Such was his absorption that the pretty stenographer5 slowly and imperceptibly faded from the forefront of his consciousness. Thus, the first faint spur, in the best sense, of his need for woman ceased to prod6. So far as Dede Mason was concerned, he possessed7 no more than a complacent8 feeling of satisfaction in that he had a very nice stenographer. And, completely to put the quietus on any last lingering hopes he might have had of her, he was in the thick of his spectacular and intensely bitter fight with the Coastwise Steam Navigation Company, and the Hawaiian, Nicaraguan, and Pacific-Mexican Steamship9-Company. He stirred up a bigger muss than he had anticipated, and even he was astounded10 at the wide ramifications11 of the struggle and at the unexpected and incongruous interests that were drawn12 into it. Every newspaper in San Francisco turned upon him. It was true, one or two of them had first intimated that they were open to subsidization, but Daylight's judgment13 was that the situation did not warrant such expenditure14. Up to this time the press had been amusingly tolerant and good-naturedly sensational15 about him, but now he was to learn what virulent16 scrupulousness17 an antagonized press was capable of. Every episode of his life was resurrected to serve as foundations for malicious18 fabrications. Daylight was frankly19 amazed at the new interpretation20 put upon all he had accomplished21 and the deeds he had done. From an Alaskan hero he was metamorphosed into an Alaskan bully22, liar23, desperado, and all around "bad Man." Not content with this, lies upon lies, out of whole cloth, were manufactured about him. He never replied, though once he went to the extent of disburdening his mind to half a dozen reporters. "Do your damnedest," he told them. "Burning Daylight's bucked24 bigger things than your dirty, lying sheets. And I don't blame you, boys... that is, not much. You can't help it. You've got to live. There's a mighty25 lot of women in this world that make their living in similar fashion to yours, because they're not able to do anything better. Somebody's got to do the dirty work, and it might as well be you. You're paid for it, and you ain't got the backbone26 to rustle27 cleaner jobs."
The socialist28 press of the city jubilantly exploited this utterance29, scattering30 it broadcast over San Francisco in tens of thousands of paper dodgers31. And the journalists, stung to the quick, retaliated32 with the only means in their power-printer's ink abuse. The attack became bitterer than ever. The whole affair sank to the deeper deeps of rancor33 and savageness34. The poor woman who had killed herself was dragged out of her grave and paraded on thousands of reams of paper as a martyr35 and a victim to Daylight's ferocious36 brutality37. Staid, statistical38 articles were published, proving that he had made his start by robbing poor miners of their claims, and that the capstone to his fortune had been put in place by his treacherous39 violation40 of faith with the Guggenhammers in the deal on Ophir. And there were editorials written in which he was called an enemy of society, possessed of the manners and culture of a caveman, a fomenter41 of wasteful42 business troubles, the destroyer of the city's prosperity in commerce and trade, an anarchist43 of dire44 menace; and one editorial gravely recommended that hanging would be a lesson to him and his ilk, and concluded with the fervent45 hope that some day his big motor-car would smash up and smash him with it.
He was like a big bear raiding a bee-hive and, regardless of the stings, he obstinately46 persisted in pawing for the honey. He gritted47 his teeth and struck back. Beginning with a raid on two steamship companies, it developed into a pitched battle with a city, a state, and a continental48 coastline. Very well; they wanted fight, and they would get it. It was what he wanted, and he felt justified49 in having come down from the Klondike, for here he was gambling50 at a bigger table than ever the Yukon had supplied. Allied51 with him, on a splendid salary, with princely pickings thrown in, was a lawyer, Larry Hegan, a young Irishman with a reputation to make, and whose peculiar52 genius had been unrecognized until Daylight picked up with him. Hegan had Celtic imagination and daring, and to such degree that Daylight's cooler head was necessary as a check on his wilder visions. Hegan's was a Napoleonic legal mind, without balance, and it was just this balance that Daylight supplied. Alone, the Irishman was doomed53 to failure, but directed by Daylight, he was on the highroad to fortune and recognition. Also, he was possessed of no more personal or civic54 conscience than Napoleon.
