubert the poet and novelist seated there. 
 He was well acquainted with him and immediately said, 
 "Come over here, will you? I would like to chat with 
 you. I have a question or two to ask you." 
 
 "Fire away!" said Hubert, as soon as he was seated; 
 "but you always want to remember that I am liable to 
 use you and whatever you say as material. We writers 
 run short of material every once in a while, you know." 
 
 This was said laughingly, but Arndt replied, "In all 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 245 
 
 seriousness, that is the very thing I want to talk about. 
 Now see ! I have almost given up reading modern fiction 
 and poetry. And why? The poetry is beautiful, it is 
 polished until it dazzles the senses, it is chaste and refined; 
 but it does not report or represent the life of the world 
 I, nor any one I know, live in. Its very polish and refine- 
 ment is its bane. It does not talk a word of the worker's 
 language. From a business standpoint I suppose that such 
 writing is commendable, since the workers are not in a 
 position to buy poetry, no matter how written ; — their 
 pockets are empty, their larders are bare, and their brains 
 have been dulled by incessant toil until poetry, unless it 
 be of the harsh and rugged kind to which you deny the 
 name, is frankly beyond them. 
 
 "So I let the poetry pass. But look at the prose, espe- 
 cially the fiction. What do I find in real life. Take yester- 
 day, for instance. You know its terrible score of promi- 
 nent men whose lives ended in this small scope of country 
 and within its twenty-four hours. That is the fact ! There 
 is your material ! Where do I find its counterpart in fic- 
 tion?" 
 
 Hubert smiled at him and said, "No doubt, no* doubt! 
 I used to do that sort of thing: wrote poems that stirred 
 your heart and told of things that actually happened. I 
 have several of what I still call my best works nicely type- 
 written and bound and carefully stored away. Some day, 
 when you have time, call around and I will let you have 
 one of them to read. They are just as easy to read as 
 print — and I have no objection to an appreciative person, 
 who is honorable enough to not steal my ideas, reading 
 and enjoying them. Fact is, I would like to convince you 
 that I, at least, do write real life in some of my fiction. It 
 is true, there is little of the genuine article in my published 
 works. You can't tell me anything about that. And the 
 exasperating thing about it is that I know the works would 
 be read if some prominent publishing house would print 
 and circulate them ; but, although my works are popular, 
 they won't, — for their critics would immediately cry out 
 against the occurrences of yesterday that they were not art 
 and that their presentation destroyed the artistic quality of 
 the book. See? And the worst of it, from your point of 
 
246 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 view," is, I suppose, that the critics and the public, between 
 them have convinced me — and now I turn out literature. 
 Well, here we are almost at Clyde." 
 
 Arndt, with the ardor of a new convert, said, "And yet 
 they assert that the Socialist state would be the death of 
 art. It seems to me that what you have said is a confession 
 that the life the capitalistic state brings about is so inartis- 
 tic that you cannot truthfully portray it and at the same 
 time turn out artistic work. Socialism, art or no art, for 
 me!" 
 
 Had Arndt been keeping up with Hubert's latest work 
 he would not have been surprised when the "silver-tongued 
 poet" arose and hastily picked up his coat, saying, "Permit 
 me, Sir, to retract that invitation. I do not consider a 
 Socialist trustworthy or a gentleman." 
 
 They had reached their destination, and Hubert left 
 without saying good-bye. 
 
 As Arndt followed him out of the car he said to him- 
 self, "Phew ! Slap in the face number one. Nice out- 
 look !" And he was sympathizing with the men who have 
 patiently endured that sort of thing all through the years 
 for one despised cause or another, until he arrived at 
 Chandler's office. 
 
 The earliest possible moment of opening the outer doors 
 found the three men at the Deposit Building, and their 
 eagerness was such that they were astonished when they 
 learned that after attending to all preliminaries they had 
 still several minutes to wait. 
 
 Chandler said, "Well, for once, I've no use for time- 
 locks on vaults." 
 
 Arndt — who was the most composed of the party — said, 
 "Nevertheless, they are splendid safeguards, and we can't 
 always have things work our way. I have tried to think 
 of a single thing which did not appear to work hardship 
 to some one at times, and I cannot remember one. I try 
 to never forget — especially when 1 am in a hurry — as true 
 a thing as ever I heard ; namely. 'There is an eternity behind 
 and another ahead of von : a few moments will not mat- 
 ter.'" 
 
 "That's the talk!" said Arthur, "but I can't always 
 remember in time." 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 247 
 
 "Neither do I," said Arndt. 
 
 At this moment the time-locks opened; and as the bolts 
 flew back and the great doors that admitted them to where 
 the smaller safes were stored swung open, each man found 
 himself holding his breath. 
 
 In a few moments the box was placed in their hands 
 and they were conducted to a private room in the build- 
 ing. 
 
 As they opened the lock the lid raised slightly and they 
 all, involuntarily, drew back. 
 
 Arndt — who was standing nearest to the table — said, 
 "We are somewhat nervous, are we not?" and, reaching 
 across Chandler who had just stepped up, he threw back 
 the lid. 
 
 Immediately on top were some typewritten directions 
 for operating a certain talking machine. In large letters 
 the heading said, "THIS MACHINE HAS NEVER 
 BEEN PATENTED. INVENTOR IS DEAD. LET- 
 TERS OF ASSIGNMENT OF ALL RIGHTS TO AR- 
 CHIBALD CHAMBERS; HIS HEIRS OR ASSIGNS 
 ARE HERETO ATTACHED." Then followed, "Special 
 features of invention : Smallness, lightness, silent work- 
 ing, capacity of cylinder, exact reproduction of voice, time 
 switch — by which cylinder commences to revolve either 
 instantaneously or after 5, 10, 15 or 20 minutes, and pitch 
 regulator — by which ordinary continuous sounds are not 
 recorded, and a switch controlling automatic repeater." 
 
 Under this was another typewritten paper, headed, "Con- 
 fession of Archibald Chambers," and under this was the 
 wonderful little machine. 
 
 Every part of it showed by its perfection and beauty 
 that it was the output of an expert who had delighted in 
 his work. They said nothing as Arndt took -it out of the 
 box and placed it on the table and then sat down and read 
 the instructions for running it. 
 
 When he finished Arthur exclaimed, "Just what might 
 have been expected ! That man certainly had brains ; and 
 I am going to tell you, right now, that in spite of all Cham- 
 bers may say or have said to anyone, I know, or at least 
 feel certain, that while others may have made the parts, 
 it was Chambers himself that furnished the brains and 
 
248 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 assembled this perfect machine. But, let us hear what the 
 instrument has to say; although, I expect that I have 
 already listened to some of it." 
 
 While he was speaking Arndt followed the instructions 
 and unscrewed the electric light bulb from its wire and 
 then attached the wire to the machine. 
 
 "Electric motor !" exclaimed Arthur. "By jove ! it would 
 run forever." 
 
 "Either way," said Arndt ; "wind it up, if you want to." 
 
 A touch of oil here and there and the machine was in 
 running order, and again all hesitated to make the last 
 move ; but this time it was the detective who reached to- 
 wards it and pushed the lever which Arndt had set for 
 instantaneous action. Immediately there rolled through 
 the room the sonorous tones of a voice which every man 
 knew to be that of Mr. Craggie, and they all — in spite 
 of themselves — looked towards the door. 
 
 The delusion was so perfect that in listening to the voice 
 and marveling at its strength they had lost some of the 
 words, for Arndt had set the machine for its loudest pitch 
 and greatest speed. It had seemed not possible for so small 
 an instrument to talk at all without the aid of a multiplier. 
 
 He now reduced the speed and the volume and started 
 it again ; and then every sense that could be brought to 
 bear was concentrated on the words and the instrument. 
 Arndt and Chandler were very quiet and kept their gaze 
 riveted on the revolving cylinder, but the detective watched 
 the faces of the other two. 
 
 As the talk suddenly stopped after the words, "Anybody 
 being killed," Arndt said, as he drew a quick breath, "If 
 he were not already dead, it would take even more money 
 than a Craggie ever had to save him, I think." 
 
 All except Arthur were startled when the talk once 
 more commenced abruptly and then again suddenly ended, 
 at the same moment that there was a faint click. 
 
 The cylinder stopped. 
 
 Arthur sprang to his feet, exclaiming, "By the Eternal! 
 That clears up the last thing. That man ought to have 
 lived. I need him in my business." 
 
 "Yes," said Arndt, "it clears it up. He stopped where 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 249 
 
 he did because he had to; — ana you never founa it out, 
 nor even suspected it." 
 
 "I never did," was the candid reply. 
 
 Chandler was looking inquiringly at them. Arthur had 
 not gone into details about Mr. Craggie's experience with 
 Chambers while telling the story in the car. He had spoken 
 much more freely to Arndt the previous night. When 
 he saw Chandler's look he realized that the lawyer was 
 still in the dark. So they sat there with the silent machine 
 on the table before them and the unopened confession on 
 the lid of the box while Arthur told again of the way that 
 Chambers had driven the president to the verge of distrac- 
 tion. But he said nothing about the actual plan of Mr. 
 Craggie for controlling Mr. Endy; and the others under- 
 stood that having heard it in the way he had, he would 
 never be at liberty to reveal it. 
 
 So Chandler listened carefully and without interruption 
 until he told about the receipt of the daily letters from the 
 confederate on the outside; and then Chandler lifted up his 
 hands in astonishment and appeared to be speechless. 
 
 His companions gazed at him in wondering silence for 
 a while, and then Arndt remarked, "It might be just as well 
 to tell us all about it, Harry. If you need any assistance, 
 say so." 
 
 "Well, I do; and if it were anybody but Chambers that 
 had done me in this way I should never admit it — not 
 even to you. But the fact is that he had no confederate 
 on the outside, so far as I know — unless you look on me 
 as one. I expect that I wrote every one of those letters, 
 sealed and mailed them myself ; and there wasn't a word in 
 any one of them but 'Letter received' — not even a date or 
 signature." 
 
 "How on earth did he ever get you to do it? and you 
 with your experience with criminals!" said Arthur. 
 
 Then Chandler narrated all his dealings with Cham- 
 bers, and when he had finished he added, "I said, the last 
 time he was at my office, and I say it again, 'That man is 
 too smart' for me, — only, Gentlemen, with your permission, 
 I will change the last word." 
 
 "By all means! yes, Sir," said Arthur, "make it US." 
 
 They were recalled to the confession by Arndt's words : 
 
250 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 "After all, and in spite of his rascality, I liked Chambers," 
 and he added with a sigh, "I am sorry for him — I confess 
 that I do not understand him at all. Let us see what he 
 has to say for himself." 
 
