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“Of the railroad?” asked Archie “Or the United States?”

“The United States He toldwith California businessain next year”

“If it’s secret, why did he tell you?” asked Archie

“That’s what I ondering Only a complete fool would blab that about”

“Do you believe him?”

“Good question, Archie Funny thing is, he said nothing about William Howard Taft”

“That’s like notroom If Roosevelt doesn’t choose to run for a third ternates to replace hi his own party”

“Yet another reason not to confide in me,” said Isaac Bell “What is he up to?”

Across the boxes, Lillian Hennessy asked, “What did you think of Mr Abbott, Charles?”

“The Abbotts are a the oldest faot plenty of Dutch roots under their family tree Too bad they lost all theirsmile

“He told ht off,” said Lillian “It doesn’t seem to trouble him”

“It would certainly trouble the father of any young woman he proposed to,” Kincaid needled her

“And what do you think of Isaac Bell?” Lillian needled back “Archie told me you and Isaac played cards I noticed you two deep in conversation in the lobby”

Kincaid kept s, deeply pleased by his conversation with Bell If the detective was getting suspicious, then pretending that he was one of thepresident of the United States had to be a convincing deated further, he would discover that there were California business for their own candidate for president And Senator Charles Kincaid topped their list, having encouraged and nate to believe that the Hero Engineer he had helped make a senator would serve him in the White House

“What were you talking about?” Lillian persisted