"
It needed no more than a mechanical reckoning of percentages to tell
Banneker that this implied a serious diminution of his own income.
Further, such a procedure would be in effect a repudiation of The
Patriot and its editorial support.
"That's a rotten deal!" he exclaimed.
"No. Just politics. Justifiable, too, I should say, as politics go. I
doubt whether Laird would do it of his own motion; he plays a higher
game than that. But it isn't strictly within his province either to
effect or prevent. Anyhow, it's going to be done."
"If he wants to fight us--" began Banneker with gloom in his eyes.
"He doesn't want to fight anybody," cut in the expert. "He wants to be
mayor and run the city for what seems to him the city's best good. If he
thought Marrineal would carry on his work as mayor, I doubt if he'd
oppose him. But our shrewd old friend, Enderby, isn't of that mind.
Enderby understands Marrineal. He'll fight to the finish."
Edmonds left his friend in a glum perturbation of mind. Enderby
understood Marrineal, did he? Banneker wished that he himself did. If he
could have come to grips with his employer, he would at least have known
now where to take his stand. But Marrineal was elusive. No, not even
elusive; quiescent.
Pages:
634
635
636
637
638
639
640
641
642
643
644
645
646
647
648
649
650
651
652
653
654
655
656
657
658