ON THE TRAIL OF THE "INSIDERS"
Colonel J.D. Telfer (J.D. standing for Jefferson Davis, he explained
proudly to Haines) proved a warm advocate of the doubtful merits of
Gulf City as a hundred-million-dollar naval base. His flushed face
grew redder, his long white hair became disordered, and he tugged at
his white mustache continually as he waxed warmer in his efforts to
impress the Senator's secretary.
"I tell you, Mr. Haines, Gulf City, sah, leads all the South when it
comes to choosin' ground fo' a naval base. Her vast expanse of crystal
sea, her miles upon miles of silvah sands, sah, protected by a natural
harbor and th' islands of Mississippi Sound, make her th' only spot
to be considered. She's God's own choice and the people's, too, for a
naval base."
"But, unfortunately, Congress also has something to say about choosing
it," spoke Haines.
"To be shuah they do," said Gulf City's Mayor, "but--"
"And there was a man here from Altacoola yesterday," again interrupted
the secretary, "who said that Gulf City was fit only to be the State
refuge for aged and indigent frogs."
"Say, they ain't a man in Altacoola wot can speak th' truth,"
indignantly shrieked the old Colonel, almost losing control of
himself; "because their heads is always a-buzzin' and a-hummin' from
th' quinine they have to take to keep th' fever away, sah!"
The Mayor sat directly in front of Haines, at the opposite side of his
desk. Regaining his composure, he suddenly leaned forward and half
whispered to the secretary:
"Mah young friend, don't let Senator Langdon get switched away from
Gulf City by them cheap skates from Altacoola. Now, if you'll get th'
Senator to vote fo' Gulf City we'll see--I'll see, sah, as an officer
of th' Gulf City Lan' Company--that you get taken ca-ah of."
Haines' eyes opened wide.
"Go on, Colonel; go on with your offer," he said.
"Well, I'll see that a block of stock, sah--a big block--is set
aside fo' Senator Langdon an' another fo' you, too. We've made this
ah-rangomont else-wheah. We'll outbid Altacoola overall time. They're
po' sports an' hate to give up."
"So Altacoola is bidding, too?" excitedly asked Haines.
"Why, of co'se it is. Ah yo' as blind as that o' ah yo' foolin' with
me?" questioned Telfer, suspiciously. "Seems to me yo' ought to know
more about that end of it than a fellah clear from th' gulf."
"Certainly, certainly," mumbled Haines, impatiently, as he endeavored
to associate coherently, intelligently, in his mind those startling
new revelations of Telfer with certain incidents he had previously
noted in the operations of the committee on naval affairs.
Then he looked across at the Mayor and smiled. Apparently he had heard
nothing to amaze him.
"Colonel," he returned calmly, dropping into a voice that sounded of
pity for the gray hairs of the lobbyist, "about fifty men a day come
to me with propositions like that. There is nothing doing, Colonel. I
couldn't possibly interest Senator Langdon, because he has the faculty
of judging for himself, and he would be prejudiced against either town
that came out with such, a proposition."
"Lan' speculation is legitimate," protested, the Colonel, cunningly.
Haines agreed.
"Certainly--by outsiders. But it's d--d thievery when engaged in by
any one connected with putting a bill through. If I were to tell
Senator Langdon what you have told me it would decide him unalterably
in favor of Altacoola. Senator Langdon, sir, is one of the few men in
Washington who would rather be thought a fool than a grafter if it
came down to that."
The Mayor of Gulf City jumped to his feet, his face blazing in rage,
not in shame.
"Seems to me yo're mighty fresh, young man," he blustered. "What kind
of politics is Langdon playin'?"
"Not fresh, Colonel; only friendly. I'm just tipping you off how not
to be a friend to Altacoola. As to his politics, the Senator will
answer you himself."
A scornful laugh accompanied Telfer's reply.
