第100章

Kennedy was still looking earnestly at her."Miss Ashton," he implored, "believe nothing.Remember one of the first rules of politics is loyalty.Wait until ""Wait?" she echoed."How can I? I hate Wesley Travis for giving in - more than I hate Cadwalader Brown for his cynical disregard of honesty in others."She bit her lip at thus betraying her feelings, but what she had heard had evidently affected her deeply.It was as though the feet of her idol had turned to clay.Nevertheless it was evident that she was coming to look on it more as she would if she were an outsider.

"Just think it over," urged Kennedy."They won't ask you right away.Don't do anything rash.Suspend judgment.You won't regret it."Craig's next problem seemed to be to transfer the scene of his operations to Hanford's studio.He was apparently doing some rapid thinking as we walked uptown after leaving Miss Ashton, and I did not venture to question him on what had occurred when it was so evident that everything depended on being prepared for what was still to occur.

Hanford was out.That seemed to please Kennedy, for with a brightening face, which told more surely than words that he saw his way more and more clearly, he asked me to visit the agent and hire the vacant office next to the studio while he went uptown to complete his arrangements for the final step.

I had completed my part and was waiting in the empty room when he returned.He lost no time in getting to work, and it seemed to me as I watched him curiously in silence that he was repeating what he had already done at the Travis headquarters.He was boring into the wall, only this time he did it much more carefully, and it was evident that if he intended putting anything into this cavity it must be pretty large.The hole was square, and as I bent over Icould see that he had cut through the plaster and laths all the way to the wallpaper on the other side, though he was careful to leave that intact.Then he set up a square black box in the cavity, carefully poising it and making measurements that told of the exact location of its centre with reference to the partitions and walls.

A skeleton key took us into Hanford's well-lighted but now empty studio.For Miss Ashton's sake I wished that the photographs had been there.I am sure Kennedy would have found slight compunction in a larceny of them, if they had been.It was something entirely different that he had in mind now, however, and he was working quickly for fear of discovery.By his measurements I guessed that he was calculating as nearly as possible the centre of the box which he had placed in the hole in the wall on the other side of the dark wallpaper.When he had quite satisfied himself he took a fine pencil from his pocket and made a light cross on the paper to indicate it.The dot fell to the left of a large calendar hanging on the wall.

Kennedy's appeal to Margaret Ashton had evidently had its effect, for when we saw her a few moments after these mysterious preparations she had overcome her emotion.

"They have asked me to carry a note to Mr.Hanford's studio," she said quietly, "and without letting them know that I know anything about it I have agreed to do so.""Miss Ashton," said Kennedy, greatly relieved, "you're a trump.""No," she replied, smiling faintly, "I'm just feminine enough to be curious."Craig shook his head, but did not dispute the point."After you have handed the envelope to the person, whoever it may be, in Hanford's studio, wait until he does something - er - suspicious.

Meanwhile look at the wall on the side toward the next vacant office.

To the left of the big calendar you will see a light pencil mark, a cross.Somehow you must contrive to get near it, but don't stand in front of it.Then if anything happens stick this little number 10needle in the wall right at the intersection of the cross.Withdraw it quickly, count fifteen, then put this little sticker over the cross, and get out as best you can, though we shan't be far away if you should need us.That's all."We did not accompany her to the studio for fear of being observed, but waited impatiently in the next office.We could hear nothing of what was said, but when a door shut and it was evident that she had gone, Kennedy quickly removed something from the box in the wall covered with a black cloth.

As soon as it was safe Kennedy had sent me posting after her to secure copies of the incriminating photographs which were to be carried by her from the studio, while he remained to see who came out.I thought a change had come over her as she handed me the package with the request that I carry it to Mr.Bennett and get them from him.

The first inkling I had that Kennedy had at last been able to trace back something in the mysterious doings of the past two days came the following evening, when Craig remarked casually that he would like to have me call on Billy McLoughlin if I had no engagement.

I replied that I had none and managed to squirm out of the one Ireally had.

The Boss's office was full of politicians, for it was the eve of "dough day," when the purse strings were loosed and a flood of potent argument poured forth to turn the tide of election.Hanford was there with the other ward heelers.

"Mr.McLoughlin," began Kennedy quietly, when we were seated alone with Hanford in the little sanctum of the Boss, "you will pardon me if I seem a little slow in coming to the business that has brought me here to-night.First of all, I may say, and you, Hanford, being a photographer will appreciate it, that ever since the days of Daguerre photography has been regarded as the one infallible means of portraying faithfully any object, scene, or action.Indeed a photograph is admitted in court as irrefutable evidence.For when everything else fails, a picture made through the photographic lens almost invariably turns the tide.However, such a picture upon which the fate of an important case may rest should be subjected to critical examination for it is an established fact that a photograph may be made as untruthful as it may be reliable.