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Page 21
"Where you going?" asked Mr. Newton, as he passed Larry in the
corridor.
"To interview Sullivan."
Mr. Newton whistled.
"I don't envy you," he said. "I'm afraid you'll fall down this time,
Larry" ("falling-down" being a newspaper man's term for failure).
"We've all tried him, but he's as cute as an old fox. He'll be nice
and polite, but he'll not give you a decided answer, one way or the
other."
"I've got to try," was Larry's reply.
Larry had one advantage on his side. He was a new reporter in the
political field. That was one reason why Mr. Emberg sent him. Nearly
all the other available men on the _Leader_ were well known to the
politicians, they were familiar with them, and, as soon as they saw
these reporters, the politicians were on their guard.
Larry, never before having talked with Sullivan and his friends,
might take them off their guard, and they might let fall something
that would make news, the city editor thought. It was a slim chance,
but newspaper editors are accustomed to taking such.
When Larry entered the headquarters of Sullivan, which were located
in the rear of a large dance hall, he found the place well filled
with men, though it was the middle of the forenoon, when most
persons would have been at work. But the men were politicians of
more or less power, and had plenty of spare time. Besides this was
really their work, though it did not look like very strenuous labor,
for most of them were standing in little groups, talking and
smoking, or sitting in chairs tilted back against the wall.
Here was where Larry's newness gave him an advantage. No one in the
room knew him to be a reporter, or he would have been greeted by
some of the men as soon as he entered, called by name, and thus all
the others would have been put on their guard.
Larry sauntered into the big room as though he belonged there. He
hardly knew what to do, but he decided to look about for a few
minutes and size up the situation. No one paid any attention to him,
and he felt it would be a good plan to see if he could pick
Sullivan out from among the throng.
With this end in view Larry walked from one end of the room to the
other. He did not know that the man he sought was in his private
office, closeted with some of his henchmen. As Larry passed one
group he heard one man in it say:
"Well, Sullivan's made up his mind at last."
"He has, eh?" asked another. "Who is it?"
Larry was all attention at once. This seemed to be the very thing he
had been sent to find out.
"Don't let it get out," went on the man who had first spoken, "but I
understand Tommy has got to wait a while yet."
"Then Billy can probably deliver the goods," the second man added.
"I thought he could. Well, it means a good thing for the district
when they build the new line. If only Potter doesn't go back on his
promise. He's so rich you can't touch him with money, and he's as
foxy as they make 'em. If Billy can work him I don't blame Sullivan
for swinging his way. Now----"
But at that moment one of the men turned and saw Larry. He at once
knew him for a stranger, and quickly inquired:
"What do you want, young man?"
"I want to see Mr. Sullivan."
Larry didn't announce himself as a reporter, for that, he felt,
would have brought him only a polite refusal, on Sullivan's part, to
receive him.
"What for?" went on the man.
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