“I know he's a famous lawyer; and I was told that he managed the Lockman estate.”
“Yes,” said Charlie, “and I suppose you don't know what that means!”
“No,” admitted Samuel, “I don't.”
“It means,” went on the other, “that he was old Lockman's right-hand man, and had his finger in every dirty job that the old fellow ever did for thirty years. And it means that he runs the business now, and does all the crooked work that has to be done for it.”
There was a pause. “For instance, what?” asked Samuel in a low voice.
“For instance, politics,” said the other. “Steering the grafters off the Lockman preserve. Getting the right men named by the machine, and putting up the dough to elect them. Last year the Democrats got in, in spite of all he could do; and he had to buy the city council outright.”
“What!” gasped the boy in horror.
“Sure thing,” laughed Charlie—“there was an independent water company trying to break in, and the Democrats were pledged to them. They say it cost Hickman forty-five thousand dollars.”
“But do you KNOW that?” cried the other.
“Know it, Sammy? Why everybody in town knows it. It was a rotten steal, on the face of it.”