The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-06-25
CHAPTER XIV
Caleb Conover Lies

One morning. a week or so later Caine strolled into Conover's private office. Under the young newspapel owners customary jauntiness was z hint of something more serious. Con. over. as skilled in reading men al he was ignorant in deciphering any problem relating to woman. was aware at a glance of the subtle change.
 ''Sit down." he said. nodding to his secretary to go Whats wrong? Il you're scared because Steeloid fell of three-quarters of point yesterday, you can rest easy. I did it myself on match sales and a few others"
 ''It isn't Steeloid,'' said Caine. 'It's nothing that really concerns me. But thought you would want to know about it.''
 Fire away, then" vouchsafed Caleb Have a cigar? These with the gold an red life belts are nice to look at But if you want something that tastes better'n it looks. try one of the pana- telas. The ones without illustrations oh 'em. Now what is it?"
 It's about Miss Shevlin." began Caine. with reluctance.
 Conover's massive calm fled. He desk corner with a bang and whir1ed his chair about.
 Speak it out quickr' he ordered sharply. '.Ain't sick. is she?''
 'No. no. This is different. You've heard of Ex-Governor Parkman's plan to start an anti-graft crusade. of course?"
 "surer grinned Caleb. ''rhem croo- sades are as certain as measles Ev'ry city goes through 'em ev'ry once in so often. They don't do any real hurt and they can't tie up my business so's to bother me any. Let 'em croosode till they're black in the face. It'll be good for you noospaper fellers. an it won't harm anybody it's aimed at. "But" uneasfly. whats that got to do with Dey?"
 'Tm coming to the point if you'll give me a chance. Parkman's prepar- ing a set of tables showing not only how municipal funds are squandered at present but how they were mis- spent in the past. In the course of his investigations. he has come to the City Hall and the County Court House."
 'WeD?' oueried Conover. What then? Both of 'em was built ten years ago. That's over an done with"
 ''The Shevlin Contracting Company did the work" interpolated Caine.
 What of that? Neither buildings caved in. has ite"
 "Nct yet. Thourh. if ali Parkman claims is true. I don't know why they haven't He came to me this morning with the whole story. Proofs. affida- wits and all. He wants to give the Star first chance to publish the expos ure. I told him to come back at noon. and-''
 What exposure?" asked Caleb in perplexity.
 "It seems he took pains to hunt up the original specifications on both buildings" resumed Caine. And then he hired an architectural expert to go over the plans and the work and see how the two agreed. Thus far. he has found cheap foundations and sand stone bedding where the best concrete and granite were called for. Stucco has been used in no less than four corridors where the plans called for marble The solid marble pillars on the east portico are 'composition.' shells filled with cement. Then the facade"
 Say. son." interrupted Conover with perfect sincerity. what in blazes is the matter with you and Parkman? You've bit into a mares nest, an any practical man'll tell you so- Of course a contractors goin' to make what he can on a job. He ain't in the business for his health or to endow the city. is he? He's got to get his. an the po'ti- got to get theirs Am that bein' so. how's he goin' to foller out all the specifications an still make the right money out of it? He can't. I thought ev'rybody knew that much politics"
 "Conover," observed Caine. in un- willing admiration. "I've heard people say you're a man of bad morals. It isn't true. You're simply a man of no at all. Do you mean to say-?"
 ''I mean to say business is business an politics is business too. I never heard of any good comin' from mixin' up morals with either of 'em. If you came here to-day to tell me this story. with idee that I'd slap my manly brow an say: Great heaven. Can S prise party to the wrong house. Of course. Shevlin made good thing out of those two buildin's. Even after the folks l ighher up had got their rake