It was Hegan who guided Daylight through the intricacies of modern politics, labor55 organization, and commercial and corporation law. It was Hegan, prolific56 of resource and suggestion, who opened Daylight's eyes to undreamed possibilities in twentieth-century warfare57; and it was Daylight, rejecting, accepting, and elaborating, who planned the campaigns and prosecuted58 them. With the Pacific coast from Peugeot Sound to Panama, buzzing and humming, and with San Francisco furiously about his ears, the two big steamship companies had all the appearance of winning. It looked as if Burning Daylight was being beaten slowly to his knees. And then he struck—at the steamship companies, at San Francisco, at the whole Pacific coast.
It was not much of a blow at first. A Christian59 Endeavor convention being held in San Francisco, a row was started by Express Drivers' union No. 927 over the handling of a small heap of baggage at the Ferry Building. A few heads were broken, a score of arrests made, and the baggage was delivered. No one would have guessed that behind this petty wrangle60 was the fine Irish hand of Hegan, made potent61 by the Klondike gold of Burning Daylight. It was an insignificant62 affair at best—or so it seemed. But the Teamsters' union took up the quarrel, backed by the whole Water Front Federation63. Step by step, the strike became involved. A refusal of cooks and waiters to serve scab teamsters or teamsters' employers brought out the cooks and waiters. The butchers and meat-cutters refused to handle meat destined64 for unfair restaurants. The combined Employers' Associations put up a solid front, and found facing them the 40,000 organized laborers65 of San Francisco. The restaurant bakers66 and the bakery wagon67 drivers struck, followed by the milkers, milk drivers, and chicken pickers. The building trades asserted its position in unambiguous terms, and all San Francisco was in turmoil68.
But still, it was only San Francisco. Hegan's intrigues69 were masterly, and Daylight's campaign steadily70 developed. The powerful fighting organization known as the Pacific Slope Seaman's union refused to work vessels71 the cargoes73 of which were to be handled by scab longshoremen and freight-handlers. The union presented its ultimatum74, and then called a strike. This had been Daylight's objective all the time. Every incoming coastwise vessel72 was boarded by the union officials and its crew sent ashore75. And with the Seamen76 went the firemen, the engineers, and the sea cooks and waiters. Daily the number of idle steamers increased. It was impossible to get scab crews, for the men of the Seaman's union were fighters trained in the hard school of the sea, and when they went out it meant blood and death to scabs. This phase of the strike spread up and down the entire Pacific coast, until all the ports were filled with idle ships, and sea transportation was at a standstill. The days and weeks dragged out, and the strike held. The Coastwise Steam Navigation Company, and the Hawaiian, Nicaraguan, and Pacific-Mexican Steamship Company were tied up completely. The expenses of combating the strike were tremendous, and they were earning nothing, while daily the situation went from bad to worse, until "peace at any price" became the cry. And still there was no peace, until Daylight and his allies played out their hand, raked in the winnings, and allowed a goodly portion of a continent to resume business.
It was noted77, in following years, that several leaders of workmen built themselves houses and blocks of renting flats and took trips to the old countries, while, more immediately, other leaders and "dark horses" came to political preferment and the control of the municipal government and the municipal moneys. In fact, San Francisco's boss-ridden condition was due in greater degree to Daylight's widespreading battle than even San Francisco ever dreamed. For the part he had played, the details of which were practically all rumor78 and guesswork, quickly leaked out, and in consequence he became a much-execrated and well-hated man. Nor had Daylight himself dreamed that his raid on the steamship companies would have grown to such colossal79 proportions.
