The Little Brown Jug at Kildare Page 7

  CHAPTER VII

  AN AFFAIR AT THE STATE HOUSE

  Barbara filed the messages herself with the manager of the telegraphcompany, who lifted the green shade from his eyes and smiled upon her.

  "We'll rush them, Miss Osborne. Shall I telephone the answers if theycome to-night? No; your father likes his telegrams delivered, Iremember."

  "I will call for them," said Griswold. "Governor Osborne was only athome a few hours this evening and he left me in charge of thesematters."

  The manager's face expressed surprise.

  "Oh! I didn't know the governor was at home," he remarked, as hefinished counting the words and charging them against the state'saccount. "I will send them myself, and ask the operators at the otherend to look lively about the answers. You are Mr.--"

  "This is Major Griswold," said Barbara, conferring the title with avague feeling that it strengthened her cause.

  "Major," repeated the manager, and he nodded to Griswold with an airthat implied his familiarity with official secrets. "You will call? In acouple of hours, Major."

  As Barbara and Griswold turned to leave, a young man who had beenwriting a message at the standing desk in the lobby lifted his hat andaddressed Barbara. He was a reporter for the Columbia _Intelligencer_,and his manner was eager.

  "Oh, Miss Osborne, pardon me, but I've been trying to get you on thetelephone. Can you tell me where your father is to-night?"

  "Father was in town only a few hours, and then left on state business."

  The young man glanced from one to the other. He was a polite youngsterand Miss Barbara Osborne was--Miss Barbara Osborne, and this, to thepeople of South Carolina, was a fact of weight. Still the reportertwirled his hat uncertainly.

  "Well, I thought I had met all the trains, but I guess I missed thegovernor."

  "No; you didn't miss him," smiled Barbara, "Father drove in from thecountry and went back the same way. He didn't come into town at all."

  The news instinct is the keenest with which man may be blessed, and thereporter scented events. Griswold, seeing the light flash in the youngman's eye, felt that here was an opportunity to allay public criticism.

  "Governor Osborne is engaged upon important public business. He will beabsent from town for a day--perhaps a week. He will not return toColumbia until the business is thoroughly disposed of."

  "May I ask if it's the Appleweight case? The Raleigh papers have wiredfor information and we'd like to know here."

  "I can not answer that question. It's enough that the governor is absenton state business, and that the business is important. You may printthat in the _Intelligencer_ and repeat it to Raleigh. There is no harmin that, is there, Miss Osborne?"

  "No; certainly not," Barbara replied.

  "But the papers all over the state are talking about the Appleweightgang. They intimate that those people enjoy immunity from prosecutionand that the governor--you will pardon me, Miss Osborne--will take nosteps to arrest them for personal reasons."

  "Your question is quite proper," replied Griswold. "The governor's actsare subject to scrutiny at all times and it is just as well to havethis matter understood now. I am employed by the governor as specialcounsel in some state matters. My name is Griswold. Take out your bookand come to the desk here and I will give you a statement which you maypublish as by the authority of the governor."

  The three found seats at a table and Griswold dictated while thereporter wrote, Barbara meanwhile sitting with her cheek resting againsther raised hand. She was experiencing the relief we all know, of findinga strong arm to lean upon in an emergency, and she realized thatGriswold was not only wise, but shrewd and resourceful.

  "Please print this exactly as I give it: It having been intimated incertain quarters that the Appleweight gang of outlaws, which has beenterrorizing the North Carolina frontier for several years, enjoysimmunity from prosecution in South Carolina owing to the fact thatGovernor Osborne was at some time attorney for Appleweight, GovernorOsborne begs to say that steps have already been taken for the arrest ofthis man and his followers, dead or alive. The governor presents hiscompliments to those amiable critics who have so eagerly seized uponthis pretext for slurring his private character and aspersing hisofficial acts. The governor has no apologies to proffer the people ofSouth Carolina, who have so generously reposed in him their trust andconfidence. He is intent upon safe-guarding the peace, dignity and honorof the state through an honest enforcement of law and he has no otheraim or ambition."

  Griswold took the reporter's note-book and read over thispronunciamiento; then he handed it to Barbara, who studied it carefully.

  "I think that sounds just right, only, why not substitute for 'honest'the word 'vigorous'?"

  "Excellent," assented Griswold, and thus amended the statement wasreturned to the reporter.

