CHAPTER LV. LYNCH LAW AGAIN.

eethenecessity,andourmotives." "Necessityisthetyrant'splea,Ibelieve,"saidClayton,smiling. "Atallevents,itisastrongone,"repliedJudgeOliver,smilingalso."ButIamgladwehavehadthisconversationIthinkitwillenablemetopacifythemindsofsomeofourhot-headedyoungneighbors,andpreventthreatenedmischief." Afteralittlegeneralconversation,thepartyseparatedonapparentlyfriendlyterms,andClaytonwenttoseekcounselwithhissisterandFrankRussel. Annewasindignantwiththatstraight-outandgenerousindignationwhichbelongstowomen,who,generallyspeaking,arereadytofollowtheirprinciplestoanyresultwithmoreinconsideratefearlessnessthanmen.ShehadnoneoftheanxietiesforherselfwhichClaytonhadforher.Havingoncebeenwitnessofthebrutalitiesofaslave-mob,Claytoncouldnot,withoutashudder,connectanysuchpossibilitieswithhissister. "Ithink,"saidAnne,"wehadbettergiveupthismiserableshamofafreegovernment,offreedomofspeech,freedomofconscience,andallthat,ifthingsmustgooninthisway." "Oh,"saidFrankRussel,"thefactisthatourrepublic,inthesestates,is,likethatofVeniceit'snotademocracy,butanoligarchy,andthemobisitsstandingarmy.Weare,allofus,underthe'CouncilofTen',whichhasitseyeseverywhere.Wearefreeenoughaslongasouractionspleasethemwhentheydon't,weshallfindtheirnoosearoundournecks.It'sveryedifying,certainly,tohavethesegentlemencallonyoutotellyouthattheywillnotbeanswerableforconsequencesofexcitementwhichtheyareallthetimestirringupfor,afterall,whocareswhatyoudo,iftheydon't?Thelargeproprietorsaretheonesinterested.Therabblearetheirhands,andthiswarningaboutpopularexcitementjustmeans,'Sir,ifyoudon'ttakecare,Ishallletoutmydogs,andthenIwon'tbeanswerableforconsequences.'" "Andyoucallthisliberty!"saidAnne,indignantly. "Oh,well,"saidRussel,"thisisaworldofhumbugs.Wecallitlibertybecauseit'sanagreeablename.Afterall,whatisliberty,thatpeoplemakesuchabreezeabout?Weareallslavestoonethingoranother.NobodyisabsolutelyfreeexceptRobinsonCrusoe,inthedesolateislandandhetearsallhisshirtstopiecesandhangsthemupassignalsofdistress,thathemaygetbackintoslaveryagain." "Forallthat,"saidAnne,warming,"Iknowthereissuchathingasliberty.Allthatnoblenessandenthusiasmwhichhasanimatedpeopleinallagesforlibertycannotbeinvain.WhodoesnotthrillatthosewordsoftheMarsellaise:— 'OLiberty,canmenresignthee, Oncehavingfeltthygenerousflame? Candungeons,bolts,orbars,confinethee, Orwhipsthynoblespirittame?'" "Thesearecertainlyagreeablemyths,"saidRussel,"butthesethingswillnotbearanycloselookinginto.Libertyhasgenerallymeantthelibertyofmeandmynationandmyclasstodowhatwepleasewhichisaverypleasantthing,certainly,tothosewhoareontheuppersideofthewheel,andprobablyinvolvingmuchthat'sdisagreeabletothosewhoareunder." "Thatisaheartless,unbelievingwayoftalking,"saidAnne,withtearsinhereyes."Iknowtherehavebeensomerighttrue,noblesouls,inwhomtheloveoflibertyhasmeanttheloveofright,andthedesirethateveryhumanbrothershouldhavewhatrightlybelongstohim.Itisnotmyliberty,norourliberty,buttheprincipleoflibertyitself,thattheystrovefor." "Suchaprinciple,carriedoutlogically,wouldmakesmashingworkinthisworld,"saidRussell."Inthissense,whereisthereafreegovernmentonearth?Whatnationeverdoesoreverdidrespecttherightoftheweaker,oreverwill,tillthemillenniumcomes?—andthat'stoofarofftobeofmuchuseinpracticalcalculationssodon'tlet'sbreakourheartsaboutaname.Formypart,Iammoreconcernedabouttheseimpliedthreats.AsIsaidbefore,'thehandofJoabisinthisthing.'TomGordonisvisitinginthisneighborhood,andyoumaydependuponitthatthis,insomeway,comesfromhim.Heisaperfectlyrecklessfellow,andIamafraidofsomeactofviolence.Ifheshouldbringupamob,whatevertheydo,therewillbenoredressforyou.Theserespectablegentlemen,yourbestfriends,willfoldtheirhands,andsay,'Ah,poorfellow!wetoldhimso!'whileotherswillputtheirhandscomplacentlyintheirpockets,andsay,'Servedhimright!'" "Ithink,"saidClayton,"therewillbenoimmediateviolence.Iunderstoodthattheypledgedasmuchwhentheydeparted." "IfTomGordonisinthecamp,"saidRussel,"theymayfindthattheyhavereckonedwithouttheirhostinpromisingthat.Therearetwoorthreeyoungfellowsinthisvicinity,who,withhisenergytodirectthem,arerecklessenoughforanythingandthereisalwaysanabundanceofexcitablerabbletobegotforadrinkofwhiskey." TheeventprovedthatRusselwasright.Anne'sbedroomwasinthebackpartofthecottage,oppositethelittlegrovewherestoodherschool-room. Shewasawakened,aboutoneo'clockthatnight,byabroad,ruddyglareoflight,whichcausedheratfirsttostartfromherbed,withtheimpressionthatthehousewasonfire. Att