The Lion and the Mouse; a Story of an American Life, Page 2

  CHAPTER II

  At fifty-six, John Burkett Ryder was surprisingly well preserved. Withthe exception of the slight stoop, already noted, and the rapidlythinning snow-white hair, his step was as light and elastic, and hisbrain as vigorous and alert, as in a man of forty. Of old Englishstock, his physical make-up presented all those strongly markedcharacteristics of our race which, sprung from Anglo-Saxon ancestry,but modified by nearly 300 years of different climate and customs, hasgradually produced the distinct and true American type, as easilyrecognizable among the family of nations as any other of the earth'schildren. Tall and distinguished-looking, Ryder would have attractedattention anywhere. Men who have accomplished much in life usually bearplainly upon their persons the indefinable stamp of achievement,whether of good or evil, which renders them conspicuous among theirfellows. We turn after a man in the street and ask, Who is he? And ninetimes out of ten the object of our curiosity is a man who has made hismark--a successful soldier, a famous sailor, a celebrated author, adistinguished lawyer, or even a notorious crook.

  There was certainly nothing in John Ryder's outward appearance tojustify Lombroso's sensational description of him: "A social andphysiological freak, a degenerate and a prodigy of turpitude who, inthe pursuit of money, crushes with the insensibility of a steel machineeveryone who stands in his way." On the contrary, Ryder, outwardly atleast, was a prepossessing-looking man. His head was well-shaped, andhe had an intellectual brow, while power was expressed in every gestureof his hands and body. Every inch of him suggested strength andresourcefulness. His face, when in good humour, frequently expanded ina pleasant smile, and he had even been known to laugh boisterously,usually at his own stories, which he rightly considered very droll, andof which he possessed a goodly stock. But in repose his face grew sternand forbidding, and when his prognathous jaw, indicative of will-powerand bull-dog tenacity, snapped to with a click-like sound, those whoheard it knew that squalls were coming.

  But it was John Ryder's eyes that were regarded as the most reliablebarometer of his mental condition. Wonderful eyes they were, strangelyeloquent and expressive, and their most singular feature was that theypossessed the uncanny power of changing colour like a cat's. When theirowner was at peace with the world, and had temporarily shaken off thecares of business, his eyes were of the most restful, beautiful blue,like the sky after sunrise on a Spring morning, and looking into theirserene depths it seemed absurd to think that this man could ever harm afly. His face, while under the spell of this kindly mood, was sobenevolent and gentle, so frank and honest that you felt there wasnothing in the world--purse, honour, wife, child--that, if needs be,you would not entrust to his keeping.

  When this period of truce was ended, when the plutocrat was once moreabsorbed in controlling the political as well as the commercialmachinery of the nation, then his eyes took on a snakish, greenish hue,and one could plainly read in them the cunning, the avariciousness, themeanness, the insatiable thirst for gain that had made this man themost unscrupulous money-getter of his time. But his eyes had stillanother colour, and when this last transformation took place thosedependent on him, and even his friends, quaked with fear. For they werehis eyes of anger. On these dreaded occasions his eyes grew black asdarkest night and flashed fire as lightning rends the thundercloud.Almost ungovernable fury was, indeed, the weakest spot in John Ryder'sarmour, for in these moments of appalling wrath he was reckless of whathe said or did, friendship, self-interest, prudence--all weresacrificed.

  Such was the Colossus on whom all eyes were turned as he entered.Instantly the conversations, stopped as by magic. The directors nudgedeach other and whispered. Instinctively, Ryder singled out his crony,Senator Roberts, who advanced with effusive gesture:

  "Hello, Senator!"

  "You're punctual as usual, Mr. Ryder. I never knew you to be late!"

  The great man chuckled, and the little men standing around, listeningbreathlessly, chuckled in respectful sympathy, and they elbowed andpushed one another in their efforts to attract Ryder's notice, like somany cowardly hyenas not daring to approach the lordly wolf. SenatorRoberts made a remark in a low tone to Ryder, whereupon the latterlaughed. The bystanders congratulated each other silently. The greatman was pleased to be in a good humour. And as Ryder turned with thesenator to enter the Directors Room the light from the big windows fellfull on his face, and they noticed that his eyes were of the softestblue.

  "No squalls to-day," whispered one.

  "Wait and see," retorted a more experienced colleague. "Those eyes aremore fickle than the weather."

  Outside the sky was darkening, and drops of rain were already falling.A flash of lightning presaged the coming storm.

  Ryder passed on and into the Directors Room followed by Senator Robertsand the other directors, the procession being brought up by the dapperlittle secretary bearing the minutes.

