Gilmore laughed.
"I ain"t going to remind him of it; what have I got you for, Marsh? It"s your job." He took a step nearer Langham while his black brows met in a sullen frown. "I know I ain"t popular here in Mount Hope, I know there are plenty of people who"d like to see me run out of town; but I"m no quitter, they"ll find. It suits me to stay here, and they can"t touch me if Moxlow won"t have it. That"s your job, that"s what I hire you for, Marsh; you"re Moxlow"s partner, you"re your father"s son, it"s up to you to see I ain"t interfered with. Don"t tell me you can"t do anything more for me. I won"t have it!"
Langham"s face was red, and his eyes blazed angrily, but Gilmore met his glance with a look of stern insistence that could not be misunderstood.
"I have done what I could for you," the lawyer said at last, choking down his rage.
"Oh, go to h.e.l.l! You know you haven"t hurt yourself," said Gilmore insolently.
"Well, then, why do you come here?" demanded Langham.
"Same old business, Marsh." He lounged across the room and dropped, yawning, into a chair near the window.
There was silence between them for a little s.p.a.ce. Langham fussed with the papers on his desk, while Gilmore squinted at him over the end of his cigar.
"Same old business, Marsh!" Gilmore repeated lazily. "What"s the enemy up to, anyhow? Are the good people of Mount Hope worrying Moxlow? Is their sleepless activity going to interfere with my sleepless profession, eh? Can you answer me that?"
"Moxlow has cut the office of late," said Langham briefly.
"He"s happened on a good thing in the prosecuting attorney"s office, I suppose? It"s a pity you didn"t strike out for that, Marsh; you"d have been of some use to your friends if you"d got the job."
"Not necessarily," said Langham.
"Well, when"s Moxlow going after me?" inquired Gilmore.
"I, haven"t heard him say. He told me he had sufficient evidence for your indictment."
"Yes, of course," agreed Gilmore placidly.
"I guess yours is a case for the next grand jury!"
"So Moxlow"s in earnest about wishing to make trouble for me?" said Gilmore, still placidly.
"Oh, he"s in earnest, all right." Langham shrugged his shoulders petulantly. "He"ll go after you, and perhaps by the time he"s done with you you"ll wish you"d taken my advice and made yourself scarce!"
"I"m no quitter!" rejoined Gilmore, chewing thoughtfully at the end of his cigar.
"By all means stay in Mount Hope if you think it"s worth your while,"
said Langham indifferently.
"Can you give me some definite idea as to when the fun begins?"
"No, but it will be soon enough, Andy. He wants the support of the best element. He can"t afford to offend it."
"And he knows you are my lawyer?" asked Gilmore still thoughtfully.
"Of course."
"Ain"t that going to cut any figure with him?"
"Certainly not."
"Is that so, Marsh?" He crossed his legs and nursed an ankle with both hands. "Well, somebody ought to lose Moxlow,--take him out and forget to find him again. He"s much too good for this world; it ain"t natural.
He"s about the only man of his age in Mount Hope who ain"t drifted into my rooms at one time or another." He paused and took the cigar from between his teeth. "You call him off, Marsh, make him agree to let me alone; ain"t there such a thing as friendship in this profession of yours?"
Langham shook his head, and again Gilmore"s black brows met in a frown.
He made a contemptuous gesture.
"You"re a h.e.l.l of a lawyer!" he sneered.
"Be careful what you say to me!" cried Langham, suddenly giving way to the feeling of rage that until now he had held in check.
"Oh, I"m careful enough. I guess if you stop to think a minute you"ll understand you got to take what I choose to say as I choose to say it!"
Langham sprang to his feet shaking with anger.
"No, by--" he began hoa.r.s.ely.
"Sit down," said Gilmore coldly. "You can"t afford to row with me; anyhow, I ain"t going to row with you. I"ll tell you what I think of you and what I expect of you, so sit down!"
There was a long pause. Gilmore gazed out the window. He seemed to watch the hurrying snowflakes with no interest in Langham who was still standing by his desk, with one shaking hand resting on the back of his chair. Presently the lawyer resumed his seat and Gilmore turned toward him.
"Don"t talk about my quitting here, Marsh," he said menacingly. "That"s the kind of legal advice I won"t have from you or any one else."
"You may as well make up your mind first as last to it," said Langham, not regarding what Gilmore had just said. "I can"t keep Moxlow quiet any longer; the sentiment of the community is against gamblers. If you are not a gambler, what are you?"
"You mean you are going to throw me over, you two?"
"With Moxlow it is a case of bread and b.u.t.ter; personally I don"t care whom you fleece, but I"ve got my living to make here in Mount Hope, too, and I can"t afford to go counter to public opinion."
"You have had some favors out of me, Marsh."
"I am not likely to forget them, you give me no chance," rejoined Langham bitterly.
"Why should I, eh?" asked Gilmore coolly. He leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling above his head. "Marsh, what was that North was saying about me when I came down the hall?" and his swarthy cheeks were tinged with red.
"I don"t recall that he was speaking of you."
"You don"t? Well, think again. It was about our going up to your house to-night, wasn"t it? Your wife"s back, eh? Well, don"t worry, I came here partly to tell you that I had made other arrangements for the evening."
"It"s just as well," said Langham.
"Do you mean your wife wouldn"t receive me?" demanded Gilmore. There was a catch in his voice and a pallor in his face.
"I didn"t say that."
Gilmore"s chair resounded noisily on the floor as he came to his feet.
He strode to the lawyer"s side.