Part 4 (1/2)

An inscrutable smile--a smile, yet a cold one--accompanied Peabody's answer.

”I have always found, Stevens,” he said, ”that a little attention like this to a new man is never wasted, and I make it a rule not to overlook opportunities.”

Again the senior Senator from Mississippi acquiesced, and he laughed heartily at Peabody's keen insight into human nature.

”I think you'll like Langdon,” Stevens remarked after a pause, ”and you'll find him easy to deal with. Just put up any measure for the benefit of the South and Langdon will go the limit on it. Even a Republican majority doesn't mind a little Democratic support, you know. I think he's just the man you can use in this gulf naval base bill.”

”You can swing him?” asked Peabody, sharply.

Stevens drew closer to Peabody.

”I elected him, and he knows it,” he chuckled.

The boss nodded.

”And it's likely that a man like Langdon, new to politics--a simple gentleman of the old school, as you describe him--might have considerable influence on opinion throughout the country.”

Langdon's colleague grasped the arm of the senatorial dictator.

”He's just the man we want, Senator. He's one of those old fellows you just have to believe when he talks. He'll do what I suggest, and he can make the public believe what we think.”

”Then you guarantee him?” snapped the boss.

”Unreservedly, Senator.”

”All right,” said Peabody. ”He goes on the naval committee. That ought to be enough honor for a man who a year ago was growing cotton on an old plantation miles away from civilization.”

”We have control now of all the land about Altacoola that can be used,” said Stevens. ”I have had Norton, the Congressman from Langdon's district, working on it. There isn't a foot of land there which we do not now control under options, and,” he added, with a chuckle, ”the options were dirt cheap.”

Peabody grunted approvingly.

”There won't be any New York fortune in it, but it ought to be a pretty tidy bit,” he said. ”Now, if we could only get Langdon interested, directly or indirectly, in a financial way, that would clinch everything.”

The senior Senator from Mississippi shook his head.

”It's too risky. He's old-fas.h.i.+oned, you know--has about as much idea about practical politics as--well, as we have of the Golden Rule. Fact is, he rather lives by that antiquated standard. That's where we get him. He owes everything to me, you see, so naturally he'll do anything I want him to. By the way, there's Norton now. Perhaps he can tell us something.”

”Call him over,” said Peabody.

Norton had been strolling about the lobby, hoping to be noticed. The flame had lured the moth, and it liked the manner of the singeing. The Congressman hurried precipitately across at Stevens' summons.

”I've been wanting to speak to you, gentlemen,” said Norton, full of the good trick he had turned, ”but I didn't like to interrupt you. I think I've done a big stroke for Altacoola to-day.”

Even Peabody p.r.i.c.ked up his ears.

”Yes?” said both Senators together.

With a keen sense of the dramatic, the Congressman let his next words drawl out with full effect.

”I've got Senator Langdon interested--financially interested,” he said.