“What is Todd’s bill?” asked Harry Cresswell, darkening.
Smith, surprised, got out a copy and explained. Cresswell interrupted before he was half through.
“Don’t you see,” he said angrily, “that that will ruin our plans for the Cotton Combine?”
“Yes, I do,” replied Smith; “but it will not do the immediate harm that the amended Child Labor Bill will do.”
“What’s that?” demanded Cresswell, frowning again.
Senator Smith regarded him again: was Cresswell playing a shrewd game?
“Why,” he said at length, “aren’t you promoting it?”
“No,” was the reply. “Never heard of it.”
“But,” Senator Smith began, and paused. He turned and took up a circular issued by the Civic Club, giving a careful account of their endeavors to amend and pass the Child Labor Bill. Cresswell read it, then threw it aside.
“Nonsense!” he indignantly repudiated the measure. “That will never do; it’s as bad as the Education Bill.”
“But your wife is encouraging it and we thought you were back of it.”
Cresswell stared in blank amazement.