The revolution which the politician had induced Greasy Jones to foster had, for Welland, two purposes: first, the ruin of Superintendent Adair; second, his own political advancement.
On coming to Black Elk, Welland had aimed to secure a share of its riches and to look for an opportunity of smashing the Superintendent. His effort to break Hector openly having failed—as witness the Whitewash Bill affair—he had recognized that the only method likely to succeed was one of secrecy. A short stay in Prospect, a few weeks in Discovery, had shown him that he had admirable material at hand. Hundreds of desperate men, requiring only judicious bribery or subtle encouragement, were there to do his bidding. Meanwhile, he had acquired his share of Black Elk riches by purchase and partnership.
In time he realised that the civil administration was not incorruptible, though Lancaster, at its head, was above suspicion. He had already discovered much discontent. The idea struck him: Why not secure the services of a desperado—Greasy Jones was the lucky man—to foster this discontent and bring about revolution? A few hundred men, if the plan were kept secret, could overthrow the Government. Adair would be held responsible, as having failed to detect the plot or crush the rising. The result would be his ruin. But, when the wheels were started, Welland realised that, without a just grievance, the movement would be supported only by the discontented minority. Then he remembered the weaknesses of the administration; offered it bribes, through other men; found that it could be tempted; and at once undermined the public confidence in its honesty by systematically corrupting it. This enabled him to enrich himself and to stir the people to a sense of wrong.
In a short time nearly everyone in the Territory was clamouring for a change, or at least a general clean-up. They were ripe for revolution.
And Welland wanted revolution; and wanted Greasy Jones and his crowd to dominate. For revolution would mean Hector's ruin. In that respect, he had been honest with the gangster. But he was far too wise to imagine that the Dominion would permit the Territory to remain under the revolutionary flag. He knew perfectly well that the Government, in the end, would crush the revolt and reestablish the Queen's authority. Therefore, it behooved him to look to the future. And, in looking to the future, he saw his chance to climb out of the wreckage of the revolution to higher things.
Frankly, he intended to do nothing, either for or against the revolution, after the Queen's authority was overthrown. He intended to remain quiet until the troops from Canada arrived. Then his scheme was to help the Government to 'tidy up' in every way. He would tell them that he had foreseen the trouble all along, had written home hinting of its coming—as he actually had—but had felt confident of Lancaster's ability to hold his place. He would tell a long tale of how Greasy Jones, after the revolution, had held him captive. He would make his special knowledge of the Territory invaluable. And, with one thing or another, he would finally appear in the eyes of the Government and of Canada generally as the one capable man in Black Elk, a statesman and a hero. The result would be at least a place in the Cabinet. He might even rival the Prime Minister.
The only man from whom he had anything to fear was Greasy, who alone knew his part in fostering the revolution. Greasy would certainly betray him to the re-established authority—if he waited for it, which Welland was certain he would not. But no one would believe Greasy. His assertions would be thought preposterous. How could his word—or that of any of his confreres—count against that of Mr. Steven Molyneux, M.P.?
Thus would the revolution achieve Welland's two aims: Hector's ruin; and his own climb to great power.
For the first alone, he would never have run such risks; but for both, he had done so. And all was well.
Hector's death, at the hands of an unknown assassin, had come to him in the later stages, as an inspiration. The Superintendent's illness had shown Welland how anxious he really was to see his enemy dead. But, at the same time, he wished him to taste humiliation before he died. His recovery gave Welland a chance to achieve that wish. To find himself shot, at the very moment when the country needed him most, to die with the triumphant shouts of the revolutionists in his ears, shouts telling his degradation—what could be more terrible to Hector? Welland's plan allowed for this.