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Ned Beaumont nodded。 He was looking at the blond man's outstretched crossed ankles。 He said： 〃You oughtn't to wear silk socks with tweeds。〃
Madvig raised a leg straight out to look at the ankle。 〃No？ I like the feel of silk。〃
〃Then lay off tweeds。 Taylor Henry buried？〃
〃Friday。〃
〃Go to the funeral？〃
〃Yes；〃 Madvig replied and added a little self…consciously： 〃The Senator suggested it。〃
Ned Beaumont put his glass on the table and touched his lips with a white handkerchief taken from the outer breast…pocket of his coat。 〃How is the Senator？〃 He looked obliquely at the blond man and did not conceal the amusement in his eyes。
Madvig replied； still somewhat self…consciously： 〃He's all right。 I spent most of this afternoon up there with him。〃
〃At his house？〃
〃Uh…huh 。〃
〃Was the blonde menace there？〃
Madvig did not quite frown。 He said： 〃Janet was there。〃
Ned Beaumont； putting his handkerchief away； made a choked gurgling sound in his throat and said： 〃M…m…m。 It's Janet now。 Getting anywhere with her？〃
posure came back to Madvig。 He said evenly： 〃I still think I'm going to marry her。〃
〃Does she know yet thatthat your intentions are honorable？〃
〃For Christ's sake； Ned！〃 Madvig protested。 〃How long are you going to keep me on the witness…stand？〃
Ned Beaumont laughed； picked up the silver shaker； shook it； and poured himself another drink。 〃How do you like the Francis West killing？〃 he asked when he was sitting back with the glass in his hand。
Madvig seemed puzzled for a moment。 Then his face cleared and he said： 〃Oh； that's the fellow that got shot on Achland Avenue last night。〃
〃That's the fellow。〃
A fainter shade of puzzlement returned to Madvig's blue eyes。 He said： 〃Well； I didn't know him。〃
Ned Beaumont said： 〃He was one of the witnesses against Walter Ivans's brother。 Now the other witness； Boyd West； is afraid to testify； so the rap falls through。〃
〃That's swell；〃 Madvig said； but by the time the last word had issued from his mouth a doubtful look had e into his eyes。 He drew his legs in and leaned forward。 〃Afraid？〃 he asked。
〃Yes； unless you like scared better。〃
Madvig's face hardened into attentiveness and his eyes became stony blue disks。 〃What are you getting at； Ned？〃 he asked in a crisp voice。
Ned Beaumont emptied his glass and set it on the table。 〃After you told Walt Ivans you couldn't spring Tim till election was out of the way he took his troubles to Shad O'Rory；〃 he said in a deliberate monotone； as if reciting a lesson。 〃Shad sent some of his gorillas around to scare the two Wests out of appearing against Tim。 One of them wouldn't scare and they bumped him off。〃
Madvig； scowling； objected： 〃What the hell does Shad care about Tim Ivans's troubles？〃
Ned Beaumont； reaching for the cocktail…shaker； said irritably： 〃All right； I'm just guessing。 Forget it。〃
〃Cut it out； Ned。 You know your guesses are good enough for me。 If you've got anything on your mind； spill it。〃
Ned Beaumont set the shaker down without having poured a drink and said： 〃It might be just a guess； at that； Paul； but this is the way it looks to me。 Everybody knows Walt Ivans's been working for you down in the Third Ward and is a member of the Club and everything and that you'd do anything you could to get his brother out of a jam if he asked you。 Well； everybody； or a lot of them； is going to start wondering whether you didn't have the witnesses against his brother shot and frightened into silence。 That goes for the outsiders； the women's clubs you're getting so afraid of these days； and the respectable citizens。 The insidersthe ones that mostly wouldn't care if you had done thatare going to get something like the real news。 They're going to know that one of your boys had to go to Shad to get fixed up and that Shad fixed him up。 Well； that's the hole Shad's put you inor don't you think he'd go that far to put you in a hole？〃
Madvig growled through his teeth： 〃I know damned well he would； the louse。〃 He was lowering down at a green leaf worked in the rug at his feet。