  "Now," said Griswold to the young man, "you are getting a pretty gooditem that no other paper will have. Please wire your story to Raleigh;Governor Osborne is very anxious that the people up there shallunderstand fully his attitude in the Appleweight matter."

  "I reckon this will wake up old Dangerfield all right," said thereporter, grinning. "He'll be paralyzed. May I use your name in thisconnection, sir?"

  "Not at all. My engagement with Governor Osborne is of the mostconfidential character and our purposes would be defeated by publicity.Remember, you get the exclusive use of this story--the return andimmediate departure of the governor, his statement to the people in theAppleweight case--all with the understanding that you use what you haveto the best advantage."

  "This is all right, is it, Miss Osborne?" asked the reporter.

  "Major Griswold has full authority to act, and you need question nothinghe tells you," Barbara replied.

  "I suppose the governor didn't see the attorney-general to-day?" askedthe reporter detainingly, as Barbara rose. She exchanged a glance withGriswold.

  "Father didn't see Mr. Bosworth at all, if that's what you mean!"

  "Didn't see him? Well, Bosworth didn't exactly tell me he had seen himto-day, but I asked him about the Appleweight case an hour ago at hishouse and he said the governor wasn't going to do anything and that wasthe end of it so far as the administration is concerned."

  "Print his story and see what happens! We have no comment to make onthat, have we, Miss Osborne?"

  "Nothing at all," replied Barbara scornfully.

  "I'm at the Saluda House at present. See me to-morrow and I may haveanother story for you!" and Griswold shook the reporter warmly by thehand as they parted at the carriage door.

  "Home," said Barbara for the reporter's benefit, and then, to Griswold:"I must speak of another matter. Drive with me a little way until we canthrow the reporter off."

  She spoke quietly, but he saw that she was preoccupied with some newphase of the situation, and as the carriage gained headway she saidearnestly:

  "That young man told the truth--I am sure of it--about Mr. Bosworth. Iknew he would do something to injure father if he could, but I did notknow he had the courage to go so far."

  "It's only politics, Miss Osborne," said Griswold lightly. "Besides, youmay be sure the _Intelligencer_ will print the governor's side of it inits largest type."

  "No; it is not politics. It is more despicable, more contemptible, moreungenerous even than politics. But he shall be punished, humiliated forhis conduct."

  "You shall fix his punishment yourself!" laughed Griswold; "but thestate's business first. We have a little more to do before I amsatisfied with the day's work."

  "Yes, of course. We must leave nothing undone that father would do werehe here to act for himself."

  "We must be even more careful in his absence to safeguard his honor thanthe case really requires. We not only have his public responsibility butour own into the bargain in so far as we speak and act for him. Andthere's always the state--the Palmetto flag must be kept flying at themasthead." Their eyes met as they passed under an electric lamp and hesaw how completely she was relying on his guidanc
e.

  They were now at the edge of town and she bade him stop the carriage.

  "We must go to the state house," said Griswold. "We must get thatrequisition, to guard against treason in the citadel. Assuming thatGovernor Osborne really doesn't want to see Appleweight punished we'dbetter hold the requisition anyhow. It's possible that your father hadit ready--do pardon me!--for a grand-stand play, or he may have wantedto bring Appleweight into the friendlier state;--but that's allconjectural. We'd better keep out of the principal streets. Thatreporter has a sharp eye."

  She gave the necessary directions and the driver turned back intoColumbia. It was pleasant to find his accomplice in this conspiracy agirl of keen wit who did not debate matters or ask tiresome questions.The business ahead was serious enough, though he tried by manner, toneand words to minimize its gravity. If the attorney-general was serving apersonal spite, or whatever the cause of his attitude, he might go farin taking advantage of the governor's absence. Griswold's relation tothe case was equivocal enough, he fully realized; but the very fact ofits being without precedent, and so beset with pitfalls for allconcerned, was a spur to action. In the present instance a duly executedrequisition for the apprehension of a criminal, which could not bereplaced if lost, must be held at all hazards, and Griswold haddetermined to make sure of the governor's warrant before he slept.

  "Have you the office keys?" he asked.

  "Yes; I have been afraid to let go of them. There's a watchman in thebuilding, but he knows me very well. There will not be the slightesttrouble about getting in."

  The watchman--an old Confederate veteran--sat smoking in the entranceand courteously bade them good evening.

  "I want to get some papers from father's office, Captain."

  "Certainly, Miss Barbara." He preceded them, throwing on the lights, tothe governor's door, which he opened with his own pass key. "It's prettylonesome here at night, Miss Barbara."

