"And you are willing to pledge yourself to aid in discovering the thief, whoever and wherever he may be?" said Bailey, regarding Mann narrowly.
"On my word of honor," replied the chairman; and he could not help it if his words and tone sounded rather bombastic. "But, I am sorry, my dear lady—but I have a very important engagement at this hour—a personal matter, very dear to my heart, which compels me to ask you to excuse me now. I shall be glad to call upon you tomorrow morning, at any hour you may name."
"Can you make it nine o'clock," asked Gertrude—"or even earlier?"
"Yes, we must get definitely to work tomorrow morning," added Joyce.
"Certainly, nine—or half past eight, if you choose," said Mann. "In the meantime I will try to recall the minutest particulars of my connection with this office. I am sure, my dear lady, you do not need to be assured of my loyalty to you—nor to my native city. And now—I bid you good-day." He bowed impressively and was gone.
"All the same, I don't like the cut of his jib," murmured Bailey.
"Oh, he's too much of a trimmer to go back on us now," said Joyce. "Public sentiment is all on our side now, and election day's coming."
Gertrude smiled. "I can't imagine why anybody should trim his sails to get an office," she said.
"Well, see what a dangerous thing it is to cultivate a taste for politics," retorted Bailey. "There's no knowledge where it may lead you."
"Oh, Miss Van Deusen will have a walkover when her turn for election comes again."