“I guess you're right,” said Bob. “We're done up along with Gorgett; but I believe that idiot's right, he won't lose votes by playing hob with _us_. What's to be done?” “Nothing,” I answered. “You can't head Farwell off. It's all my fault, Bob.” “Isn't there any way to get hold of him? A crazy man could see that his best friend couldn't _beg_ it out of him, and that he wouldn't spare any of us; but don't you know of some bludgeon we could hang up over him?” “Nothing. It's up to Gorgett.” “Well,” said Bob, “Lafe's mighty smart, but it looks like God-help-Gorgett now!” Well, sir, I couldn't think of anything better to do than to go around and see Gorgett; so, after waiting long enough for Genz to see him and get away, I went. Lafe was always cool and slow; but I own I expected to find him flustered, and was astonished to see right away that he wasn't. He was smoking, as usual, and wearing his hat, as he always did, indoors and out, sitting with his feet upon his desk, and a pleasant look of contemplation on his face. “Oh,” says I, “then Genz hasn't been here?” “Yes,” says he, “he has. I reckon you folks have 'most spoiled Genz's usefulness for me.” “You're taking it mighty easy,” I told him. “Yep. Isn't it all in the game? What's the use of getting excited because you've blocked us on one precinct? We'll leave that closet out of our calculations, that's all.” “Almighty Powers, I don't mean _that!_ Didn't Genz tell you--” “About Mr. Knowles and the _Herald_? Oh, yes,” he answered, knocking the ashes off his cigar quietly. “And about the thousand votes he'll gain? Oh, yes. And about incidentally showing you and Crowder up as bribing Genz and promising to protect him--making your methods public? Oh, yes. And about the Grand Jury? Yes, Genz told me. And about me and the penitentiary. Yes, he told me. Mr. Knowles is a rather excitable young man. Don't you think so?” “Well?” “Well, what's the trouble?” “Trouble!” I said. “I'd like to know what you're going to do?” “What's Knowles going to do?” “He's sworn to expose the whole deal, as you've just told me you knew; one of the preliminaries to having us all up before the next Grand Jury and sending you and Genz over the road, that's all!” Gorgett laughed that old, fat laugh of his, tilting farther back, with his hands in his pockets and his eyes twinkling under his last summer's straw hat-brim. “He can't hardly afford it, can he,” he drawled, “he being the representative of the law and order and purity people? They're mighty sensitive, those folks. A little thing turns 'em.” “I don't understand,” said I. “Well, I hardly reckoned you would,” he returned. “But I expect if Mr. Knowles wants it warm all round, _I'm_ willing. We may be able to do some of the heating up, ourselves.”