He stepped upon the platform beside the congressman. The latter laid a hand upon his shoulder.
“Gentlemen and friends,” said Heman, “my name has been brought into this controversy, by Mr. Simpson directly, and in insinuation by—er—another. Therefore it is my right to make my position clear. Mr. Thomas came to me last evening in distress, both of mind and body. He told me his story—substantially the story which has just been told to you by Mr. Simpson—and, gentlemen, I believe it. But if I did not believe it, if I believed him to have been in the past all that his opponent has said; even if I believed that, only last evening, spurned, driven from his child, penniless and hopeless, he had yielded to the weakness which has been his curse all his life—even if I believed that, still I should demand that Henry Thomas, repentant and earnest as you see him now, should be given his rightful opportunity to become a man again. He is poor, but he is not—shall not be—friendless. No! a thousand times, no! You may say, some of you, that the affair is not my business. I affirm that it IS my business. It is my business as a Christian, and that business should come before all others. I have not allowed sympathy to influence me. If that were the case, my regard for my neighbor and friend of former days would have held me firm. But, gentlemen, I have a child of my own. I know what a father's love is, as only a father can know it. And, after a sleepless night, I stand here before you to-day determined that this man shall have his own, if my money—which you will, I'm sure, forgive my mentioning—and my unflinching support can give it to him. That is my position, and I state it regardless of consequences.” He paused, and with raised right hand, like the picture of Jove in the old academy mythology, launched his final thunderbolt. “Whom God hath joined,” he proclaimed, “let no one put asunder!”
That settled it. The cheers shook the walls. Amidst the tumult Dimick and Bailey Bangs seized Captain Cy by the shoulders and endeavored to lift him from his seat.
“For the love of goodness, Whit!” groaned Josiah, desperately, “stand up and answer him. If you don't, we'll founder sure.”
The captain smiled grimly and shook his head. He had not taken his eyes from the face of the great Atkins since the latter began speaking.
“What?” he replied. “After that 'put asunder' sockdolager? Man alive! do you want me to add Sabbath breakin' to my other crimes?”
The vote, by ballot, followed almost immediately. It was pitiful to see the erstwhile Whittaker majority melt away. Alonzo Snow was triumphantly elected. But a handful voted against him.
Captain Cy, still grimly smiling, rose and left the hall. As he closed the door, he heard the shrill voice of Uncle Bedny demanding justice for the Bassett's Hollow road.
It had, indeed, been a “memoriable” town meeting.