Counsel for the Defense

by Leroy Scott

  CHAPTER IX

  THE PRICE OF A MAN

  When, half an hour before, Katherine walked with bowed head out ofHarrison Blake's office, Blake gazed fixedly after her for a moment,and his face, now that he was private, deepened its sickly, ashen hue.Then he strode feverishly up and down the room, lips twitchingnervously, hands clinching and unclinching. Then he unlocked a cabinetagainst the wall, poured out a drink from a squat, black bottle,gulped it down, and returned the bottle, forgetting to close thecabinet. After which he dropped into his chair, gripped his face inhis two hands, and sat at his desk breathing deeply, but otherwisewithout motion.

  Presently his door opened.

  "Mr. Brown is here to see you," announced a voice.

  He slowly raised his head, and stared an instant at his stenographerin dumfounded silence.

  "Mr. Brown!" he repeated.

  "Yes," said the young woman.

  He continued to stare at her in sickly stupefaction.

  "Shall I tell him you'll see him later?"

  "Show him in," said Blake. "But, no--wait till I ring."

  He passed his hand across his moist and pallid face, paced his roomagain several times, then touched a button and stood stiffly erectbeside his desk. The next moment the door closed behind a short,rather chubby man with an egg-shell dome and a circlet of grayishhair. He had eyes that twinkled with good fellowship and a cheery,fatherly manner.

  "Well, well, Mr. Blake; mighty glad to see you!" he exclaimed as hecrossed the room.

  Blake, still pale, but now with tense composure, took the hand of hisvisitor.

  "This is a surprise, Mr. Brown," said he. "How do you happen to be inWestville?"

  Mr. Brown disposed himself comfortably in the chair that Katherine hadso lately occupied.

  "To-morrow's the trial of that Doctor West, isn't it?"

  "Yes."

  "Well, I thought I'd better be on the ground to see how it came out."

  Blake did not respond at once; but, lips very tight together, satgazing at the ruddy face of his visitor.

  "Everything's going all right, isn't it?" asked Mr. Brown in hischeery voice.

  "About the trial, you mean?" Blake asked with an effort.

  "Of course. The letter I had from you yesterday assured me convictionwas certain. Things still stand the same way, I suppose?"

  Blake's whole body was taut. His dark eyes were fixed upon Mr. Brown.

  "They do not," he said quietly.

  "Not stand the same way?" cried Mr. Brown, half rising from his chair."Why not?"

  "I am afraid," replied Blake with his strained quiet, "that theprosecution will not make out a case."

  "Not make out a case?"

  "To-morrow Doctor West is going to be cleared."

  "Cleared? Cleared?" Mr. Brown stared. "Now what the devil--see here,Blake, how's that going to happen?"

  Blake's tense figure had leaned forward.

  "It's going to happen, Mr. Brown," he burst out, with a flashing ofhis dark eyes, "because I'm tired of doing your dirty work, and thedirty work of the National Electric & Water Company!"

  "You mean you're going to see he's cleared?"

  "I mean I'm going to see he's cleared!"

  "What--you?" ejaculated Mr. Brown, still staring. "Why, only in yourletter yesterday you were all for the plan! What's come over you?"

  "If you'd gone through what I've just gone through----" Blake abruptlychecked his passionate reference to his scene with Katherine. "I sayenough when I say that I'm going to see that Doctor West is cleared.There you have it."

  No further word was spoken for a moment. The two men, leaning towardeach other, gazed straight into one another's eyes. Blake's powerful,handsome face was blazing and defiant. The fatherly kindness haddisappeared from the other, and it was keen and hard.

  "So," said Mr. Brown, cuttingly, and with an infinity of contempt, "itappears that Mr. Harrison Blake is the owner of a white liver."

  "You know that's a lie!" Blake fiercely retorted. "You know I've gotas much courage as you and your infernal company put together!"

  "Oh, you have, have you? From the way you're turning tail----"

  "To turn tail upon a dirty job is no cowardice!"

  "But there have been plenty of dirty jobs you haven't run from. You'veput through many a one in the last two or three years on the quiet."

  "But never one like this."

  "You knew exactly what the job was when you made the bargain with us."

  "Yes. And my stomach rose against it even then."

  "Then why the devil did you tie up with us?"

  "Because your big promises dazzled me! Because you took me up on ahigh mountain and showed me the kingdoms of the earth!"

  "Well, you then thought the kingdoms were pretty good lookingproperty."

  "Good enough to make me forget the sort of thing I was doing. Goodenough to blind me as to how things might come out. But I see now! AndI'm through with it all!"

  The chubby little man's eyes were on fire. But he was too experiencedin his trade to allow much liberty to anger.

  "And that's final--that's where you stand?" he asked with comparativecalm.

  "That's where I stand!" cried Blake. "I may have got started crooked,but I'm through with this kind of business now! I'm going back toclean ways! And you, Mr. Brown, you might as well say good-by!"