  The long room with its narrow centre table covered with green baize wasfilled with directors scattered in little groups and all talking atonce with excited gesture. At the sight of Ryder the chattering stoppedas if by common consent, and the only sound audible was of theshuffling of feet and the moving of chairs as the directors took theirplaces around the long table.

  With a nod here and there Ryder took his place in the chairman's seatand rapped for order. Then at a sign from the chair the dapper littlesecretary began in a monotonous voice to read the minutes of theprevious meeting. No one listened, a few directors yawned. Others hadtheir eyes riveted on Ryder's face, trying to read there if he haddevised some plan to offset the crushing blow of this adverse decision,which meant a serious loss to them all. He, the master mind, had servedthem in many a like crisis in the past. Could he do so again? But JohnRyder gave no sign. His eyes, still of the same restful blue, werefixed on the ceiling watching a spider marching with diabolical intenton a wretched fly that had become entangled in its web. And as thesecretary ambled monotonously on, Ryder watched and watched until hesaw the spider seize its helpless prey and devour it. Fascinated by thespectacle, which doubtless suggested to him some analogy to his ownmethods, Ryder sat motionless, his eyes fastened on the ceiling, untilthe sudden stopping of the secretary's reading aroused him and told himthat the minutes were finished. Quickly they were approved, and thechairman proceeded as rapidly as possible with the regular businessroutine. That disposed of, the meeting was ready for the chief businessof the day. Ryder then calmly proceeded to present the facts in thecase.

  Some years back the road had acquired as an investment some thousandsof acres of land located in the outskirts of Auburndale, on the line oftheir road. The land was bought cheap, and there had been some talk oflaying part of it out as a public park. This promise had been made atthe time in good faith, but it was no condition of the sale. If,afterwards, owing to the rise in the value of real estate, the roadfound it impossible to carry out the original idea, surely they weremasters of their own property! The people of Auburndale thoughtdifferently and, goaded on by the local newspapers, had begun action inthe courts to restrain the road from diverting the land from itsalleged original purpose. They had succeeded in getting the injunction,but the road had fought it tooth and nail, and finally carried it tothe Supreme Court, where Judge Rossmore, after reserving his opinion,had finally sustained the injunction and decided against the railroad.That was the situation, and he would now like to hear from the membersof the board.

  Mr. Grimsby rose. Self-confident and noisily loquacious, as most men ofhis class are in simple conversation, he was plainly intimidated atspeaking before such a crowd. He did not know where to look nor what todo with his hands, and he shuffled uneasily on his feet, while streamsof nervous perspiration ran down his fat face, which he moppedrepeatedly with a big coloured handkerchief. At last, taking courage,he began:

  "Mr. Chairman, for the past ten years this road has made biggerearnings in proportion to its carrying capacity than any other railroadin the United States. We have had fewer accidents, less injury torolling stock, less litigation
and bigger dividends. The road has beenwell managed and"--here he looked significantly in Ryder'sdirection--"there has been a big brain behind the manager. We owe youthat credit, Mr. Ryder!"

  Cries of "Hear! Hear!" came from all round the table.

  Ryder bowed coldly, and Mr. Grimsby continued: "But during the lastyear or two things have gone wrong. There has been a lot of litigation,most of which has gone against us, and it has cost a heap of money. Itreduced the last quarterly dividend very considerably, and the newcomplication--this Auburndale suit, which also has gone against us--isgoing to make a still bigger hole in our exchequer. Gentlemen, I don'twant to be a prophet of misfortune, but I'll tell you this--unlesssomething is done to stop this hostility in the courts you and I standto lose every cent we have invested in the road. This suit which wehave just lost means a number of others. What I would ask our chairmanis what has become of his former good relations with the Supreme Court,what has become of his influence, which never failed us. What are theserumours regarding Judge Rossmore? He is charged in the newspapers withhaving accepted a present from a road in whose favour he handed down avery valuable decision. How is it that our road cannot reach JudgeRossmore and make him presents?"

  The speaker sat down, flushed and breathless. The expression on everyface showed that the anxiety was general. The directors glanced atRyder, but his face was expressionless as marble. Apparently he tooknot the slightest interest in this matter which so agitated hiscolleagues.

