"Then what the devil did you stay here all night for? Why didn't you have him notified last night? Looks darn fishy to me."
"It will do no harm to deliver my message," said Bonbright.
"Huh!… Let him out." The doorman swung wide the barred door and the lieutenant motioned Bonbright out. "Come and set in the office," he said. "Maybe you'd rather telephone yourself?"
"If I might," said Bonbright, amazed at the potency of Lightener's name to open cell doors and command the courtesy of the police. It was his first encounter with Influence.
He was conducted into a small office; then the lieutenant retired discreetly and shut the door. Bonbright made his call and asked for speech with Malcolm Lightener.
"Hello!… Hello!" came Lightener's gruff voice. "What is it?"
"This is Bonbright Foote…. I'm locked up in the Central Station. I wonder if you can't help me somehow?"
There was a moment's silence; then Bonbright heard a remark not intended for his ears but expressive of Lightener's astonishment, "Well, I'm DARNED!" Then: "I'll be right there. Hold the fort."
Bonbright opened the door and said to the lieutenant, "Mr. Lightener's on his way down."
"Um!… Make yourself comfortable. Say, was that breakfast all right?
Find cigars in that top drawer." The magic of Influence!