“Come, come,” smiled McQuirk, winking at his co-labourers, “don’t take it so hard. Alex McGlory knows where he stands, and he shows good sense when he gets out from under.”
“Don’t take me for a mark!” flared Murphy, shoving his head forward, his jaw protruding, wickedly. “We kin split the shootin’ match wide open, McQuirk, and afore we let youse git the bulge with Kelly, we’ll do it. If youse are wise, ye’ll write that on yer cuff.”
He rushed into the convention hall, hot with anger; Nolan, Ferguson and others of his lieutenants were quickly enlightened as to the state of affairs, and they passed the word among the others that someone other than McGlory would be named, at the same time working zealously to allay the feeling of insecurity that these tidings naturally aroused.
Kerrigan was speaking and the convention was giving him its undivided attention. The youthful attorney possessed that self-assured poise and explosive style that captures such gatherings; and then he was easily the most popular young man in the ward, and his father’s saloon was a well-known place of resort. Most of the younger men among the delegates had gone to school with him, and though they, for the most part, were day-labourers and Johnnie had his name painted upon a ground-glass door in a down-town office building, he had always kept up old friendships and clung to old surroundings. As one of his friends said:
“Johnnie’s a high guy, but he’s as common as dirt; he don’t have to put ice in his hat to keep his head from swellin’. When youse stack up against him on the street, he’s always got the glad hand for youse, and a cigar what ain’t workin’.”
It was this democratic quality that made him liked and secured him attention from the delegates when he arose to deliver the address that was to give Larry an opportunity to select a new candidate.
These facts came to Larry as he paused for a moment to listen; and like one inspired he proceeded to consult Ferguson and Nolan.
“Somethin’s gotta be done, and done quick,” said he. “Now look here, if I go against Gartenheim and ask him to turn in for O’Connor, what’ll he say?”
“He’ll say, ‘nay, nay, Pauline!’” exclaimed Ferguson.
“Youse’ll queer the game if youse do that,” protested Nolan.