I can n't understand why an old wheel-horse like Elsworth should kick over the traces that way . “ A Resolution to Investigate the High Cost of Living ! ” — old Senator Elsworth introducing a measure like that ! The old buck !—— How are you going to handle it ? Yes ? And you 're chairman . Poor old Elsworth . This way to the lethal chamber , and the bill 's on its way . And it will go to the Committee on Finance and come back for action inside of twenty-four hours . Cartwrights never did muck-rake — that is , not the big Interests — only the small independent businesses that did n't advertise . And from now on the concealment will be still more deft . I 've gone into it myself . I have a majority of the stock right now . We 're still going on muck-raking . We have a splendid series on Aged Paupers , demanding better treatment and more sanitary conditions . Also we are going to run “ Barbarous Venezuela ” and show up thoroughly the rotten political management of that benighted country . I have the ins and outs of it pretty well . Everything 's arranged . The boys have their cue , though they do n't know just what 's going to be pulled off ; and this time to-morrow afternoon their dispatches will be singing along the wires . It is to laugh . Trust the great American people for that . We 'll make those little Western editors sit up . They 've been swearing by Knox , like a little tin god . Roars of laughter for them . Trust me . I have my own article for Cartwright 's blocked out . They 're holding the presses for it . I shall wire it along hot-footed to-morrow evening . Say ——? Was n't it a risky thing to give him his chance with that speech ? Than a Fairbanks cocktail . But there are hooks and crooks by which facts are sometimes obtained . And to-morrow Ali Baba gets his . That 's what your wife calls him — Knox . Oh , by the way , just a little friendly warning , Senator Chalmers . Not so fast and loose up New York way . That certain lady , not to be mentioned — there 's gossip about it in the New York newspaper offices . Of course , all such stories are killed . But be discreet , be discreet If Gherst gets hold of it , he 'll play it up against the Administration in all his papers .{ Mrs. Starkweather } I am sure Mr. Starkweather never lost his head in his life . He had n't yet taken up the job of running the United States . { Mrs. Starkweather } I 'm sure I do n't know what he is running , but he is a very busy man — business , politics , and madness ; madness , politics , and business . A sturdy youngster , I should say . Be an Indian , Tommy . I am sure Mr. Knox can shed new light on this perplexing problem . But any government is representative of its people . No people is worthy of a better government than it possesses . Were it worthier , it would possess a better government . A blackmailing device most probably . They will attempt to bleed you — But Knox has no money . A Starkweather stenographer comes high . Knox never did this . Then it is not so grave after all . A yellow journal sensation is the best Gherst can make of it . And , documents or not , the very medium by which it is made public discredits it . There is no telling what may happen if Knox makes that speech and delivers the proofs . I 'll undertake it . And if not ? You mean —? Thoroughly . And so be able to accumulate more motorcars . This is Knox 's room all right Well , get to work . That must be his bedroom . Sh-h. Do n't even breathe his name . You 'd better go out in the hall and keep a watch for Knox . He may come in any time . I suppose you 've done lots of work for Stark — Hello — Yes .No , this is not Knox . Some mistake . Wrong number — No , I only thought I did . What of it ? The pay 's all right , is n't it ? There is no use beating about the bush with a man like you . I know that . You are direct , and so am I . You know my position well enough to be assured that I am empowered to treat with you . What we want is to have you friendly . Save that for your speech . We are talking privately . We can make it well worth your while — { Knox }If you think you can bribe me — { Hubbard }Not at all . Not the slightest suspicion of it . The point is this . You are a congressman . A congressman 's career depends on his membership in good committees . At the present you are buried in the dead Committee on Coinage , Weights , and Measures . If you say the word you can be appointed to the livest committee — Surely . Else why should I be here ? It can be managed . You have not given your answer . There is an alternative . You are interested in social problems . You are a student of sociology . Those whom I represent are genuinely interested in you . We are prepared , so that you may pursue your researches more deeply — we are prepared to send you to Europe . There , in that vast sociological laboratory , far from the jangling strife of politics , you will have every opportunity to study . We are prepared to send you for a period of ten years . You will receive ten thousand dollars a year , and , in addition , the day