The Yale expositor., 1906-11-23
DANGER SIGNALS.


ests. l trusted that work to my law
yers-and, like every man who ever
absolutely trusted an important divi-
sion of his affairs to another, / was
severely punished. One morning my
eye happened to light upon a minor
paragraph in newspaper list OF
the small bills yesterday approved
by the governor" In the list was one
defining the power of sundry COM
missions" Those words seemed to
me somehow to spell Joker" But
why did l call up my lawyers to ask
them about it? It's mystery to me.
All / know is that, busy as l was,
something inside me compelled me to
drop everything else and hunt that
"joker" down.
| got Saxe-then senior partner in
Browne, SAKE & Einstein-on the
phone, and said: Just see and tell
me, will you, what is the bill defining
the power of sundry commissions
the bill the governor signed yester-
day."
Certainly, Mr.. Blackjack" came
ways have been, on the watchout for
the looks and the tones and the ges-
lures that are just a shade off the
natural; and l feel that l do SAKE no
injustice when / say his tone was not
shade, but full color, off the nat
ural. So l was prepared for what he
said when he returned to the tele-
Mr. mt
we seem unable to lay our hands on
that bill at this moment"
"Why not?" said l, in the tone that
makes an employe jump as if a whip
lash had cut him on the calves.
He had jumped all right, as his
voice showed. Its not in our file"
said he. Its house bill No. APT, and
It's apparently not here"
"The hell you say!" l exclaimed
"Why?"
Il really can't explain" he pleaded
and the frightened whine confirmed
my suspicion.
Il guess not" said /, making the
words significant and suggestive
"And you're in my pay to look after
plain, if this turns out to be serious"
Apparently our file of bills is COM
plete except that one" he went on.
81 suppose it was lost in the mail,
and l very stupidity didn't notice the
gap in the numbers"
Stupid isn't the word I'd use," said
{. with a laugh that wasn't of the
kind that cheers. And rang off and
asked for the state capitol on the
''long distance"
Before l got my connection SAKE,
whose Office was only two blocks
away. came clustering in. The boy
has been discharged, Mr.. Blackjack"
he began.
What boy?" said 1.
"The boy in charge of the bill file
the boy whose business it was to
keep the file complete"
Send him to me, you damned
scoundrel," said I. 'Fll give him
job. What do you take me for any
way? And what kind of a cowardly
hound are you to disgrace an innocent
boy as a cover for your own crooked
work."
Really, Mr.. Blackjack, this is most
extraordinary" he expostulated.
Extraordinary? / call it Grim
inal." | retorted. Listen to me. You
look after the legislation calendars for
me. and for Langdon, and for Roe
buck, and for Melville, and for half
a dozen others of the biggest finan-
ciers In the country. It's the most
important work you do for us. Yet
you, as shrewd and careful a lawyer
as there is at the bar, want me to
believe you trusted that work to a
boy! II you did, you're damn fool.
IL you didn't, you're a damn scoun-
drel. There's no more doubt in my
mind than in yours which of those
horns has you sticking on It,"
"You are letting your quick temper
get away with you, Mr.. Blackjack"
he deprecated.
stop lying!" I shouted. II knew
you had been doing some skulduggery
when l first heard your voice on the
telephone. And II l needed any proof,
the meek way you've taken my abuse
would furnish it. and to spare"
Just then the telephone bell rang
and l got the right department and
asked the clerk TO read house bill 427.
IL contained five short paragraphs.
Tie Joker" was in the third, which
gave the state canal commission the
right ito institute condemnation pro-
ceedings, and TO condemn. and to
abolish. any canal not exceeding 30
miles in length and not a part of the
connected canal system of the state. "
When | hung up the receiver | was
so absorbed that ! had forgotten SAKE
was waiting. He made some slight
sound l wheeled on him. / needed
vent. If he hadn't been there
should have smashed a chair. But
there was hs--and I kicked him out
of my private Office and would have
kicked him out through the anteroom
into tie outer hail. had he not gath.
cred himself together and run like a
1ackrabbit.