Part 32 (1/2)
”Well, what are--”
”Never mind now. But first gather in all I say, Senator, as we've no time to lose. When I couldn't locate you and I saw you probably wouldn't be at the Senate chamber in time to make your speech on the naval base bill, I persuaded Senator Milbank of Arkansas to rise and make a speech on the currency question, which subject was in order.
He was under obligation to me for some important information I once obtained for him, and he consented to keep the floor until you arrived, though he knew he would earn the vengeance of Peabody. That was over an hour and a half ago. He must be reading quotations from 'Pilgrim's Progress' to the Senate by now to keep the floor.”
Bud paused to look at his watch.
The Senator stretched his head out of the window and cried: ”Drive faster!”
”Got your speech all right?” called Bud above the din of the rattling wheels.
”Yes, here,” was the response, the Senator tapping his inner breast pocket.
”Thought maybe she--” cried Bud, jerking his head back in the direction from which they had come.
The Mississippian shook his head negatively, and set his jaws determinedly.
The coach swung up to the Capitol entrance.
”Tell me,” asked Langdon, as both jumped out, ”how did you find out that--”
”I 'phoned the house--gave a name Peabody uses--”
”Great heavens! but how did you know where to 'phone?”
They were at the door of the Senate chamber.
”Norton gave me the tip--for your sake and Carolina's--for old times'
sake, he said,” was Bud's reply.
CHAPTER XXVIII
ON THE FLOOR OF THE SENATE
Too much occupied in concentrating his thoughts on his speech, Langdon failed to notice the consternation on the faces of Peabody and Stevens as he walked to his seat in the Senate. They had failed to succeed in getting Milbank to conclude, and consequently could not push the naval base report through. But they noted the pa.s.sing of over an hour after their opponent's appointed time and had felt certain that he would not appear at all.
”The boss of the Senate” leaned across to Stevens and whispered, hurriedly:
”We must tear him to pieces now--discredit him publicly. It's his own fault. Our agents can sell the land to Standard Steel. Our connection with the scheme will be impossible to discover--after we have made the public believe Langdon is a crook.”
”But how about our supposed combination to protect the Government that Langdon will tell about?” asked Stevens. ”We can't deny that, of course.”
”No,” answered Peabody. ”We can't deny it, but we will not affirm it.
We will tell interviewers that we prefer not to talk about it.”
”It's our only chance,” replied Stevens, cautiously.
”Yes; and we owe it all to Jake Steinert,” went on Peabody. ”That fellow Telfer will do anything to please Jake. Jake has convinced Telfer that Langdon was responsible for the defeat of Gulf City, and the Mayor is wild for revenge.”
”The boss of the Senate” rose and walked to the rear of the Senate chamber to issue orders to two of his colleagues.