Part 22 (1/2)
Warrington turned all his mail face-downward. He knew Bill of aforetime, in the old newspaper days. Bill had marvelously keen eyes, for all that they were watery. The valet ushered him into the study.
He wore his usual blase expression. He sat down and drew up his chair to the desk.
”Well, Mr. Osborne, what's on your mind to-night?” Warrington leaned back.
”The truth is, Richard,” began William, ”I found this letter on the pavement this afternoon. Guess you'd been down to the hotel this afternoon, and dropped it. I found it out in front. There was no envelope, so I couldn't help reading it.”
Warrington seized the letter eagerly. It was the only letter of its kind in the world. It was enchanted.
”Mr. Osborne, you've done me a real service. I would not take a small fortune for this letter. I don't recollect how I came to lose it. Must have taken it out and dropped it accidentally. Thanks.”
”Don't mention it, my boy.” Very few called him Mr. Osborne.
”It is worth a good deal to me. Would you be offended if I gave you ten as a reward?”
”I'd feel hurt, Richard, but not offended,” a twinkle in the watery eyes.
Warrington laughed, drew out his wallet and handed William a crisp, crackly bank-note. It went, neatly creased, into William's sagging vest-pocket.
”Have a cigarette?” asked Warrington.
”Richard, there's one thing I never did, and that's smoke one of those coffin-nails. Whisky and tobacco are all right, but I draw the line at cigarettes.”
Warrington pa.s.sed him a cigar. William bit off the end and lighted it.
He sniffed with evident relish.
”Seems impossible, Richard, that only a few years ago you were a reporter at the police station. But I always said that you'd get there some day. You saw the dramatic side of the simplest case. I knew your father. He was one of the best farmers in the county. But he didn't know how to invest his savings. He ought to have left you rich.”
”But he didn't. After all, it's a fine thing to make for the good things in life and win them yourself.”
”That's true. You're a different breed from some of these people who are your neighbors. We're all mighty proud of you, here in Herculaneum. What you want to do is to get into politics.” Here Bill winked mysteriously. ”You've money and influence, and that's what counts.”
”I'm seriously thinking the thing over,” returned Warrington, not quite understanding the wink.
”Everything's on the b.u.m in town; it wants a clean bill. McQuade must go. The man never keeps a promise. Told me in the presence of witnesses, last election, that he'd give me a job on the new police board; and yet after election he put in one of those whipper-snappers who know nothing. Of course, you've been in town long enough to know that Donnelly is simply McQuade's creature. I never had any luck.”
”Oh, it may change by and by.” Warrington, at that moment, felt genuinely sorry for the outcast.
Bill twirled his hat. ”You've never laughed at me, Richard; you've always treated me like a gentleman, which I was once. I didn't mail that letter because I wanted to see if you had changed any. If you had become a sn.o.b, why, you could fight your blamed battles yourself; no help from me. But you're just the same. I've brought something that'll be of more use to you than that letter, and don't you forget it.”
”What?” asked Warrington skeptically.
Suddenly Bill leaned forward, shading his voice with his hand. ”I was in Hanley's for a gla.s.s of beer this noon. I sat in a dark place. The table next to me was occupied by Martin, McQuade, and a fellow named Bolles.”
”Bolles?”
”You've been away so long you haven't heard of him. He handles the dagos during election. Well, McQuade was asking all sorts of questions about you. Asked if you gambled, or drank, or ran around after women.”
Warrington no longer leaned back in his chair. His body a.s.sumed an alert angle.
”They all went up to McQuade's office. The typewriter is a niece of mine. McQuade has heard that the senator is going to spring your name at the caucus. But that's a small matter. McQuade is going to do you some way or other.”