I reckon, between us,
we'll make out to give you as good as you send. That's all"--he rose to
lean heavily upon the table--"all but one thing: you fight fair,
Hardwick; say anything you like about me and I'll stand for it; but if
that boy has anything in his past that I don't know about--any little
fool trick that he wouldn't want to see published--you let it alone and
keep your damned newspaper hounds off of it!"
The vice-president, being of those who regain equanimity in exact
proportion as an opponent loses it, chuckled grimly; was still chuckling
when an interrupting tap came at the locked door. Blount got up and
turned the latch to admit an office-boy wearing the uniform of the
railroad headquarters. "Note for Mr. McVickar," said the messenger; and
at a gesture from the senator he crossed the room to deliver it.
For a full half-minute after the boy had gone, the vice-president sat
poring over the pencilled scrawl, which was all that the sealed envelope
yielded. The note was lacking both date-line and signature, though the
clerks in Richard Gantry's office were familiar enough with the
hieroglyph that appeared at the bottom of the sheet. In his own good
time the vice-president folded the bit of paper and thrust it into his
pocket. Then he resumed the talk at the precise point at which it had
been broken off.
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