Part 31 (1/2)
”Well,” answered Mr. Evans with the cynicism of the judicial mind, ”let's see. You know now, if you didn't know at the time, that Noonan got Mike the Goat to a.s.sess the disorderly houses for the money to buy your wedding roses from the Y.M.R.C. All right. Noonan's bartender is on the ticket with you as a.s.semblyman. Are you going to vote for him or not?”
”But, Penny, I've just about got to vote for him.”
”All right, then. I'll tell Genevieve the truth about Noonan and the flowers, and I'll ask her if she would feel that she had to vote for Noonan's bartender!” retorted Mr. Evans. ”Giving women the ballot will help at least that much. If the Noonans stay in politics, they'll get no help from the women when they vote!”
”But aren't we protecting the women?”
”Anyway, Mrs. Remington,” said E. Eliot comfortably, ”I'm glad it happened just this way. Without you, they would hold me until after the election on Tuesday. With you, about tomorrow at ten o'clock we shall be released. E. Eliot alone they have made every provision for holding.
They have started a scandal, I don't doubt, necessary to explain my absence, and pulled the political wires to keep me from making a fuss about it afterward. They know their man in the district attorney's office, and----”
”Do you mean George Remington?” This from his wife, with flas.h.i.+ng eyes.
”I mean,” explained E. Eliot unabashed, ”that for some reason they feel safe with George Remington in the district attorney's office, or they would not kidnap me to prevent his defeat! That is the cold-blooded situation.”
”This party,” E. Eliot smiled, ”is given at the country home of Mike the Goat, as nearly as I can figure it out. Mike is a right-hand man of Noonan. Noonan is a right-hand man of Benjie Doolittle and Wesley Norton, and they are all a part of the system that holds Martin Jaffry's industries under the amiable beneficence of our sacred protective tariff! Hail, hail, the gang's all here--what do we care now, my dear?
And because you are here and are part of the heaven-born combination for the public good, I am content to go through the rigors of one night without a nightie for the sake of the cause!”
”But they don't know who I am!” protested Mrs. Remington. ”And----”
”Exactly, and for that reason they don't know who you are not. Tomorrow the whole town will be looking for you, and Noonan will hear who you are and where you are. Then! Say, girl--_say, girl,_ it _will_ be grist for our mill! Fancy the headlines all over the United States:
'GANG KIDNAPS CANDIDATE'S WIFE MYSTERY SHROUDS PLOT CANDIDATE REMINGTON IS SILENT.'”
”But he won't be silent,” protested the indignant Genevieve.
”I tell you, he'll denounce it from the platform. He'll never let this outrage----”
”Well, my dear,” said the imperturbable E. Eliot, ”when he denounces this plot he'll have to denounce Doolittle and Noonan, and probably Norton, and maybe his Uncle Martin Jaffry. Somebody is paying big money for this job! I said the headlines will declare:
'CANDIDATE REMINGTON is SILENT But Still Maintains That Women Are Protected from Rigors of Cruel World by Man's Chivalry.'”
”Oh, Miss Eliot, don't! How can you? Oh, I know George will not let this outrage----”
”Of course not,” hooted E. Eliot. ”The st.u.r.dy oak will support the clinging vine! But while he is doing it he will be defeated. And if he doesn't protest he will be defeated, for I shall talk!”
”George Remington will face defeat like a gentleman, Miss Eliot; have no fear of that. He will speak out, no matter what happens.” ”And when he speaks, when he tells the truth about this whole alliance between the greedy, ruthless rich and the brutal, vicious dregs of this community--our cause is won!”
The next morning George Remington reached from his bed for his telephone and called up the Sheridan residence. Two minutes later Penfield Evans heard a shout. At his door stood the unclad and pallid candidate for district attorney.
”Penny,” he gasped, ”Genevieve's not there! She has not been with Betty all night. And Betty has gone out to find E. Eliot, who is missing from her boarding-house!”
”Are you sure----”
”G.o.d--Penny--I thought I had stopped it!”
George was back in his room, flying into his clothes. The two men were talking loudly. From down the hall a sleepy voice--unmistakably Mrs.
Brewster-Smith's--was drawling: