“I guess we don’t need it that bad,” remarked Jerry, rolling a cigarette. He called the police station and asked for the loan of an officer to do watchman duty for the remainder of the night; and this accomplished he considered his further duty to his befuddled employer.
Now that the calamity had been averted, his anger abated. Copeland’s condition mitigated somewhat the hideousness of the crime he was about to commit. Only his desperate financial situation could have prompted him to attempt to fire the building. Jerry’s silence and unusual gravity seemed to trouble Copeland.
“Guess you’re dis’pointed in your boss, Jeremiah. Don’ blame you. Drunken fool—damn’ fool—incenjy-ary; no end bad lot.”
“Put your hat on straight and forget it,” remarked Jerry.
He telephoned to Gaylord, an athletic trainer who conducted a Turkish bath, and told him to prepare for a customer. He knew Gaylord well, and when they reached his place Jerry bade him stew the gin out of Copeland and be sure to have him ready for business in the morning. While Copeland was in the bath, Jerry tried all the apparatus in the gymnasium and relieved his feelings by putting on the gloves with Gaylord’s assistant. After all the arts of the establishment had been exercised upon Copeland and he was disposed of for the night, Jerry went to bed....
In the morning Gaylord put the finishing touches on his patient and turned him out as good as new. It had occurred to Amidon that Copeland might decide to avoid the store that day. He was relieved when he announced, after they had shared Gaylord’s breakfast, that he would walk to the office with him.
“Guess I’ll give the boys a jar by showing up early,” he remarked.
It was a clear, bracing morning, and Copeland set a brisk pace. He was stubbornly silent and made no reference to the night’s affair until they reached the heart of the city. Then he stopped suddenly and laid his hand on Jerry’s arm.
“Jerry, I never meant to do that; for God’s sake, don’t believe I did!” he broke out hoarsely. “I was troubled about the business, and some other things had worried me lately. I took too many drinks—and I’d never meant to drink again! I wouldn’t have tried that sober—I wouldn’t have had the nerve!”
“It was the drink, of course,” Jerry assented. “It’s all over now. You’d better forget it; I’m going to!”