West was at Semple’s (formerly Semple & West’s), where he looked in once a day just to see what the market was doing.  This was necessary, as he sometimes explained, in order that the Post’s financial articles might have that authoritativeness which the paper’s position demanded.  West enjoyed the good man-talk at Semple’s; the atmosphere of frank, cheery commercialism made a pleasant relief from the rarer altitudes of the uplift.  He stood chatting gayly with a group of habitues, including some of the best known men of the town.  All greeted Plonny pleasantly, West cordially.  None of our foreign critics can write that the American man is a moral prude.  On two occasions, Plonny had been vindicated before the grand jury by the narrow margin of one vote.  Yet he was much liked as a human sinner who had no pretenses about him, and who told a good story surpassingly well.

Ten minutes later Mr. Neal and Mr. West met in a private room at Berringer’s, having arrived thither by different routes.  Over a table, the door shut against all-comers, Mr. Neal went at once to the point, apologizing diffidently for a “butting in” which Mr. West might resent, but which he, Mr. West’s friend, could no longer be restrained from.  The Post, he continued, had been going along splendidly—­“better’n under Cowles even—­everybody says so—­” and then, to the sorrow and disappointment of the new editor’s admirers, up had come this dashed old reformatory business and spoiled everything.

West, whose thoughts had unconsciously run back to his last private talk with Plonny—­the talk about getting in line—­good-naturedly asked his friend if he was really lined up with the wire-pulling moss-backs who were fighting the reformatory bill.

“You just watch me and see,” said Plonny, with humorous reproachfulness.  “No charge f’r lookin’, and rain checks given in case of wet grounds.”

“Then for once in your life, anyhow, you’ve called the turn wrong, Plonny.  This institution is absolutely necessary for the moral and social upbuilding of the State.  It would be necessary if it cost five times one hundred thousand dollars, and it’s as sure to come as judgment day.”

“Ain’t it funny!” mused Plonny.  “Take a man like you, with fine high ideas and all, and let anything come up and pass itself off f’r a maw’l question and he’ll go off half-cocked ten times out of ten.”

“Half-cocked!” laughed West.  “We’ve been studying this question three years.”

“Yes, and began your studies with your minds all made up.”

Plonny fastened upon the young man a gaze in which superior wisdom struggled unsuccessfully with overwhelming affection.  “You know what it is, Mr. West?  You’ve been took in, you’ve bit on a con game like a hungry pike.  Excuse my speaking so plain, but I told you a long time ago I was mightily interested in you.”

“Speak as plain as you like, Plonny.  In fact, my only request at the moment is that you will speak plainer still.  Who is it that has taken me in, and who is working this little con game you mention?”