After that, Hector resolved to smash the Marquis, when next that gentleman misbehaved himself.
But again Fate intervened.
IV
Once more the Superintendent and the M.P.—Hector and the so-called Mr. Molyneux—sat in the latter's office, face to face.
The situation had changed considerably since their last meeting under the politician's roof, two months before.
Welland's fears of Hector had by this time vanished. As Hector had done nothing to unmask him, he was confident that his disguise had not been penetrated and that he might therefore proceed with his amiable plans at leisure.
With returning confidence, Welland had become bolder. The Prophet and other papers of its calibre in other parts of the West and a few even in the East, had incessantly attacked Hector's administration. These attacks, so far, had dealt with small matters in a small way, but they were too frequent to be pleasant or to be overlooked. The time was not ripe for a strong offensive against Hector himself. In the first place, no opening had presented itself. Secondly, the people's confidence in him had yet to be undermined. Hector knew that the patient blows of the hidden miners, however, were beginning to have effect. Fastening on some garbled story in the papers, men would say, "That's so! I never thought of that"—quite forgetting that there might be another side to the story and that Hector was powerless to publish it. Welland was speeding the good work by occasional thunders which were meant to damage Hector. Like most politicians, Welland was an adept at hiding wasps in bouquets, a fact he had demonstrated to Hector on several unpleasant occasions.
The latest presentation—a small but poisonous barb, quite undisguised—was an item in the Prophet, containing a series of half-truths worse than lies and stupidly inspired. Hector had come to the so-called Molyneux to tell him so and to explain his position.
Behind a big cigar, hard eyes half closed, face and body immobile, the politician sat back and listened.
Hector was pointing out the injustices perpetrated by the papers—not to defend himself from their attacks so much as to hold them up for what they were. Naturally, he spoke as any Superintendent would speak to any politician under similar circumstances and not as Hector would have spoken to Welland as Welland.