Harlan had started to leave. The
lobbyist realized what a powerful foe young Thornton could be to his
project, and he was desperate.
"I've been up through your country, Mr. Thornton. I've been spending
some time at Fort Canibas. I've been posting myself generally on
railroad and other matters--_other_ matters! I don't want to say too
much, but I'd like to have you run over in your mind what those other
matters might be. Now, you and I can't afford to be enemies. I got the
tough end, and I'm willing to overlook and forget. You owe me a little
something. I hope you're going to square it. Let me remind you that I'm
a bad man with my tongue. I'm free to say it, I depend on my tongue for
what I get out of life."
It occurred to Harlan that this brazen threat referred to the scandal of
the Fort Canibas caucus.
"Bring them on," he sneered: "Ivus Niles and his buck sheep and Enoch
Dudley and the rest of the petty rogues that you hired with your
corporation money to defeat me."
"You're on the wrong trail," replied Spinney.
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