"You think you can get it?" Rose was asking.
"I think that I have something more than a fighting chance," replied Dyker.
"What does O'Malley say?"
"He is at least as liberal in his promise to me as he is in his promise to the other man."
"And the big chief doesn't yip?"
"My dear Rose, you should know, by this time, enough of New York politics to realize that the first qualification of a big boss is to hold his tongue, and that the present incumbent, whatever his other shortcomings, can always keep quiet as long as he has no pen in his hand."
Rose freed her hand to pour the wine.
"May I smoke?" asked Dyker.
"You always ask me that, and you always know you can."
He bowed and, drawing a cigarette from a plain gun-metal case, lighted it.