Corrigan

“ He knew that Corrigan had seen him, but it pleased the other to pretend that he had not.
“This is your work, Corrigan—I take it?” said Trevison, bluntly.
Corrigan turned slowly. He was a good actor, for he succeeded in getting a fairly convincing counterfeit of surprise into his face as his gaze fell on his enemy.
“You have taken it correctly, sir.” He smiled blandly, though there was a snapping alertness in his eyes that belied his apparent calmness. He turned to Gieger, ignoring Trevison. “Organization is the thing. Pickand is a genius at it,” he said. ”

“ His thoughts ran to Corrigan in a riot of rage that pained him like a knife thrust; his lust for vengeance 265 was a savage, bitter-visaged demon that held him in its clutch and made his temples pound with a yearning to slay. And that, of course, would have to be the end. For the enmity that lay between them was not a thing to be settled by the law—it was a man to man struggle that could be settled in only one way—by the passions, naked, elemental, eternal. ”

“ Corrigan sat on the edge of a flat-topped desk watching him with an ugly, appraising, speculative grin. It was as though the man were mentally gambling on his chances to recover from the throttling.
“Well,” he said when the Judge at last struggled and sat up; “how do you like it? You’ll get more if you don’t talk fast and straight! Who wrote that letter, from Dry Bottom?”
Neither judicial dignity or resolutions of independence could resist the threatened danger of further violence that shone from Corrigan’s eyes, and the Judge whispered gaspingly:
“Trevison.” ”

“ This condition favored the larger man. He lashed out a heavy fist that caught Trevison full and fair on the jaw, and the latter’s face turned ashy white as he sank to his knees. Corrigan stopped to catch his breath before he hurled himself forward, and this respite, brief as it was, helped the other to shake off the deadening effect of the blow. He moved his head slightly as Corrigan swung at it, and the blow missed, its force pulling the big man off his feet, so that he tumbled headlong over his adversary. ”

“ They did, indeed, say, some time back, that our title to the estate afforded strong grounds for litigation—that there were points of considerable importance—”
“May I interrupt you, sir?” said Linton, laying his hand on Corrigan's arm. “A subject so full of regrets to you can never be a pleasing topic to me. I am fully as rich as a man like myself could desire; and I trust to personal exertions for whatever I may wish to add in the way of ambition.”
“And with good reason, sir,” said Corrigan, proudly. “There are no failures to those who unite honesty of purpose with fine abilities. ”

“ Club was completely broken down by it. When the lament ceased all were weeping, while warm-hearted and impetuous Corrigan was sobbing like a grieved child.
The quartette waited a moment and then sang a Cornish farewell, the music of which, though mostly very sad, had, here and there, a bar or two such as might be sung around the cradle of Hope, leaving a thought that there might be a victory even over death, and which made the hymn ring half like the Miserere and half like a benediction. ”

“ Corrigan speaks of.” She looked at Rosalind, and the girl knew that she was deprecating the rider of the black horse. Rosalind smiled sweetly.
“Oh, I am sure there must be some intelligent persons among them!”
“As a rule,” stated Corrigan, dogmatically, “the first citizens of any town are an uncouth and worthless set.”
“The Four Hundred would take exception to that!” laughed Rosalind.
Corrigan laughed with her. “You know what I mean, of course. Take Manti, for instance. Or any new western town. The lowest elements of society are represented; most of the people are very ignorant and criminal.” ”

“ With the confidence of one proud of his discovery he stirred up the sticks, and throwing a few pieces of the compound on the expiring embers, they soon ignited, and to the unutterable amazement of the group, exploded! Corrigan had perhaps the greatest reason to be astonished at the treacherous behaviour of his “patent fuel,” for besides having the hair of his head, moustache, and beard burnt to the roots, his face was so scorched and scarified, it took three weeks to cure him of an injury which the Doctors had latinized into “Ambustio.” ”

