"Then look here," Weiss said. "I am going to ask him to come into this office. I am going to treat this matter as an academic discussion, and I am going to ask him then what the result would be of such a step as you propose."
"Very well," Vine answered. "I pledge myself to nothing, but I should like to hear John Drayton's opinion."
CHAPTER XVI
A TRUCE
Weiss unlocked and threw open the office door, and a moment later returned with a tall, grey-headed man, with closely cropped beard and gold-rimmed eyeglasses. He shook hands with Vine warmly, and nodded to Littleson.
"What, you here in the lion's den, Vine?" he remarked, smiling. "Be careful or they will eat you up."
Vine smiled.
"I am not afraid," he said, "especially now that you are here to support me."
"Mr. Vine," Weiss said, "shows himself possessed of our natural quality, audacity. He is here, I frankly believe, to pick up damaging information against us, for use the next time he issues his thunders. We have been led into an interesting discussion, and we have a point to refer to you."
John Drayton sat down and accepted the cigar which Weiss passed him.