He would threaten.

Moreover, he knew that to make threats effective, if it is possible to do so, they must be led up to systematically—­that is, they should be made at the right time.  The scene must be set, as in a play.

Senator Peabody glared at Langdon as though to convince the latter that to stand in his way would mean political destruction.

“So nobody is going to make a cent, eh?  Well, I suppose you want all the profits for yourself.”  Turning to Stevens, who had just entered, the Pennsylvanian cried: 

“Do you but listen to our suddenly good friend Langdon.  He wants to be the only man to make money out of the naval base.  He won’t listen to any other member of the naval committee making a cent out of it.  Why, he—­”

“Great God, sir!” exclaimed Langdon.  “You are going too far, Peabody.  You state what is false, and you know it, you—­you—­”

“Then you are willing that others should have their rightful share?” put in Stevens.  “Oh, I understand now, Senator.”

“No, no, no!” cried Langdon.  “You do not understand, Senator Stevens, and I must say I am ashamed to speak of you by the honorable title of Senator, sir.  I will not listen to any person enriching himself at the Government’s expense, and I am your enemy, you, Peabody, and you, Stevens, beyond recall.  You both know you misrepresent me.”

Langdon walked over to Stevens and faced him.

“Do you remember, Stevens, Lorimer Hawkslee, back in wartime?”

“Yes,” said Stevens, puzzled, “I remember him—­a very fine gentleman.”

The old planter sneered.

“Yes, a very fine gentleman!  You remember he got rich out of contracts for supplies furnished to the Confederate Government when it wasn’t any too easy for the Confederate Government to pay and when he was in that Government himself.  I never quite thought that the act of a gentleman, Stevens.  It seemed to me to be very like dishonesty.  I refused to speak to Lorimer Hawkslee in the Carroll Hotel at Vicksburg, and when the people there asked me why I told them.  I want to warn you, Stevens, that I’m likely to meet you some time in the Carroll Hotel at Vicksburg.”

Stevens backed away angrily.  “I catch your insinuation, but”—­he received a warning glance from Peabody and broke into a pleasant smile calculated to deceive the old planter—­“this once I will overlook it because of our old friendship and the old days in Mississippi.”

“You are a fine talker, Langdon,” said Peabody, coming to Stevens’ rescue, “but I can readily see what you are driving at.  You want an investigation.  You think you will catch some of us with what you reformers call ‘the goods,’ but forget evidently the entirely simple facts that your family has invested in Altacoola lands more heavily probably than any one else among us.  You want to raise a scandal, do you?  Well, go on and raise it, but remember that you will have to explain how it happened that there is $50,000 invested in the name of your son, and $25,000 in the name of your daughter, Miss Carolina, not to mention a few thousands put in by the gentleman who, I am given to understand, is to be your son-in-law, Congressman Norton.