“That’s right, he did,” Monahan corroborated, huskily.
“He said you told him yourself,” cried one of the others, a sallow-faced man with thin, black hair.
“I did? When was that, Mr. Long?”
“Down in Washington,” Long replied. “The night you were having a blow-out.”
For a moment Douglas Briggs was silent. “I don’t remember ever having made such a promise,” he replied, thoughtfully.
Ferris laughed bitterly. “Listen to that, will you?”
“I should have no right to make any such promise,” Briggs continued. “And I can only repeat what I said a few moments ago. I’ve pledged myself to support the Civil Service. I told you that last night.”
“Oh, what did that amount to?” said Ferris, with disgust.
“That was just a bluff,” Long exclaimed.
Briggs smiled. “If you believe that was a bluff, I can’t see why you should consider my promise worth anything.”