"I think we had better adjourn now," said Reed, "and examine the papers Mr. Armstrong has submitted—adjourn, say until Thursday morning. And in the meanwhile, we will hold the document, if the rest of the committee please, and not give it to the press. We must not give out anything that has not been absolutely verified."
"I can't offer the committee lunch here," said Armstrong. "We have cut off the lunch account of the O.A.D.—a saving of forty thousand a year toward helping the policy holders buy their lunches." And he bowed to the chairman, and withdrew by the door by which he had entered.
"A smooth citizen," said Roberts, when the reporters were gone.
"Very," said De Brett, at whom he was looking.
"He's that—and more," said Mulholland. "He's an honest man."
"We must be careful about hasty conclusions," replied Roberts.
"He is probably laughing at us, even now," said De Brett.
Roberts turned the pistol-barrel upon him again. "We've got to be a damned sight more careful about prejudice against him," said he.
And De Brett hastily and eagerly assented.
In the next room the man who "is probably laughing at us, even now" was standing before a woman who could not lift her burning face to meet his gaze. But he, looking long at her, thought he saw that there was no hope for him, and shut himself in behind his stolidity of the Indian and the pioneer.