 Arndt handed the paper to Chandler to read, and they 
 all leaned back in their chairs waiting for him to begin. 
 But he sat with the open paper before him and stared at 
 it, and at last he said — below his breath, — "That man is 
 better dead than living; he was too smart." 
 
 "Begin," said Arndt. 
 
 Without any explanation of his remark Chandler said: 
 
 "Confession of Archibald Chambers. 
 
 "To the three men who will first read this confession: 
 Gentlemen: — I am risking having the laugh on me, one 
 time ; but, as I will not be present to hear it, that one time 
 will not matter. I think that there will be three of you, 
 since you are all alive at the moment of this writing — which 
 is two o'clock of February eighteenth." 
 
 "The very afternoon he visited my office the last time," 
 interrupted Chandler. 
 
 "The very afternoon the president set me on his trail," 
 said Arthur. 
 
 Chandler resumed. "I feel confident that Mr. Arthur 
 will be of your number, and I would place his name on 
 the power of attorney, only, it seemed useless. Being a 
 detective he will probably by this time know more of my 
 doings than anyone but myself, and I want to clear up the 
 few points that are, I presume, obscure to his mind. 
 
 "I hope that he has enjoyed tracking me as much as 
 I have enjoyed fooling him and all the others. He will 
 appreciate the fine points of my work more than most men, 
 and I hope that he is now present as you read this. He 
 will probably be the man to arrest me, and so, one of those 
 to see me die ; and I want his testimony to confirm my 
 words that I embraced the quietness brought by the great- 
 est friend of man as a lover accepts the offered kiss of his 
 sweetheart: passionately, thankfully. 
 
 "Of course, I killed myself. When T put that long, 
 slender, bright-brown cigar of Craggie's into the compart- 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 251 
 
 ment in my case — where you will find that my short, thick, 
 black ones will not go — I forced it firmly on to the lance- 
 shaped spring concealed there which pierced it and at the 
 same time injected the poison into the cigar. As soon as 
 I bit off the end of the cigar, — which I swallowed (forgive 
 me for speaking in the past tense, I feel that way!) I 
 knew that everything had worked satisfactorily. With 
 criminals, working for selfish ends, Arthur and the other 
 detectives are all right; but they stood no chance with me. 
 Arthur played into my hands finely — or, at least, I know 
 he will. 
 
 "I suppose that Mr. Craggie is now in prison. I hope 
 so. I want to give him a chance to experience some things ; 
 I want to give him a good scare ; I want to teach him how 
 the inside of a jail feels to a man who is innocent of the 
 particular crime with which he stands charged. I hope that 
 no personal harm has come to him at the hands of the 
 mob. Some years ago I would have rejoiced at such a 
 termination of it all, but not now. I have no desire that 
 others should be involved in his punishment. Still, it has 
 to be risked, and if things turn out that way you can con- 
 sole yourselves — even as I do — by the thought that on gen- 
 eral principles he deserves all he will ever get. But I prefer 
 that he shall die some other way. There is an ideal execu- 
 tioner for Mr. Craggie; I am acquainted with him. 
 
 ''I want to clear myself of one thing. It is a matter 
 of keen regret with me that Mr. Endy has had to suffer 
 so much. That was entirely unintentional. 
 
 "He is a good man. But he has had all the pleasures 
 which wealth could bestow, throughout his life; and he 
 has had an exceptionally pleasant time. He had just em- 
 barked on a course which, to my mind, was and is certain 
 to bring him worry, trouble and defeat for his most 
 cherished project. I think that the strikers themselves will 
 eventually wound him deeply ; I have no faith in their 
 gratitude ; and in any event, they must sooner or later enlist 
 in the Socialist ranks. That would hurt him sorely. On 
 the other hand, he is deluding himself with the hope that 
 the rich will rally to his aid. As you will learn later, Mr. 
 Craggie has worked out just such a scheme to head off 
 Socialism when the day comes that he must commence to 
 
252 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 make concessions. I need scarcely say that, being his, it 
 is not in the interest of the men. 
 
 "Some such thoughts were in my mind when I went 
 to the Endy mansion that night after reading the words of 
 Mr. Craggie which placed him completely in my power. 
 But at first, I thought only of grasping the opportunity to 
 bring to an end the task I had set for myself; and I did 
 not then think of any man's suffering. I fully expected 
 that Mr. Endy would not suffer, inasmuch as I intended 
 to give him as peaceful and quiet a departure as I have 
 secured for myself. I felt that he might just as well step 
 down and out then as at any time. You know, when one 
 has to live daily with a man who thinks nothing of forcing 
 men to strike — well knowing that many innocent women 
 and children will necessarily starve to death — one is bound 
 to become reckless in regard to the life of a single indi- 
 vidual. 
 
 "Well, I expected to find Mr. Endy asleep, and in that 
 event he would simply have continued to sleep — forever; 
 which is probably easier and better than nature will now do 
 for him. But he awoke, as I was leaning over the bed, 
 and grappled with me, and then — because my work was 
 not finished — I had to grapple with him and defend myself. 
 He is a brave old man. He never cried out until I struck 
 him. I am sorry for him, sorry for every moment of 
 suffering I caused him. Mr. Craggie was the cause: / 
 shall make Mr. Craggie pay for Jiis suffering and my regret. 
 
 "A few words more in explanation of that act. I will 
 say that for ten mortal years I have been under sentence 
 of death and daily suffering physical tortures almost un- 
 endurable, and that — because I would not sacrifice my keen- 
 ness of intellect by using opiates — there have been many 
 hours when, had the power been mine, I would willingly 
 have depopulated this globe at a stroke in order to end 
 my own sufferings and that of others — and would have 
 considered that act the most merciful one ever performed. 
 Such was my mood that night. 
 
 "When I first entered the employ of Craggie I was 
 apparently in perfect health and thought that I saw a clear 
 road ahead to the attainment of my goal. But one day I 
 felt twinges and sharp pains that disturbed me, and the 
 
THE RECORDING AXGEL 253 
 
 physician I consulted looked very grave, very grave. The 
 drugs he gave me brought only temporary relief and I was 
 soon compelled to choose between them and the ability to 
 go on with my work — my life-work, I mean. Then I had 
 an opportunity to consult the most eminent specialist in the 
 world, while we were once at San Francisco, and I heard 
 with dismay that my doom was sealed : years of suffering 
 ahead, and an agonizing death in the end. 
 
 "I am not one to hesitate. At the next stopping place 
 I had a true friend — and you would be surprised to know 
 how many friends I have had and have — who was able to 
 procure for me the means of a painless release. For this I 
 thank him again : I have already rewarded him. 
 
 "Now, on the day preceding the attack on Mr. Endy, 
 and in fact ever since the strike began, Craggie had been 
 using and abusing me worse than usual ; the terrific speed 
 at which we traveled increased my sufferings a hundred 
 fold — and yet I had to wear, — if not a smiling, at least, — 
 an unruffled countenance. You know 7 how that gets on 
 one's nerve. I was perfectly savage when I left the car; 
 and when I heard what the machine had to tell me I saw 
 my opportunity in an instant, — and neither hesitated nor 
 feared. What has a man to fear who has had death in con- 
 crete form ready to his hand for ten years. And this will 
 explain my apparent recklessness and audacity. Craggie 
 could not reach me : I had made a league with Death. The 
 day that assured Craggie's downfall and defeat was 
 marked, long years ago, as the day for me and Death to 
 meet. 
 
 "In the carrying out of my plans I have made myself 
 indispensable to Craggie, have aided him in every way to 
 attain his ambition, have unobtrusively suggested fine 
 points of play continually, have never balked no matter 
 how disagreeable or even dishonorable the task assigned 
 me — and all to the end of elevating him the higher in order 
 to insure the greater fall. And he has improved wonder- 
 fully under my tutelage — though even today he is no more 
 capable of running things without my assistance than he 
 is of keeping the earth in its orbit should the forces that 
 hold it there relax. Did you ever see a worse managed 
 
254 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 business than this strike? — he took things in his own 
 hands. 
 
 "I recognize the inconsistency of my character, full 
 well. I cause a man to be discharged and blacklisted and 
 then, if it has been due to the carrying out of my plan, I 
 aid him in every way possible. One holding my present 
 opinion of mankind in general should not do so. That is 
 me before the world refused to stand by me and redress a 
 great wrong done to one I loved. I am no philanthropist. 
 To me, man seems a pretty sorry animal, — and very largely 
 a hypocrite. Craggie, for instance, has been just as directly 
 the murderer of thousands of soldiers who have died in 
 wars he brought about to increase his wealth and power 
 as the individual who plans the death of another and 
 strikes the blow with his own hand. He has time after 
 time stolen the total earnings of his employes by removing 
 and consolidating his works without making any provision 
 for them or giving them any compensation for the homes 
 they had paid for out of their hard-earned wages, which 
 homes they were then obliged to abandon or sell for what 
 they could get. And yet he and men like him claim to 
 despise and detest a murderer and a thief. I tell you, he 
 has potentially murdered me a hundred times. All he 
 lacked was courage and opportunity. 
 
 "I want you to rid your minds of the idea that money 
 is what I am after. (And yet what foolish sentimen- 
 tality this is, which makes me wish to justify myself in the 
 sight of Chandler, — to whom I feel drawn!) If you think 
 that money was my object, you were never more wrong in 
 your lives. I have been taking down Craggie's words, with 
 the aid of the little machine, for a purpose ; and since the 
 night of the attack on Mr. Endy I have been playing with 
 him as a cat does with a mouse it fully intends to destroy. 
 In that I have been paying myself for having endured his 
 treatment for fifteen years. In order that you may under- 
 stand this perfectly I give you permission to read the copy 
 of the letter I am going to hand him at the last moment. 
 
 "I told him that I had appropriated the corruption fund. 
 The fact is I used it to help support the men I found it 
 necessary to discharge and to lessen some of the suffering 
 caused by his cruel methods. Every dollar I this day 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 255 
 
 possess has been honestly earned — and earned several times 
 over. The eight-hundred-thousand dollars has reached the 
 treasury of the Union in the shape of anonymous contri- 
 butions from all over the United States. For this purpose 
 our recent trip suited me precisely, although the traveling 
 was about the worst thing for me, physically, that could 
 have been. I suffered tortures every hour. But the 
 mental enjoyment I derived in various ways, and not least 
 in seeing how the sums I sent out seemed to stimulate large 
 gifts by others, helped me to hold out until certain of 
 Craggie's defeat. 
 
 "Whenever I could do so, during this strike, I headed 
 off the president's moves. I claim no credit for this. I 
 was simply prolonging his punishment. I took consider- 
 able pleasure in doing this and in using the money as I 
 did. It seems to me to be poetic justice of the finest quality 
 that the money, — if we call it Mr. Craggie's, — should be 
 used to defeat him ; and if we call it the workingmen's, 
 should be used to help them break the chains he and other 
 rich men have been slowly and surely forging for the pur- 
 pose of reducing them to absolute slavery to a class. 
 
