the cost-第32章

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y　large。〃

〃My　package　isn't　small；〃　said　Culver。　　〃And　on　my　mind　it　weighs　tons。〃　　He　reached　into　his　large　bagat　sight　of　it　Pauline　had　wondered　why　he　had　brought　such　a　bag　up　from　the　hotel　when　his　papers　for　her　inspection　were　so　few。　　He　lifted　out　an　oblong；　bulky　package。

〃If　you'll　just　touch　that　button；〃　said　she；　〃James　will　come　and　show　you　how　to　get　to　the　safe。〃

Culver　hesitated　nervously。　　Finally　he　said：　　〃I'm　making　a　nuisance　of　myself；　Mrs。　Dumont；　but　would　you　mind　going　to　the　safe　with　me？　　I'd　much　rather　none　of　the　servants　knew　about　this。〃

Pauline　smiled　and　bade　him　follow　her。　　They　went　to　her　private　sitting…room　and　she　showed　him　the　safe；　in　a　small　closet　built　into　the　lower　part　of　the　book…case。　　〃You　have　the　combination？〃　asked　Culver；　as　he　put　the　package　away。

〃I　see　that　you　don't　lock　this　door　often。〃

〃How　fortunate　you　spoke　of　it！〃　said　she。

〃The　combination　is　on　a　bit　of　paper　in　one　of　the　little　drawers。〃

Culver　found　it　in　the　first　drawer　he　opened；　and　handed　it　to　her　without　looking　at　it。

〃You　mustn't　let　me　know　it；〃　said　he。　　〃I'll　just　fix　the　time　lock　so　that　it　won't　interfere。〃　　And　when　he　had　done　so；　he　closed　the　safe。　　As　he　left；　he　said；　〃I　shall　only　bother　you　to　let　me　sleep　in　the　house。　　I'll　be　very　busy　all　day　each　day　I'm　here。〃　　When　she　thought　he　had　gone　he　returned　to　add：　　〃Perhaps　I'd　better　explain　to　you　that　there's　forty…five　thousand　dollars　in　cash　in　the　package。　　That's　why　I　was　so　anxious　for　no　one　to　know。〃

〃I'll　say　nothing　about　it；〃　Pauline　assured　him。

Larkin　came　down　from　Indianapolis　the　next　day　and　registered　at　the　Palace　Hotel。　　As　soon　as　he　could　escape　from　the　politicians　and　newspaper　correspondents　in　the　hotel　office；　he　went　by　a　devious　route　to　a　room　on　the　floor　below　his　own　and；　knocking；　was　admitted　to　Culver　and　Merriweather。　　He　nodded　to　Dumont's　political　agent；　then　said　to　Culver：　　〃You've　got　the　dough？〃

〃Yes；〃　Culver　answered；　in　his　best　imitation　of　the　tone　of　the　man　of　large　affairs。　　〃In　twenties；　fifties　and　hundreds。〃

〃I　hope；　mighty　few　hundreds；〃　said　Larkin。　　〃The　boys　are　kind　o'　shy　about　changing　hundred…dollar　bills。　　It　seems　to　attract　attention　to　them。〃　　He　had　large；　dreamy；　almost　sentimental；　brown　eyes　that　absurdly　misrepresented　his　character；　or；　at　least；　his　dominant　characteristics。　　His　long；　slightly　bent　nose　and　sharp　chin　and　thin；　tight　mouth　were　more　truthful。

〃How　do　things　look；　Joe？〃　asked　Merriweather。

〃Yes；　Mr。　Dumont　asked　me　to　telegraph　him　after　I'd　talked　with　you；〃　said　Culver。　　〃Has　Scarborough　made　much　headway？〃

〃I　must　say；　he's　raised　a　darn　sight　more　hell　than　I　thought　he　would；〃　Larkin　answered。

〃The　people　seem　to　be　in　a　nasty　mood　about　corruption。　　Darn　their　fool　souls；　as　if　they　wouldn't　be　in　the　rottenest　kind　of　a　fix；　with　no　property　and　no　jobs；　if　we　didn't　keep　the　ignorant　vote　under　control　and　head　off　such　firebrands　as　this　fellow　Scarborough。〃

〃Got　any　figgers？〃　demanded　Merriweather；　who　had　listened　to　this　tirade　with　an　expression　suggesting　cynicism。　　He　thought；　and　he　knew　Joe　Larkin　thought；　politics　a　mere　game　of　chanceyou　won　or　you　didn't　win；　and　principles　and　oratory　and　likes　and　dislikes　and　resentments　were　so　much　〃hot　air。〃　　If　the　〃oil　can〃　had　been　with　Scarborough；　Merriweather　would　have　served　him　as　cheerfully　and　as　loyally　aswell；　as　would　Joe　Larkin　in　those　circumstances。

Larkin　wrenched　a　big　bunch　of　letters　and　papers　from　the　sagged　inside　pocket　of　his　slouchy　sack　coat；　after　some　fumbling　and　sorting；　he　paused　upon　the　back　of　a　dirty　envelope。

〃Here's　how　the　convention　stands；　to　a　man；〃　he　said。　　〃Sure；　two　hundred　and　sixty…seven…by　‘sure'　I　mean　the　fellows　we　own　outright。　　Safe；　two　hundred　and　forty…five…by　‘safe'　I　mean　those　that'll　stand　by　the　organization；　thick　and　thin。　　Insurgents；　two　hundred　and　ninety…fivethose　are　the　chaps　that've　gone　clean　crazy　with　Scarborough。　　Doubtful；　three　hundred　and　eighty…six…some　of　'em　can　be　bought；　most　of　'em　are　waiting　to　see　which　way　the　cat　jumps；　so　as　to　jump　with　her。〃

