The astute Gashwiler, waiting further information, concluded to receive
this fact gaily and gallantly. "A woman?--my dear Mr. Wiles,--of course!
The dear creatures," he continued, with a fat, offensive chuckle,
"somehow are always making their charming presence felt. Ha! ha! A man,
sir, in public life becomes accustomed to that sort of thing, and
knows when he must be agreeable,--agreeable, sir, but firm! I've had my
experience, sir,--my OWN experience,"--and the Congressman leaned back
in his chair, not unlike a robust St. Anthony who had withstood one
temptation to thrive on another.
"Yes," said Wiles impatiently, "but d--n it, she's on the OTHER SIDE."
"The other side!" repeated Gashwiler vacantly.
"Yes, she's a niece of Garcia's. A little she devil."
"But Garcia's on our side," rejoined Gashwiler.
"Yes, but she is bought by the Ring."
"A woman!" sneered Mr. Gashwiler; "what can she do with men who won't be
made fools of? Is she so handsome?"
"I never saw any great beauty in her," said Wiles shortly, "although
they say that she's rather caught that d----d Thatcher, in spite of
his coldness. At any rate, she is his protegee. But she isn't the sort
you're thinking of, Gashwiler. They say she knows, or pretends to know,
something about the grant. She may have got hold of some of her uncle's
papers. Those Greasers were always d----d fools; and, if he did anything
foolish, like as not he bungled or didn't cover up his tracks. And with
his knowledge and facilities too! Why, if I'd--" but here Mr.
Wiles stopped to sigh over the inequalities of fortune that wasted
opportunities on the less skillful scamp.
Mr. Gashwiler became dignified. "She can do nothing with us," he said
potentially.
Wiles turned his wicked eye on him. "Manuel and Miguel, who sold out to
our man, are afraid of her. They were our witnesses. I verily believe
they'd take back everything if she got after them. And as for Pedro, he
thinks she holds the power of life and death over him."
"Pedro! life and death,--what's all this?" said the astonished
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