"Good," said Mangler with a smile. "This will be double protection; if I interfere and louse up the deal, you'll be able to clip me. If I don't bother to keep you out of a sucker's bait, you won't be able to blame your mistake on my silence."
"That's a deal."
"Deal," said Mangler.
Mangler turned and left the office. His passage along the corridor was followed by the eyes of the office force, and when Newton called for his secretary to come in for dictation, there was a general cleaning of desks. The primary cause for another mild paper shortage was expected to arise at any moment now.
Newton rapped at the hotel door and the door opened after a minute. It opened a mere crack first, then it swung wide as Doctor Velikof saw Phillip Newton. "Come in," he said in a rather thick accent. Then he saw Mangler and frowned. He started to swing the door shut; he looked at Newton with a half-trapped expression which was as though he felt that a trusted friend had betrayed him.
"Don't worry," said Newton cheerfully; "this is Doctor Howard Mangler."
"How do you do?" inquired the Russian uncertainly.
"Fine, thank you," responded Mangler.
"Doctor Mangler is safe; I can—"