  But Mr. Brown was an old campaigner. He never abandoned a battlemerely because it apparently seemed lost. He now leaned back in hischair, slowly crossed his short legs, and thoughtfully regardedBlake's excited features. His own countenance had changed its aspect;it had shed its recent hardness, and had not resumed its originalcheeriness. It was eminently a reasonable face.

  "Come, let's talk this whole matter over in a calm manner," he beganin a rather soothing tone. "Neither of us wants to be too hasty. Thereare a few points I'd like to call your attention to, if you'll letme."

  "Go ahead with your points," said Blake. "But they won't change mydecision."

  "First, let's talk about the company," Mr. Brown went on in his mild,persuasive manner. "Frankly, you've put the company in a hole.Believing that you would keep your end of the bargain, the company hasinvested a lot of money and started a lot of projects. We bought uppractically all the stock of the Westville street car lines, when thatmunicipal ownership talk drove the price so low, because we expectedto get a new franchise through your smashing this municipal ownershipfallacy. We have counted on big things from the water-works when yougot hold of it for us. And we have plans on foot in several othercities of the state, and we've been counting on the failure ofmunicipal ownership in Westville to have a big influence on thosecities and to help us in getting what we want. In one way and anotherthis deal here means an awful lot to the company. Your failing us atthe last moment means to the company----"

  "I understand all that," interrupted Blake.

  "Here's a point for you to consider then: Since the company has bankedso much upon your promise, since it will lose so heavily if yourepudiate your word, are you not bound in honour to stand by youragreement?"

  Blake opened his lips, but Mr. Brown raised a hand.

  "Don't answer now. I just leave that for you to think upon. So muchfor the company. Now for yourself. We promised you if you carried thisdeal through--and you know how able we are to keep our promise!--wepromised you Grayson's seat in the Senate. And after that, with yourability and our support, who knows where you'd stop?" Mr. Brown'svoice became yet more soft and persuasive. "Isn't that a lot to throwoverboard because of a scruple?"

  "I can win all that, or part of it, by being loyal to the people,"Blake replied doggedly, but in a rather unsteady tone.

  "Come, come, Mr. Blake," said Brown reprovingly, "you know you're nottalking sense. You know that the only quick and sure way of gettingthe big offices is by the help of the corporations. So you realizewhat you're losing."

  Blake's face had become drawn and pale. He closed his eyes, as thoughto shut out the visions of the
kingdoms Mr. Brown had conjured up.

  "I'm ready to lose it!" he cried.

  "All right, then," Mr. Brown went mildly on. "So much for what welose, and what you lose. Now for the next point, the action you intendto take regarding Doctor West. Do you mind telling me just how youpropose to undo what you have done so far?"

  "I haven't thought it out yet. But I can do it."

  "Of course," pursued Mr. Brown blandly, "you propose to do it so thatyou will appear in no way to be involved?"

  Blake was thinking of Katherine's accusation. "Of course."

  "Just suppose you think about that point for a minute or two."

  There was a brief silence. When Mr. Brown next spoke he spoke veryslowly and accompanied each word with a gentle tap of his forefingeron the desk.

  "Can you think of a single way to clear Doctor West withoutincriminating yourself?"

  Blake gave a start.

  "What's that?"

  "Can you get Doctor West out of his trouble without showing who gothim into his trouble? Just think that over."

  During the moment of silence Blake grew yet more pale.

  "I'll kill the case somehow!" he breathed.

  "But the case looks very strong against Doctor West. Everybodybelieves him guilty. Do you think you can suddenly, within twenty-fourhours, reverse the whole situation, and not run some risk of havingsuspicion shift around to you?"

  Blake's eyes fell to his desk, and he sat staring whitely at it.

  "And there's still another matter," pursued the gentle voice of Mr.Brown, now grown apologetic. "I wouldn't think of mentioning it, but Iwant you to have every consideration before you. I believe I nevertold you that the National Electric & Water Company own the majoritystock of the Acme Filter Company."

  "No, I didn't know that."

  "It was because of that mutual relationship that I was able to helpout your little plan by getting Marcy to do what he did. Now if someof our directors should feel sore at the way you've thrown us down,they might take it into their minds to make things unpleasant foryou."

  "Unpleasant? How?"

  Mr. Brown's fatherly smile had now come back. It was full of concernfor Blake.

  "Well, I'd hate, for instance, to see them use their pressure todrive Mr. Marcy to make a statement."

  "Mr. Marcy? A statement?"

  "Because," continued Mr. Brown in his tone of fatherly concern, "afterMr. Marcy had stated what he knows about this case, I'm afraid therewouldn't be much chance for you to win any high places by being loyalto the people."

  For a moment after this velvet threat Blake held upon Mr. Brown anopen-lipped, ashen face. Then, without a word, he leaned his elbowsupon his desk and buried his face in his hands. For a long space therewas silence in the room. Mr. Brown's eyes, kind no longer, but keenestof the keen, watched the form before him, timing the right second tostrike again.

  At length he recrossed his legs.