 "And then, it made me smile to think of the impeccable, 
 upright and honorable Mr. Arndt acting (though uncon- 
 sciously) as my agent in the distribution of stolen money — 
 if you persist in calling it that. I have been in daily con- 
 tact with a rich man too long to be squeamish about a 
 phrase. I have no objection to a name. Only, please, be 
 impartial : call most of Craggie's wealth by the same title. 
 
 "Mr. Arndt will understand that while I know him to 
 be as honest as a man may be under a system where the 
 very earth on which he lives has been stolen, still I have 
 no use for his high-flown theories. It always fills me with 
 pity to see a man wasting his energies. Why doesn't he go 
 in for Socialism and have a show of success, if he believes 
 that men really wish others to be happy and prosperous. 
 I assure you I don't believe any such thing ; and if he doesn't 
 like what I have done with the money he can get the strik- 
 ers to return it to Craggie — or his heirs. 
 
 "I am somewhat skilful in mechanics and handy with 
 tools. Mr. Arthur will probably have found the little secret 
 compartment in my room, back of the berth. It was very 
 
256 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 easy to find time and opportunity to take out the decorative 
 panel and fix it so that it would open by pushing the spring 
 concealed in the moulding around it. You will understand 
 that Mr. Craggie was absent from the car many times when 
 he was supposed to be in it. There were many occasions 
 when he did not desire my company or services. Read that 
 letter to him and you will know what I did with my time 
 on such occasions. 
 
 "In the compartment will be found the little collapsible 
 pasteboard box which assumed the size of the daily package 
 of bills, and came back to the car every night in my pocket. 
 
 "The money never left the car. 
 
 "I retired to my room to count it and then fixed the box 
 in shape, and after hiding the money I brought the box out 
 and set it on the table in plain sight of the president — but 
 always done up in the identical wrapper that had covered 
 the bills. That is all that you will find there ; for the money, 
 corruption fund and all of the other, is, as I said, disposed 
 of. 
 
 "The check enclosed herewith is for the full amount 1 
 have in the bank ; and this I desire to have distributed pro 
 rata among the men whose names will be found on the 
 accompanying list. 
 
 "These persons are those whom I have not yet been 
 able to properly reward for kindnesses and services ren- 
 dered. Somehow, life always finds us indebted to others 
 and Death catches us ever in arrears. I depend on you to 
 carry out my wishes in every particular, but especially as 
 regards these gifts ; for I know of no other world in which 
 one may square accounts. Had I, I might have left Craggie 
 to the Ruler of it for punishment. 
 
 "And speaking of him leads me to remark that I am 
 not naturally a cruel man ; but the universe seems to be so 
 constructed and run that a man cannot advance himself 
 without making other people suffer. It is conceivable that 
 the Socialist is right and that things might be different 
 under his system. But I have had to take men as I found 
 them and society as I found it. I had no time for theories. 
 I had Craggie to get even with and punish. In my 
 progress through his works, and in his office, every time I 
 took a step upward I pushed somebody off a rung on the 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 257 
 
 ladder ; and in holding the position of secretary all these 
 years I have deprived just as able men of the position. 
 I have always been sorry for them. I have always been 
 sorry for the small fry I have eaten. This is vastly more 
 than Craggie, or any millionaire I know of, can truthfully 
 say. 
 
 "There are no persons who have any legal claims on 
 me. Your power of attorney will, I think, be all that is 
 necessary to enable you to carry out every one of my 
 wishes. I hereby give to you the little machine as a 
 remuneration for your services. Do with it as you will. 
 
 "I suppose that the hair found in the hand of Mr. Endy 
 has been an unsolved riddle. As I am clearing up what 
 Arthur has not been able to find out I will tell yon this 
 also. The president would strenuously deny that the hair 
 is his, but it is. 
 
 "We were just leaving the Pittsburg works, after the 
 telegrams announcing the death of MacDonald had been 
 received, and one of the men overheard Craggie remark, 
 'Yes ; they will probably strike.' 
 
 "'Thank God for that!' said the fellow, and Craggie 
 turned and discharged him on the spot and said to me, 
 'Find out who he is, and have him blacklisted.' 
 
 "We were near the outer gate and no one was, for the 
 moment, in sight. I am such a slightly built man that the 
 fellow did not take me into account at all, and he just made 
 one jump and caught Craggie, and clutched him by the 
 throat. 
 
 " 'A man might just a little better die for killing such 
 a damnable nuisance as you, than to starve to death for want 
 of work,' said he as he relaxed his hold on the throat so as 
 to free his right arm, and at the same instant he clutched 
 the president by the hair and drew back that powerful right 
 arm to strike. 
 
 "Now, I had a reason for wishing that Craggie should 
 not be killed out-of-hand like that ; and as I was a little 
 behind his assailant and can do some striking — scientific 
 striking — mvself, that blow never landed. 
 
 "Mine d'id. 
 
 "Craggie hastened to the car as soon as the man touched 
 the ground ; but I remained to see whether he was badly 
 
258 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 hurt. I had not struck to kill him, and soon brought him 
 to ; and in his grasp I found the bunch of hairs which have 
 put the detectives to so much trouble. I kept them — at 
 the time, — not only as a souvenir of the event, but also in 
 order to remind Craggie at some future day that if I took 
 his life I had previously saved it. 
 
 "Now, everybody knows that Craggie has always prided 
 himself on his personal popularity with the men in his 
 employ. Whether he really believes the fiction and takes 
 the shouts and applause seriously, I have never been able to 
 fully determine. Being Craggie, it is possible that he does. 
 I staid with the man until he had fully recovered and then 
 I asked his name and whether he had a wife and children. 
 He said that he had, but that they were still in the old 
 country. Then I told him that his chance in this land of 
 the free was gone, since I would have to obey orders, and 
 I advised him to leave at once. He said that he had not 
 much money laid by, since he had been sending a part of 
 his wages each month to his family ; and on his promising 
 to take the first steamer for Germany I handed him the thou- 
 sand dollar bill I usually carry. But he was afraid to 
 accept so large a bill, and I went with him to the office, had 
 him properly discharged, paid off and blacklisted, and then 
 I got the bill broken into smaller notes, and when we were 
 safely outside, and out of sight, I gave them to him. 
 
 "I did my best to pay for the blow, and I know that 
 he kept his word and left immediately and never gave me 
 away ; and if he has the sense to remain in a country where 
 only one ordinary kingling rules the roast, and not a — but 
 let that go! — he will do very well and have to thank me 
 for knocking him senseless. 
 
 "I suppose that Craggie reported to Arthur that I had 
 fleeced him of a thousand the day after the attack on Mr. 
 Endy. That was the thousand I gave to his assailant. If 
 he is still alive tell him that. That was a chance I neces- 
 sarily missed to nag him. 
 
 "When I returned to the car he wanted to know what had 
 detained me so long, and I told him that I had been attend- 
 ing to his orders in person ; and that satisfied him, and he 
 remarked, 'Mr. Chambers, I will lx* under even greater obli- 
 gations to you than 1 now am if the Press does not find out 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 259 
 
 anything about this day's doings. To think of being choked 
 and strangled and almost murdered by one of the men whom 
 I have been supporting, yes, literally keeping alive, is hu- 
 miliating enough — without hearing any one talk about it. 
 I do not know how to sufficiently thank you for just simply 
 getting rid of the man and not prosecuting him for criminal 
 assault. I really feared that your long absence was caused 
 by some such action.' 
 
 "The next day Craggie changed from lay-down collars to 
 the extremely high and ultra-fashionable ones he has since 
 affected, and it was quite a while thereafter when he liad his 
 hair cutting and beard trimming attended to. 
 
 "And I think that I will not have to take many words to 
 explain how, with the knowledge that there would be a spas- 
 modic, involuntary clutching at the air and an instant's 
 struggle for breath on the part of the person who swallowed 
 the drug then in my possession, the thought to use those 
 hairs and leave the label of the bottle as if it had slipped 
 off in the scuffle, came to me when I heard Craggie's words 
 about 'anybody being killed.' 
 
 "Of course, as it turned out, all that plan went askew ; 
 and it cost me an instant's delay to thrust those hairs into 
 Mr. Endy's hand, and that instant almost landed me in 
 Arndt's arms. 
 
 "I think that you can understand all the rest. I must 
 hurry with what I have yet to say for the deposit vaults will 
 soon close. I must say good-bye to my friend. 
 
 "As I remarked before, I have no particular love for 
 mankind in general. Those who do not believe in either Hell 
 or Devil and yet try to live so as to cause as little suffering 
 to others as may be, show that there is still good stuff in the 
 race — cropping out in the few ; but there is many a man 
 walking straight enough today, solely because of a cowardly 
 fear of an imaginary devil or an actual policeman. Other- 
 wise, many more of the injuries sustained by men at the 
 hands of their fellows would meet vengeance here and now. 
 Still, my idea is that they are each doing about as well as 
 could be expected of them under the circumstances ; and I 
 really desire that the sick and suffering shall get the benefit 
 I can secure them. For this purpose I give my body to 
 the hospital at Clyde. In the dissecting room the physicians 
 
260 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 and surgeons may find out something about my disease that 
 will enable them to lessen some poor fellow's misery. 
 
 "A last word about Craggie. 
 
 "He murdered and robbed my father and should have 
 died under any just law. There was no such law. All his 
 transactions in that case were strictly legal. I, at least, 
 have secured his loss of power — and that — to him — will be 
 worse than death. Still he should die ! 
 
 "But, perchance, you and the strikers may not use the 
 evidence I have placed in your hands. If you let him 
 escape the result of his actions after I have put him within 
 your power, you will deserve the slavery he intends for you ; 
 — and worse than that I could not zvish you. 
 
 "I believe that is all. 
 
 ARCHIBALD CHAMBERS. 
 
 "Afterthought: 
 
 "I leave you one unsolved problem. What was Craggie's 
 plan ? I do not know. I know What, but not How. 
 
 ARCHIBALD CHAMBERS REDMOND." 
 
 "That I know ; for Mr. Craggie told me," said Arthur. 
 
 "I think I know," said Arndt, and he pulled from his 
 pocket the paper Cassady had given him and handed it to the 
 others who read the marked item at the same time. 
 
 Arthur said, "I see! I might as well have told you all. 
 But what does that last signature mean?" 
 
 Arndt replied, "Can't tell you ; but let us look for that 
 letter to Mr. Craggie. Evidently, he thought that in destroy- 
 ing the one Chambers gave to him the world would never 
 know the truth. He calculated without remembering 
 Chambers." 
 