Ned Beaumont； after looking intently at the blond man； went on： 〃And there's another angle to look for。 Maybe it won't happen； but you're open to it if Shad wants to work it。〃
Madvig looked up to ask： 〃What？〃
〃Walt Ivans was at the Club all last night； till two this morning。 That's about three hours later than he ever stayed there before except on election… or banquet…nights。 Understand？ He was making himself an alibiin our Club。 Suppose〃Ned Beaumont's voice sank to a lower key and his dark eyes were round and grave〃Shad jobs Walt by planting evidence that he killed West？ Your women's clubs and all the people who like to squaw…k about things like that are going to ti…mink that Walt's alibi is phonythat we fixed it up to shield him。〃
Madvig said： 〃The louse。〃 He stood up and thrust his hands into his trousers…pockets。 〃I wish to Christ the election was either over or further away。〃
〃None of this would've happened then。〃
Madvig took two steps into the center of the room。 He muttered； 〃God damn him；〃 and stood frowning at the telephone on the stand beside the bedroom…door。 His huge chest moved with his breathing。 He said from the side of his mouth； without looking at Ned Beaumont： 〃Figure out a way of blocking that angle。〃 He took a step towards the telephone and halted。 〃Never mind；〃 he said and turned to face Ned Beaumont。 〃I think I'll knock Shad loose from our little city。 I'm tired of having him around。 I think I'll knock him loose right away； starting tonight。〃
Ned Beaumont asked： 〃For instance？〃
Madvig grinned。 〃For instance；〃 he replied； 〃I think I'll have Rainey close up the Dog House and Paradise Gardens and every dive that we know Shad or any of his friends are interested in。 I think I'll have Rainey smack them over in one long row； one after the other； this very same night。〃
Ned Beaumont spoke hesitantly'： 〃You're putting Rainey in a tough spot。 Our coppers aren't used to bothering with Prohibition…enforcement。 They're not going to like it very much。〃
〃They can do it once for me；〃 Madvig said； 〃without feeling that they've paid all their debts。〃
〃Maybe。〃 Ned Beaumont's face and voice were dubious still。 〃But this wholesale stuff is too much like using a cyclone shot to blow off a safe…door when you could get it off without any fuss by using a e…along。〃
〃Have you got something up your sleeve； Ned？〃
Ned Beaumont shook his head。 〃Nothing I'm sure of； but it wouldn't hurt to wait a couple of days till〃
Now Madvig shook his head。 〃No；〃 he said。 〃I want action。 I don't know a damned thing about opening safes； Ned； but I do know fighting my kindgoing in with both hands working。 I never could learn to box and the only times I ever tried I got licked。 We'll give Mr。 O'Rory the cyclone shot。〃
6
The stringy man in horn…rimmed spectacles said： 〃So you don't have to worry none about that；〃 He sat placently back in his chair。
The man on his lefta raw…boned man with a bushy brown mustache and not much hair on his headsaid to the man on his left： 〃It don't sound so God…damned swell to me。〃
〃No？〃 The stringy man turned to glare through his spectacles at the raw…boned man。 〃Well； Paul don't never have to e down to my ward hisself to〃
The raw…boned man said： 〃Aw； nurts！〃
Madvig addressed the raw…boned man： 〃Did you see Parker； Breen？〃
Breen said： 〃Yes； I saw him and he says five； but I think we can get a couple more out of him。〃
The bespectacled man said contemptuously： 〃My God； I'd think so！〃
Breen sneered sidewise at him。 〃Yes？ And who'd you ever get that much out of？〃
Three knocks sounded on the broad oaken door。
Ned Beaumont rose from the chair he was straddling and went to the door。 He opened it less than a foot。
The man who had knocked was a small…browed dark man in blue clothes that needed pressing。 He did not try to enter the room and he tried to speak in an undertone； but excitement made his words audible to everyone in the room。 〃Shad O'Rory's downstairs。 He wants to see Paul。〃
