e
Gibson a chance to claim the credit?"

"Still, there's a chance that it was only a coincidence, that the 'Gink'
had some other reason to call his men off and that Gibson, believing
that he really had frightened Cummings and his gang, took advantage of
an opportunity and claimed the credit for it," suggested John.

Brennan inhaled deeply on his cigarette before answering.

"Gallant," he said, "you really don't think it happened that way, do
you? Don't let your credulousness put you on the wrong track. Who do you
suppose it was who told Gibson's investigators that it was his crusade
that was closing up the town? Remember, the 'Gink' is the mayor's enemy
and he isn't going to do anything unless it's against the mayor. He
simply passed out the word he was afraid of Gibson to give Gibson a
chance to claim the glory."

The mayor and Sweeney, as well as P. Q., who knew that Murphy had given
Brennan and John advance information regarding the ceasing of crime,
agreed with Brennan that Gibson and the "Gink" had framed the whole
affair.

Gibson's announcement that the ebb of the crime wave was the result of
his crusade brought renewed expressions of commendation and pledges of
support from organizations and individuals lined up behind him.
Churches, women's clubs, civic and business organizations, groups of
citizens and prominent men and women of the city were outspoken in their
praise of the police commissioner, hailing him as the "man of the hour."
A well known minister addressed a mass meeting at his church, his
subject being "Police Commissioner Gibson's Remarkable Success and the
Disgrace of Having a Mayor Who Fails to Do His Duty." Other preachers
delivered sermons extolling Gibson, one of the sermons being advertised
as "A Modern Crusader Against Graft, Booze, Boodle and Sin."

Accepting every invitation, Gibson spoke at churches, mass meetings,
clubs and luncheons of business men's organizations. Brennan declared
that the commissioner was showing signs of weakening on his vow that he
would not become a candidate for mayor under any circumstances.

"You mark my words," he said to John. "Some of these days Gibson will
announce himself as a candidate. He'll say that he has been persuaded
that he would be failing to perform his full duty unless he heeded the
call. He'll excuse himself from his stand that he had no political
ambitions by saying that when he undertook his crusade he had no thought
of ever becoming a ca