hesitantly—reluctantly. Not that that would do him any good.
The Mayor stretched out the last count, perhaps a bitunnerved by Gordon’s stubbornness. The raised fist began to chop down.
“Mr. Mayor!” a woman’s tremulous voice cut in, her words high-pitched with fear as she reached up to grab the bossman’s hand. “P-please … I …”
The Mayor shrugged her hands away. “Get away, woman. Get her out of here.”
The frail shape backed away from the guards, but she cried out clearly. “I … I’m Grace Horton!”
“What?” The Mayor was not alone in turning to stare at her.
“It’s my m-maiden name. I was married the year after the second famine. That was before you and your men arrived.…”
The crowd reacted noisily. The Mayor cried out, “Fools! He copied her name from a telephone book, I tell you!”
Gordon smiled. He held up the bundle in his hand and touched his cap with the other.
“Good evening, Mizz Horton. It’s a lovely night, yes? By the way, I happen to have a letter here for you, from a Mr. Jim Horton, of Pine View, Oregon.… He gave it to me twelve days ago.…”
The people on the parapet all seemed to be talking at once. There were sudden motions and excited shouts. Gordon cupped his ear to listen to the woman’s amazed exclamation, and had to raise his voice to be heard.
“Yes, ma’am. He seemed to be quite well. I’m afraid that’s all I have on this trip. But I’ll be glad to carry your reply to your brother on my way back, after I finish my circuit down in the valley.”
He stepped forward, closer to the light. “One thing though, ma’am. Mr. Horton didn’t have enough postage, back in Pine View, so I’m going to have to ask you for ten dollars … C.O.D.”
The crowd roared.
Next to the glaring lantern the figure of the Mayor turned left and right, waving his arms and shouting. Butnothing he said was heard as the gate swung open and people poured out into the night. They surrounded Gordon, a tight press of hot-faced, excited men, women, children. Some limped. Others bore livid scars or rasped in tuberculin heaviness. And yet at that moment the pain of living seemed as nothing next to a glow of sudden faith.
In the middle of it all Gordon maintained his composure and walked slowly toward the portal. He smiled and nodded, especially to those who reached out and touched his elbow, or the wide curve of his bulging leather bag. The youngsters looked at him in superstitious awe. On many older faces, tears streamed.
Gordon was in the middle of a trembling adrenaline reaction, but he squelched hard on the little glimmering of conscience … a touch of shame at this lie.
The hell with it. It’s not
my
fault they want to believe in the Tooth Fairy. I’ve finally grown up. I only want what belongs to me!
Simpletons
.
Nevertheless, he smiled all around as the hands reached out, and the love surged forth. It flowed about him like a rushing stream and carried him in a wave of desperate, unwonted hope, into the town of Oakridge.
INTERLUDE
In spring orange blazes,
Dust of ancestors glowers—
Cooling Earth with hazes
II
CYCLOPS
NATIONAL RECOVERY ACT
PROVISIONALLY EXTENDED CONGRESS OF THE RESTORED UNITED STATES
DECLARATION
TO ALL CITIZENS : Let it be known by all now living within the legal boundaries of the United States of America that the people and fundamental institutions of the nation survive. Your enemies have failed in their aggression against humanity, and have been destroyed. A provisional government, acting in continuous succession from the last freely elected Congress and Executive of the United States, is vigorously moving to restore law, public safety, and liberty once more to this beloved land, under the Constitution and the righteous mercy of the Almighty.
TO THESE ENDS : Let it be known that all lesser laws and statutes of the United States are suspended, including all debts, liens, and judgments
The Mayor stretched out the last count, perhaps a bitunnerved by Gordon’s stubbornness. The raised fist began to chop down.
“Mr. Mayor!” a woman’s tremulous voice cut in, her words high-pitched with fear as she reached up to grab the bossman’s hand. “P-please … I …”
The Mayor shrugged her hands away. “Get away, woman. Get her out of here.”
The frail shape backed away from the guards, but she cried out clearly. “I … I’m Grace Horton!”
“What?” The Mayor was not alone in turning to stare at her.
“It’s my m-maiden name. I was married the year after the second famine. That was before you and your men arrived.…”
The crowd reacted noisily. The Mayor cried out, “Fools! He copied her name from a telephone book, I tell you!”
Gordon smiled. He held up the bundle in his hand and touched his cap with the other.
“Good evening, Mizz Horton. It’s a lovely night, yes? By the way, I happen to have a letter here for you, from a Mr. Jim Horton, of Pine View, Oregon.… He gave it to me twelve days ago.…”
The people on the parapet all seemed to be talking at once. There were sudden motions and excited shouts. Gordon cupped his ear to listen to the woman’s amazed exclamation, and had to raise his voice to be heard.
“Yes, ma’am. He seemed to be quite well. I’m afraid that’s all I have on this trip. But I’ll be glad to carry your reply to your brother on my way back, after I finish my circuit down in the valley.”
He stepped forward, closer to the light. “One thing though, ma’am. Mr. Horton didn’t have enough postage, back in Pine View, so I’m going to have to ask you for ten dollars … C.O.D.”
The crowd roared.
Next to the glaring lantern the figure of the Mayor turned left and right, waving his arms and shouting. Butnothing he said was heard as the gate swung open and people poured out into the night. They surrounded Gordon, a tight press of hot-faced, excited men, women, children. Some limped. Others bore livid scars or rasped in tuberculin heaviness. And yet at that moment the pain of living seemed as nothing next to a glow of sudden faith.
In the middle of it all Gordon maintained his composure and walked slowly toward the portal. He smiled and nodded, especially to those who reached out and touched his elbow, or the wide curve of his bulging leather bag. The youngsters looked at him in superstitious awe. On many older faces, tears streamed.
Gordon was in the middle of a trembling adrenaline reaction, but he squelched hard on the little glimmering of conscience … a touch of shame at this lie.
The hell with it. It’s not
my
fault they want to believe in the Tooth Fairy. I’ve finally grown up. I only want what belongs to me!
Simpletons
.
Nevertheless, he smiled all around as the hands reached out, and the love surged forth. It flowed about him like a rushing stream and carried him in a wave of desperate, unwonted hope, into the town of Oakridge.
INTERLUDE
In spring orange blazes,
Dust of ancestors glowers—
Cooling Earth with hazes
II
CYCLOPS
NATIONAL RECOVERY ACT
PROVISIONALLY EXTENDED CONGRESS OF THE RESTORED UNITED STATES
DECLARATION
TO ALL CITIZENS : Let it be known by all now living within the legal boundaries of the United States of America that the people and fundamental institutions of the nation survive. Your enemies have failed in their aggression against humanity, and have been destroyed. A provisional government, acting in continuous succession from the last freely elected Congress and Executive of the United States, is vigorously moving to restore law, public safety, and liberty once more to this beloved land, under the Constitution and the righteous mercy of the Almighty.
TO THESE ENDS : Let it be known that all lesser laws and statutes of the United States are suspended, including all debts, liens, and judgments
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