Arthur Kommers interrupted, “I ought to leave in a minute to catch the midnight back to Philadelphia. Do you want my initials on that thing?”
“Thank you, sir. Not at present. There is a phrase to be deleted. I shall ask Mr. Cabot to prepare copies in his office tomorrow morning and send them to me for distribution.” He sent a glance at the lawyer, and Cabot nodded. “Thank you.—In that connection, Mr. Farrell, I wish to make a proposal to you. You are broke, but you have a fairly intelligent face. To be broke is not a disgrace, it is only a catastrophe. You can help me. For instance, you can take, or send, copies of the memorandum to those members of the league not present this evening, and arrange for their co-operation. I will pay you twenty dollars a day. There will be other little jobs for you.”
The architect was staring at him. “You’re quite a guy, Mr. Wolfe. By God if you’re not. But I’m not a detective.”
“I shall keep my demands modest, and expect no intrepidity.”
“All right.” Farrell laughed. “I can use twenty dollars.”
“Good. Report here tomorrow at eleven.—Now, Dr. Burton. Your lifelong acquaintance with Paul Chapin places you in a special position, for my purpose. Could you dine with me tomorrow evening?”
Without hesitation, Burton shook his head. “I’m sorry, I shall be engaged.”
“Could you call on me after dinner? Forgive me for not asking permission to call on you instead. My disinclination to leave my home has a ponderable basis.”
But Burton shook his head again. “I’m sorry, Mr. Wolfe, I can’t come.” He hesitated, and went on, “More frankly, I won’t. It’s softness in me. I’m not as soft about it as Andy Hibbard and Leo Elkus. I answered yes to the question you put this evening, though you made it as raw as possible. Of course you did that purposely. I answered yes, and I’ll pay my share, but that’s as far as I’ll go. I will not confer on ways and means of exposing Paul Chapin’s guilt and getting him convicted and electrocuted. — Oh, don’t misunderstand me. I don’t pretend to be standing on a principle, I’m perfectly aware it’s only a temperamental prejudice. I wouldn’t move a finger to protect Paul or save him from the consequences of his crimes. In fact, in so far as the thing may be considered a personal issue between him and myself, I am ready to defeat him by a violence equal to his own.”
“You are ready?” Wolfe had opened his eyes on him. “You mean you are prepared?”