 The letter was soon discovered, inside some others, and 
 Arthur read it aloud : 
 
 "My Dear Mr. Craggie: 
 
 "I thus address you because I have given over the idea 
 of killing you. To that extent I have forgiven you. 
 
 "Do you remember the words of Byron : 
 
 'For time at last sets all things even — 
 And if we do but watch the hour, 
 There never yet was human power 
 That could evade, if unforgiven, 
 The patient search and vigil long 
 Of him who treasures up a wrong?' 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 261 
 
 "Also ; do you remember one Jasper C. Redmond ? 
 
 "I am his son. 
 
 "He was your friend. 
 
 "Ten million was what you individually made by bank- 
 rupting him. 
 
 "He and I — I was then nineteen and at school in Ger- 
 many — came in from a brisk walk in the country one beau- 
 tiful autumn evening, and as we passed the desk at the hotel 
 the clerk handed him a telegram marked important. 
 
 "He took it — went smiling to his room, and an hour 
 afterwards there was heard a pistol shot, and I found myself 
 a poverty stricken orphan in a foreign land. 
 
 "I need not recall to your mind the great financial coup 
 by which you and several others took every cent of his 
 money and added it to your other legally-gotten gains. I 
 have heard you refer to it so often as the beginning of your 
 individual career that to more than name it would be super- 
 fluous. 
 
 "Suffice to say that I dropped the 'Redmond,' and after 
 working at whatever offered in Germany for two years — 
 during which I matured my plans and thought out a certain 
 little machine — I returned to my native land and secured 
 a position, first in your works and soon in your New York 
 office. 
 
 "Since then I have been ever with you. 
 
 "I have but a few words more for you. There is a large 
 box full of the records containing scraps of conversations 
 gathered from time to time, which will show to the world 
 the real motives, methods and final aims of the millionaire 
 rulers of this country. There are many other prominent 
 men's words on them besides yours. I have corroborated the 
 testimony by compiling the acts of legislators, judges, gov- 
 ernors and others, by documentary evidence wherever it 
 could be obtained, and I have put the whole in the form of a 
 book. 
 
 "The joy of the work has been the narcotic that has 
 deadened the pain of my mortal agony when at its worst — 
 at night. 
 
 "Those records will come to the hands of the proper 
 parties the day after my death, and at the same time the 
 manuscript of the book entitled 'The Great Conspiracy' will 
 
262 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 be delivered to the same men. They are true patriots and 
 will know what to do with those records and that book. 
 
 "There are still several monarchies on the face of the 
 earth where it is not a crime to work for the overthrow of 
 a republic and the enslavement of its people ; or, possibly, 
 since you live but for power, and power is this day taken 
 from you, you had better follow the example I shall set you. 
 
 "A word to the wise is sufficient ! 
 
 "ARCHIBALD C. REDMOND." 
 
 "Redmond? Redmond?" said Arndt. 
 
 "Same name as on the assignment of the rights to the 
 machine to Chambers," said Chandler. 
 
 "I see!" said Arndt. "Arthur was right, once more." 
 
 And then they placed on the machine one after another 
 of the accusing and condemning cylinders and heard 
 brutal, man-despising and treasonable sentiments expressed 
 until they grew sick at heart. Among them was one that 
 Chandler had Arndt have the machine repeat and he took it 
 down word for word for reference. 
 
 First Chambers' voice: "The Socialists are educating 
 the people to the value and sacredness of the ballot." 
 
 Then Mr. Craggie's : "The Socialists are a set of ideal- 
 ist fools. The mass of the people of this and of all lands are 
 and ever have been totally unfit for the ballot, and I can buy 
 it for twenty-five cents a head per vote from millions of them, 
 and reason the majority into using it my way in a fifteen- 
 minute's talk. The people are unfit for popular govern- 
 ment. They have had none of it in this or any land that I 
 know of for, lo! these many years — and that is why things 
 have gone so well as they have. We allow them to change 
 a president once in so often ; but there have been enough 
 vacancies on the Supreme Court bench during the last twenty 
 years to place that body forever in my control. Oh, no! I 
 do not buy tJicm. Not at all ! But I recommended some of 
 them, because I already knew their sentiments, and the 
 others I endorsed after I found out where they stood as be- 
 tween the rich and the workers. And you want to remem- 
 ber that they are in for life. Old Tom Jefferson was emi- 
 nently sane when he said that the liberty of this people would 
 find its grave in the federal judiciary — or words to that 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 263 
 
 effect. Fortunate for us that the people did not believe him ! 
 And that's the way we have escaped giving these people a 
 despotism like that of the Czar of Russia, which is in reality 
 all that any people are fit for. Some men are born to rule, 
 some to serve ; and the day may come — it may be very close 
 at hand — when we will drop the mask, enthrone our ruler, 
 and have done with foolishness. In that day / will take 
 good care of you, Mr. Chambers." 
 
 And as Chandler folded the paper and placed it in his 
 pocket Arndt said, "Ready to come with us, Harry?" 
 
 "How now?" 
 
 "I think that you had been rather worshiping that Su- 
 preme Court," said Arndt. "I enlisted, heart and soul and 
 body with the Socialists yesterday." 
 
 "And I, this hour — I am awake, wide awake!" said 
 Chandler. 
 
 "Count me in," said Arthur. "The Co-Operative Com- 
 monwealth will be plenty good enough for me. I'm rather 
 tired of inequality and oppression." 
 
 "Let's bundle this machine and all these papers together 
 and take them out to Robert," said Arndt. 
 
 "Good idea!" said Chandler. "He is in need of some- 
 thing to divert his mind from his father's death ; and I rather 
 think that this will do it. There's nothing like having plenty 
 of light on a subject." 
 
 "Light, light, more light!" said Arthur. 
 
 "And perfect courage to live up to what we have !" said 
 Chandler. 
 
 "Amen !" said Arndt 
 
CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 Men mistake: It is senseless to curse the Devil; — the Recording 
 Angel causes all the trouble- 
 
 — Old Truths in New Clothes. 
 
 It was one o'clock when the three men came out of the 
 Deposit Building, and they soon found that things had not 
 been standing still ; on the contrary, much had happened that 
 Arndt should have been informed of. 
 
 No sooner was the death of President Craggie announced 
 than Martinvale forgot all his pledges to Mr. Endy and com- 
 menced to scheme and agitate to have the men return to 
 work under the old order of things — of course, granting 
 them certain concessions. 
 
 Under his instructions the First Vice President of the 
 Corporation immediately issued a secret call for a meeting 
 of the Board of Directors. 
 
 That meeting was being held while Arndt and the others 
 were listening to the confession of Chambers. 
 
 The first intimation of it he received was when he was 
 handed a summons to attend a meeting of the strike com- 
 mittee in Clyde to consider proposals from the new presi- 
 dent of the Iron and Steel Company, Mr. Martinvale. 
 
 That gentleman had easily succeeded in convincing the 
 board that he could end the strike ; and he knew that if he 
 did so he would be elected to succeed himself at the regular 
 meeting to be held in a few days — the first of March. 
 
 The summons was handed to Arndt just as he was enter- 
 ing the train for Steelton, and both he and Chandler left the 
 machine and papers in charge of Arthur with instructions to 
 proceed at once with them to the mansion, and to await their 
 arrival. Then they went to the committee room with all 
 speed. 
 
 When they entered they felt at once that the moral atmos- 
 phere of the assembly was unfavorable to them, and Arndt 
 was not one whit surprised to hear president Trueman ad- 
 dress him very coldly and distinctly: "Mr. Arndt, we are 
 
 264 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 265 
 
 very much surprised to learn that you have so seriously 
 displeased the new president that he makes it a condition pre- 
 cedent to dealing with us at all that you be dropped from this 
 committee. Of course, after your faithful services and gen- 
 erous sacrifices for the workingmen's cause in the past, we 
 would not take such action ; but " 
 
 There was quite a pause, and Arndt did not help him by 
 even a motion of the lips. Then Trueman said, "You know 
 that I, personally, insisted on your being on the sub-commit- 
 tee, and I did so because I considered that you were one of 
 the men that were and would be beyond the reach and in- 
 fluence of the Socialist element in our body — and, " 
 
 "Did Mr. Martinvale tell you what caused me to enlist 
 under the Socialist banner?" Arndt interrupted him and 
 asked. 
 
 "No, Sir, and I do not think that anything could justify 
 such a course." 
 
 "Permit me, Sir, to believe that you are patriot enough to 
 change your mind if Mr. Martinvale would tell you the 
 whole truth about it," said Arndt as he walked towards the 
 table in the center of the room around which the commit- 
 tee were seated. And then he sat down — without removing 
 his overcoat — and wrote a resignation which he handed to 
 the secretary. 
 
 When he arose he said, "I hope that I shall always love 
 the cause of the laborer enough to sacrifice anything I have 
 or am or am honored with, in his interest. I regret deeply 
 that in this instance I am obliged to conclude that what is 
 going to be done by his representatives is diametrically op- 
 posed to his very existence. I know Martinvale. He is 
 Craggie multiplied ten fold. He will probably offer you all 
 that we felt able to demand at the beginning of this strike, 
 in exchange for a pledge that there shall be no strike for 
 five years " 
 
 He paused and glanced around the table and saw that he 
 had hit the mark, and then he proceeded, "I will tell you 
 plainly, you know as well as I do that the Union never gave 
 you power or authority to decide for them in any such mat- 
 ter. But that you would be sustained by the courts of this 
 country in usurping power I have not a doubt. And I am 
 here to tell you that if Martinvale is to have his way without 
 
266 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 even the right to strike for five years, he will, with the aid 
 of the other rich men of this country, have his plans so 
 nicely adjusted that when the Socialists win — as they cer- 
 tainly will at the next presidential election — you will find 
 yourselves with a president who refuses to step down and 
 out, on your hands; and I think that all of you are intelli- 
 gent enough to know what that signifies." 
 
 He turned to leave the room ; but Chandler said, "Wait a 
 moment Charlie," and then Chandler turned to the com- 
 mittee and said, "Gentlemen, I believe that this is the most 
 sorrowful moment of my life. I have this day and yester- 
 day listened to evidence which makes it impossible to hope 
 for any real freedom for the workingman outside of the Co- 
 operative Commonwealth, for which the Socialist is work- 
 ing. Of course, I realize that you have not heard all of this 
 evidence ; but certainly, enough has come to your knowledge 
 during this strike to convince you of the truth of what I say. 
 I repeat that I am sorrowful. It is because I had hoped to 
 work actively hand in hand with you to the end of my life. 
 But the same objection that is urged against Arndt will pre- 
 vent my enjoying your full confidence as heretofore — without 
 that no man can serve you as you should be served — I there- 
 fore resign as your counsel and will hand over all papers in 
 my possession to your duly accredited representative at any 
 time you may designate." 
 
