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"I've been wanting to speak to you, gentlemen," said Norton, full of the good trick he had turned, "but I didn't like to interrupt you. I think I've done a big stroke for Altacoola to-day." Even Peabody pricked up his ears. "Yes?" said both Senators together. With a keen sense of the dramatic, the Congressman let his next words drawl out with full effect.
"I have things to learn and things to teach," he said. "But go on. Why am I interested?" "You are interested, Senator," replied the trickster, making his big play, "through your son, Randolph, who invested $50,000 of your money in Altacoola, and also through your daughter, Miss Carolina, who, acting on my advice, has put her own money $25,000 in Altacoola land also."
"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.
Carolina had come to find out from Haines, if possible, how her father was going to vote on the naval base and to induce the secretary to persuade him to stand for Altacoola if there seemed danger that he would vote for another site. That was her scheme, for Carolina had put $25,000 into Altacoola land money left by her mother.
"Yes, I do, from what I've already heard; but I haven't heard very much of what the folks who advocate other sites have to say. So, until I've heard all sides and made my own examination, I couldn't give any one my final answer, but Altacoola seems to have the necessary qualifications." "Senator Stevens is in favor of Altacoola," eagerly suggested Norton.
Just how Langdon would turn the tables on Peabody and Stevens and yet win for the Altacoola site not even the ex-newspaper man, experienced in politics, had solved. Clearly the Senator would have to do some tall thinking during the morning.
Not only would the two Senators lose their immense profits on the Altacoola transaction if Langdon persisted in his opposition, but they would lose as well the thousands of dollars spent by their agents in purchasing options on hundreds of acres, and where they could not get options, the land itself. This land would be on their hands, unsalable, if the base went somewhere else.
They'll make it Altacoola, then sell to the Government at a big advance and move to 'Easy Street." "That's right," agreed Norton. Bud Haines straightened abruptly. The expression on his face gave Norton a sudden chill made him tremble. "Now I've got you," cried the secretary. "You've given yourself dead away.
"Miss Langdon, this secretary has discovered that there is a certain perfectly legitimate venture in Altacoola lands being carried on through certain influential people we know and by me. The blood of the young reformer is boiling. He is going straight to your father with the facts. "I have tried to explain to him how it will needlessly embarrass the Senator and spoil his own future.
Haines nodded. "Yes, of course. What town's going to get it, Senator?" Senator Stevens paused judiciously. "Well," he said, "Altacoola and Gulf City are the chief candidates. I suppose you had better talk to Langdon about it." The reporter smiled. "That's just what I came for, Senator, but I have to go up to the War Department now.
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