"
"Why not?"
"Because you ain't a-going to be let to make it, Sammy."
"But how can they stop me?"
"I dunno, Sammy. But they ain't a-going to let you."
There was a pause.
"It's a crazy thing you're tryin' to do," said the other. "And take my
word for it--somethin' will happen to you if you go on."
"What will happen?"
"I dunno, my boy--maybe you'll fall into the river."
"Fall into the river!"
"Yes; or else run your head into a slungshot some night, in a dark
alley. I can't tell you what--only you won't make the speech."
Samuel was dumfounded. "You can't mean such things!" he gasped.
"Sure I mean them," was the reply. "Why not?"
Samuel did not respond. "I don't know why you're tryin' to do this
thing," went on the other, "nor who's backing you. But from what I can
make out, you've got the goods, and you've got them on most everybody
in the town. You've got Slattery, and you've got Pat McCullagh, and
you've got the machine. You've got Wygant and Hickman--you've even got
something on Bertie Lockman, haven't you?"
"I suppose I have," said Samuel. "But I'm not going to tell that."
"Well, they don't know what you're going to tell, and they won't take
any chances. They won't let you tell anything."
"But can such things be done?" panted the boy.
"They're done all the time," said the other. "Why, see--it stands to
reason. Wouldn't folks be finding out things like this, and wouldn't
they be tellin' them?"
"To be sure," said Samuel.
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