Johnny recognized him on the instant. He it had been who stood behind the Chief, whispering in his ear while Drew Lane and Tom Howe were being so neatly shelved.
He felt an instinctive dislike for the man, and yet he was obliged to admit that he knew nothing against him.
“Sit down, won’t you?” The reporter led him to a corner of the room. “I want to tell you some things that will be for your good.
“Of course you know,” he smiled deprecatingly, “we reporters get into all sorts of strange places. We meet all kinds of curious people; have to know them. That’s our job. Crooks, judges, police captains, Senators, all the rest. The more we know the more news we get and the straighter we have it.
“So you see it happens I know a lot about you.” He tapped Johnny on the knee.
“Me?” Johnny stared. “Why me?”
“Some people are more important than they appear to be. Some little people, if they blunder about, cause a great deal of trouble.
“You’re interested in Drew Lane and Tom Howe.” His tone had changed.
“Why yes, I—they’re my friends. They—”
“That’s well enough. But you think they’ve been unjustly treated. You think you can stir matters up and have things changed.