“Why?”
“Well, it seems that Corliss has an old scandal against him which frightens Covinger. He’s afraid that it might make an election issue. By the way—— You’re not interested in these affairs, Mrs. Stroude?”
“Very vitally,” she said, “and there’s nothing you need fear to discuss before me.”
Manning cleared his throat, and old man Wilk stirred uneasily in his chair. Laflin’s mobile mouth twisted.
“Go on,” said Stroude. “What’s the charge?”
“Carmichael says,” Manning stated, “that there’s an old story back in your own state, Stroude, that might explode. We’ve all known you a good many years, all of us but Laflin, and we’ve never heard a whisper of it. I have told him that I do not believe it. So has Senator Wilk.”
“What’s the story?” Stroude’s fingers, lighting a match, did not tremble.
“Well, if you insist——”
“I do.”
“Carmichael says that you stole another man’s wife.”