"No, no, now or never.Sign, join the League.""Don't leave us.We look to you to help."But presently the excited throng that turned their faces towards the Governor were aware of a new face at his elbow.The door of the harness room had been left unbolted and Mrs.Derrick, unable to endure the heart-breaking suspense of waiting outside, had gathered up all her courage and had come into the room.
Trembling, she clung to Magnus's arm, her pretty light-brown hair in disarray, her large young girl's eyes wide with terror and distrust.What was about to happen she did not understand, but these men were clamouring for Magnus to pledge himself to something, to some terrible course of action, some ruthless, unscrupulous battle to the death with the iron-hearted monster of steel and steam.Nerved with a coward's intrepidity, she, who so easily obliterated herself, had found her way into the midst of this frantic crowd, into this hot, close room, reeking of alcohol and tobacco smoke, into this atmosphere surcharged with hatred and curses.She seized her husband's arm imploring, distraught with terror.
"No, no," she murmured; "no, don't sign."She was the feather caught in the whirlwind.En masse, the crowd surged toward the erect figure of the Governor, the pen in one hand, his wife's fingers in the other, the roll of signatures before him.The clamour was deafening; the excitement culminated brusquely.Half a hundred hands stretched toward him; thirty voices, at top pitch, implored, expostulated, urged, almost commanded.The reverberation of the shouting was as the plunge of a cataract.
It was the uprising of The People; the thunder of the outbreak of revolt; the mob demanding to be led, aroused at last, imperious, resistless, overwhelming.It was the blind fury of insurrection, the brute, many-tongued, red-eyed, bellowing for guidance, baring its teeth, unsheathing its claws, imposing its will with the abrupt, resistless pressure of the relaxed piston, inexorable, knowing no pity.
"No, no," implored Annie Derrick."No, Magnus, don't sign.""He must," declared Harran, shouting in her ear to make himself heard, "he must.Don't you understand?"Again the crowd surged forward, roaring.Mrs.Derrick was swept back, pushed to one side.Her husband no longer belonged to her.
She paid the penalty for being the wife of a great man.The world, like a colossal iron wedge, crushed itself between.She was thrust to the wall.The throng of men, stamping, surrounded Magnus; she could no longer see him, but, terror-struck, she listened.There was a moment's lull, then a vast thunder of savage jubilation.Magnus had signed.
Harran found his mother leaning against the wall, her hands shut over her ears; her eyes, dilated with fear, brimming with tears.
He led her from the harness room to the outer room, where Mrs.
Tree and Hilma took charge of her, and then, impatient, refusing to answer the hundreds of anxious questions that assailed him, hurried back to the harness room.
Already the balloting was in progress, Osterman acting as temporary chairman on the very first ballot he was made secretary of the League pro tem., and Magnus unanimously chosen for its President.An executive committee was formed, which was to meet the next day at the Los Muertos ranch house.