 Five of those sitting there astonished Trueman by rising 
 and saying that they could no longer serve if Arndt was not 
 retained. That left barely a quorum, (and although entirely 
 illegal) it was that quorum that, without waiting to have the 
 places of the others filled, accepted Martinvale's proposals — 
 he assuring them beforehand of the endorsement of their 
 action by the courts. 
 
 There was wild rejoicing throughout the land within an 
 hour. The news that the great strike was over, that the 
 most favorable terms had been granted the men, that all 
 except, perhaps, a handful of malcontents were entirely sat- 
 isfied, that there would be no strike for five years, and 
 much more, was flashed over the length and breadth of the 
 country ; and Trueman and his associates were loudly praised 
 for having had the courage to exceed their authority — for at 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 267 
 
 that early stage it was not denied by anyone that they had 
 done so. , . 
 
 And Arndt said sadlv to Chandler as they took their 
 seats in the dining car of the two-thirty express : "You may 
 depend on it, the papers will not have type large enough to 
 chronicle what they will truly call 'Martinvale's victory.' 
 When will it dawn on the workers that it is surely their 
 defeat if it is his victory?" 
 
 "That is just what the Socialist has always been telling 
 us, and that is just what you and I, no longer ago than 
 yesterdav refused to see — don't forget that, Comrade !" said 
 Chandler hopefully, "and therefore there is great probability 
 that the remainder of the race will see it some day, in due 
 
 time." . 
 
 But Arndt was terribly cast down ; and he was induced to 
 take a more hopeful view of things only when reminded of 
 the evidence they had now in hand to prove the truth of their 
 assertion, and the absolutely incontrovertible shape in which 
 Chambers had placed it. 
 
 "That is the encouraging feature," said Arndt. 1011 
 are right ; for although most of us have known many of the 
 things the little machine recorded, our knowledge has here- 
 tofore never been in a shape that we could use it. To show 
 up this or that rascality or violation of the law, to be abso- 
 lutely convinced of the purchasing of a judge or a legisla- 
 ture,' did no good. There was always the law that they them- 
 selves had framed and passed that closed the mouth of the 
 living — but how are they going to prevent the dead ; how are 
 they going to hush a machine speaking with the voice of 
 Craggie ?" 
 
 When they arrived at Steelton there was, of course, no 
 carriage to meet them at the station and so they walked 
 bv the way of the river road to the mansion. It did Arndt 
 good to hear the wash of the water against the bank of the 
 stream, every inch of which was familiar to him. The trees 
 seemed like faithful friends, the very sparrows seemed like 
 acquaintances, and their harsh voices did not jar on him. 
 
 As thev passed the MacDonald house Chandler said, "I 
 suppose you will be married to Miss Nettie soon. Is it her 
 intention" to tear down the old house and build a larger and 
 more commodious one?" 
 
268 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 Arndt replied, "Really, Harry, I cannot tell you anything 
 as to the first, for there has been so little time since her 
 recovery in which to plan anything ; but as to that last, I can 
 say positively that I know her mind well enough to assure 
 you that whatever the amount of money left by her father 
 may be, her and my manner of life shall not be changed. I 
 have always been a workingman, I will always be a work- 
 ingman, and will never adopt the manners and customs of 
 the rich. Besides, we are entirely consecrated to the cause 
 of Socialism, and the cause will need much money as well as 
 hard work. You can rely upon it that we will live as simply 
 and as unostentatiously as may be — and that every cent of 
 the income shall be used each year. My preference would, 
 of course, be to go back into the works and earn my daily 
 bread as before ; but Martinvale will be sure to prevent that. 
 I think he would even head me off abroad — unless I dropped 
 my name and secured a position under an alias, and that I 
 will never do. In a measure I am forced to do as Hart- 
 leigh wishes ; but we have already felt the mailed hand of 
 the rich, and I now know that a struggle lies ahead of us — 
 but Nettie will never be a source of weakness to me, and we 
 need each other. It will depend entirely on her as to when 
 we are married." 
 
 When they reached the mansion they found that Arthur 
 had arrived safely and that during the morning a large box 
 directed to Robert Endy had arrived by express from Clyde. 
 Thinking that it was for him Robert had at once caused it to 
 be opened, and of course did not know what to do with the 
 cylinders since they would not fit any phonograph or other 
 style of talking machine he had ever seen. But the book, 
 which was packed in with the cylinders, he could very well 
 understand, and until Arthur's arrival he had been engrossed 
 in reading it. Great as was his astonishment at the con- 
 tents of the book it would have been infinitely greater had he 
 not been prepared for something of the kind by what Arthur 
 had told him. 
 
 But even so, it at times seemed incredible that such senti- 
 ments as were therein expressed had been harbored, much 
 less uttered, by an American citizen ; and when Chandler and 
 Arndt arrived they were at once shown to Robert's room 
 where they found him and Arthur listening to a conversation 
 
THE RECORDING AXGEL 269 
 
 — or at least to scraps from it — that had at one time taken 
 place between Mr. Craggie and a former president of the 
 United States. As soon as he saw them Robert said : "This is 
 the most marvelous little machine, and the story it tells is the 
 most astounding revelation, that ever was. After hearing 
 what Arthur had to communicate about Chambers' confes- 
 sion I willingly admit that I do not know in what condition 
 my mind is as to him — and I feel for him what I never 
 thought to feel for the man that struck my father. But what 
 are we to do with this book and these records?" 
 
 "Do with them ?" asked all the men together ; and Arndt 
 hastened to add, "Why surely, Robert, that is easy to an- 
 swer : we must publish the book as soon as may be and sub- 
 stantiate what it says by public lectures through the length 
 and breadth of this land — and perhaps even in foreign coun- 
 tries — and these lectures shall be reinforced by the actual 
 language of those men as recorded on the cylinders." 
 
 But Robert said decidedly, "That sounds very convinc- 
 ing, but, have you any desire to be shot at sunrise some fine 
 morning with nothing at all accomplished? Let me tell you, 
 Charlie, my years of close connection and communication 
 with the men who are at the head of affairs teaches me to go 
 rather circumspectly about telling the whole truth publicly. 
 I don't believe that if such a lecture were announced fifteen 
 minutes before it was to be uttered, or if the book were pub- 
 lished secretly and then we should attempt to send it out, 
 that the lecture would ever be delivered or the book reach the 
 parties to whom it was addressed. But I have no desire to 
 influence you in the matter. I am speaking for the good of 
 the cause. I would like a consultation at once on this sub- 
 ject. Now, what do you say to sending for Kenedy and for 
 King and having him bring from Clyde old Hartleigh the 
 Socialist editor, who has been a worker in the ranks, as 
 well as an influential man in the party for many years. Let 
 them all meet here tonight. There will be plenty of time for 
 them to catch the train that arrives at Steelton at eight. 
 Father will not be buried until day after tomorrow, in order 
 to give time for some relatives from the East to arrive. We 
 cannot wait till after that to attend to this, and so it might be 
 just as well done at once; it will be only going immediately 
 
270 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 about the work he desired me to do, and is surely better than 
 mourning about what I nor any one can change." 
 
 Arthur spoke up : "I think that you are entirely right Mr. 
 Endy. 1 had not considered the possibility of not using the 
 evidence furnished by Chambers ; but would it not be well 
 to invite Trueman to be with us ?" 
 
 "A capital idea !'" said Robert. 
 
 Arndt said sadly, "Chandler, tell them why it would be 
 of no use. I will see to sending the telegrams to King and 
 Hartleigh at once." And he left the room. 
 
 To say that Robert was astounded at what Chandler then 
 told would not be adequate. He was dumbfounded. It 
 was Arthur who first found words to express his scathing 
 opinion of Martinvale's deliberately breaking his word and 
 taking advantage of Mr. Endy's death to prevent Robert 
 and those his father had represented from having any oppor- 
 tunity to reorganize the company. 
 
 When Robert did speak his wrath was directed straight 
 at the men who had once more sold their brethren into 
 slavery and helped to rivet new chains on them. Of some 
 of the members of the committee it could be said that what 
 they had done was done in ignorance, but all men knew 
 that Trueman and several of the more influential men on 
 that committee had simply sacrificed their fellows in order 
 to stamp out the Socialism they hated so intensely. Even 
 Robert in his most angry moment did not accuse Trueman 
 of receiving a bribe in any shape or form — though he 
 knew that Trueman or some of his friends or relatives 
 would be well taken care of and provided for in the future. 
 
 When he was somewhat relieved by the free expression 
 of his opinions he said. "I sincerely pity Arndt. This is, 
 I know, the most severe blow he has ever received. He is 
 as honest as the day is long — to use father's favorite ex- 
 pression, — and he thought of but two objects, I verily be- 
 lieve; Nettie MacDonald and the Union. Of course, he is 
 still in the Union; hut how can he work there with any 
 heart after such infamous treatment." 
 
 Then he turned to Chandler and said, "You are still 
 counsel for the Union?" 
 
 "No; I enlisted in the Socialist ranks this morning and 
 resigned that office immediately after the committee slapped 
 
THE RECORDING AXGEL 271 
 
 Arndt in the face. But I think that no one need envy True- 
 man and his followers. Just wait until the grievances, 
 which are sure to come, pile up beyond endurance, and then 
 the workers will realize that they dare not do a thing to 
 shake off the burden ; and it is my opinion that that will 
 be the time to let them know that if those men had waited 
 the little space between the twenty-fourth of February and 
 the first of March every one of the concessions they have 
 now secured, and more, would have been granted, and the 
 whole management of the works reorganized ; — and then 
 will be the day of retribution for Trueman." 
 
 "I agree with you," said Robert ; "but what I asked 
 the question for was to know whether you were free to 
 work for me as you had been for my father. If so, I de- 
 sire that you continue right on. I hold the money, lands 
 and properties all in trust for a sacred cause ; and so long as 
 we are compelled to live under this accursed system I de- 
 sire that they shall all be as productive as possible : the 
 cause is going to need every penny it can get, and judging 
 by the action of the representatives of the workers this day 
 the only way to convince them of the iniquity of the system 
 is to show them that they simply cannot continue under it 
 and live. My father said that I was a hard man. He was 
 right. I was hard in a devilish cause. I have heard it said 
 that no lesson of life is needless or lost. From this day I 
 shall as far as possible give the hardness that survives in 
 me a chance to work. It shall operate to the giving an 
 object lesson to the workers. I will be as tender as God 
 himself to the workers who have the courage and manli- 
 ness to stand up for their rights under the despised banner 
 of Socialism ; but let the man, rich or poor, that comes 
 under my power and who believes that this earth was made 
 for but the few, beware: I shall exact from him the law's 
 utmost farthing." 
 
