第51章

PAULINE GOES INTO POLITICS.

Larkin decided that the state convention should be held at Saint X because his machine was most perfect there.The National Woolens Company, the Consolidated Pipe and Wire Company and the Indiana Oil and Gas Corporation--the three principal political corporations in the state--had their main plants there and were in complete political control.While Larkin had no fear of the Scarborough movement, regarding it as a sentimental outburst in the rank and file of the party that would die away when its fomenter had been "read out of the party" at the convention by the regular organization, still he had been in the game too long to take unnecessary chances.He felt that it would be wise to have the delegates assemble where all the surroundings would be favorable and where his ablest and confidential men could do their work in peace and quiet.

The convention was to, meet on the last Thursday in September.

On the preceding Monday morning, Culver--Dumont's small, thin, stealthy private secretary--arrived at Saint X and, after making an appointment with Merriweather for half-past twelve, went out to the Eyrie to go through a lot of accumulated domestic business with Mrs.Dumont.When she in a most formal and unencouraging manner invited him to stop there, he eagerly accepted."Thank you so much," he said effusively."To be perfectly frank, I've been tempted to invite myself.I have some valuables with me that I don't feel at all easy about.If I should be robbed, it would be a very serious matter.Would it be asking too much of you to ask you to put a package in your jewel safe?""I'll be glad to do it for you," replied Pauline."There's plenty of room--the safe's almost empty and it's ridiculously large.""My package isn't small," said Culver."And on my mind it weighs tons." He reached into his large bag--at 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 chance--you 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 as--well, 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.