"I would not call it bribery!"
"Then how would you describe it?"
"Oh, I might be tempted to call it—well, coöperation!"
Some tinge of scorn in his words nettled the officer of the law.
"It all amounts to the same thing, I presume. Now, let me tell you something. Even though you came to me today with a drayful of crooked faro layouts and doctored-up roulette wheels from Penfield's house, it would be practically impossible, at this peculiar juncture of municipal administration, to take in my men and carry out a raid over Captain Kuttrell's head!"
"Ah, I see! You regard Penfield as immune!"
"Penfield is not immune!" said the public prosecutor. The oldish-young face was very flushed and angry by this time. "Don't misunderstand me. As a recognized and respected citizen, you always have the right to call on the officers of the law, to secure protection and punishment of crime. But this must be sought through the natural and legitimate channels."
"What do you mean by that?"
"I mean go to the police."
"But to lay a charge with the police would be impracticable, in this case."