found a cigar in an inner pocket of
his driving-coat.

"We are holding our own, as far as anybody can see," he returned.

"That 'as far as anybody can see' is just your weakness, Kittredge,"
said the chief testily. "What we want--what we've got to have first,
last, and all the time--is the _fact_. Now see if you can answer a few
straight questions. What is the senator doing?"

"His wife has a young girl visiting her, and if the Honorable Dave is
doing anything more than to show the two women a good time, I can't find
it out."

"There you go again! You say 'if.' It's your business to know."

Kittredge held his peace. Being designed by nature for a heavy-weight
ring-fighter, there were times when he felt like taking off his coat to
the vice-president.

"Well?" prompted McVickar, when Kittredge remained obstinately silent.

"If I knew what sort of a deal you have made with the senator--"

"That cuts no figure. But let it go. What's young Blount doing?"

"He's out of it, good and plenty. He started to go to the Sampson Block
fire last night and was knocked down by a hook-and-ladder truck. It's a
cracked skull, and Doc Dillon says he's safe to stay in bed for a week
or so."

"H'm," said the chief reflectively. "That is almost what you might call
opportune, Kittredge. The young fellow has done his work well, but there
was always the danger that he might overdo it. In fact, there was a
time, a week or two ago, when I thought he would have to be called down
and given a lesson. Now then, how about that Gryson business?"

"It was just as you said: I had to take Tom by the neck and get rid of
him."

"He did his work all right?"

"Yes, and came swaggering around for his pay. I sized it up one side and
down the other. He had a pretty bad case of swelled head and tried to
hold me up for a bonus, hinting around about what he could do if he
wanted to throw the gaff into us. As I say, I sized it up, and took snap
judgment on him--pulled the Montana racket and gave him twenty-four
hours' start of the police."

The vice-president frowned and shook his head. "You took a chance--a
long chance, Kittredge! Twenty-four hours gave him all the time he
needed to fall afoul of young Blount."

The big superintendent grinned amiably.

"The senator helped out on that," he explained.

"The senator? How was that?"

"It's the first time he has shown any part of his hand to me in the
entire campaign. About an hour after I had shot