But he had got what he was after. He had played an exciting hand and won, beating the steamship companies down into the dust and mercilessly robbing the stockholders by perfectly80 legal methods before he let go. Of course, in addition to the large sums of money he had paid over, his allies had rewarded themselves by gobbling the advantages which later enabled them to loot the city. His alliance with a gang of cutthroats had brought about a lot of cutthroating. But his conscience suffered no twinges. He remembered what he had once heard an old preacher utter, namely, that they who rose by the sword perished by the sword. One took his chances when he played with cutting throats, and his, Daylight's, throat was still intact. That was it! And he had won. It was all gamble and war between the strong men. The fools did not count. They were always getting hurt; and that they always had been getting hurt was the conclusion he drew from what little he knew of history. San Francisco had wanted war, and he had given it war. It was the game. All the big fellows did the same, and they did much worse, too.
"Don't talk to me about morality and civic duty," he replied to a persistent81 interviewer. "If you quit your job tomorrow and went to work on another paper, you would write just what you were told to write. It's morality and civic duty now with you; on the new job it would be backing up a thieving railroad with... morality and civic duty, I suppose. Your price, my son, is just about thirty per week. That's what you sell for. But your paper would sell for a bit more. Pay its price to-day, and it would shift its present rotten policy to some other rotten policy; but it would never let up on morality and civic duty.
"And all because a sucker is born every minute. So long as the people stand for it, they'll get it good and plenty, my son. And the shareholders82 and business interests might as well shut up squawking about how much they've been hurt. You never hear ary squeal83 out of them when they've got the other fellow down and are gouging84 him. This is the time THEY got gouged85, and that's all there is to it. Talk about mollycoddles86! Son, those same fellows would steal crusts from starving men and pull gold fillings from the mouths of corpses88, yep, and squawk like Sam Scratch if some blamed corpse87 hit back. They're all tarred with the same brush, little and big. Look at your Sugar Trust—with all its millions stealing water like a common thief from New York City, and short-weighing the government on its phoney scales. Morality and civic duty! Son, forget it."
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1
waned
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| v.衰落( wane的过去式和过去分词 )；（月）亏；变小；变暗淡 | |
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2
plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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3
hazardous
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| adj.(有)危险的，冒险的；碰运气的 | |
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fascinations
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| n.魅力( fascination的名词复数 )；有魅力的东西；迷恋；陶醉 | |
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stenographer
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| n.速记员 | |
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prod
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| vt.戳，刺；刺激，激励 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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complacent
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| adj.自满的；自鸣得意的 | |
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steamship
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| n.汽船，轮船 | |
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astounded
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| v.使震惊(astound的过去式和过去分词)；愕然；愕；惊讶 | |
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ramifications
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| n.结果，后果( ramification的名词复数 ) | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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13
judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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expenditure
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| n.(时间、劳力、金钱等)支出；使用，消耗 | |
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15
sensational
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| adj.使人感动的，非常好的，轰动的，耸人听闻的 | |
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virulent
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| adj.有毒的，有恶意的，充满敌意的 | |
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17
scrupulousness
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| n.一丝不苟；小心翼翼 | |
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18
malicious
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| adj.有恶意的，心怀恶意的 | |
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frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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interpretation
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| n.解释，说明，描述；艺术处理 | |
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accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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bully
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| n.恃强欺弱者，小流氓；vt.威胁，欺侮 | |
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liar
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| n.说谎的人 | |
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24
bucked
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| adj.快v.（马等）猛然弓背跃起( buck的过去式和过去分词 )；抵制；猛然震荡；马等尥起后蹄跳跃 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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backbone
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| n.脊骨，脊柱，骨干；刚毅，骨气 | |
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rustle
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| v.沙沙作响；偷盗(牛、马等)；n.沙沙声声 | |
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socialist
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| n.社会主义者；adj.社会主义的 | |
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utterance
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| n.用言语表达，话语，言语 | |
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30
scattering
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| n.[物]散射；散乱，分散；在媒介质中的散播adj.散乱的；分散在不同范围的；广泛扩散的；（选票）数量分散的v.散射(scatter的ing形式)；散布；驱散 | |
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31
dodgers
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| n.躲闪者，欺瞒者( dodger的名词复数 ) | |
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32
retaliated
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| v.报复，反击( retaliate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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rancor
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| n.深仇，积怨 | |
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savageness
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| 天然，野蛮 | |
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martyr
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| n.烈士，殉难者；vt.杀害，折磨，牺牲 | |
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ferocious