  "I suppose nobody comes at night," remarked Griswold.

  "Not usually, sir. But one or two students are at work in the library,and Mr. Bosworth is in his office."

  The veteran walked away jingling his keys. Barbara was already in theprivate office bending over the governor's desk. She found the rightkey, drew out a drawer, then cried out softly. She knelt beside thedesk, throwing the papers about in her eagerness, then turned toGriswold with a white face.

  "The drawer has been opened since I was here this morning. Therequisition and all the other papers in the case are gone."

  Griswold examined the lock carefully and pointed to the roughened edgesof the wood.

  "A blade of the shears there, or perhaps the paper cutter--who knows?The matter is simple enough, so please do not trouble about it. Waithere a moment. I want to make some inquiries of the watchman."

  He found the old fellow pacing the portico like a sentry. He pointedout the attorney-general's office, threw on a few additional lights forGriswold's guidance, and resumed his patrol duty outside.

  The attorney-general's door was locked, but in response to Griswold'sknock it was opened guardedly.

  "I am very sorry to trouble you, Mr. Bosworth," began Griswold, quietlyedging his way into the room, "but one never gets wholly away frombusiness these days."

  He closed the door himself, and peered into the inner rooms to be surethe attorney-general was alone. Bosworth's face flushed angrily when hefound that a stranger had thus entered his office with a cool air ofproprietorship; then he stared blankly at Griswold for a moment beforehe recalled where he had seen him before.

  "I don't receive visitors at night," he blurted, laying his hand on thedoor. "I'm engaged, and you'll have to come in office hours."

  He shook the door as though to call Griswold's attention to it.

  "Do you see this thing--it's the door!" he roared.

  "I have seen it from both sides, Mr. Bosworth. I intend to stay on thisside until I get ready to go."

  "Who the devil are you? What do you mean by coming here at this time ofnight?"

  "I'm a lawyer myself, if you will force the ignoble truth from me. Now,when you are perfectly quiet, and once more the sane, reasonable humanbeing you must be to have been trusted with the office you hold, we'llproceed to business. Meanwhile, please put on your coat. A man in hisshirt-sleeves is always at a disadvantage; and we Virginians aresticklers for the proprieties."

  The attorney-general's fury abated when he saw that he had to deal witha low-voiced young man who seemed unlikely to yield to intimidation.Griswold had, in fact, seated himself on a table that was otherwisecovered with law books, and he sniffed with pleasure the familiaratmosphere of dusty law calf, which no one who has had the slightestacquaintance with a law office ever forgets. To his infinite amusementBosworth was actually putting on his coat, though it may have been alittle absent-mindedly to give him an opportunity to decide upon a planfor getting rid of his visitor. However this may have been, Bosworth nowstepped to the side of the room and snatched down the telephonereceiver.

  Griswold caught him by the shoulder and flung him round.

  "None of that! By calling the police you will only get yourself intotrouble. I'm bigger than you are and I should hate to have to throw youout of the window. Now"--and he caught and hung up the receiver, whichwas wildly banging the wall--"now let us be sensible and get down tobusiness."

  "Who the devil are you?" demanded Bosworth, glaring.

  "I'm special counsel for Governor Osborne in the Appleweight case.There's no use in wasting time in further identification, but if youtake down that volume on Admiralty Practice just behind you, you willfind my name on the title page. Or, to save you the trouble, as you seemto be interested in my appearance, I will tell you that my name isGriswold and that my address is Charlottesville, Virginia."

  "You are undoubtedly lying. If you are smart enough to write a book youought to know enough about legal procedure to understand that theattorney-general represents the state and special counsel would not bechosen without his knowledge."

  "Allow me to correct you, my learned brother. You should never misquotethe opposing counsel--it's one of the rules of the game. What I said amoment ago was that I represented the governor--Governor Osborne. Ididn't say I represented the state, which is a different matter, andbeset with _ultra vires_ pitfalls. There is no earthly reason why agovernor should not detach himself, so to speak, from his office and act_in propria persona_, as a mere citizen. His right to private remedy isnot abridged by the misfortune of office-holding. Whether he can himselfbe made defendant in an action at law touches that ancient question,whether the monarch or the state can be sued. That's a question lawstudents have debated from the beginning of time, but we must notconfuse it with the case at issue. The governor, as a citizen, maycertainly employ such counsel as he pleases, and just now I representhim. Of course, if you want me to furnish a brief--"

  Griswold's manner was deliberate and ingratiating. He saw that theattorney-general had not the slightest sense of humor and that his playupon legal phrases was wasted. Bosworth grinned, but not at the legalstatus of monarchs and states. He had thought of a clever stroke and hedealt the blow with confidence.

