"It is so childish,
so preposterous, that even a fool wouldn't swallow it!" he exclaimed.
"It's just the sort of thing that people swallow whole," returned
Abbott.
"Even at that, it's absolutely unimportant," said Enoch. Again Charley
disagreed with him. "Mr. Secretary, it's very important, for it's a
threat. It says that if you don't keep still, they will investigate
your desert trip. And you know what they could make of that!"
"Let them keep their tongues off my Department, then," said Enoch,
sternly. Nevertheless when Abbott had left him alone he did not turn
immediately to his work. His cigar grew cold, and the ink dried on his
pen, while he sat with the look of grim determination in his eyes and
lips, deepening.
He dined out that night and was tired and depressed when he returned
home. Jonas was smiling when he let the Secretary in and took his coat.
"Boss, they's a nice little surprise waiting for you up on your desk."
"Who'd be surprising me, Jonas? No one on earth but you, I'm afraid."
Jonas chuckled. "You're a bad guesser, boss! A bad guesser! How come
you to think I could do anything to surprise you?"
Enoch went into his brightly lighted room and stopped before his desk
with a low exclamation of pleasure.
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