25 the Supervisors met. Frank, himself, went to the council
chamber to learn what was afoot. He suspected a sensation. But the Board
met quietly enough at 2:30 o'clock, with Jim Gallagher in the chair. At
2:45 a special messenger called the acting Mayor to Ruef's office. Three
hours later he was still absent from the angry and impatient Board.

That some desperate move was imminent Frank realized. Here was Ruef
between two bodeful dates. Yesterday had come the news that Langdon had
appointed Heney--the relentless enemy of boodlers--to a place of power.
Tomorrow would begin the impaneling of a Grand Jury, whose avowed
purpose it was to "investigate municipal graft."

"What would I do if I were Ruef?" Frank asked himself. But no answer
came. He paced up and down the corridor, pondering the situation. At
intervals he paused before the Supervisors' chamber. Once he found the
door slightly ajar and listened shamelessly. He saw Big Jim Gallagher,
red-faced, excited, apparently much flustered, reading a paper. He
thought he heard Langdon's name and Heney's. There seemed to be
dissension in the board. But before he learned anything definite a
watchful attendant closed the portal with an angry slam. Frank resumed
his pacing.

Finally he went out for a bite to eat.

Frank returned half an hour later to find the reporters' room in an
uproar. Big Jim Gallagher had dismissed Langdon from office with the
corroboration of the Board of Supervisors, as a provision of the city
ordinance permitted him to do. Ruef had been appointed district
attorney.

Langdon's forces were not disconcerted by the little boss's coup. Late
that evening Frank advised his paper of a counterstroke. Heney had
aroused Judge Seawell from his slumbers and obtained an order of the
court enjoining Ruef from actual assumption of the title he had
arrogated to himself.

Judge Graham upheld it. Langdon remained the district attorney. Though
Ruef imposed every possible obstacle, the Grand Jury was impaneled,
November 7, and began its work of investigation with such startling
celerity that Ruef and Schmitz faced charges of extortion on five
counts, a week later.

CHAPTER LXXXIII

IN THE TOILS

Meanwhile Schmitz, who had but recently returned from Europe, became
officially involved in the anti-Japanese agitation.

"He's summoned East to see the President," said a Burns operative to
Frank one morning as they met at Temple Israel. "Lucky devil, that big
fel