Burton. 'Then what are you asking me for?'
'Don't be testy, Mr. Farrell; let me save your life in amity. That was the basis of your remark?'
'Of course. But what the devil have Lorrie Burton's private affairs got to do with it? Or mine or anybody's? I thought what we are going to pay you for is to stop-'
He broke off. He looked around at the others and his face got red. He finished to Wolfe in a completely different tone,
'Forgive me. I forgot for a moment.'
'Forgot what?'
'Nothing of any importance. Only that I'm out of it. In your total of fifty-odd • thousand, you've got me down for ten | dollars. Your sources of information are up-to-date. Have you any idea what architects have been up against the past four years? Even good ones. I did the new city hall at Baltimore in 1928. Now I 1 couldn't get – you're not thinking of • doing any building, Mr. Wolfe? A telephone stand or a dog kennel or • anything? I'd be glad to submit designs – Oh, the devil. Anyway, I forgot I'm just here ex-officio, I'm not paying my way. – Come on, Lorrie, come and finish your drink. You ought to be home in bed, you're sagging worse than I am.' He took Burton's arm.
Moving off, they halted for Wolfe:
'Mr. Farrell. I am under the same necessity of earning your ten dollars as Mr.
Collard's nine thousand. If you have comments -'
'Hell no. I haven't even got a comment.
Nor am I even contributing ten bucks to the pot of retribution, I'm taking it out in Scotch.'George Pratt said to Cabot, 'Come on, Nick, have a little refreshment,' and they followed the other two. Alex Drummond was left alone at the corner of Wolfe's desk; he jerked to join the procession, then jerked back. He looked at Wolfe with his bright little eyes, stepped closer to him, and made his voice low:
'Uh – Mr. Wolfe. I imagine your sources of information are pretty good.'
Wolfe said without looking at him,
'They are superlative.'
'I imagine so. Gus Farrell hasn't really been up against it for more than a couple of months, but I notice you are aware of it.
Uh – I wonder if you would be willing to enlighten me regarding another item on your list. Just curiosity.'
'I haven't engaged to satisfy your curiosity.'
'No. But I was wondering. Why have you got Gaines down for eight thousand and Burton for seven thousand and so on, and Ferd Bowen for only twelve hundred?
He's something in Wall Street – I mean really something. Isn't he? The firm of Galbraith and Bowen…' Drummond made his voice a little lower. 'Frankly, it's more than curiosity… he handles a few little investments for me…'
Wolfe looked at him and looked away again. I thought for a minute he wasn't going to reply at all, but he did, with his eyes shut. 'Don't bother to disparage your investments. It can have no effect on the amount of your payment to me, for that has already been calculated and recorded.
As for your question, my sources of information may be superlative, but they are not infallible. If Mr. Bowen ventures to object that I have belittled him, I shall consider his protest with an open mind.'
'Of course,' Drummond agreed. 'But if you could just tell me in confidence -' i*'If you will excuse me.' Wolfe opened his eyes, got his chin up, and raised his voice a little. 'Gentlemen. Gentlemen?
Could I have a word with you?'
They approached his desk, three or four from the corner the bookshelves made, and the wet contingent from the alcove table.
Two or three still in chairs stayed there!
Drummond, his hide too thick to show any red from Wolfe^s sandpapering, trotted around to the far side. Mike Ayers flopped into a chair again, stretching out his legs; his mouth gaped wide in a free-for-all yawn, then suddenly he clamped his lips tight with a look of indignant and wary surprise. I had a notion to go and move him off the rug, but decided he was going to hold it. Wolfe was handing it to them in his handsome manner:
'The hour is getting late, and I would not wish to detain you beyond necessity. I take it that we are in agreement -'
Arthur Kommers interrupted, 'I ought to leave in a minute to catch the midnight back to Philadelphia. Do you want my initials on that thing?'
'Thank you, sir. Not at present. There is a phrase to be deleted. I shall ask Mr.
Cabot to prepare copies in his office tomorrow morning and send them to me for distribution.' He sent a glance at the lawyer, and Cabot nodded. 'Thank you.
–In that connection, Mr. Farrell, I wish to make a proposal to you. You are broke, but you have a fairly intelligent face. To be broke is not a disgrace, it is only a catastrophe. You can help me. For instance, you can take, or send, copies of the memorandum to those members of the _ league not present this evening, and | arrange for their co-operation. I will pay you twenty dollars a day. There will be other little jobs for you.'
The architect was staring at him.
