_ CHAPTER XI. ON THE TRAIL OF THE "INSIDERS"
Colonel J.D. Telfer (J.D. standing for Jefferson Davis, he explained proudly to Haines) proved a warm advocate of the doubtful merits of Gulf City as a hundred-million-dollar naval base. His flushed face grew redder, his long white hair became disordered, and he tugged at his white mustache continually as he waxed warmer in his efforts to impress the Senator's secretary.
"I tell you, Mr. Haines, Gulf City, sah, leads all the South when it comes to choosin' ground fo' a naval base. Her vast expanse of crystal sea, her miles upon miles of silvah sands, sah, protected by a natural harbor and th' islands of Mississippi Sound, make her th' only spot to be considered. She's God's own choice and the people's, too, for a naval base."
"But, unfortunately, Congress also has something to say about choosing it," spoke Haines.
"To be shuah they do," said Gulf City's Mayor, "but--"
"And there was a man here from Altacoola yesterday," again interrupted the secretary, "who said that Gulf City was fit only to be the State refuge for aged and indigent frogs."
"Say, they ain't a man in Altacoola wot can speak th' truth," indignantly shrieked the old Colonel, almost losing control of himself; "because their heads is always a-buzzin' and a-hummin' from th' quinine they have to take to keep th' fever away, sah!"
The Mayor sat directly in front of Haines, at the opposite side of his desk. Regaining his composure, he suddenly leaned forward and half whispered to the secretary:
"Mah young friend, don't let Senator Langdon get switched away from Gulf City by them cheap skates from Altacoola. Now, if you'll get th' Senator to vote fo' Gulf City we'll see--I'll see, sah, as an officer of th' Gulf City Lan' Company--that you get taken ca-ah of."
Haines' eyes opened wide.
"Go on, Colonel; go on with your offer," he said.
"Well, I'll see that a block of stock, sah--a big block--is set aside fo' Senator Langdon an' another fo' you, too. We've made this ah-rangomont else-wheah. We'll outbid Altacoola overall time. They're po' sports an' hate to give up."
"So Altacoola is bidding, too?" excitedly asked Haines.
"Why, of co'se it is. Ah yo' as blind as that o' ah yo' foolin' with me?" questioned Telfer, suspiciously. "Seems to me yo' ought to know more about that end of it than a fellah clear from th' gulf."
"Certainly, certainly," mumbled Haines, impatiently, as he endeavored to associate coherently, intelligently, in his mind those startling new revelations of Telfer with certain incidents he had previously noted in the operations of the committee on naval affairs.
Then he looked across at the Mayor and smiled. Apparently he had heard nothing to amaze him.
"Colonel," he returned calmly, dropping into a voice that sounded of pity for the gray hairs of the lobbyist, "about fifty men a day come to me with propositions like that. There is nothing doing, Colonel. I couldn't possibly interest Senator Langdon, because he has the faculty of judging for himself, and he would be prejudiced against either town that came out with such, a proposition."
"Lan' speculation is legitimate," protested, the Colonel, cunningly.
Haines agreed.
"Certainly--by outsiders. But it's d--d thievery when engaged in by any one connected with putting a bill through. If I were to tell Senator Langdon what you have told me it would decide him unalterably in favor of Altacoola. Senator Langdon, sir, is one of the few men in Washington who would rather be thought a fool than a grafter if it came down to that."
The Mayor of Gulf City jumped to his feet, his face blazing in rage, not in shame.
"Seems to me yo're mighty fresh, young man," he blustered. "What kind of politics is Langdon playin'?"
"Not fresh, Colonel; only friendly. I'm just tipping you off how not to be a friend to Altacoola. As to his politics, the Senator will answer you himself."
A scornful laugh accompanied Telfer's reply.
"Altacoola, huh! I reckon yo' must be a fool, after all. Why, everybody knows of the speculatin' in land around Altacoola, and everybody knows it ain't outsiders that's doin' it. It's the insiders, right here in Washington. If yo' ain't in, yo' can easy get a latchkey. Young man, yo'll find out things some day, and yo'll drop to it all.
"I guess I was too late with yo'. That's about the size of it. I guess Altacoola'll talk to yo'," went on the Mayor. "If that feller Fairbrother of Altacoola had been able to hold his tongue maybe I wouldn't know so much. But now I know what's what. I know this--that yo're either a big fool or--an insider. Yo're a nice young feller. I have kind-a taken a fancy to yo'. I like to see yo' young fellers get along and not miss yo'r chances. Come, my boy, get wise to yo'rself, get wise to yo'rself! Climb on to the band wagon with yo' friends."
Bud concluded that he might be able to get more definite information out of Telfer if he humored him a bit.
"I tell you, Colonel," he finally said, "these are pretty grave charges you're making, but I'll tell you confidentially, owing to your liking for me, that it is not yet too late to do something for Gulf City. Now, just suppose you and I dine together to-night early, and we'll go over the whole ground to see how things lie. Will you?"
The Colonel held out his hand, smiling broadly. He felt that at last he had won the secretary over; that the young man was at heart anxious to take money for his influence with the Senator.
"All right, my boy, yo're on. We'll dine together. Yo' are absolutely certain that it won't be too late to get to Senator Langdon?"
"Absolutely positive. I wouldn't make a mistake in a matter like this, would I, unless I was what you said I was--a fool?"
"Of course not. Oh, yo're a slick one. I like to do business with folks like yo'. It's mighty educatin'!"
"Thanks," answered Bud, dryly. "It's certain that Langdon won't decide which place he's for until to-morrow. I promise you that he won't decide until after I have my talk with you."
"Yo' see," said Telfer, "I asked that question because, as yo' probably know, Congressman Norton and his crowd is pretty close to Senator Langdon--"
Haines cut him short with a gasp of surprise.
"Norton!"
Telfer, wrinkling his forehead incredulously, looked at Haines. "Surest thing you know, my boy."
Bud turned his head away in thought.
"Oh, leave the Norton outfit to me. I'll fool them," he finally said.
"Good."
Telfer shook the secretary's hand heartily.
"Yo're no fool, my boy. Anybody can see that--after they get to know yo' all. That's what comes of bein' one of them smooth New Yorkers. They 'pear mighty sanctimonious on th' outside, but on th' inside they're the real goods, all right."
The lobbyist hurried away, his bibulous soul swelling with satisfaction. He was sure of triumphing over Altacoola, and he was willing to pay the price.
Haines sank back into his chair. "I wonder what Washington 'insiders,'" he murmured, "are speculating in Altacoola land. Telfer mentions Norton's name. I wonder--"
The door opened, and before him stood Carolina Langdon.
"Ah, Miss Langdon," he exclaimed, "I am glad to see you!"
She walked to him and extended cordially a slender gloved hand.
"This is a real pleasure, Mr. Haines," she began. "I've been waiting to talk to you for some time. It's about something important."
"Something important," smiled Haines. "You want to see me about something important? Well, let me tell you a secret. Every time I see you it is an important occasion to me."
Carolina Langdon had never appeared more charming, more beautiful to young Haines than she did that day. Perhaps she appeared more inspiring because of the contrast her presence afforded to the unpleasant episodes through which he had just passed; also, Carolina was dressed in her most becoming street gown, which she well realized, as she was enacting a carefully planned part with the unfortunate secretary.
His frankness and the sincere admiration that shone in his eyes caused her to falter momentarily, almost made her weaken in her purpose, but she made an effort and secured a firmer grip on herself, for she must play a role that would crush to earth the air castles this young secretary was building, a role that would crush the ideals of this young optimist as well. _