"Sweepin'," he said with a grin.
"Why weren't you doing it then?"
"I must 'a' had failure o' the heart and just keeled over," explained Morgan, still grinning amiably.
The Mayor sniffed the air. "Yes, smells exactly like heart failure."
"Yes, it was my heart," said old Jimmie, more firmly, and he began to sweep with unsteady energy.
Rogers, rigidly erect, watched him in fearing suspicion for a space, then said, "Finish a little later," and led him through the other door of the room into the hall. When the door had closed Rogers leaned weakly against it.
"What's the matter?" cried David.
"D'you think he heard what we said about Red Thorpe?"
"Him!" said the Mayor. "Didn't you bump your nose agin his breath? Hear?—nothin'! He was dead to the world!"
"He didn't hear me come up," returned Rogers with tense quiet. "When I saw him first his eyes were open."