  Another director rose. He was a better speaker than Mr. Grimsby, buthis voice had a hard, rasping quality that smote the ears unpleasantly.He said:

  "Mr. Chairman, none of us can deny what Mr. Grimsby has just put beforeus so vividly. We are threatened not with one, but with a hundred suchsuits, unless something is done either to placate the public or torender its attacks harmless. Rightly or wrongly, the railroad is hatedby the people, yet we are only what railroad conditions compel us tobe. With the present fierce competition, no fine question of ethics canenter into our dealings as a business organization. With an irritatedpublic and press on one side, and a hostile judiciary on the other, theoutlook certainly is far from bright. But is the judiciary hostile? Isit not true that we have been singularly free from litigation untilrecently, and that most of the decisions were favourable to the road?Judge Rossmore is the real danger. While he is on the bench the road isnot safe. Yet all efforts to reach him have failed and will fail. I donot take any stock in the newspaper stories regarding Judge Rossmore.They are preposterous. Judge Rossmore is too strong a man to be got ridof so easily."

  The speaker sat down and another rose, his arguments being merely areiteration of those already heard. Ryder did not listen to what wasbeing said. Why should he? Was he not familiar with every possiblephase of the game? Better than these men who merely talked, he wasplanning how the railroad and all his other interests could get rid ofthis troublesome judge.

  It was true. He who controlled legislatures and dictated to SupremeCourt judges had found himself powerless when each turn of the legalmachinery had brought him face to face with Judge Rossmore. Suit aftersuit had been decided against him and the interests he represented, andeach time it was Judge Rossmore who had handed down the decision. Sofor years these two men had fought a silent but bitter duel in whichprinciple on the one side and attempted corruption on the other werethe gauge of battle. Judge Rossmore fought with the weapons which hisoath and the law directed him to use, Ryder with the only weapons heunderstood--bribery and trickery. And each time it had been Rossmorewho had emerged triumphant. Despite every manoeuvre Ryder's experiencecould suggest, notwithstanding every card that could be played toundermine his credit and reputation, Judge Rossmore stood higher in thecountry's confidence than when he was first appointed.

  So when Ryder found he could not corrupt this honest judge with gold,he decided to destroy him with calumny. He realized that the sordidmethods which had succeeded with other judges would never prevail withRossmore, so he plotted to take away from this man the one thing hecherished most--his honour. He would ruin him by defaming hischaracter, and so skilfully would he accomplish his work that the judgehimself would realize the hopelessness of resistance. No scruplesembarrassed Ryder in arriving at this determination. From his point ofview he was fully justified. "Business is business. He hurts myinterests; therefore I remove him." So he argued, and he considered itno more wrong to wreck the happiness of this honourable man than hewould to have shot a burglar in self-defence. So having thustranquillized his conscience he had gone to work in his usuallythorough manner, and his success had surpassed the most sanguineexpectations.

  This is what he had done.

  Like many of our public servants whose labours are compensated only inniggardly fashion by an inconsiderate country, Judge Rossmore was a manof but moderate means. His income as Justice of the Supreme Court was$12,000 a year, but for a man in his position, having a certainappearance to keep up, it little more than kept the wolf from the door.He lived quietly but comfortably in New York City with his wife and hisdaughter Shirley, an attractive young woman who had graduated fromVassar and had shown a marked taste for literature. The daughter'seducation had cost a good deal of money, and this, together with lifeinsurance and other incidentals of keeping house in New York, had abouttaken all he had. Yet he had managed to save a little, and those yearswhen he could put by a fifth of his salary the judge considered himselflucky. Secretly, he was proud of his comparative poverty. At least theworld could never ask him "where he got it."

  Ryder was well acquainted with Judge Rossmore's private means. The twomen had met at a dinner, and although Ryder had tried to cultivate theacquaintance, he never received much encouragement. Ryder's sonJefferson, too, had met Miss Shirley Rossmore and been much attractedto her, but the father having more ambitious plans for his heir quicklydiscouraged all attentions in that direction. He himself, however,continued to meet the judge casually, and one evening he contrived tobroach the subject of profitable investments. The judge admitted thatby careful hoarding and much stinting he had managed to save a fewthousand dollars which he was anxious to invest in something good.

  Quick as the keen-eyed vulture swoops down on its prey the wilyfinancier seized the opportunity thus presented. And he took so muchtrouble in answering the judge's inexperienced questions, and generallymade himself so agreeable, that the judge found himself regretting thathe and Ryder had, by force of circumstances, been opposed to each otherin public life so long. Ryder strongly recommended the purchase ofAlaskan Mining stock, a new and booming enterprise which had latelybecome very active in the market. Ryder said he had reasons to believethat the stock would soon advance, and now there was an opportunity toget it cheap.

  A few days after he had made the investment the judge was surprised toreceive certificates of stock for double the amount he had paid for. Atthe same time he received a letter from the secretary of the companyexplaining that the additional stock was pool stock and not to bemarketed at the present time. It was in the nature of a bonus to whichhe was entitled as one of the early shareholders. The letter was fullof verbiage and technical details of which the judge understoodnothing, but he thought it very liberal of the company, and putting thestock away in his safe soon forgot all about it. Had he been a businessman he would have scented peril. He would have realized that he had nowin his possession $50,000 worth of stock for which he had not paid acent, and furthermore had deposited it when a reorganization came.