your steamer leaves New York , you will receive a lump sum of one hundred thousand dollars . It is purely an educational matter . Very well then . What price do you set on yourself ? More than that . We want to buy those documents and letters . You are beating around the bush in turn . There is no need for an honest man to lie even — Even to me . I watched you closely when I mentioned the letters . You gave yourself away . You knew I meant the letters stolen by Gherst from Starkweather 's private files — the letters you intended using to-morrow . Precisely . It is the same thing . What is the price ? Set it . One moment . Do n't make up your mind hastily . You do n't know with whom you have to deal . Those letters will not appear in your speech to-morrow . Take that from me . It would be far wiser to sell for a fortune than to get nothing for them and at the same time not use them . Hush . Do n't . I cannot be seen here . Do n't let anybody in . I do n't want to be seen here — with you . Besides , my presence will not put you in a good light . What the deuce ? Everybody gone ? In there . I was in there all the time . Honest men are such dubs when they do go wrong . There was something familiar about the lady 's voice . Oh , nothing , nothing — a murmur of voices — and the woman 's — I could swear I have heard her voice before . And yet it was but a moment ago that it seemed I heard you say there was no one whom you would not permit the world to know you saw . Good-bye . There they are — the complete set . I was fortunate . I glanced through them . They were indeed serious . But we have spiked Knox 's guns . Without them , that speech of his this afternoon becomes a farce — a howling farce . Be sure you take good care of them . Yes , I understand . I shall be going now . I have to be at the Club in five minutes . Mrs. Chalmers . You always treated me this way , but the time for it is past . I wo n't stand for your superior goodness any more . You really impressed me with it for a long time , and you made me walk small . But I know better now . A pretty game you 've been playing — you , who are like any other woman . Well , you know where you were last night . So do I . I said I knew where you were last night . Mr. Knox also knows where you were . But I 'll wager your husband does n't . Why should I ? If it will ease your suspense , let me tell you that I have not told him . But I do protest to you that you must treat me with more — more kindness . Possibly it would be better to let me retire , Mr. Starkweather . Under the circumstances I do n't like to suggest — First , I would make sure that she — er — Mrs. Chalmers has taken them . I 'd rather not . It is too — I 'd — I 'd rather not . Last night — I saw — I was in Knox 's rooms — Last night — Hang it all , Chalmers , I wish I were out of this . I do n't want to testify . I protest . I am being dragged into this . All right . She — Mrs. Chalmers visited Knox in his rooms last night . { Mrs. Starkweather } Look at her . Ask her . That is not all . Mrs. Chalmers sent the maid and the boy down to the machine and remained . Much longer — much , much longer . I know how long I was kicking my heels and waiting . In Knox 's bedroom . The fool had forgotten all about me . He was too delighted with his — er — new visitor . The bedroom door was ajar . I opened it . I think I have shown the motive . I saw them in each other 's arms — several times . Then I found the stolen documents where Knox had thrown them down . So I pocketed them and closed the door . Quite a time , quite a long time . They were in each other 's arms — quite enthusiastically , I may say , in each other 's arms . My evidence is supported . In an adjoining room were two men . I happen to know , because I placed them there . They were your father 's men at that . There is such a thing as seeing through a locked door . They saw . I doubt not they will know to what to swear . She has them . She has as much as acknowledged that they are not elsewhere in the room . She has not been out of the room . There is nothing to do but search her . Allow me to point out , my dear Mrs. Chalmers , that you are not merely stealing from your father . You are playing the traitor to your class . That 's not it . It is only a photograph — of Mrs. Chalmers . I 'm all at sea . I had just left the letters with him , when Mrs. Chalmers entered the room . What 's become of them ? She has n't them , that 's certain . It seems very clear to me . I told you what I saw last night at his rooms . There is no other explanation . It is not locked . It moves noiselessly . There 's the explanation . Did n't Knox know right away last night that I had taken them ? I took the up-elevator instead of the down when I heard him running along the hall . Trust him to let her know what had happened . She was the only one who could recover them for him . Else why did she come here so immediately this morning ? To steal the package , of course . And she had some one waiting outside . She tossed them out and closed the window —