“Wait a bit with it, Arn. The prosecuting attorney stopped me as I was leaving, and asked me to have you step over to the Court House for a minute.”
“What’s Kennedy want?”
“Something about the celebration, he said. I guess he wants to talk with you about some further details of the programme.”
“Why the deuce didn’t he come over here then?” growled Bruce. “I’m as busy as he is!”
“He said he couldn’t leave.”
“Couldn’t leave?” said Bruce, with a snap of his heavy jaw. “Well, neither can I!”
“You mean you won’t go?”
“That’s what I mean! I’ll go to the very gates of hell to get a good piece of news, but when it comes to general affairs the politicians, business men, and the etceteras of this town have got to understand that there’s just as much reason for their coming to me as for my going to them. I’m as important as any of them.”
“So-ho, we’re on our high horse, are we?”
“You bet we are, my son! And that’s where you’ve got to be if you want this town to respect you.”