Blow the Man Down - A Romance of the Coast

"I beg your pardon, sir," called the captain; "but are you sure that you

are doing this thing just right?"

"Let's see--if I remember, I had a little talk with you last night!"

suggested the agent, frostily. "Whom do you represent?" "Myself."

"Just how do you fit into this matter?" "I don't think I do fit--there

seem to be too many sharp corners," stated Mayo, not liking the other's

insolent manner. "Well, I fit! I have state authority." "So you have

told me. May I ask you a question?" "Go ahead, but be lively. This is

my busy day." "These people are being rooted up; they don't seem to know

what's to become of them. What will be done?"

"I told you last evening! Fools in an institution; able-bodied must go

to work. The state proposes--" "When you say 'state' just what do you

mean, sir?" "I mean that I have investigated this matter and I'm running

it."

"That's what I thought! The state usually doesn't know much about what

its agents are doing."

"You are not doubting my authority, are you?"

"No, but I'm doubting your good judgment."

"Look here, my man!"

"We'd better not lose our tempers," advised Mayo, calmly. "You are a

state servant, you say. Then a citizen has a right to talk to you. Let's

leave the state out of this, if you question my right. Man to man, now!

You're wrong."

The population of the island had drawn close circle about them.

"That's enough talk from you," declared the agent, wrathfully.

"You are trying to make over all at once what it has taken three

generations to bring about," insisted Mayo. "You can't do it!"

"You watch me and see if I can't! When I transact any business I'm paid

to transact it gets transacted. I might have given these people a few

more days if you had not come sticking your oar in here. But now I

propose to show you! I'll have 'em off here by nightfall, and every

shack burned to the ground."

"Do you mean to say you're going to rub it into these poor folks just

because I have tried to say something to help them?"

"I'll show you and them that it isn't safe to monkey with the state when

the state gets started."

"Oh, the state be condemned!" exploded Mayo, feeling his own temper

getting away from him. "This isn't the state--it's a case of a man's

swelled head!"