  "Let us assume," he said, "that you represent Mr. Osborne. May I ask thewhereabouts of your client?"

  "Certainly. You may ask anything you please, but it will do you nogood. It's an old rule of the game never to divulge a client's secret.Governor Osborne has his own reasons for absenting himself from hisoffice. However, he was at home to-night."

  "I rather guess not, as I had all the trains watched. You'll have to doa lot better than that, Mr. Griswold."

  "He has issued a statement to the public since you lied to the_Intelligencer_ reporter about him to-day. I suppose it's part of yourofficial duty to misrepresent the head of the state administration inthe press, but the governor is in the saddle and I advise you to begood."

  The attorney-general felt that he was not making headway. Hisdisadvantage in dealing with a stranger whose identity he stillquestio
ned angered him. He did not know why Griswold had sought him out,and he was chagrined at having allowed himself to be so easily cornered.

  "You seem to know a good deal," he sneered. "How did you get into thisthing anyhow?"

  "My dear sir, I was chosen by the governor because of my superiorattainments, don't you see? But I'm in a hurry now. I came here on aparticular errand. I want that requisition in the Appleweightcase--quick!--if you please, Mr. Bosworth."

  He jumped down from the table and took up his hat and stick.

  "Mr. Griswold, or whoever you are, you are either a fool or ablackguard. There isn't any requisition for Appleweight. The governornever had the sand to issue any, if you must know the truth! If you knewanything about the governor you would know that that's why Osborne ishiding himself. He can't afford to offend the Appleweights, if you mustknow the disagreeable truth. Your coming here and asking me for thatrequisition is funny, if you had the brains to see it. Poor old Osborneis scared to death and I doubt if he's within a hundred miles of here.You don't know the governor; I do! He's a dodger, a trimmer and acoward."

  "Mr. Bosworth," began Griswold deliberately, "that requisition, dulysigned and bearing the seal of the secretary of state as by the statutesin such cases made and provided, was in Governor Osborne's desk thismorning at the time you were so daintily kicking the door in youranxiety to see the governor. It has since been taken from the drawerwhere the governor left it when he went to New Orleans. You have gone inthere like a sneak-thief, pried open the drawer and stolen thatdocument; and now--"

  "It's an ugly charge," mocked the attorney-general.

  "It's all of that," and Griswold smiled.

  "But you forget that you represent Mr. Osborne. On the other hand Irepresent Governor Osborne, and if I want the Appleweight papers I hadevery right to them."

  "After office hours, feloniously and with criminal intent?" laughedGriswold.

  "We will assume that I have them," sneered Bosworth, "and such being thecase I will return them only to the governor."

  "Then,"--and Griswold's smile broadened--"if it comes to concessions, Iwill grant that you are within your rights in wishing to place them inthe governor's own hands. The governor of South Carolina is now, so tospeak, _in camera_."

  "The governor is hiding. He's afraid to come to Columbia, and the wholestate knows it."

  "The papers, my friend; and I will satisfy you that the governor ofSouth Carolina is under this roof and transacting business."

  "Here in the state house?" demanded Bosworth, and he blanched andtwisted the buttons of his coat nervously.

  "The governor of South Carolina, the supreme power of the state,charged with full responsibility, enjoying all the immunities, rightsand privileges unto him belonging."

  It was clear that Bosworth took no stock whatever in Griswold's story;but Griswold's pretended employment by the governor and his apparentknowledge of the governor's affairs, piqued his curiosity. If this wasreally the Griswold who had written a widely accepted work on admiraltyand who was known to him by reputation as a brilliant lawyer ofVirginia, the mystery was all the deeper. By taking the few stepsnecessary to reach the governor's chambers he would prove the falsity ofGriswold's pretensions to special knowledge of the governor'swhereabouts and plans. He stepped to an inner office, came back with apacket of papers and thrust a revolver into his pocket with so vain ashow of it that Griswold laughed aloud.

  "What! Do you still back your arguments with fire-arms down here? It's amethod that has gone out of fashion in Virginia!"

  "If there's a trick in this it will be the worse for you," scowledBosworth.

  "And pray, remember on your side, that you are to give those documentsinto the hands of the governor. Come along."