 "I accept gladly," said Chandler. "I have a growing 
 clientage and business is good ; but some of it will, of course, 
 fall off on account of today's action." 
 
 Then they set the machine going and listened to the cor- 
 roborating words that testified to the accuracy of the book. 
 
 Meanwhile, Arndt on going to the library to write the 
 telegrams, found Nettie there reading. She arose to go 
 
272 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 when he entered, but he said, "Wait, dear, if you can ; I 
 would like to speak to you as soon as these telegrams are 
 on their way. Or, perhaps, you had better bring Annie here, 
 so that I can tell both of you at once." 
 
 They were already seated when he returned from giv- 
 ing the messages to Rollins and he then told them all about 
 the day's doings, and he confessed that it was rather pleas- 
 ant to be commiserated with as they commiserated him ; 
 and when Annie saw that there was nothing more to tell, 
 she said, "I am doubly thankful that you have a cause that 
 will take all your thought and strength, and that will not 
 leave you time to brood over this affair." 
 And then she left the room. 
 
 As soon as she was gone Arndt said, "Little sweet- 
 heart, I do not like to intrude on your sorrow at the loss 
 of a dear friend just now, but you see that things are hap- 
 pening in spite of us and that we cannot secure the breath- 
 ing space we need. If you have no objection I would like 
 to hear of your plans for the immediate future so that I 
 can shape my actions accordingly. You see, I have told 
 you everything — even my thoughts — just as in the olden 
 days, and I lack but the same thing from you to make me 
 forget even the disagreeables of today." 
 
 She came to where he was sitting and placed her hand 
 in his and he arose and put his arm about her, and thus 
 they walked up and down the long room as they talked ; 
 and then each knew that the days of partial estrangement 
 were over. 
 
 After a little while she said, "I think that we should 
 be married soon, but first there must be the days of mourn- 
 ing for my father and my second father. Were it not 
 for that I am ready now : I am yours and you are mine ! 
 And I will tell you how I mean to employ those days. 
 Not in idly shedding tears, not in wearing black and sit- 
 ting down with folded hands. Annie and I have planned 
 it all. You see, she never has talked to me of Socialism 
 as she did to all the others. She knew that I had in- 
 herited all my father's hatred and distrust of anything that 
 even hinted at the supplanting of the present system — 
 and then also, she knew that my tired brain demanded rest 
 and quiet. During all these months I have heard not one 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 273 
 
 word from her on the subject, Several times I overheard 
 her arguing with Dr. Kenedy, and, since we have been 
 here, with Mr. Endy — but never when I was in the room. So, 
 now, you see, lover mine! (And how his heart leaped to 
 hear the old, endearing term!) I joined the Comrade army 
 and gave my hand to the others on trust: what thing is 
 good enough for such a man as my second father was, 
 and what thing is good enough for such a man as my 
 lover is, is good enough for me." 
 
 "May I ever be worthy of your trust!" said Arndt as 
 he stooped and kissed her. And then they resumed their 
 walk. 
 
 "But see !" said Nettie. "There must be equality between 
 us, else how can I uphold your hand and stay your heart. 
 And if I do not know the reasons and do not become 
 acquainted with the work that is being done and that is 
 yet to do, how can I be to you what I have been in bygone 
 days, or what I mean to be in days to come." 
 
 The first rays of the rising moon were shining in at 
 the window, and they turned their steps that way and 
 stood as they had walked, and then she said: 
 
 "This is the plan: I am going to Clyde with Annie. 
 We are going to have rooms in Mr. Hartleigh's house — 
 the money we will be able to pay him will not come amiss 
 to the family, Annie tells me — and I am going to study, 
 and I am going to visit with her among the poor and go 
 to Socialist lectures, and we will talk to Editor Hartleigh 
 and even help him whenever he will let us; and so the 
 days will be very full of work and learning, and, someday 
 I shall, perhaps, take my pen in hand and write to one 
 I know, and say, 'Dear lover mine, your bride is ready 
 now;' And don't you think that lover will be glad?" 
 
 "I do not think, I know," said Arndt. 
 
 And then they stood in silence for a little while and gazed 
 across the park towards the house on the river road, and the 
 thoughts of each were there. 
 
 Finally she said : "I will be pleased if you can make your 
 plans so that no matter where we may have to go in the carry- 
 ing on of your and my life-work we shall always keep the old 
 homestead as Home." 
 
274 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 And without waiting for him to reply she kissed him and 
 ieft the room. 
 
 He heard her address Annie in the hall and then they both 
 said good-night to him, and he lit a cigar and sat there in the 
 moonlight until he heard the carriage arrive that had been 
 sent to the depot for the expected guests. 
 
 His message to King had been as explicit as he dared 
 make it; but to Hartleigh he had said simply: 'Tut a bunch 
 of membership blanks in your pocket and meet me at the 
 Endy mansion at eight tonight." 
 
 He greeted both men cheerfully and cordially and then 
 Hartleigh — in a very subdued tone — said: "Where are we to 
 go ; is the meeting going to be a big one ; how many addi- 
 tions to the party do you think ?" 
 
 "You are at your journey's end ; make yourself comfort- 
 able; I can't say that the number of additions will be large. 
 but I think you will be satisfied," said Arndt. 
 
 As soon as Kenedy arrived they assembled in the library 
 and Arndt brought in the little machine and placed it on the 
 center table and then explained matters in as few words as 
 possible. 
 
 Then Robert opened the book and told how he had re- 
 ceived it and said, "As a preface to the book Chambers has 
 a certificate from the University of Heidelberg stating that 
 he had undergone a test extraordinary — at his own request 
 — in the matter of the capability of the human memory, and 
 that after once hearing he repeated ten pages of a scientific 
 work then in process of compilation which he had never seen 
 or heard before, and that he repeated the matter again at the 
 expiration of forty-eight hours. It seems incredible ; but 
 there is the certificate. When we remember that he had this 
 machine in mind and that it was a part of a plan, I think 
 we can understand why he wanted that test made and that 
 certificate granted. Of course, in lengthy conversation, the 
 little machine could not take down but a portion here and 
 there because he never knew when he might be able to replace 
 the cylinder without fear of detection, and so he had it record 
 the most vitally important parts, simply to corroborate his 
 unimpeachable memory." 
 
 Chandler said: "I have been listening to some of the rev- 
 elations the machine has to make, and before Arndt puts on 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 275 
 
 the first cylinder I will state that while examining that most 
 wonderful piece of mechanism I, without thought, turned it 
 bottom upward and found its name on the silver plate fast- 
 ened there." 
 
 Arndt immediately tilted the machine and read : "The Re- 
 cording Angel !'' and then without comment, he fixed a 
 cylinder in place and touched the lever; and not a man of 
 them said a word. 
 
 After they had heard several portions read from the book 
 and thus substantiated by the machine they put it to one side 
 and one after another read aloud from the book. When mid- 
 night struck they were not half through and Robert said : 
 "Shall we retire, Gentlemen?" 
 
 King replied instantly, "I for one, would like to finish it 
 tonight. I am obliged to be in Clyde at the earliest possible 
 moment tomorrow or rather, today ; and we cannot do better 
 than to hear all he has to tell us at once." 
 
 All agreed to this and the reading was resumed ; and be- 
 cause they read steadily and without interruption the last 
 word had been heard and the book was closed at half-after- 
 two. 
 
 Then Arndt stated that they wanted advice as to the dis- 
 position to be made of the book and the machine and the 
 records. 
 
 It was noteworthy that not one of them seemed to be in 
 any doubt as to there being at least two sides to that ques- 
 tion ; and Hartleigh expressed the state of mind of most of 
 them when, after a little hesitation, he said: "I will confess 
 that if you had asked me that immediately after hearing the 
 Johnson interview I should have thought you were losing 
 your minds. At first I was congratulating the Socialist cause 
 with all my heart ; but a thing of this kind can be too big. 
 It is like the chemist and his combinations — he don't know 
 what the next one may produce. Now, I, for one, think 
 that, especially at this time when Trueman has sold out the 
 workers and Martinvale has most of them fooled, it would be 
 the height of folly to publish the book or even to let more 
 than a trusted few know of its existence. I will say that I 
 feel immeasurably stronger as a Socialist since hearing the 
 machine talk. Always, there are many things that we edi- 
 tors know well enough but would find it difficult to prove, 
 
276 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 and as things are now we are compelled to simply hint at 
 them or pass them by. Hereafter I shall not hint. And 
 the mere fact that I speak boldly will cause our opponents to 
 fear to call our hand. But let us let it rest at that until the 
 dawning of the day that inaugurates the Co-Operative Com- 
 monwealth. Then it may all be published, to be handed 
 down as the only unimpeachable history ever known in this 
 world. The people of this country lack education in the 
 fundamental principles of Socialism ; we are working day and 
 night to give it to them ; and they are getting it and absorbing 
 it about as fast as we could reasonably expect — for the mass 
 of men are, and continually show themselves still to be, very 
 like the cows and horses and hogs on my little farm ; not con- 
 tent with plenty, but fighting to get more than plenty for 
 fear that they will not get enough. That is the direct result 
 of capitalism, and I can blame no man for trying to insure his 
 own future and the future of his children in the old and only 
 way possible under capitalism. But we must educate them to 
 the better way, the way of Equality. Now, the revelations of 
 this book would divert their minds from that education — and 
 it is fundamentally necessary to them and to the permanent 
 success of our cause — and would, in all probability, when 
 they realized that under the plans and purposes of the rich 
 they were in the future to stand no show whatever to secure 
 plenty for themselves or their children, stir them up to open 
 revolt. This, of all things, the Socialist dreads and depre- 
 cates. This will never be if he can prevent it. Those who 
 refuse to distinguish between him and the Anarchist are 
 either ignorant tools or deliberate liars, or, perhaps, paid 
 knaves. I run up against all three of them every day, and 
 some days the latter are by far the most numerous." 
 
 Robert said : "I would like to hear how it appears to you, 
 Doctor King. You have not mixed in politics and will be 
 able to give us an unbiased opinion as a man of trained scien- 
 tific mind, and as a citizen." 
 