“ You’ve cut me short, all right; but I’ve said enough to start a fire that will rage through this part of the country until every damned thief is burned out! You’ve selected the wrong man for a victim, Corrigan.”
He stepped down into the street, sheathing his pistol. He heard Corrigan’s voice, calling after him, saying:
“Grand-stand play again!”
Trevison turned; the gaze of the two men met, held, their hatred glowing bitter in their eyes; the gaze broke, like two sharp blades rasping apart, and Corrigan turned to his deputies, scowling; while Trevison pushed his way through the crowd. ”

“ Braman evaded, but the girl thought she knew. Corrigan had yielded to an impulse of obstinacy provoked by Trevison’s assault on him. It was not good business—it was almost childish; but it was human to feel that way. She felt a slight disappointment in Corrigan, though; the action did not quite accord with her previous estimate of him. She did not know what to think of Trevison. But of course any man who would deliberately and brutally ride another man down, would naturally not hesitate to adopt other lawless means of defending himself. ”

“ After a while Braman and Corrigan entered the banking room. The light from the rear room shone on them for an instant and I recognized them. They were at the safe. When they went out they left the safe door open. After a while the light went out and I saw Corrigan come from around the rear of the building, recross the street and come into the Castle. You men are blind. Corrigan is a crook who will stop at nothing. If you let him injure Trevison for a crime that Trevison did not commit you deserve to be robbed! ”

“ Jealousy of the big man he would not have admitted; but something swelled his chest when he 95 thought of Corrigan coming West in the same car with the girl—a vague, gnawing something that made his teeth clench and his facial muscles cord.
Rosalind had not told him that she had recognized him, that during the ten years of his exile he had been her ideal, but she could close her eyes at this minute and imagine herself on the stair-landing at Hester Keyes’ party, could feel the identical wave of thrilling admiration that had passed over her when her gaze had first rested on him. ”

“ As he stepped down from the private car he was greeted by vociferous cheers from a jostling and enthusiastic populace—for J. C. had very carefully wired the time of his arrival and Corrigan had acted accordingly, knowing J. C. well. J. C. was charmed—he said so, later, in a speech from a flimsy, temporary stand erected in the middle of the street in front of the Plaza—and in saying so he merely told the truth. For, next to money-making, adulation pleased him most. He would have been an able man had he ignored the latter passion. ”

“ I met Corrigan in Dublin shortly after he landed, and I remember two things he told me which shed some light on Lindbergh’s [354] character. I was almost the first newspaperman to see Corrigan, and in our introductory conversation the little Irish flyer, whose flight in many ways was more remarkable than Lindbergh’s, said: “I’m not going to do like Lindbergh and be hounded to death by newspapermen. He refuses to see them and won’t say anything for quotation and makes himself so mysterious that they never have stopped going after him. ”

“ They think you are not giving the land-owners a square deal. Not that I’m ‘knocking’ you,” the clerk denied, flushing at the dark look Corrigan threw him. “That’s merely what I hear. Personally, I’m for you. This town needs men like you, and it can get along without fellows like Trevison.”
“Thank you,” smiled Corrigan, disgusted with the man, but feeling that it might be well to cultivate such ingratiating interest. “Have a cigar.” ”

“ They circled cautiously, Trevison’s spurs jingling musically. Then Trevison went in swiftly, jabbing with his left, throwing off Corrigan’s vicious counter with the elbow, and ripping his right upward. The fist met Corrigan’s arm as the latter blocked, and the shock forced both men back a step. Corrigan grinned with malicious interest and crowded forward.
“That’s good,” he said; “you’re not a novice. I hope you’re not a quitter. ”

“ Trevison thinks you are Corrigan’s trump card in this game. It is a game, isn’t it. But he loves you in spite of it all. He told me he’d go to the gallows for you. Aren’t men the sillies! But just the same, dearie, we women like to hear them murmur those little heroic things, don’t we? It was on the night I told him you’d told Corrigan about the dynamiting. ”

“ A quarter of an hour, a very long quarter to Deb, passed.
"My brother ought to be in sight," she said. "He ought to stop working. It is getting late."
"Maybe he's struck a new idea," replied Corrigan. "You know he hates to give up unless a point is settled."
Deb knew that this was true of Jack. But might not her brother go straight home, without returning to the mill?
"I guess I'll go up the road to meet him," she said, rising.
Corrigan stepped over to the door. "No, you must stay here," he replied, decidedly. ”