  They met the watchman in the corridor and he saluted them and passed on.Bosworth strode eagerly forward in his anxiety to prick the bubble ofGriswold's pretensions.

  Griswold threw open the door of the governor's reception-room, and theyblinked in the stronger light that poured in from the private office.There, in the governor's chair by the broad official desk, sat BarbaraOsborne reading a newspaper.

  "Your Excellency," said Griswold, bowing gravely and advancing; "I begto present the attorney-general!"

  "Barbara!"

  The papers fell from the attorney-general's hands. He stood staringuntil astonishment began to yield to rage as he realized that a trap hadbeen sprung upon him. The girl had risen instantly and a smile playedabout her lips for a moment. She had vaguely surmised that Griswoldwould charge Bosworth with the loss of the papers, but her associate inthe conspiracy had now given a turn to the matter that amused her.

  "Barbara!" blurted the attorney-general, "what game is this--whatcontemptible trick is this stranger playing on you? Don't youunderstand that your father's absence is a most serious matter and thatin the present condition of this Appleweight affair it is likely toinvolve him and the state in scandal?"

  Barbara regarded him steadily for a moment with a negative sort of gaze.She took a step forward before she spoke and then she asked quickly andsharply:

  "What have you done, Mr. Bosworth, to avert these calamities, and whatwas in your mind when you pried open the drawer and took out thosepapers?"

  "I was going to use the requisition--"

  "How?"

  "Why, I expected--"

  "Mr. Bosworth expected to effect a _coup_ for his own glory during thegovernor's absence," suggested Griswold.

  "How?" and Barbara's voice rang imperiously and her eyes flashed.

  "Send this unknown person, this impostor and meddler, away and I willtalk to you as old friends may talk together," and he glared fiercely atGriswold, who stood fanning himself with his hat.

  "I asked you how you intended to serve my father, Mr. Bosworth, becauseyou sent me this afternoon a letter in which you threatened me--youthreatened me with my father's ruin if I did not marry you. You wouldtake advantage of my trouble and anxiety to force that question on mewhen I had answered it once and for all long ago. Before this stranger Iwant to tell you that you are a despicable coward and that if you thinkyou can humiliate me or my father or the state by such practices as youhave resorted to you are very greatly mistaken. And further, Mr.Bosworth, if I find you interfering again in this matter I shall printthat letter you wrote me to-day in every newspaper in the state! Now,that is all I have to say to you, and I hope never to see you again."

  "Before you go, Mr. Bosworth," said Griswold, "I wish to say that MissOsborne has spoken of your conduct with altogether too much restraint. Ishall add, on my own account, that if I find you meddling again in thisAppleweight case, I shall first procure your removal from office andafter that I shall take the greatest pleasure in flogging you within aninch of your life. Now go!"

  The two had dismissed him, and before Bosworth's step died away in thehall, Griswold was running his eye over the papers.

  "That man will do something nasty if he is clever enough to think ofanything."

  "He's a disgusting person," said Barbara, touching her forehead with herhandkerchief.

  "He's all of that," remarked Griswold, as he retied the red-tape roundthe packet of papers. "And now, before we leave we may as well face aserious proposition. Your father's absence and this fiction we aremaintaining that he is really here can not be maintained forever. Idon't want to trouble you, for you, of course, realize all this askeenly as I. But what do you suppose actually happened at New Orleansbetween your father and the governor of North Carolina?"

  She leaned against her father's desk, her hands lightly resting on itsflat surface. She was wholly serene now, and she smiled and thenlaughed.

  "It couldn't have been what the governor of North Carolina said to thegovernor of South Carolina in the old story, for father is stronglyopposed to drink of all kinds. And in the story--"

  "I've forgotten where that story originated."

  "Well, it happened a long time ago, and nobody really knows the origin.But according to tradition
, at the crisis of a great row between twogovernors, the ice was broken by the governor of North Carolina sayingto the governor of South Carolina those shocking words about it's beinga long time between drinks. What makes the New Orleans incident soremarkable is that father and Governor Dangerfield have always beenfriends, though I never cared very much for the Dangerfields myself. Theonly tiffs they have had have been purely for effect. When father saidthat the people of North Carolina would never amount to anything so longas they fry their meat it was only his joke with GovernorDangerfield--but it did make North Carolina awfully mad. AndJerry--she's the governor's daughter--refused to visit me last winterjust on that account. Jerry Dangerfield's a nice little girl, but shehas no sense of humor."