the man. "But
Armstrong is putting up a bluff and threatens to have it overhauled."

"But why?" persisted the mayor.

"Now look here, your Honor," urged the man confidentially. "Your father
was a politician. He knew all the tricks of the trade. He made his pile
all right, one way or another."

"Mr. McAlister!" Gertrude's voice had a new note.

"O, hold yourself close, now," said he. "No harm meant. Senator Van
Deusen was as fine a man as Roma ever produced. And if I didn't vote for
you--it wasn't because I wouldn't do anything for his daughter. But
now,--well, let's make it a mutual thing. You protect me and my
interests and I'll stick by you, and where I go, there go several
hundred other good voters."

"The scoundrel!" said Gertrude to her inmost soul. But she did not
change countenance.

"Well, I will look into the matter," she replied. "If your contract is
all right--and you say it is--the city will certainly stand by you. Of
course I could not promise anything more definite than that now. But I
will look into the matter and advise Mr. Armstrong."

"O, don't take your time to look up a contract a year old," said
McAlister. "It won't be worth your while. Take my word,--the word of one
who worked night and day for your father,--and just call Armstrong off.
He'll find enough in the bridge department to keep him busy, if he must
stir things up anywhere."

"I will speak to Mr. Armstrong," said Gertrude, rising and pushing the
electric button as a signal for the others to return. There was nothing
for McAlister to do but depart, wondering just how much he had gained by
the interview.

"If she goes to looking into old contracts--" he muttered as he went
down the stairs--and then whistled sharply.

When he was well out of sight, Gertrude sent for Bailey Armstrong.

"What are you doing to one McAlister?" she asked. "A street contractor,
I believe he is."

"Nothing, as yet. Why?" asked the city attorney.

"Well, he's just left me," replied the mayor. "Says you are going to
'rip his contract up the back,'--to quote him literally."

"Aha!" said Bailey. "Then he's afraid, is he? I've done nothing as yet,
but I heard something the other day that caused me to suspect trouble in
that direction. See here, Gertie, just how far do you want me to go in
this 'ripping-up-the-back' business? I'm positive if we once begin we'll
find graft on every side of us. Then trouble will begin, you
know,--trouble for you, I mean."