 King replied promptly, "Perhaps I can best answer you 
 by telling how the hearing of that mass of testimony affected 
 me. You know that I have heretofore withstood all argu- 
 ments presented by the Socialists — and simply because I be- 
 lieved that reform was still possible. Well, I am with the 
 Socialists from this minute, heart and soul. So far, so good ! 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 277 
 
 But I have always been a hearty and wholesouled Peace-man. 
 and yet I reached a stage while listening to that evidence, 
 where, if the call to arms to resist such men as Craggie had 
 been sounded in my ears, I would have enlisted on the spot. 
 I still love and believe in Peace ; but there is not and cannot 
 be Peace where there is Slavery. A man had better be 
 dead than be a slave — or a slave driver ! And I want to call 
 your attention to the fact that I reached the fighting stage 
 first. Now, I am rather cool blooded, and if it affected me 
 in that way I ask you to consider what would be its effect 
 on the inflammable mass that tolerates present conditions in 
 the hope of a morrow that that testimony shows it is the 
 intention of the rich shall never dawn for the workers. I 
 think Mr. Hartleigh's advice is admirable, and I hope that 
 those to whom the care of the machine and book and papers 
 have been entrusted will see their way clear to following 
 it." 
 
 Hartleigh caused a smile and a little amusement by shak- 
 ing hands with King and immediately offering him a mem- 
 bership blank, saying, "I never miss a chance, Doctor — carry 
 them about with me day and night — but I had no idea that I 
 was going to bag such big game tonight." And he then 
 and there had each of the others sign and fill out his applica- 
 tion, except Arndt, who had already attended to the matter 
 when he consulted with Hartleigh about his future work. 
 
 Before they retired for a few hours' rest Chandler drew 
 up a paper which he and Arndt afterwards executed which 
 assigned the machine and the book and papers to the Co-Op- 
 erative Commonwealth and added the names of all those pres- 
 ent as trustees and custodians of everything left by Cham- 
 bers. The paper stipulated that the successor of each or 
 any of them should be chosen by a majority vote of the 
 others, but that a three-fourths vote should be required to 
 authorize the publication of the book or the taking of either 
 the book or the "Recording Angel" out of the place deter- 
 mined on for their safe keeping — which, for the present, was 
 to be in the box in the vault of the Deposit Building at Clyde, 
 where it had so long rested in silence. 
 
 After the others had gone to their rooms Arndt said to 
 Robert, "I suppose you are right; in fact I am convinced 
 that you are ; but it certainly does seem a great pity that the 
 
278 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth cannot be 
 told at once. But I will confess that I have had qualms all 
 along about using information secured as this was. There is 
 a quality of treachery about it that I find very unpalatable. 
 It is true we are virtually in a state of war; and Chambers 
 evidently thought so — and that war justified anything that 
 would beat your enemy. Now, we want to convert ours and 
 bring them into our ranks, if it can be done — and the old 
 method of education is the best." 
 
 Robert heartily agreed, but ended by saying: "But if they 
 bring about a state of actual war, I, for one, will certainly 
 vote to use the weapon Chambers has placed in our hands; 
 and by actual war I mean carrying their tactics, as they have 
 heretofore several times done, to the point of having workers 
 shot down or imprisoned on hatched up pretexts. Let me 
 tell you Charlie, your scruples are suited to the Socialist 
 state ; but under capitalism you will find them unworkable. I 
 agree that for the present the truth must be suppressed — 
 but it is certainly hard on us and on the 'Recording Angel.' " 
 
 "Yes," said Arndt solemnly, "if their plans for disfran- 
 chising the workers materialize, they must be convicted of 
 this infamous conspiracy — and to do that the words of their 
 own mouths must rise in condemnation against them. The 
 'Recording Angel' must then, regardless of consequences, be 
 given free course." 
 
CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 Dust to dust ! Ashes to ashes ! 
 
 And then the New-Life morn. 
 
 The next day Robert passed in almost unrelieved solitude, 
 for Arndt had been compelled to go with Chandler to Clyde 
 to attend to the disposition of the body of Chambers, which 
 still lay at the morgue, and to distribute the money left in 
 their care. 
 
 When they came to that part of their duties they recol- 
 lected the widow of the operator killed by the sheriff, and 
 although his name was not on the list furnished by Chambers 
 they immediately went to see the woman. They found that 
 her husband had been buried on the preceding day ; that she 
 had spent almost her last dollar in funeral expenses, and that 
 she had nothing to depend upon except her own labor to sup- 
 port herself and three children. 
 
 It did not take them long to reach the decision which 
 appropriated a third of the money left by Chambers to her 
 permanent relief, and when they had divided the remainder 
 among the parties named on the list and sent checks for the 
 amounts to the recipients of his bounty they drew a sigh of 
 relief. 
 
 "What an accursed system it is !" said Chandler. "How 
 it breeds vice and crime and hatred, revenge and remorse. 
 Time and again I have been heartsick while prosecuting crim- 
 inals in the courts, and often I have felt the utter futility of 
 the whole procedure." 
 
 Arndt made no reply; but after a few moments, and just 
 before taking leave of his friend, he said, "I have a little the 
 bitterest thing of all yet to do. The works start tomorrow, 
 and I shall not be in them — and I find myself just about bank- 
 rupt. There is a little coming to me on my pay from Mr. 
 Endy ; but I cannot escape accepting Robert's proposition. 
 He wants to go abroad at once and come in contact with the 
 leaders of the Socialist movement in foreign lands, and study, 
 
 279 
 
280 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 for, say, six months or so ; and he insists that I shall go with 
 him, saying that the money we will use belongs as much to 
 me as to him, since it was left in trust for the cause ; and I 
 suppose that if we are to do effective work it would be a 
 wise move. But you, who have known me all my life, can 
 imagine how I feel about going on such terms. I am wild to 
 be doing for the cause, not receiving from it. But Hartleigh 
 says that Robert is right ; that it will be best for the cause to 
 have things quiet down for a while and let the workers find 
 out for themselves just what Martinvale is going to do with 
 and for them, and that both of us need rest and change and 
 time to forget the bitterness which we are at present bound to 
 feel. Well, certa/inly my own sense of my ignorance of how 
 to go to work at this new business and of what is best to do 
 and not to do, is great enough, God knows ! Still, of all the 
 bitter things that ever I had to do, this is the bitterest." 
 
 "What about Nettie ?" his friend inquired. 
 
 Then Arndt told him all and added, "So far as she is con- 
 cerned there would be little difference between my being 
 across the Atlantic or being at Steelton. And, in fact, I 
 could not make a living in Steelton today. I am blacklisted, 
 you are aware. I shall feel easier about her and Annie, 
 knowing that you and your good wife will do all you can for 
 them while I am away. I shall give my pet to Nettie beforo 
 I leave." 
 
 And then he said good-bye and hastened to the sta- 
 tion. 
 
 On the train he saw Baker and went over to where he 
 was seated and exchanged seats with the gentleman beside 
 him. As soon as Arndt was comfortably fixed he said: 
 "Well, did you and the others who stood by me yesterday 
 obey orders and attend Mr. Craggie's funeral today ?" 
 
 "Not much we didn't!" said Baker, "and I'll tell you that 
 while there was a tremendous crowd I didn't hear of any 
 Socialists being there, and many a member of the Union at 
 Clyde was absent. No, Sir! There were telegrams of con- 
 dolence sent to his relatives by every crowned head on the 
 globe. We didn't send any. Instead, the five of us called a 
 meeting and told all who attended just how you had been 
 treated and how they had lost by calling the strike off at this 
 time ; and I think that the news is spreading rapidly. Now 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 281 
 
 we want a copy of that plan of Mr. Endy's that Martinvale 
 agreed to put in operation, and we are going to publish 
 it." 
 
 "I will have to consult Robert Endy about that," said 
 Arndt; "for Mr. Endy himself, at the last, saw that it had 
 not been accepted as he intended it and that it would be used 
 — like all similar plans — simply to defer the coming in of 
 Socialism. He died an avowed Socialist, and his son stands 
 pledged to use his wealth to further that cause." 
 
 "That explains it !" said Baker. 
 
 "What?" 
 
 "The order to start the mills tomorrow ; the order that 
 says that every man who does not report tomorrow morning 
 will have to hunt another job. Now you see how it is. You 
 must not blame the men ! They will just simply have to 
 be working at the hour set for the burial of the man who did 
 more for them than any other mortal ever did." 
 
 Arndt said sadly: "I shall not blame them; but after this 
 I do not see how they can call themselves free. Martinvale 
 owns them. What does a brass tag more or less matter to a 
 man that dares not attend the funeral of his best friend. 
 Martinvale could very well yield on that point." 
 
 Baker hung his head in shame as he said : "About that 
 best friend business, you know. Didn't Mr. Endy revoke 
 that will and give everything to his son and refuse to aid the 
 strikers further, at the last? That's the song and dance 
 that the Trueman clique are putting up for us now." 
 
 Arndt said hotly: "That is another of those damnable 
 half-truths that such men as Martinvale feed to the toilers by 
 the hands of such traitors as Trueman, and which we, the 
 workers, always swallow without chewing. Mr. Endy with- 
 drew no support from the men ; for he had had the assur- 
 ance of Martinvale which made the end of the strike no 
 further off than the first of March ; and he simply gave all 
 instead of a part of his estate to the workers when he be- 
 queathed it to Robert Endy with instructions to use it for 
 Socialism. I myself wrote Trueman about it and informed 
 him fully of all the facts." 
 
 "I know, I know, I understand !" said Baker ; "but you 
 can see how it is that Trueman was able to muster such a 
 crowd at Craggie's funeral today ; they think that Mr. Endy 
 
282 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 deserted them and that Trueman and Martinvale are their 
 saviours — and both of them ordered the men to turn out." 
 
 Arndt smiled bitterly, and then Baker said, "And then, 
 you know there's always an unaccountable number who are 
 glad for the chance at a free trip ten miles up the river to a 
 twenty-million-dollar mausoleum — no matter whose funeral 
 it is, and no matter who they honor by going. I prefer the 
 blacklist." 
 
 "Don't let it make you bitter against the boys," said 
 Arndt. "Just remember that we have Socialism to thank for 
 not being duped ourselves. Their time for seeing things 
 straight is near at hand. Robert knows Martinvale well, and 
 has been telling me some things about him. What are you 
 going to do for a living ?" 
 
 They were leaving the car when Arndt asked this ques- 
 tion. 
 
 "Faith, and I don't know !" said Baker carelessly as he 
 turned to go ; "but I'm an able-bodied, skilled mechanic, and 
 willing to work, and — even though the Union has shook me 
 — I don't feel less competent to earn a living than heretofore ; 
 and I don't propose to starve in a land of plenty simply be- 
 cause others have my share of the universe locked up." 
 
 "Go and see Hartleigh," said Arndt, "he has a new fund 
 and will set you to work." 
 
 Arndt found it rather a bitter thing to be compelled to 
 inform his friend of what to expect, but he felt that it would 
 be cruel not to do so. As it turned out there was a much 
 better and larger attendance than they had any reason to 
 expect under the circumstances, for some of the men saw 
 through things and asserted their manhood and defied the 
 order, and Hartleigh brought all the Socialists he could mus- 
 ter in Clyde. 
 
