Page:Despotism and democracy; a study in Washington society and politics (IA despotismdemocra00seawiala).pdf/48

 his age—sixty-one—and would Crane, on the score of old friendship and the Secretary's many infirmities, come to see him at a certain hour at the Department, and perhaps the necessity might be avoided of the Secretary taking a trip in the changeable weather to the Capitol, which otherwise would be inevitable.

Crane showed this note with ill-concealed pride, and was about to fall into the Secretary's little trap through the telephone when Thorndyke hastily interposed:

"My dear fellow," said he, grinning, "you had better wait until the Secretary's lumbago gets better, rather than inaugurate the policy of running up to the State Department to see him, when it is his business to come here to see you. The old fellow tried that game on me, but, in return, I used to get the committee to invite him down here about once a week to give his views on something or other for which we didn't give a tinker's damn, as the Duke of Wellington used to say. But it cured him. He stopped inviting me cordially and informally to come to the State Department to see him."

Crane's face flushed.