The reputable old gentleman remained for a moment in deep thought. Then he got upon his feet to go.
“I'll send my son to talk with you,” he said. Then faintly: “I guess this will be all right.”
“There's somethin' you've forgot,” said Big Kennedy with a chuckle, as he shook hands with the reputable old gentleman when the latter was about to depart; “there's a bet you've overlooked.” Then, as the other seemed puzzled: “You aint got off your bluff about bein' a taxpayer. But, I understand! This is exec'tive session, an' that crack about bein' a taxpayer is more of a public utterance. You're keepin' it for th' stump, most likely.”
“I'll send my son to you to-night,” repeated the reputable old gentleman, too much in the fog of Big Kennedy's generous figures to heed his jests about taxpayers. “He'll be here about eight o'clock.”
“That's right!” said Big Kennedy. “The sooner we get th' oil, th' sooner we'll begin to light up.”
The reputable old gentleman kept his word concerning his son and that young gentleman's advent. The latter was with us at eight, sharp, and brought two others of hard appearance to bear him company as a kind of bodyguard. The young gentleman was slight and superfine, with eyeglass, mustache, and lisp. He accosted Big Kennedy, swinging a dainty cane the while in an affected way.
“I'm Mr. Morton—Mr. James Morton,” he drawled. “You know my father.”
Once in the sanctum, and none save Big Kennedy and myself for company, young Morton came to the question.
“My father's running for Congress. But he's old-fashioned; he doesn't understand these things.” The tones were confident and sophisticated. I began to see how the eyeglass, the cane, and the lisp belied our caller. Under his affectations, he was as keen and cool a hand as Big Kennedy himself. “No,” he repeated, taking meanwhile a thick envelope from his frock-coat, “he doesn't understand. The idea of money shocks him, don't y' know.”
“That's it!” returned Big Kennedy, sympathetically. “He's old-fashioned; he thinks this thing is like runnin' to be superintendent of a Sunday school. He aint down to date.”