Don Gutteridge - The Widow's Demise

“Oh, you’re awake, are you?” Rutherford said,without getting up from the table. “Come on over here, John. I’vegot something important to say to you.”

Snow got up slowly and staggered over toRutherford. “I don’t feel so good,” he said, sitting downclumsily.

“How are you fixed for money?” he said.

Snow grimaced. He wasn’t sure how he hadbecome involved with this importunate fellow and couldn’t rememberhow much of his personal life he had confessed to.

“I’m doin’ all right.”

“That’s not what you said earlier, myfriend.”

“Well, to tell the truth, I am a bit strappedfer cash.”

“How would you like to earn fivedollars?”

Snow’s eyes widened and made his head hurt.“How would I do that?”

“Quite simple. Just turn around and drivehome to your good wife.”

Snow thought he had misheard.

“Why would anyone give me five dollars ferdoin’ that?” He thought that Rutherford must be pulling his leg.But the notion of five dollars was tantalizing. He could picture afresh banknote.

“I’ve got it right here,” Rutherford said,flashing the money. “And I believe so strongly that farmersshouldn’t vote that I’m willing, on behalf of an unnamedbenefactor, to give you this cash for staying away from thepoll.”

“You’re serious?”

“I am. So what do you say?”

Snow hesitated. He desperately needed cash -as most farmers did – and could visualize handing the note to hisbanker and buying time on his mortgage. On the other hand, he was alifelong supporter of the Reform party, and felt deeply theobligation to vote. But LaFontaine would win by a landslide,wouldn’t he? Baldwin had won the riding by several hundred votes.What use was his lonely vote?

“I’ll take the cash,” Snow said.

“Good man,” Rutherford said, grinning fromear to ear. “You won’t regret it.”

Snow took the money.

“Here,” Rutherford said, “ have a cigar.”

***

This time the meeting was held in the Hinck’slibrary. Present were Hincks, Baldwin, LaFontaine, Gagnon and Marc.The first item of business was the discussion of a speech thatLouis had given out in York County. All agreed that it had been apowerful and successful address, focussing on the achievements ofthe coalition in the opening session of the new Parliament. Inforceful English Louis had detailed the legislation: theestablishment of extensive public works, a reduction in the rate ofpostage and a speeding up of mail delivery, bills to improve thenavigation between Lake Huron and Lake Erie to the ocean, thedevelopment of a legal framework for municipal self-government, andpromise of a law setting up a system of common schools. Inaddition, the Imperial Parliament had agreed to guarantee a loan ofone and a half million pounds sterling. On a lesser scale, Louishad adumbrated, were laws to reduce the severity of capitalpunishment and revision of the provincial tariff, and a commissionto study the abolition of seigneurial tenure in Quebec. All thiswas achieved because the Governor and his Executive had tailoredtheir legislative program to suit the wishes of the majority groupin the Legislative Assembly, that is the rouge -Reformalliance of Louis LaFontaine and Robert Baldwin. All of this hadbeen done without the presence of the leader of the French half ofthe alliance. Just think of the accomplishments achievable whenboth men were in Parliament. And, as if that were not enough, theGovernor had introduced a motion that in practice guaranteed hewould not act without the advice and consent of the Assembly. Ineffect, he had accepted the basic principle of responsiblegovernment.

Louis had been cheered by the majority of thefarmers in attendance, and indeed he had persuaded many to casttheir vote for him. There had been a few discordant jeers, soondrowned out, and one or two brief scuffles. But all in all themeeting had been peaceful.

“That was a masterful speech,” Hincksbegan.

“I don’t see any need to alter it,” Robertsaid. “Just give it a few more times in the locations we’vedesignated, and the election is ours.”

“Your presence was a great help,” Louis said.“You’re sure you don’t wish to speak as well?”

“I would only dull the sheen of your splendidoration,” Robert said.

“May I raise another point?” Gilles Gagnonsaid in English.

“Please, do,” Robert said.

“I’ve got word that the Tories are up totheir old tricks.”

“I’ve heard the stories as well,” Marcsaid.

“What’s been going on?” Hincks asked.

“Well,” Gagnon said, switching to French,“Mr. D’Arcy Rutherford has been up to no good. He and others havebeen going about waylaying Reform voters, getting them drunk andpersuading them not to vote. They’re even handing out five dollarsper man as inducement. And there are reports of goon squads onYonge Street to discourage timid voters, but so far there’s been noactual violence.”

“This is very disturbing,” Louis said. “Itsounds like Terrebonne.”

“I don’t think it will tip the balance,”Robert said. “After three days, we’re ahead by fifteen votes.”

“Still,” Gagnon said, obviously put out,“Humphrey Cardiff promised he would keep Rutherford in check, andhe has already broken his word. That money is not coming out ofRutherford’s pocket, you can be sure of that.”

“The wealthy members of the Family Compactmore likely,” Hincks said.

“I think I should go and speak to Cardiff,”Gagnon said. “We don’t want another Terrebonne on our hands.”

“I doubt if it will do any good,” Marcsaid.

“But I’ve got to try,” Gagnon said.

“As you wish, then,” Louis said.

***

Gilles Gagnon made his way along Front Streettowards Rosewood, Humphrey Cardiff’s mansion. The sun had almostgone down, leaving the street in a hazy glow. Ahead he could makeout the fence that ran across the front of the house, its whitespikes just visible in the dusky light. He heard the front dooropen, and saw a woman step out onto the walk. At almost the samemoment, a dark, male figure emerged from the shadows at the cornerof the building and accosted the woman. She seemed to recognizehim, for she said something to him and turned to face him. Justthen an arm was raised suddenly, the hand at the end of itclutching something small and glittering. The woman jerked back asit struck, and threw both her hands to her face. A half-secondlater, she uttered a sharp cry and began to stagger backwards. Sherighted herself momentarily, and then fell forward onto the spikedfence.

The male figure dropped the object in hishand, wheeled and ran off around the far corner of Rosewood.Gagnon, who froze initially, now sped as fast as he could towardsthe stricken woman. She had managed to jerk herself free of thefence, but blood was gushing from her throat. She was uttering lowmoans and writhing in pain. Then she slumped the ground.

Gagnon reached her and knelt beside her. Thegash in her throat was deep and pumping blood. He pulled ahandkerchief from his pocket and tried to staunch the flow. It wasthen that he noticed that the lower part of the woman’s face hadbeen flayed open by some corrosive substance. The flesh bubbled. Ashe leaned closer to get a better view, the woman’s hand came up ina purely reflex action and clawed his left cheek. He winced andjerked away. That’s when he saw the vial lying beside her andpicked it up with one hand. He had to get help. He took the woman’swrist in his other hand and felt for a pulse. There was none. Hereyes were now blank. She was dead.

“I think you can put that down now, sir.”

Gagnon looked up. A police constable wasstanding beside him.

“I think you done enough damage with thatvial,” Ewan Wilkie said.