"Altacoola, huh! I reckon yo' must be a fool, after all. Why,
everybody knows of the speculatin' in land around Altacoola, and
everybody knows it ain't outsiders that's doin' it. It's the insiders,
right here in Washington. If yo' ain't in, yo' can easy get a
latchkey. Young man, yo'll find out things some day, and yo'll drop to
it all.
"I guess I was too late with yo'. That's about the size of it. I
guess Altacoola'll talk to yo'," went on the Mayor. "If that feller
Fairbrother of Altacoola had been able to hold his tongue maybe I
wouldn't know so much. But now I know what's what. I know this--that
yo're either a big fool or--an insider. Yo're a nice young feller. I
have kind-a taken a fancy to yo'. I like to see yo' young fellers get
along and not miss yo'r chances. Come, my boy, get wise to yo'rself,
get wise to yo'rself! Climb on to the band wagon with yo' friends."
Bud concluded that he might be able to get more definite information
out of Telfer if he humored him a bit.
"I tell you, Colonel," he finally said, "these are pretty grave
charges you're making, but I'll tell you confidentially, owing to your
liking for me, that it is not yet too late to do something for Gulf
City. Now, just suppose you and I dine together to-night early, and
we'll go over the whole ground to see how things lie. Will you?"
The Colonel held out his hand, smiling broadly. He felt that at last
he had won the secretary over; that the young man was at heart anxious
to take money for his influence with the Senator.
"All right, my boy, yo're on. We'll dine together. Yo' are absolutely
certain that it won't be too late to get to Senator Langdon?"
"Absolutely positive. I wouldn't make a mistake in a matter like this,
would I, unless I was what you said I was--a fool?"
"Of course not. Oh, yo're a slick one. I like to do business with
folks like yo'. It's mighty educatin'!"
"Thanks," answered Bud, dryly. "It's certain that Langdon won't decide
which place he's for until to-morrow. I promise you that he won't
decide until after I have my talk with you."
"Yo' see," said Telfer, "I asked that question because, as yo'
probably know, Congressman Norton and his crowd is pretty close to
Senator Langdon--"
Haines cut him short with a gasp of surprise.
"Norton!"
Telfer, wrinkling his forehead incredulously, looked at Haines.
"Surest thing you know, my boy."
Bud turned his head away in thought.
"Oh, leave the Norton outfit to me. I'll fool them," he finally said.
"Good."
Telfer shook the secretary's hand heartily.
"Yo're no fool, my boy. Anybody can see that--after they get to know
yo' all. That's what comes of bein' one of them smooth New Yorkers.
They 'pear mighty sanctimonious on th' outside, but on th' inside
they're the real goods, all right."
The lobbyist hurried away, his bibulous soul swelling with
satisfaction. He was sure of triumphing over Altacoola, and he was
willing to pay the price.
Haines sank back into his chair. "I wonder what Washington
'insiders,'" he murmured, "are speculating in Altacoola land. Telfer
mentions Norton's name. I wonder--"
The door opened, and before him stood Carolina Langdon.
"Ah, Miss Langdon," he exclaimed, "I am glad to see you!"
She walked to him and extended cordially a slender gloved hand.
"This is a real pleasure, Mr. Haines," she began. "I've been waiting
to talk to you for some time. It's about something important."
"Something important," smiled Haines. "You want to see me about
something important? Well, let me tell you a secret. Every time I see
you it is an important occasion to me."
Carolina Langdon had never appeared more charming, more beautiful
to young Haines than she did that day. Perhaps she appeared more
inspiring because of the contrast her presence afforded to the
unpleasant episodes through which he had just passed; also, Carolina
was dressed in her most becoming street gown, which she well realized,
as she was enacting a carefully planned part with the unfortunate
secretary.
His frankness and the sincere admiration that shone in his eyes caused
her to falter momentarily, almost made her weaken in her purpose, but
she made an effort and secured a firmer grip on herself, for she must
play a rôle that would crush to earth the air castles this young
secretary was building, a rôle that would crush the ideals of this
young optimist as well.