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| adj.凶猛的，残暴的，极度的，十分强烈的 | |
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brutality
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| n.野蛮的行为，残忍，野蛮 | |
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38
statistical
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| adj.统计的，统计学的 | |
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treacherous
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| adj.不可靠的，有暗藏的危险的；adj.背叛的，背信弃义的 | |
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40
violation
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| n.违反(行为)，违背(行为)，侵犯 | |
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fomenter
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| 挑唆者，煽动者 | |
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wasteful
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| adj.（造成）浪费的，挥霍的 | |
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43
anarchist
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| n.无政府主义者 | |
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44
dire
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| adj.可怕的，悲惨的，阴惨的，极端的 | |
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45
fervent
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| adj.热的，热烈的，热情的 | |
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46
obstinately
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| ad.固执地，顽固地 | |
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47
gritted
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| v.以沙砾覆盖（某物），撒沙砾于( grit的过去式和过去分词 )；咬紧牙关 | |
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48
continental
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| adj.大陆的，大陆性的，欧洲大陆的 | |
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49
justified
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| a.正当的，有理的 | |
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50
gambling
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| n.赌博；投机 | |
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51
allied
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| adj.协约国的；同盟国的 | |
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52
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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53
doomed
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| 命定的 | |
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54
civic
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| adj.城市的，都市的，市民的，公民的 | |
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55
labor
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| n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦 | |
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56
prolific
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| adj.丰富的，大量的；多产的，富有创造力的 | |
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57
warfare
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| n.战争(状态)；斗争；冲突 | |
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58
prosecuted
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| a.被起诉的 | |
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59
Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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60
wrangle
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| vi.争吵 | |
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61
potent
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| adj.强有力的，有权势的；有效力的 | |
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insignificant
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| adj.无关紧要的，可忽略的，无意义的 | |
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63
federation
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| n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会 | |
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destined
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| adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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laborers
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| n.体力劳动者，工人( laborer的名词复数 )；（熟练工人的）辅助工 | |
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66
bakers
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| n.面包师( baker的名词复数 )；面包店；面包店店主；十三 | |
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67
wagon
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| n.四轮马车，手推车，面包车；无盖运货列车 | |
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68
turmoil
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| n.骚乱，混乱，动乱 | |
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69
intrigues
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| n.密谋策划( intrigue的名词复数 )；神秘气氛；引人入胜的复杂情节v.搞阴谋诡计( intrigue的第三人称单数 )；激起…的好奇心 | |
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70
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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71
vessels
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| n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人 | |
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72
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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73
cargoes
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| n.（船或飞机装载的）货物( cargo的名词复数 )；大量，重负 | |
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74
ultimatum
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| n.最后通牒 | |
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75
ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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76
seamen
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| n.海员 | |
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77
noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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78
rumor
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| n.谣言，谣传，传说 | |
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colossal
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| adj.异常的，庞大的 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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81
persistent
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| adj.坚持不懈的，执意的；持续的 | |
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82
shareholders
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| n.股东( shareholder的名词复数 ) | |
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83
squeal
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| v.发出长而尖的声音；n.长而尖的声音 | |
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84
gouging
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| n.刨削[槽]v.凿( gouge的现在分词 )；乱要价；（在…中）抠出…；挖出… | |
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85
gouged
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| v.凿( gouge的过去式和过去分词 )；乱要价；（在…中）抠出…；挖出… | |
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86
mollycoddles
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| v.娇养，宠坏( mollycoddle的第三人称单数 ) | |
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87
corpse
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| n.尸体，死尸 | |
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88
corpses
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| n.死尸，尸体( corpse的名词复数 ) | |
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