-Brennan and Gallant--are my best friends," Gibson
continued. "They've fallen for every stunt we've pulled."

Brennan winked again.

"Don't be so cock-sure," Cummings cautioned. "I've had more experience
with them than you have and you're all wrong if you think they're a
bunch of dumb-bells. You'll have to be mighty careful. You've sailed
right along without any trouble because you've had sound advice. As soon
as you think you're out of danger, that's the time something's sure to
happen."

"I'll admit you've steered me straighter than I could have gone alone,"
said Gibson, "but don't worry, I'm going to take good care of myself."

There was a silence of a minute. John pictured Gibson and the "Gink"
regarding each other critically through the smoke of their cigarette and
cigar. It was Cummings who spoke first.

"Gibson," he said, "this will be our last meeting before the election."

"Why?"

"I've decided we can't take any more chances," said Cummings.

Another pause in the conversation. Then--

"Gibson, do we understand each other thoroughly?"

"What makes you ask that?" John believed he detected a note of surprise
in Gibson's counter question.

"I want to be sure, that's all," Cummings said. "You know how much I'm
relying on you. You know what I've done to put you where you are. You're
only going to be mayor for one term and we'll have to clean up enough
then to last us the rest of our lives. When your term expires I want to
quit the game.

"You were broke when I met you and I've made you mayor of Los Angeles.
You have power and a reputation and if you don't spill the beans you'll
be a millionaire when you walk out of the city hall in four years. For
ten years I've had this plan in my mind, waiting for a chance to work
it. When I met you I knew I had the man to go through with it. I've
spent a lot of money, risked everything I had and there have been times
that I've had a fight on my hands to keep the boys in line.

"It looks now as if I'm going to come out on top. While you're mayor
we'll work carefully. Probably it will be a year before we start out
after the money. We can afford to wait that long once you're in office.
But everything, everything, you understand, depends on you."

"Everything you say is true," said Gibson, seriously.

A pause. When Cummings broke the silence there was a new tone in his
voice. It was harsh, dictatorial, threatening, the voice of a man of
steel who ruled like an uncrow