  But the judge was sincerely grateful for Ryder's apparentlydisinterested advice and wrote two letters to him, one in which hethanked him for the trouble he had taken, and another in which he askedhim if he was sure the company was financially sound, as the investmenthe contemplated making represented all his savings. He added in thesecond letter that he had received stock for double the amount of hisinvestment, and that being a perfect child in business transactions hehad been unable to account for the extra $50,000 worth until thesecretary of the company had written him assurin
g him that everythingwas in order. These letters Ryder kept.

  From that time on the Alaskan Mining Company underwent mysteriouschanges. New capitalists gained control and the name was altered to theGreat Northwestern Mining Company. Then it became involved inlitigation, and one suit, the outcome of which meant millions to thecompany, was carried to the Supreme Court, where Judge Rossmore wassitting. The judge had by this time forgotten all about the company inwhich he owned stock. He did not even recall its name. He only knewvaguely that it was a mine and that it was situated in Alaska. Could hedream that the Great Northwestern Mining Company and the company towhich he had entrusted his few thousands were one and the same? Indeciding on the merits of the case presented to him right seemed to himto be plainly with the Northwestern, and he rendered a decision to thateffect. It was an important decision, involving a large sum, and for aday or two it was talked about. But as it was the opinion of the mostlearned and honest judge on the bench no one dreamed of questioning it.

  But very soon ugly paragraphs began to appear in the newspapers. Onepaper asked if it were true that Judge Rossmore owned stock in theGreat Northwestern Mining Company which had recently benefited sosignally by his decision. Interviewed by a reporter, Judge Rossmoreindignantly denied being interested in any way in the company.Thereupon the same paper returned to the attack, stating that the judgemust surely be mistaken as the records showed a sale of stock to him atthe time the company was known as the Alaskan Mining Company. When heread this the judge was overwhelmed. It was true then! They had notslandered him. It was he who had lied, but how innocently--howinnocently!

  His daughter Shirley, who was his greatest friend and comfort, was thenin Europe. She had gone to the Continent to rest, after working formonths on a novel which she had just published. His wife, entirelywithout experience in business matters and somewhat of an invalid, washelpless to advise him. But to his old and tried friend, ex-JudgeStott, Judge Rossmore explained the facts as they were. Stott shook hishead. "It's a conspiracy!" he cried. "And John B. Ryder is behind it."Rossmore refused to believe that any man could so deliberately try toencompass another's destruction, but when more newspaper stories cameout he began to realize that Stott was right and that his enemies hadindeed dealt him a deadly blow. One newspaper boldly stated that JudgeRossmore was down on the mining company's books for $50,000 more stockthan he had paid for, and it went on to ask if this were payment forthe favourable decision just rendered. Rossmore, helpless, child-likeas he was in business matters, now fully realized the seriousness ofhis position. "My God! My God!" he cried, as he bowed his head down onhis desk. And for a whole day he remained closeted in his library, noone venturing near him.

  As John Ryder sat there sphinx-like at the head of the directors' tablehe reviewed all this in his mind. His own part in the work was now doneand well done, and he had come to this meeting to-day to tell them ofhis triumph.

  The speaker, to whom he had paid such scant attention, resumed hisseat, and there followed a pause and an intense silence which wasbroken only by the pattering of the rain against the big windows. Thedirectors turned expectantly to Ryder, waiting for him to speak. Whatcould the Colossus do now to save the situation? Cries of "the Chair!the Chair!" arose on every side. Senator Roberts leaned over to Ryderand whispered something in his ear.

  With an acquiescent gesture, John Ryder tapped the table with his gaveland rose to address his fellow directors. Instantly the room was silentagain as the tomb. One might have heard a pin drop, so intense was theattention. All eyes were fixed on the chairman. The air itself seemedcharged with electricity, that needed but a spark to set it ablaze.

  Speaking deliberately and dispassionately, the Master Dissembler began.

  They had all listened carefully, he said, to what had been stated byprevious speakers. The situation no doubt was very critical, but theyhad weathered worse storms and he had every reason to hope they wouldoutlive this storm. It was true that public opinion was greatlyincensed against the railroads and, indeed, against all organizedcapital, and was seeking to injure them through the courts. For a timethis agitation would hurt business and lessen the dividends, for itmeant not only smaller annual earnings but that a lot of money must bespent in Washington.