 After all was over Hartleigh and his wife went back with 
 the family party to the mansion, and that same afternoon 
 Annie and Nettie accompanied them to their home in Clyde 
 to begin their new life. 
 
 Robert and Arndt delayed their departure until after the 
 first of March. Robert had readily agreed to the publication 
 of his father's plan in full ; but he did not let Baker send any 
 of the booklets out until the next day ; that is, the second. 
 On the first, he attended the meeting of stockholders of the 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 283 
 
 Iron and Steel Company and confronted Martinvale with it 
 and demanded to know whether he intended to keep the 
 promise he had made to Robert Endy, Sr. 
 
 Martinvale replied sarcastically, "Do I intend to give 
 away millions to the workers needlessly? The whole situa- 
 tion changed the instant Mr. Craggie died. My promises 
 are always made conditionally." 
 
 Robert had had a copy of the plan of re-organization 
 handed to each person present and he simply turned his back 
 on Martinvale, who was presiding, and addressed them, say- 
 ing, "Every gentleman that wishes to have as presiding offi- 
 cer of this corporation a man whose promises cannot be relied 
 on can secure such an officer by voting for the present incum- 
 bent. For myself, I prefer an honest man." 
 
 There were a few who voted against Martinvale on ac- 
 count of the occurrence; but the vast majority, when they 
 read of the generous provision for the welfare of the workers 
 as set forth in the plan, simply censured him for having ever 
 agreed to the proposal at all. 
 
 Robert took great pleasure in voting every share of his 
 own and all the proxies he had been able to secure, against 
 Martinvale — not, however, with any hope of defeating him, 
 but only as a moral protest against his acts and his treachery. 
 
 After the meeting he told Chandler to not sell any stock 
 or bonds of the company, since it was evident that the work- 
 ers were going to be fleeced to the quick — and that the only 
 way for them to ever get anything in return would be to read 
 the Socialist literature he had instructed Hartleigh to send 
 out at his expense. 
 
 On their return from that exciting meeting both Robert 
 and Arndt realized as they drew up before the door of the 
 mansion how impossible it would have been for them to 
 have continued to live there. The place seemed as silent and 
 lifeless as the tomb. The faces of the servants were sad, and 
 the whole atmosphere of the place was so depressing that 
 Robert said : 
 
 "Arndt, we must leave here by the ten o'clock express. I 
 simply cannot endure it." 
 
 "There will be no difficulty about that," Arndt replied. 
 "Everything has been arranged, and Rollins will be in charge 
 and doesn't need many orders. Leaving now will give us 
 
284 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 more time for farewells in Clyde tomorrow, you know. That 
 is the bright side of this cloud, Comrade." 
 
 It was then almost sunset, and by eight o'clock they were 
 out of the house and on their way to the graveyard. They 
 had left the mansion on foot, and not one word was spoken 
 until they stood beside the mound of bare brown earth that 
 covered the remains of Robert's father. Then Arndt said 
 sadly, as he leaned against the rough-cut granite rock that 
 bore the names of MacDonald and Endy. "The day when the 
 workingmen of the world shall make pilgrimages to this 
 spot is not yet; but so surely as there is justice in the heavens 
 that day will come — and may I be alive to see it." 
 
 Then Robert stepped to his side and said: "When will 
 the workers learn to know and stand by their friends ! That 
 is the most discouraging thing about it all. Now, I should 
 say nothing, for I was doing my best to bind their chains 
 the tighter on them ; but that they should turn against you, 
 who " 
 
 But Arndt stopped him. "It was only a few of the lead- 
 ers; the rank and file never did, or at least could not help 
 themselves. It seems that there are certain lessons that the 
 race must be taught, and they can be taught and learned in 
 but one way. I was one of the men that consented to place 
 almost dictatorial power in the hands of a few ; I thought it 
 was necessary in order to checkmate Craggie. I am not 
 going to cry out — I am reaping what I sowed. It is bitter, 
 certainly ! But there are compensations even in this ; it is 
 worth a great deal to a man who has been almost totally 
 blind to see clearly. I never before understood why all the 
 efforts of the workers to emancipate themselves or even to 
 better their condition resulted in failure. Now I see clearly 
 that each and every such movement had in itself the seed of 
 death and dissolution. Nettie was emphatically right: Any 
 movement that seeks to better the condition of but a class is 
 doomed. In its very essence it is selfish — as selfish as the 
 rich. The wage worker who wishes to thrive at the ex- 
 pense of the farmer is just as bad as his employer. The 
 Socialist whose Socialism is not broad enough to take in all 
 workers in all lands (whether they work with the hand or the 
 brain) has his Socialism still to learn. His kind will never 
 succeed — nor indeed should it; the world is big enough for 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 285 
 
 all, and there is happiness enough in the universe to go 
 around. The Union is all right in its place (and I shall re- 
 main an active worker in the Union till I die), but its place is 
 as an equal part in an organic whole that must be as wide as 
 the world and as broad as the human race; and, that, the 
 Union itself can never be. I will never again work for any- 
 thing less than that. It took my recent bitter experience to 
 teach me this ; you can't have anything but men as narrow 
 as Trueman as leaders in a narrow movement — it is folly to 
 expect it. If broadminded men stay in the movement they 
 are sure to advocate something beyond it. Again, I was one 
 of those men who made the mistake of advising our men to 
 submit to the law which compelled them to undergo military 
 training, and as a logical consequence of that error we told 
 them to shoot in order to protect property. Now, the man 
 or cause that values human life less than property deserves to 
 fail. I was a slave to the middle class — neither more nor 
 less!" 
 
 Then they left the graveyard and Robert did not reply 
 until they were well on their way to the depot, when he said : 
 "I had not reasoned that out, but I feel that your conclusion 
 is correct. As Lowell said 'How can any man be truly free 
 while there is a single slave on the face of the earth ?' " 
 
 "That needs no answer," said Arndt ; and then there was 
 silence between them until they came to that spot in the 
 road from which the last view of the twinkling lights of the 
 mansion could be had, and they instinctively turned and 
 glanced that way. 
 
 Then Robert asked Arndt, "Charlie, what shall I do with 
 that? It isn't right to have it standing idle in a world where 
 so many are homeless. That beautiful old house and 
 grounds must be doing somebody some good." 
 
 His friend replied promptly, "You have taken my words 
 out of my mouth. How would it do to have Chandler make 
 all the preparations quietly and get the names of a lot of 
 socialist orphans who need a home, and then, when all is 
 ready, tell Annie and Nettie about it as a surprise. I think 
 that Annie would easily imagine herself in heaven if she were 
 daily training a bunch of little fellows in Socialism, and at the 
 same time giving them a foretaste of what the Co-Operative 
 Commonwealth will one day do for all children. And Nettie 
 
286 THE RECORDING ANGEL 
 
 would be delighted to aid personally and financially, I know." 
 
 "You have struck it, exactly," said Robert enthusias- 
 tically. "I will support it out of my private means if others 
 do not care to assist. Why didn't I think of it ! I will tell 
 Chandler to give the preference to the children of those men 
 whose work for the cause has kept them poor. It is the very 
 thing ! We will attend to it tomorrow." 
 
 Arndt was rejoiced to see how cheerful Robert had be- 
 come, and he did not interrupt his happy thoughts with use- 
 less words. 
 
 A short distance further on they passed the house that 
 Cassady called home. March had "come in like a lamb" and 
 the window opening onto the street was raised. As they in- 
 voluntarily paused, the voice of Cassady was heard address- 
 ing his children : 
 
 "Now, then, youngsters, just one more song this night. 
 What shall it be?" 
 
 "Toilers Arise! Toilers Arise!" was the instant and 
 unanimous decision. 
 
 Robert and Arndt stood there in the dark and listened to 
 that best and noblest song and battle call of labor until 
 the last word and note had died away, and as they started 
 again towards their destination Arndt said, 
 
 "Would to God that the poet's vision were true this mo- 
 ment and that the long, long night were over. Carpenter, 
 one of the world's great poets, a Socialist, wrote it, you 
 know." 
 
 Robert said candidly : "No, I did not know. Poetry and 
 song have been strangers to me since the day I threw the rein 
 on the neck of soul-destroying ambition. That is the first 
 time I ever heard it, and I shall never forget that time. 
 
 "It is truly a noble, soul-stirring song. I believe that if 
 we could get them all singing it with the understanding as 
 well as with the voice we might bring in that brighter day — 
 and soon. You are right, Arndt, you are right! We 
 sing too little. The only chance to forget the past and es- 
 cape the ghosts that haunt its memories is to sing." 
 
 Arndt knew well to what particular ghost Robert referred. 
 He had hesitated to speak to him on the subject; now he re- 
 plied emphatically : "There are some ghosts that can't be laid. 
 I would at once call Arthur off that case and let the ghost re- 
 
THE RECORDING ANGEL 287 
 
 appear or not, as the future may determine. From what we 
 know of Chambers we may readily conclude that he stopped 
 at nothing to make certain of success. He was desperate, 
 for he realized that his time was short and that the thing he 
 had set out to do was still uncertain of accomplishment." 
 
 Robert did not reply until they had arrived at the station 
 and secured their tickets and were pacing arm-in-arm up and 
 down the platform waiting for the fast-approaching train that 
 was to bear them away for so long a time from the dear and 
 familiar scenes, and then he said : 
 
 "Again you are right. That is the proper course to pur- 
 sue." 
 
 "I am glad that you agree with me," said Arndt heartily, 
 "It is Dust to Dust ! Ashes to Ashes ! Let the dead past bury 
 its dead. We face the untried future. It belongs to Love, 
 to Friendship, and to the Comrade cause. Can it be wholly 
 dark?" 
 
 And without waiting for any reply, he (in the same low- 
 voiced and sympathetic tone that Nettie had listened to on 
 that night she never will forget), said : 
 
 "Aye, Dust to Dust! Ashes to Ashes! — and from Dust 
 and Ashes. This: 
 
 "And from out the lives of the countless slaves that have toiled and 
 
 prayed and died, 
 And from out their dust, deep, deep, in graves, and on summits for 
 
 which they tried, 
 And from out their ashes that then held fire, and from out their 
 
 breath of prayer — 
 On the morrow shall bloom your heart's desire, — with its roots in 
 
 the ashes there. 
 
 Oh, the ashes and dust ! Oh, the ashes and dust ! and the blood and 
 
 the tears it takes ! 
 But the blooms and the leaves and the stems say MUST! and the 
 
 fruit full repayment makes. 
 And the morrow shall dawn, — perchance, next morn, — when the 
 
 fruit shall be plainly seen: 
 O, heart's desire, that has never a thorn for the hand of a child to 
 
 glean!" 
 
 THE END. 
 
DUKE UNIVERSITY 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 The Glenn Negley Collection 
 of Utopian Literature