Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1908-10-02
CHAPTER III.

- the tense silence.
whats this here for?' he
Il 4 growlsd. indicating Phelan
with q contemptuous jerk Of the head
and addressing no one in particular.
"Ask your friend Wainwright
grunted Phelan. with equal roughness.
"I-you see," began Wainwright con-
ciIiatingly. IT didn't IKE to see two
such FIRST rate chaps at odds with each
other, 80 l wanted to bring you to-
gether here to-
"Oh, you did. did your sneered Hor-
rigan. "And what did Phelan say to
that little planT
az said" snapped Phelan before his
host could reply-"I said I'd see you In
- first"
"Sams here. twice overr said Hor-
ngan.
"But," interposed Wainwright coax
ingly. as there no way
"No," retorted Horrigan. his deep
voice rumbling far down in his throat
There isn't. Look here. Phelan! I'm
out for your scalp. and I'm going to get
itg'
Come on, look for itr' crowed Phe-
Ian. fairly hopping up and down in
rage and excitement. "Come a-runnin'!
An while you're huntin' my scalp
don't overlook one bet. I'm after
yoursT'
Mine, you little shrimp! Why
"Yes, yours. Horrigan. you cur.
You're pretty cbesty an strong stand
in on the top of the organization. but
you're no bloomin' statue Of Liberty.
You can be torn down. and here's the
man who's goin' to do the tearin'
Me-Alderman Jimmy Phelan Of the
Eighthg'
"Let It 60 Mt that for now. You'll
wake up In the fall. when the cleo
ton
"Let 1t 20 at that for keeps. r.
"Mr. Wainwright" broke Off Horri-
gan, II this was the business you
wanted to talk over with me here
at isn't" assured the thoroughly IN
comfortable fnancier.
"Oh! Then we gan get down to real
business perhaps when this fellows
gone"
THAT lets me out" observed PhelaD
cheerfully as he picked up his hat.
''G'by. Mr.. Wainwright G'by. Mr.
Gibbs. Horrigan. ZIP
"But you'll stay to lunch. alderman,
won't your urged Horrigan. with al
effort at cordlality that deceived no
one.
"No. thanks" replied Phelan. when
the curtains down and the orchestra's
gone home I don't need no usher to
poke me In the ribs to tell me the
shows out AS for stayip' to break
bread with Dick HOrrigan, Id sooner
have jolly little grub fest with Wileys
poison squad. Goodby. ALL Horrigan,
az for you. some day I'll cross two
sticks Of dynamite under you and you'll
scatter 80 wide that the inquest over
your p'litical remains will have to be
held In fourteen counties"
II am so sorry. Mr.. Horrigan. that
this should have happened In my
house." said Wainwright as the irate
alderman stalked out. leaving the boss
staring after him IN dumb furg. Il
% cant It for the best and
Mr.. Wainwright" interrupted Hor-
rigan. venting his pent-up wrath on his
dismayed host, "this old world OF ours
Is white with bones Of failures, Of
| fools, OF deadbeats. In other words.
Of folks who meant II for the best
Now let's get down to business"
First let me introduce Mr. Gibbs
He"-
"Glad to meet him. but he'll excuse
me when I say never talk business
when there's third party around. No
offense. Mr.. Gibbs. Just walk out and
take q look at the view, like good
boy, won't you? Thanks"
Gibbs. at warning look OF appeal
| from Wainwright. checked the angry
retort that sprang to his lips. turned
% his heel aud walked out Horrigan.
| who had observed the g,a2ce exchang-
ed between the two nen. grudgingly
attempted to soften the effect OF his
brusqueness.
81 didn't mean to snub your friend, y
said he, "but Phelan riled me, and /
took 1t out on the next man spoke to.
What on earth set you to having Phe'
| Ian here to meet me for. anyway
Just as ! said. wanted to win him
over to us. We will need every strong
man we can get this fall. We
You know a lot about finance. Mr..
Wainwright But you're rank out
| slider In politics or you'd never have
made such a break. can't compro-
Elise with pheIan even If wanted to-.
| He's stood out against me. and I've
got to smash him. II be could defy me
and get away with 1t. other leaders
would think they could do II, too, and
| In less than no time the organization
would be split up into a'dozen factions,
and I'd be down and out. Understand!
I've got to look out for discipline IL I'm
to hold the place I've won. when n
| man In the organization starts light
! against me-. I must down him. There's
no turning back. That's why I'm boss.
Every man In the crowd knows he's
got to obey me or fight me and that II
It's fight It's q battle to the death. And
he's this man who does the dying, nor
]. Now. you understand2 So we can
get to business. What
But business seemed this morning
fated to many interruptions. The lat
est came In the form Of Judge New
man who hnaflinD intn the room with