〃Then　we've　got　five　hundred　and　twelve；　and　it　takes　five　hundred　and　ninety…seven　to　elect；〃　said　Merriweather；　the　instant　the　last　word　was　out　of　Larkin's　mouth。　　Merriweather　was　a　mite　of　a　man；　could　hardly　have　weighed　more　than　a　hundred　pounds；　had　a　bulging　forehead；　was　bald　and　gray　at　the　temples；　eyes　brown　as　walnut　juice　and　quick　and　keen　as　a　rat…terrier's。　　His　expression　was　the　gambler'scalm；　watchful；　indifferent；　pallid；　as　from　years　of　nights　under　the　gas…light　in　close；　hot　rooms；　with　the　cards　sliding　from　the　faro　box　hour　after　hour。

〃Eighty…five　shortthat's　right；〃　assented　Larkin。　　Then；　with　a　look　at　Culver：　　〃And　some　of　'em'll　come　mighty　high。〃

〃Where　are　you　going　to　do　business　with　them？〃　inquired　Merriweather。　　〃Here？〃

〃Right　here　in　this　room；　where　I've　done　it　many's　the　time　before；〃　replied　Larkin。　　〃To…morrow　night　Conkey　Sedgwick　and　my　boy　Tom'll　begin　steerin'　'em　in　one　at　a　time　about　eight　o'clock。〃

〃Then　I'll　turn　the　money　over　to　you　at　seven　to…morrow　night；〃　said　Culver。　　〃I've　got　it　in　a　safe　place。〃

〃Not　one　of　the　banks；　I　hope；〃　said　Merriweather。

〃We　noted　your　suggestions　on　that　point；　and　on　all　the　others；〃　Culver　answered　with　gracious　condescension。　　〃That's　why　I　brought　cash　in　small　denominations　and　didn't　go　near　anybody　with　it。〃

Larkin　rose。　　〃I've　got　to　get　to　work。　　See　you　here　to…morrow　night　at　seven；　Mr。　Culverseven　sharp。　　I　guess　it'll　be　Judge　Graney　on　the　third　ballot。　　On　the　first　ballot　the　organization'll　vote　solid　for　Graney；　and　my　fellows'll　vote　for　John　Frankfort。　　On　the　second　ballot　half　my　Frankfort　crowd'll　switch　over　to　Graney。　　On　the　third　I'll　put　the　rest　of　'em　over；　and　that'll　be　enough　to　electprobably　the　Scarborough　crowd'll　see　it's　no　use　and　let　us　make　it　unanimous。　　The　losers　are　always　hot　for　harmony。〃

〃That　sounds　well；〃　said　Merriweatherhis　was　a　voice　that　left　his　hearers　doubtful　whether　he　meant　what　his　words　said　or　the　reverse。

Culver　looked　with　secret　admiration　from　one　man　to　the　other；　and　continued　to　think　of　them　and　to　admire；　after　they　had　gone。　　He　felt　important；　sitting　in　and　by　proxy　directing　the　councils　of　these　powerful　men；　these　holders　and　manipulators　of　the　secret　strings　whereto　were　attached　puppet　peoples　and　puppet　politicians。　　Seven　years　behind　the　scenes　with　Dumont's　most　private　affairs　had　given　him　a　thoroughgoing　contempt　for　the　mass　of　mankind。　　Did　he　not　sit　beside　the　master；　at　the　innermost　wheels；　deep　at　the　very　heart　of　the　intricate　mechanism？　　Did　not　that　position　make　him　a　sort　of　master；　at　any　rate　far　superior　to　the　princeliest　puppet？

At　five　the　next　afternoonthe　afternoon　of　the　day　before　the　conventionhe　was　at　the　Eyrie；　and　sent　a　servant　to　say　to　Mrs。　Dumont　that　he　would　like　to　see　her。　　She　came　down　to　him　in　the　library。

〃I'm　only　troubling　you　for　a　moment；〃　he　said。

〃I'll　relieve　you　of　my　package。〃

〃Very　well；〃　said　Pauline。　　〃I　haven't　thought　of　it　since　day　before　yesterday。　　I'll　bring　it　down　to　you。〃

She　left　him　in　the　library　and　went　up　the　stairsshe　had　been　reading　everything　that　was　published　about　the　coming　convention；　and　the　evident　surprise　of　all　the　politicians　at　the　strength　Scarborough　was　mustering　for　ex…Governor　Bowen　had　put　her　in　high　good　humor。　　She　cautioned　herself　that　he　could　not　carry　the　convention；　but　his　showing　was　a　moral　victoryand　what　a　superb　personal　triumph！　　With　everything　against　himmoney　and　the　machine　and　the　skilful　confusing　of　the　issues　by　his　crafty　opponentshe　had　rallied　about　him　almost　all　that　was　really　intelligent　in　his　party；　and　he　had　demonstrated　that　he　had　on　his　side　a　mass　of　the　voters　large　out　of　all　proportion　to　the　number　of　delegates　he　had　wrested　away　from　the　machinenearly　three　hundred；　when　everybody　had　supposed　the　machine　would　retain　all　but　a　handful。

Money！　　Her　lips　curled　scornfullyout　here；　in　her　own　home；　among　these　simple　people；　the　brutal