orner of his mouth to the other in extreme
agitation._

I don't know what you're talking about.

MAYNARD

Well, you don't need me.

HARRADAN

I do.

[MAYNARD _sits down, chewing his lips._

POLLEN

[_With an amused, patronizing smile._

You haven't expressed yourself about me yet, Senator. Am I invited to
the party?

HARRADAN

You may stay or not as you like.

POLLEN

Thanks.

[_Deliberately._

Do you know, if I were you, I don't think I'd detain these other
gentlemen just now.

HARRADAN

[_Calmly._

Go to the Devil to whom you belong, Mr. Pollen. I'll do as I see fit.

POLLEN

I merely advise you. It isn't always considered patriotic when the
people want war, for a Senator to want peace too hard. I shall strive to
point that out to twenty million people or so tomorrow morning. Make
your will, Senator. The avalanche is coming. You'll be the loneliest
voice that ever came out of the wilderness. I prophesy your swift
demise.

HARRADAN

This is wartime. Most of us are ready to die, if necessary. Only some of
us would rather die in the service of peace than in the service of war.
You're a very powerful man, Mr. Pollen. I don't doubt at all that you
can kill me if you put your mind on it. You have poisoned the whole
nation. You are at liberty to kill me outright, but I won't let you
slow-poison me.

[_Turning._

Taney, I've got information against you, and you've got to listen. You,
too, Maynard.

POLLEN

[_At window._

Am I out in the cold again? I'm listening intently.

[_He goes to the telephone and takes up the receiver._

News-stand, please.

HARRADAN

[_Pleadingly._

Taney--

POLLEN

[_At the telephone._

That you, Burke? Liven up your youngsters outside. They've gone to
sleep.

[_He hangs up the receiver, and complacently lights a cigarette._

HARRADAN

We were friends in the past, Taney. I always knew you were a jingo, but
I thought there was hope. I came here because I still thought so. I
didn't know you had lined up with the buzzards.

TANEY

See here, Harradan. What are you talking about anyway?

HARRADAN

We all know why Grosvenor and Conroy and their kind are here. And a few
of us have been wondering who were pulling the wires for them.

GROSVENOR

You've got me mixed up with somebody else. I'm here attending to--to my
regular business.

CONROY

[_Bluntly._

And why shouldn't we be down here? I'm in a legi