  "Of course it's up to you to decide, and what you say goes," he wenton in his amiable voice. "But speaking impartially, and as a friend,it strikes me that you've gone too far in this matter to draw back. Itstrikes me that the best and only thing is to go straight ahead."

  Blake's head remained bowed in his hands, and he did not speak.

  "And, of course," pursued Mr. Brown, "if you should decide in favourof the original agreement, our promise still stands good--Senate andall."

  Mr. Brown said no more, but sat watching his man. Again there was along silence. Then Blake raised his face--and a changed face it wasindeed from that which had fallen into his hands. It bore the marks ofa mighty struggle, but it was hard and resolute--the face of a man whohas cast all hesitancy behind.

  "The agreement still stands," he said.

  "Then you're ready to go ahead?"

  "To the very end," said Blake.

  Mr. Brown nodded. "I was sure you'd decide that way," said he.

  "I want to thank you for what you've said to bring me around," Blakecontinued in his new incisive tone. "But it is only fair to tell youthat this was only a spell--not the first one, in fact--and that Iwould have come to my senses anyhow."

  "Of course, of course." It was not the policy of Mr. Brown, once thevictory was won, to discuss to whom the victory belonged.

  Blake's eyes were keen and penetrating.

  "And you say that the things I said a little while back will notaffect your attitude toward me in the future?"

  "Those things? Why, they've already passed out of my other ear! Oh,it's no new experience," he went on with his comforting air ofgood-fellowship, "for me to run into one of our political friends whenhe's sick with a bad case of conscience. They all have it now andthen, and they all pull out of it. No, don't you worry about thefuture. You're O. K. with us."

  "Thank you."

  "And now, since everything is so pleasantly cleared up," continued Mr.Brown, "let's go back to my first question. I suppose everything looksall right for the trial to-morrow?"

  Blake hesitated a moment, then told of Katherine's discovery. "Butit's no more than a surmise," he ended.

  "Has she guessed any other of the parties implicated?" Mr. Brown askedanxiously.

  "I'm certain she has not."

  "Is she likely to raise a row to-morrow?"

  "I hardly see how she can."

  "All the same, we'd better do something to quiet her," returned Mr.Brown meaningly.

  Blake flashed a quick look at the other.

  "See here--I'll not have her touched!"

  Mr. Brown's scanty eyebrows lifted.

  "Hello! You seem very tender about her!"

  Blake looked at him sternly a moment. Then he said stiffly: "I onceasked Miss West to marry me."

  "Eh--you don't say!" exclaimed the other, amazed. "That is certainly aqueer situation for you!" He rubbed his naked dome. "And you stillfeel----"

  "What I feel is my own affair!" Blake cut in sharply.

  "Of course, of course!" agreed Mr. Brown quickly. "I beg your pardon!"

  Blake ignored the apology.

  "It might be well for you not to see me openly again like this. WithMiss West watching me----"

  "She might see us together, and suspect things. I understand. Needn'tworry about that. You may not see me again for a year. I'mhere--there--everywhere. But before I go, how do things look for theelection?"

  "We'll carry the city easily."

  "Who'll you put up for mayor?"

  "Probably Kennedy, the prosecuting attorney."

  "Is he safe?"

  "He'll do what he's told."

  "That's good. Is he strong with the people?"

  "Fairly so. But the party will carry him through."

  "H'm." Mr. Brown was thoughtful for a space. "This is your end of thegame, of course, and I make it a point not to interfere with anotherman's work. The only time I've butted in here was when I helped youabout getting Marcy. But still, I hope you don't mind my making asuggestion."

  "Not at all."

  "We've got to have the next mayor and council, you know. Simply gotto have them. We don't want to run any risk, however small. If youthink there's one chance in a thousand of Kennedy losing out, supposeyou have yourself nominated."

  "Me?" exclaimed Blake.

  "It strikes you as a come-down, of course. But you can do itgracefully--in the interest of the city, and all that, you know. Youcan turn it into a popular hit. Then you can resign as soon as ourbusiness is put through."

  "There may be something in it," commented Blake.

  "It's only a suggestion. Just think it over, and use your ownjudgment." He stood up. "Well, I guess that's all we need to say toone another. The whole situation here is entirely in your hands. Do asyou please, and we ask no questions about how you do it. We're notinterested in methods, only in results."

  He clapped Blake heartily upon the shoulder. "And it looks as thoughwe all were going to get results! Especially you! Why, you, with thistrial successfully over--with the election won--with the goodsdelivered----"<
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  He suddenly broke off, for the tail of his eye had sighted Blake'sopen cabinet.

  "Will you allow me a liberty?"

  "Certainly," replied Blake, in the dark as to his visitor's purpose.

  Mr. Brown crossed to the cabinet, and returned with the squat, blackbottle and two small glasses. He tilted an inch into each tumbler,gave one to Blake, and raised the other on high. His face wasillumined with his fatherly smile.

  "To our new Senator!" he said.