red themselves to a band of pickpockets.
No, indeed. It was simply legitimate business to blackjack your
competitors, corner a supply, create a monopoly and fix prices and
wages to suit your own notions of what was your due for taking the
"hazardous risks of business enterprise."

"Leave everything to me," said Kelly briskly. "I can put the thing
through. Just tell your lawyer to apply late this afternoon to Judge
Lansing for an injunction forbidding the strikers to assemble anywhere
within the county. We don't want no more of this speechifying. This
is a peaceable community, and it won't stand for no agitators."

"Hadn't the lawyers better go to Judge Freilig?" said Hastings.

"He's shown himself to be a man of sound ideas."

"No--Lansing," said Kelly. "He don't come up for re-election for five
years. Freilig comes up next fall, and we'll have hard work to pull
him through, though House is going to put him on the ticket, too.
Dorn's going to make a hot campaign--concentrate on judges."

"There's nothing in that Dorn talk," said Hastings. "You can't scare
me again, Dick, as you did with that Populist mare's nest ten years
ago."

That had been Kelly's first "big killing" by working on the fears of
the plutocracy. Its success had put him in a position to buy a
carriage and a diamond necklace for Mrs. Kelly and to make first
payments on a large block of real estate. "It was no mare's nest, Mr.
Hastings," gravely declared the boss. "If I hadn't 'a knowed just how
to use the money we collected, there'd 'a been a crowd in office for
four years that wouldn't 'a been easy to manage, I can tell you. But
they was nothing to this here Dorn crowd. Dorn is----"

"We must get rid of him, Dick," interrupted Hastings.

The two men looked at each other--a curious glance--telegraphy. No
method was suggested, no price was offered or accepted. But in the
circumstances those matters became details that would settle
themselves; the bargain was struck.

"He certainly ought to be stopped," said Kelly carelessly. "He's the
worst enemy the labor element has had in my time." He rose. "Well, Mr.
Hastings, I must be going." He extended his heavy, strong hand, which
Hastings rose to grasp. "I'm glad we're working together again without
any hitches. You won't forget about that there stock?"

"I'll telephone about it right away, Dick--and about Judge Lansing.
You're sure Lansing's all right? I didn't like those decisions o