The district attorney tried again. "Wingo, I don't know what to do with you. I——"
"Don't do anything," suggested Billy. "I'd feel better about it, too."
"Huh?"
"Yeah, I would. I've got a new job here, Arthur, and I guess it will keep me busy—busy enough, anyway. And how am I going to swing it and do justice to the taxpayers, if well-meaning fellers like you are alla time experimentin' with me?"
"Wingo," said the district attorney sternly, "stop this tomfoolery! Instantly! You have played the buffoon long enough."
"All right," smiled Billy. "I'll be good."
"That's better. Much better. Keep to that tone and we'll get along, we'll get along."
Again the district attorney cleared his throat.
"Lord, Lord," thought Billy Wingo, "what a foolish thing this man is!"
The district attorney picked up the thread of his discourse. "We can't have you upsetting our plans in any way, Wingo. We can't have it, and we won't have it. I order you to immediately cancel the appointments of Shillman and Tyler and appoint instead Johnson and Kenealy. Do you understand?"