Ned Beaumont shut the door and turned with his back against it to look at Paul Madvig。 Only those two of the ten men in the room seemed undisturbed by the small…browed n…man's announcement。 All the others did not show their excitement franklyin some it could be seen in their suddenly acquired stoninessbut there was none whose respiration was exactly as it had been before。
Ned Beaumont； pretending he did not know repetition was unnecessary； said； in a tone that expressed suitable interest in his words： 〃O'Rory wants to see you。 He's downstairs。〃
Madvig looked at his watch。 〃Tell him I'm tied up right now； but if he'll wait a little while I'll see him。〃
Ned Beaumont nodded and opened the door。 〃Tell him Paul's busy now；〃 he instructed the man who had knocked； 〃but if he'll stick around awhile Paul'll see him。〃 He shut the door。
Madvig was questioning a square…faced yellowish man about their chances of getting more votes on the other side of Chestnut Street。 The square…faced man replied that he thought they would get more than last time 〃by a hell of a sight；〃 but still not enough to make much of a dent in the opposition。 While he talked his eyes kept crawling sidewise to the door。
Ned Beaumont sat astride his chair by the window again smoking a cigar。
Madvig addressed to another man a question having to do with the size of the campaign…contribution to be expected from a man named Hartwick。 This other man kept his eyes from the door； but his reply lacked coherence。
Neither Madvig's and Ned Beaumont's calmness of mien nor their business…like concentration on campaign…problems could check the growth of tension in the room。
After fifteen minutes Madvig rose and said： 〃Well； we're not on Easy Street yet； but si…me's shaping up。 Keep hard at it and we'll make the grade。〃 He went to the door and shook each man's hand as they went out。 They went out somewhat hurriedly。
Ned Beaumont； who had not left his chair； asked； when he and Madvig were the only ones in the room： 〃Do I stick around or beat it？〃
〃Stick around。〃 Madvig crossed to the window and looked down into sunny China Street。
〃Both hands working？〃 Ned Beaumont asked after a little pause。
Madvig turned from the window nodding。 〃I don't know anything else〃he grinned boyishly at the man straddling the chair〃except maybe the feet too。〃
Ned Beaumont started to say something； but was interrupted by the noise the turning door…knob made。
A man opened the door and came in。 He was a man of little more than medium height； trimly built with a trimness that gave him a deceptively frail appearance。 Though his hair was a sheer sleek white he was probably not much past his thirty…fifth year。 His eyes were a notable clear grey…blue set in a rather long and narrow； but very finely sculptured； face。 He wore a dark blue overcoat over a dark blue suit and carried a black derby hat in a black…gloved hand。
The man who came in behind him was a bow…legged ruffian of the same height； a swarthy man with something apish in the slope of his big shoulders； the length of his thick arms； and the flatness of his face。 This one's hata grey fedorawas on his head。 He shut the door and leaned against it； putting his hands in the pockets of his plaid overcoat。
The first man； having advanced by then some four or five steps into the room； put his hat on a chair and began to take off his gloves。
Madvig； hands in trousers…pockets； smiled amiably and said： 〃How are you； Shad？〃
The white…haired man said： 〃Fine； Paul。 How's yourself？〃 His voice was a musical barytone。 The faintest of brogues colored his words。
Madvig indicated with a small jerk of his head the man on the chair and asked： 〃You know Beaumont？〃
O'Rory said： 〃Yes。〃
Ned Beaumont said： 〃Yes。〃
Neither nodded to the other and Ned Beaumont did not get up from his chair。
Shad O'Rory had finished taking off his gloves。 He put them in an overcoat…pocket and said： 〃Politics is politics and business is business。 I've been paying my way and I'm willing to go on paying my way； but I want what I'm paying for。〃 His modulated voice was no more than pleasantly earnest。
〃What do you mean by that？〃 Madvig asked as if he did not greatly care。
〃