The Machine | Page 5

be interested. She's given them quite a lot of money.
JACK. No doubt.
JULIA. I had a little talk with her one afternoon. She's a quiet, self-contained girl, but she gave me a peculiar impression. She seemed to be unhappy; there was a kind of troubled note in what she said. I had felt uncomfortable about meeting her . . . you can imagine, after my study of "Tammany and the Traction Trust."
JACK. Did she mention that?
JULIA. No, she never has. But I've several times had the feeling that she was trying to get up the courage to do it. I've thought, somehow, that she must be suffering about her father.
JACK. My God! Wouldn't it be a joke if Nemesis were to get at Jim Hegan through his daughter?
JULIA. Yes; wouldn't it!
JACK. How do you suppose he takes her reform activities?
JULIA. I don't know, but I fancy they must have had it out. She's not the sort of person to let herself be turned back when her mind's made up.
JACK. A sort of chip of the old block. [After a pause.] If I'd known what was up, I wouldn't have suggested asking anybody else to come . . .
JULIA. Oh, that's all right; it won't make any difference.
JACK. This chap, Montague, that I 'phoned to you about . . . he's a sort of a convert of my own.
JULIA. I see. We'll reciprocate.
JACK. I think I've got Montague pretty well landed. You'll be interested in him . . . it's quite a story. It was last election day. . .
[The bell rings.]
JULIA. Ah, there's somebody. [She goes to the door; calls.] Is that you, Miss Hegan?
LAURA. [Off.] Yes, it's I.
JULIA. You found your way, did you?
LAURA. Oh, no trouble at all. [Enters, a tall, stately girl, about twenty-three; simply but elegantly clad.] How do you do?
JULIA. I am so glad to see you. Jack, this is Miss Hegan. Mr. Bullen.
LAURA. How do you do, Mr. Bullen?
JACK. I am very glad to meet you, Miss Hegan.
JULIA. Let me take your things.
LAURA. [Looking about.] Oh, what a cozy place! I think these model tenements are delightful.
JULIA. They're indispensable to us agitators . . . an oasis in a desert.
JACK. Built for the proletariat, and inhabited by cranks.
LAURA. Is that the truth?
JULIA. It's certainly the truth about this one. Below me are two painters and a settlement worker, and next door is a blind Anarchist and a Yiddish poet.
LAURA. What's the reason for it?
JULIA. [Going to room off left with LAURA's things.] The places are clean and cheap; and whenever the poor can't pay their rent, we take their homes.
JACK. The elimination of the unfit.
LAURA. It sounds like a tragic explanation; but I guess it's true. [Looking at Jack.] And so this is Mr. Bullen. For such a famous revolutionist, I expected to find some one more dangerous-looking.
JULIA. [Returning.] Don't make up your mind too soon about Jack. He's liable to startle you.
LAURA. I'm not easily startled any more. I'm getting quite used to meeting revolutionists.
JACK. You don't call them revolutionists that you meet at the settlement, I hope?
LAURA. No; but all sorts of people come there.
JULIA. By the way, Jack 'phoned me this afternoon, and said he'd invited a friend here. I hope you don't mind.
LAURA. Why, no; not at all. Is it one of your Russian friends?
JACK. Oh, no; he's an American. His name is Montague. I was just starting to tell Julia about him when you came in.
LAURA. Go ahead.
JACK. It was quite an adventure. I don't know that I've ever had one that was more exciting. And I've had quite some, you know.
LAURA. Yes; I've been told so.
JACK. It was last election day, in a polling place on the Bowery. I was a watcher for the Socialists, and this Montague was one of the watchers for the reform crowd. The other one was drunk, and so he had the work all to himself. It was in the heart of Leary's district, and the crowd there was a tough one, I can tell you. It was a close election.
LAURA. Yes; I know.
JACK. There'd been all kinds of monkey-work going on, and the box was full of marked and defective ballots, and Montague set to work to make them throw them out. I didn't pay much attention at first. I was only there to see that our own ballots were counted; but pretty soon I began to take interest. He had every one in the place against him. There was a Tammany inspector of elections and four tally clerks . . . all in with Tammany, of course. There were three or four Tammany policemen, and, outside of the railing, the worst crowd of toughs that ever you laid eyes on. To make matters worse, there were several men inside who had no