"Oh, we must throw something overboard to the sharks," said Moore, carelessly. "A member asked me to see that McDevitt got the job, and I thought it an easy way to get the member—see? Quite a number of the old Whoop Up crowd here this winter."
"Yes. Got Blair yet?"
"No. He'll be the toughest nut of all. He's hard up, but he's a pretty decent sort of man these days, and his sister has considerable influence over him. Besides, he feels in duty bound to stick to Danvers—the old story of Danvers saving his sister's life, you know."
"I suppose so," admitted Burroughs. "Get a woman after him."
"I have. Mrs. Latimer is interesting him in your behalf. But the idiot has lost his head over her, instead of taking her advice and voting for you."
"He's a fool!" snarled Burroughs, remembering Eva's dismissal of himself. "I thought the time would come when she'd be anxious to get my help—in some way! But get Blair—get him!" he repeated. "He'll do to take along as a political exhibit. I've never forgiven him for squealing in the matter of that whiskey in the Whoop Up Country. Fix it so his change of face will smirch Eva Latimer. That'll hurt her virtuous and law-upholding husband more than anything I can do to get even with that decision in re Hall. Offer him—anything in reason. He's probably banking on a big haul. Give it to him, and I'll see that his sister knows that he was bought like a steer in open market. Her scorn will be like hell for him. I can see that Danvers is gone on her. She'll send him flying if her brother gets bit—mark my words. Or, rather, Danvers would hardly want to marry her—the sister of a bribe-taker!"
"I hate to touch Charlie, or to offer him more than any of the others," objected Moore. "I'll try to get you elected without him. I will if I can, and in the meantime I don't give a hang if Mrs. Latimer's reputation is scorched."
"I know why you don't want to touch Blair. That sister of his is what you're after. Look out for Danvers if you undertake to stick your brand on her! But my interests must come first—remember. And as for Eva——" Bill let no smile indicate his mental amusement.
Mr. Burroughs had not been gone long before Senator Hall looked into the hospitably open door of the outer room.
"You here, Bill?"