It was little less than a command.
"Heard of you, Mr. Paret. Glad to know you. Sit down, won't you?"
The inner room was almost dark. I made out a bed in the corner, and propped up in the bed a man; but for the moment I was most aware of a pair of eyes that flared up when the man spoke, and died down again when he became silent. They reminded me of those insects which in my childhood days we called "lightning bugs." Mr. Jason gave me a hand like a woman's. I expressed my pleasure at meeting him, and took a chair beside the bed.
"I believe you're a partner of Theodore Watling's now aren't you? Smart man, Watling."
"He'll make a good senator," I replied, accepting the opening.
"You think he'll get elected—do you?" Mr. Jason inquired.
I laughed.
"Well, there isn't much doubt about that, I imagine."
"Don't know—don't know. Seen some dead-sure things go wrong in my time."
"What's going to defeat him?" I asked pleasantly.