y I
cannot understand about the rich man, why he do it. But I understand
that the childs are dying. I say you shall not sent that water--if you
do send it I will bring here the fadders who have lost their babies and
the modders of the babies." His lips curled back in his excitement
and froth flecked his mouth. "Sacred name of God! We shall tear that
poison-factory up from the ground with our bare hands!"

"Officer, put that man out of the room," ordered the mayor.

"Won't you listen to us?" shouted Farr. "You are the chief magistrate of
this city. You and these aldermen are the guardians of the people. Are
you going to sit there in those cushioned chairs and let a crowd of rich
assassins murder the poor people?"

Men hissed that speech.

The mayor rapped his gavel furiously.

"This is no matter to be brought up here at this time. You're slandering
honorable men, sir! We have other business."

"Can there be any other business as important as this?"

"Put both of these men out, officer."

"Are you and these aldermen owned by the water syndicate, as report says
you are?" cried Farr. "Look here, you men, men in this room and at the
door! This is your City Hall--these aldermen are elected by your votes.
Aren't you going to demand that the people be heard in this matter?
Don't you know that typhoid fever is killing off the children in this
city--and that poison water is the cause of it?"

"It's rotten stuff to drink--we all know that," cried a voice. "But
there'll have to be a change in politics in this state before they'll
give us anything else."

Two policemen elbowed their rough way to Farr and Etienne.

"The big chap is right--it's about time to have this water question
opened up, Mr. Mayor," called another voice.

"Open it up in a legal and proper way, then," snapped the mayor. "Go to
the law."

"That's it--go to the law--go to the law," jeered another. "And we'll
all be dead and the lawyers will have all our money before the thing is
decided."

There were more hisses.

But an outburst of indorsing voices indicated that many men in that
chamber understood more or less of the political management behind the
Consolidated Water Company.

"If a thing is wrong, change it. What better law do you need than
that?" asked Farr, disregarding an officer's thumb that jerked imperious
gesture.

"When you know a little more law you won't be ignoramus enough to come
into a public hearing and try to break it up. Yo