en."

"Go on," said Gertrude kindly. "Just trouble to shut that door into the
hall, please, and then come over here by me."

The man did as he was told, and drew a chair near enough to her to be
heard in low tones.

"Miss Van Deusen," he began; "it's just as I told you; I didn't know
anything about the message they sent you, nor about the trap they set
for you. But I have been knowing a good deal, and now--he's running
away--and I'll be d----d if I won't tell you!"

"Sh--sh--who's running away?" interrupted Gertrude. "Calm yourself,
Newton, and tell me."

"Mann--the dirty whelp, after lining his pockets, and doing you all the
harm he dares," he went on. "I've stood for him all I will. I've
supported him and his cliques, and given house-room to his workers; and
now he's--"

Gertrude saw it was useless to try to calm him, and wisely decided to
let him work off his excitement by telling his story in his own way.

"And it's because Otis H. Mann, the people's friend, as he calls
himself," explained Fitzgerald, impulsively, "has left town, bag and
baggage, and will sail for foreign ports as soon as he strikes New York,
that I'm telling."

"Tell me all you know, Newton. I've been wanting a good long talk with
you for a long time. Begin at the beginning, please."

"Well, of course you know I'm a democrat. I've always voted with that
party, and would have done so last fall, even against you--if it hadn't
been for the job they put up on you. Yes--I mean the night before
election. They talked it all over in a little room back of my saloon.
The boss was there himself that night--"

"You mean Burke?" interrupted Gertrude.

"No--Mann. Burke's under his orders every time. Whatever Burke done, it
was Mann behind him; and when Burke got a rake-off of a thousand, Mann
got two. As I'm tellin' you, they arranged the whole affair in my rooms.
There was Mann and Burke, and McAdoo, and one or two others, and myself.
I ain't claiming to be any better than the rest. I was there--not that I
was ag'in you, but because it was my room, and my liquor, and I'd always
been in their confabs. I didn't approve of them electric cabs and
seizing you by main force, as it were, and rushing you out into the
country; but Mann and Burke were determined to have it--and when I saw
they were bound to do it, anyhow, I just had to agree; and to see that
nothing happened to you, I went along, too. If they'd tried any funny
business with you, I'd--well,