Page:Elmer Gantry (1927).djvu/435

 "Your—" Elmer's cry was the bleat of a bitten sheep. "Your— But you aren't married!"

"I am, hang it! Oscar, you get out of here! How dare you intrude like this!"

Oscar walked slowly, appreciatively, into the zone of light.

"Well, I've caught you two with the goods!" he chuckled.

"What do you mean!" Hettie raged. "This is my boss, and he's come here to talk over some work."

"Yeh, I bet he has. . . . This afternoon I bribed my way in here, and I've got all his letters to you."

"Oh, you haven't!" Hettie dashed to her desk, stood in despair looking at an empty drawer.

Elmer bulked over Oscar. "I've had enough of this! You gimme those letters and you get out of here or I'll throw you out!"

Oscar negligently produced an automatic. "Shut up," he said, almost affectionately. "Now, Gantry, this ought to cost you about fifty thousand dollars, but I don't suppose you can raise that much. But if I sue for alienation of Het's affections, that's the amount I'll sue for. But if you want to settle out of court, in a nice gentlemanly manner without acting rough, I'll let you off for ten thousand—and there won't be the publicity—oh, maybe that publicity wouldn't cook your reverend goose!"

"If you think you can blackmail me—"

"Think? Hell! I know I can! I'll call on you in your church at noon tomorrow."

"I won't be there."

"You better be! If you're ready to compromise for ten thousand, all right; no feelings hurt. If not, I'll have my lawyer (and he's Mannie Silverhorn, the slickest shyster in town) file suit for alienation tomorrow afternoon—and make sure that the evening papers get out extras on it. By-by, Hettie. 'By, Elmer darling. Whoa, Elmer! Naughty, naughty! You touch me and I'll plug you! So long."

Elmer gaped after the departing Oscar. He turned quickly and saw that Hettie was grinning.

She hastily pulled down her mouth.

"My God, I believe you're in on this!" he cried.

"What of it, you big lummox! We've got the goods on you. Your letters will sound lovely in court! But don't ever think for one moment that workers as good as Oscar and I were