“ As the pipes were lighted next evening, Carlin said to Barney: "Corrigan, does the ghost of your La Porte mirage haunt you as Wright's does him?"
"Not a bit of it," answered Corrigan sharply. "It hurt for awhile, I confess it, but a year and a half after Maggie was married, I passed her house one avenin' in the gloaming, and in a voice which I knew well, though all the swateness had been distilled out of it, this missage came out upon the air: 'Mike, if yees have got the brat to slape, yees had better lay him down and come out to your tay. ”

“ For her father was concerned in this, and if he had any knowledge that Corrigan was stealing land—if he was stealing it—he was guilty as Corrigan. If he had no knowledge of it, she might be able to prevent the steal by communicating with him.
“Trevison tell me?” laughed Levins, scornfully; “‘Firebrand’ ain’t no pussy-kitten fighter which depends on women standin’ between him an’ trouble. I’m tellin’ you on my own hook, so’s that big stiff Corrigan won’t get swelled up, thinkin’ he’s got a chance to hitch up with you in the matrimonial wagon. That guy’s got murder in his heart, girl. ”

“ It seemed to Corrigan that Miss Benham’s face was very serious. But Agatha, who knew Rosalind better than Corrigan knew her, was aware that the girl was merely demurely sarcastic.
“Love and hatred are next,” he said, slowly.
“You would place money-making before love?” Rosalind bantered.
“Money adds the proper flavor to love,” laughed Corrigan. The laugh was laden with subtle significance and he looked straight at the girl, a deep fire slumbering in his eyes. “Yes,” he said slowly, 16 “money-making is a great passion. I have it. But I can hate, and love. ”

“ Justice is abroad tonight and it won’t be balked. I’m after that original land record—and I’m going to have it. You know where it is—you’ve got it. Your face told me that the other day. You’re only half-heartedly in this steal. Be a man—give me the record—and I’ll stand by you until hell freezes over! Quick! Is it in the safe?”
The Judge wavered in agonized indecision. But thoughts of Corrigan’s wrath finally conquered. ”

“ Corrigan made no reply. To tell the truth, he did not wish Mosey to know that he had stolen Jack's model, and that precious article was now safely hidden in the loft of the mill.
"Phy don't ye answer me question?" continued Andy Mosey.
"Oh, I thought I'd try the other way for a change," said Corrigan, as lightly as possible. "How is the young fellow?" ”

“ Leads down unto the grave;
The brave man will accept his fate,
And God accepts the brave.
Then with a gentle "Good noight, lads," they were gone.
It was still in the room again until Corrigan said: "I hope Wright heard that singin'; the last song in particular."
"Who knows?" said Ashley. "It was all silence here; those men came and filled the place with music. Who knows that it will not, in swelling waves, roll on until it breaks upon the upper shore?"
"Who knows," said Harding, "that he did not hear it sung first and have it sent this way to comfort us? ”

“ Anderson began to laugh softly. "Good old Corrigan! He's all right, isn't he? Well, he gets half of that check when you rewrite it, if I don't laugh myself to death before I get to the bank."
"What d'you mean?" Burns was impressed by the other's confidence.
"Nothing, except that I've found one square man in this village. One square guy is a pretty big percentage in a town the size of Buffalo. Corrigan wouldn't let you see the depot if I wasn't along. Put on your coat and come with me—yes, and bring a couple of hired men if it will make you feel any better." ”

“ From Cape Serdze eastward the water is deep near the shore and the travelling in places along the sea-ice was rough, because the drift ice came close to shore. We had a good many steep inclines to go down and had exciting experiences, especially as we went along at top speed. Corrigan, however, was a daring and capable dog-driver, and knew how to steer the sledge as well as a man can steer a ship. He had sixteen dogs, all of the very best quality, and where the going was good we travelled very fast. Corrigan had a chum who went along with us with some of Corrigan’s dogs and ours. ”