CHAPTER 11

Bunny had staged his show, and had shown himself a master hand at running down one class of law breakers; but when I good naturedly asked him the price of his brake-beam berth, he grew philosophic and compromising.

“ I had to get here, ” he explained, laying stress on the had, “ and so long as the money sewed in my belt lining remained there, I felt safe in continuing westward, via the free route. The railroads beat us, and why shouldn’t we beat them? Anyway, I took a chance with death, and when I meet Jay Gould and his friends, I am sure they will overlook my indiscretion. ”

Our little business with the Chief and Mr. Jim and his friends led to our getting good jobs through the influence of the Chief. A month rolled by without incident until we met several deaf people on the street. Our acquaintance led to an invitation to attend their club. The club met Saturday nights and was largely social, but matters vital to the welfare of the deaf were often handled from the platform, and when a heady and conscientious person had the necessary influence to carry his point, good work was accomplished; but sometimes the opposition would overrule, then the club would split, and it would take about four months to get it together again; so the club’s fortunes would ebb and flow.

When we three entered the club hall, we found it crowded. There was to be a business meeting and election of officers. There were gathered rich deaf and poor deaf, idlers and toilers, bright deaf full of earnest activity, and some rascally ones, also full of activity—of another kind. Candidates for office and their workers were busy soliciting votes. Later on we learned that the whole thing was fixed and a dark horse was in the running! Only members might vote, and we thought it a pretty piece of business when a smart fellow tried to work in our votes—illegal votes. From what we could make out, a strong opposition to the last board of directors was determined to win all the offices, and I feared the club was again heading for the rocks like a ship with an intoxicated man at the wheel.

Suddenly the lights went out and flashed up again. This was the signal to be seated, to make order and to begin business. The president mounted the platform, but before opening business announced that three visitors were on hand, two college men and the other the well-known Rufus Ford, the hobo-poet and wrestler, printer and journalist. There was a happy demonstration, especially for Bunny, and a member rose to suggest that business be laid aside and Bunny be given an opponent on the mat!

The impostor exposure was now common knowledge, but the club didn’t know that it was we three new men who had rounded up the crooks. We had kept our names from the reporters, giving fictitious names to protect ourselves. Thus it was a real surprise when, two weeks later, the truth came out.

Business now began in earnest and candidates named for office, from the presidency down. The hall was full, all club members were present. The names of the candidates were written on a blackboard and the voting began.

The highest honor went to a Mrs. Raleigh. She was seated in the last row, near the door, and had arrived only a moment before the business opened. Heads turned as her name was announced. We three sat in the front row, so we did not see the woman, but I thought it strange that the presidency should fall to other than a male member.

The voting continued until all offices were filled. Then the president seated himself among us, and the chairman took the floor, inviting the newly elected officers to come forth and speak.

In the rear, as Mrs. Raleigh rose, there was a general commotion, made by her supporters. Only a faint show of pleasure came from the front rows. The new president was now coming forward to speak, and we three visitors turned our heads to see her.

I cannot describe the look on Bunny’s face, nor that of mingled horror and amazement which transformed Dick’s; nor do I think the two could express my own look of surprise and shock as we all simultaneously caught sight of the newly elected president.

Dressed expensively and stylishly, her blond hair in a fine coiffure, the work of a professional hair dresser, her hat, large and black, in fine contrast with her light hair, plump, smiling, cordial, the new president—the “ She-mute ”!