y and suddenly on the eve of the annual meeting might indicate
that the interests of yourself and Malone run counter each to each. Why
should I antagonize those in supreme power?"

"I shall be equally frank." Hamilton Burton came closer and his lips
drew themselves in a taut line. "Tomorrow I shall wrest from the Malone
gang this supreme power of which you speak. I mean to force Malone and
Harrison to their knees and to assume complete mastery."

The state senator lifted his brows ironically. "It's a large contract,"
he commented. "So you call on me to slip you the ace you need to fill.
Well, I can't see it."

"Then I'll assist you. I expect you to remain, as you have shown
yourself in the past, a practical man. I expect you to realize that you
have more to gain by allying yourself with a victorious leader than in
walking the plank at the heels of Malone and Harrison."

"I am so practical," the other reminded him, "that I want stronger
evidence than mere assertion that you can overthrow these men."

"At all events I can overthrow you." The words were suddenly fierce.

Hamilton Burton spread on the table several sheets of paper, drawn from
the breast-pocket of his evening-coat and previously from Ruferton's
portfolio. "That memoranda in the hands of certain civic-reform
societies would sound the death knell of your political future. You talk
of what evidence you want--that would satisfy a grand jury."

The master schemer glanced hurriedly at the too-familiar contents of the
typed pages and gasped.

"A half-million dollars!" he exclaimed weakly.

"Incontrovertible evidence," Hamilton assured him, "as to how you, while
a member of the state senate, spent five hundred thousand dollars to
secure the Coal and Ore charter. Malfeasance, bribery--you know the
legal terms in which such conduct might be defined better than I."

For a moment Hendricks laughed--then with a well-simulated coolness he
retorted. "A weapon hardly available to your hand, Mr. Burton. You will
recall that I acted for you. To accuse me as agent would be to convict
yourself as principal."

But Hamilton's laugh was the more confident.

"Think again. I may have erred in granting you too free a hand as an
agent, but I left the details to you. My only offense was
over-confidence in you. It was not I who debauched a senate. Moreover,
this accusation will not come from me--ostensibly. It will come through
the press tomorrow morning--and come hot."