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texcept on our sidetill after election。 Got that？ 。 。 。 All right； all right； now listen。 That's only part of it。 This is what's got to be done now。 The Observer is loaded with dynamite for the morning。 You've got to stop it。 I'd say get Phelps out of bed and get an injunction out of himanything to stop it till you can show the Observer's hired men where they stand now that the paper's going to be bossed for a month or so by our friends。
I can't tell you now； Paul； but it's dynamite and you've got to keep it from going on sale。 Get Phelps out of bed and go down and look at it yourselves。 You've got maybe three hours before it's out on the streets。
That's right。 。 。 。 What？ 。 。 。 Opal？ Oh； she's all right。 She's with me。 。 。 。 Yes； I'll bring her home。 。 。 。 And will you phone the county people about Mathews？ I'm going back there now。 Right。〃
He laid the receiver on the table and stood up； staggered to the door； got it open after the second attempt； and fell out into the hallway； where the wall kept him from tumbling down on the floor。
The red…faced man came hurrying to him。 〃Just lean on me； brother； and I'll make you fortable。 I got a blanket spread over the davenport so we won't have to worry about the mud and〃
Ned Beaumont said： 〃I want to borrow a car。 I've got to go back to Mathews's。〃
〃Is it him that's dead？〃
〃Yes。〃
The red…faced man raised his eyebrows and made a squeaky whistling sound。
〃Will you lend me the car？〃 Ned Beaumont demanded。
〃My God； brother； be reasonable！ How could you drive a car？〃
Ned Beaumont backed away from the other； unsteadily。 〃I'll walk；〃 he said。
The red…faced man glared at him。 〃You won't neither。 If you'll keep your hair on till I get my pants I'll drive you back； though likely enough you'll die on me on the way。〃
Opal Madvig and Eloise Mathews were together in the large ground…floor room when Ned Beaumont was carried rather than led into it by the red…faced man。 The men had e in without knocking。 The two girls were standing close together； wide…eyed； startled。
Ned Beaumont pulled himself out of his panion's arms and looked dully around the room。 〃Where's Shad？〃 he mumbled。
Opal answered him： 〃He's gone。 All of them have gone。〃
〃All right；〃 he said； speaking difficultly。 〃I want to talk to you alone。〃
Eloise Mathews ran over to him。 〃You killed him！〃 she cried。
He giggled idiotically and tried to put his arms around her。
She screamed； struck him in the face with an open hand。
He fell straight back without bending。 The red…faced man tried to catch him； but could not。 He did not move at all after he struck the floor。
VII。The Henchmen
1
Senator Henry put his napkin on the table and stood up。 Rising； he seemed taller than he was and younger。 His somewhat small head； under its thin covering of grey hair； was remarkably symmetrical。 Aging muscles sagged in his patrician face； accentuating its vertical lines； but slackness had not vet reached his lips； nor was it apparent that the years had in any way touched his eyes： they were a greenish grey； deepset； not large but brilliant； and their lids were firm。 He spoke with studied grave courtesy： 〃You'll forgive me if I carry Paul off upstairs for a little while？〃
His daughter replied： 〃Yes； if you'll leave me Mr。 Beaumont and if you'll promise not to stay up there all evening。〃
Ned Beaumont smiled politely； inclining his head。
He and Janet Henry went into a white…walled room where coal burned sluggishly in a grate under a white mantelpiece and put somber red gleams on the mahogany furniture。
She turned on a lamp beside the piano and sat down there with her back to the keyboard； her head between Ned Beaumont and the lamp。 Her blond hair caught lamplight and held it in a nimbus around her head。 Her black gown was of some suèdelike material that reflected no light and she wore no jewelry。
Ned Beaumont leaned over to knock ash from his cigar down on the burning coal。 A dark pearl in his shirt…bosom； twinkling in the fire's glow as he moved； was like a red eye winking。 When he straightened； he asked： 〃You'll play something？〃
〃Yes； if you wishthough I don't play exceptionally wellbut later。 I'd like to talk to you now while I've an opportunity。〃 Her hands were together in her lap。 Her arms； held straight； forced her shoulders up and in towards her neck。
Ned Beaumont nodded politely； but did not say anything。 He left the fireplace and sat not far from her on a sofa with lyre ends。 Though he was attentive； there was no curiosity in his mien。
Turning on the piano…bench to face him directly； she asked： 〃How is Opal？〃 Her voice was low； intimate。
His voice was casual： 〃Perfectly all right as far as I know； though I haven't seen her since last week。〃 He lifted his cigar half a foot towards his mouth； lowered it； and as if the question had just e to his mind asked： 〃Why？〃
She opened her brown eyes wide。 〃Isn't she in bed with a nervous break…down？〃
〃Oh； that！〃 he said carelessly； smiling。 〃Didn't Paul tell you？〃
〃Yes； he told me she was in bed with a nervous break…down。〃 She stared at him； perplexed。 〃He told me that。〃
Ned Beaumont's smile became gentle。 〃I suppose he's sensitive about it；〃 he said slowly； looking at his cigar。 Then he looked up at her and moved his shoulders a little。 〃There's nothing the matter with her that way。 It's simply that she got the foolish idea that he had killed your brother andstill more foolishlywas going around talking about it。 Well； Paul couldn't have his daughter running around accusing him of murder； so he had to keep her home till she gets the notion out of her head。〃
〃You mean she's〃 she hesitated： her eyes were bright 〃she's…wella prisoner？〃
〃You make it sound melodramatic；〃 he protested carelessly。 〃She's only a child。 Isn't making children stay in their rooms one of the usual ways of disciplining them？〃
Janet Henry replied hastily： 〃Oh； yes！ Only〃 She looked at her hands in her lap； up at his face again。 〃But why did she think that？〃
Ned Beaumont's voice was tepid as his smile。 〃Who doesn't？〃 he asked。
She put her hands on the edge of the piano…bench beside her and leaned forward。 Her white face was earnestly set。 〃That's what I wanted to ask von； Mr。 Beaumont。 Do people think that？〃
He nodded。 His face was placid。
Her knuckles were white over the bench…edge。 Her voice was parched asking： 〃Why？〃
He rose from the sofa and crossed to the fireplace to drop the remainder of his cigar into the fire。 When he returned to his seat he crossed his long legs and leaned back at ease。 〃The other side thinks it's good politics to make people think that；〃 he said。 There was nothing in his voice； his face； his manner to show that he had any personal interest in what he was talking about。
She frowned。 〃But； Mr。 Beaumont； why should people think it unless there's some sort of evidence； or something that can be made to look like evidence？〃
He looked curiously and amusedly at her。 〃There is； of course；〃 he said。 〃I thought you knew that。〃 He bed a side of his mustache with a thumb…nail。 〃Didn't you get any of the anonymous letters that've been going around？〃
She stood up quickly。 Ex