  The eyes of the listeners, who were hanging on every word,involuntarily turned in the direction of Senator Roberts, but thelatter, at that moment busily engaged in rummaging among a lot ofpapers, seemed to have missed this significant allusion to the road'sexpenses in the District of Columbia. Ryder continued:

  In his experience such waves of reform were periodical and soon wearthemselves out, when things go on just as they did before. Much of theagitation, doubtless, was a strike for graft. They would have to godown in their pockets, he supposed, and then these yellow newspapersand these yellow magazines that were barking at their heels would letthem go. But in regard to the particular case now at issue--thisAuburndale decision--there had been no way of preventing it. Influencehad been used, but to no effect. The thing to do now was to prevent anysuch disasters in future by removing the author of them.

  The directors bent eagerly forward. Had Ryder really got some plan uphis sleeve after all? The faces around the table looked brighter, andthe directors cleared their throats and settled themselves down intheir chairs as audiences do in the theatre when the drama is reachingits climax.

  The board, continued Ryder with icy calmness, had perhaps heard, andalso seen in the newspapers, the stories regarding Judge Rossmore andhis alleged connection with the Great Northwestern Company. Perhapsthey had not believed these stories. It was only natural. He had notbelieved them himself. But he had taken the trouble to inquire into thematter very carefully, and he regretted to say that the stories weretrue. In fact, they were no longer denied by Judge Rossmore himself.

  The directors looked at each other in amazement. Gasps of astonishment,incredulity, satisfaction were heard all over the room. The rumourswere true, then? Was it possible? Incredible!

  Investigation, Ryder went on, had shown that Judge Rossmore was notonly interested in the company in whose favour, as Judge of the SupremeCourt, he had rendered an important decision, but what was worse, hehad accepted from that company a valuable gift--that is, $50,000 worthof stock--for which he had given absolutely nothing in return unless,as some claimed, the weight of his influence on the bench. These factswere very ugly and so unanswerable that Judge Rossmore did not attemptto answer them, and the important news which he, the chairman, had toannounce to his fellow-directors that afternoon, was that JudgeRossmore's conduct would be made the subject of an inquiry by Congress.

  This was the spark that was needed to ignite the electrically chargedair. A wild cry of triumph went up from this band of jackals only toowilling to fatten their bellies at the cost of another man's ruin, andone director, in his enthusiasm, rose excitedly from his chair anddemanded a vote of thanks for John Ryder.

  Ryder coldly opposed the motion. No thanks were due to him, he saiddeprecatingly, nor did he think the occasion called for congratulationsof any kind. It was surely a sad spectacle to see this honoured judge,this devoted father, this blameless citizen threatened with ruin anddisgrace on account of one false step. Let them rather sympathize withhim and his family in their misfortune. He had little more to tell. TheCongressional inquiry would take place immediately, and in allprobability a demand would be made upon the Senate for Judge Rossmore'simpeachment. It was, he added, almost unnecessary for him to remind theBoard that, in the event of impeachment, the adverse decision in theAuburndale case would be annulled and the road would be entitled to anew trial.

  Ryder sat down, and pandemonium broke loose, the delighted directorstumbling over each other in their eagerness to shake hands with the manwho had saved them. Ryder had given no hint that he had been a factorin the working up of this case against their common enemy, in fact hehad appeared to sympathise with him, but the directors knew well thathe and he alone had been the master mind which had brought about thehappy resul
t.

  On a motion to adjourn, the meeting broke up, and everyone began totroop towards the elevators. Outside the rain was now coming down intorrents and the lights that everywhere dotted the great city onlypaled when every few moments a vivid flash of lightning rent theenveloping gloom.

  Ryder and Senator Roberts went down in the elevator together. When theyreached the street the senator inquired in a low tone:

  "Do you think they really believed Rossmore was influenced in hisdecision?"

  Ryder glanced from the lowering clouds overhead to his electricbrougham which awaited him at the curb and replied indifferently:

  "Not they. They don't care. All they want to believe is that he is tobe impeached. The man was dangerous and had to be removed--no matter bywhat means. He is our enemy--my enemy--and I never give quarter to myenemies!"

  As he spoke his prognathous jaw snapped to with a click-like sound, andin his eyes now coal-black were glints of fire. At the same instantthere was a blinding flash, accompanied by a terrific crash, and thesplinters of the flag-pole on the building opposite, which had beenstruck by a bolt, fell at their feet.

  "A good or a bad omen?" asked the senator with a nervous laugh. He wassecretly afraid of lightning but was ashamed to admit it.

  "A bad omen for Judge Rossmore!" rejoined Ryder coolly, as he slammedto the door of the cab, and the two men drove rapidly off in thedirection of Fifth Avenue.