Lynette and the Congressman (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1905. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER VII CARTWRIGHT sat in the smoking room of his hotel. His hat was tipped over his eyes, and he was hoping to avoid observation. He held a cigar between his teeth; he was trying to write a letter: "My dear Mrs. Belmont: --"With regard to your son, I can only say what I should say with regard to my own boys--" It sounded flat, and he crumpled up the sheet. "My dear Mrs. Belmont: --"I am glad you felt free to write me in your perplexity. I only wish I could be of as much service to you as I should like to be. It is certainly difficult to know what course to pursue--" "Hang it, I don't know what I'm trying to say," muttered the congressman. He tore the paper into small fragments. The room was full of talk, broken sentences of which beat against his ears. "I suppose his contention would be this....You take sugar and California fruit....Brennan was speaking to me about that this very morning. I said 'Brennan '....For a frigid, frozen, ice-coated bluff, it beats anything I ever knew....Well, I put it up this way....How are you, Van Ness? By the way, about that little matter we were talking of....Well, good night, see you tomorrow. Have the evening paper?....Thanks, I have the Star.."..And so on. He rolled his cigar in the corner of his mouth, took a fresh sheet and began again. "My dear Mrs. Belmont: --" Somebody clapped him on the shoulder. "You're the man we've been looking for. Come upstairs in Calvert's room. If we don't fix up that deal tonight, they'll get in ahead of us, sure as the devil--" "I can't come, Drew. I've a positive engagement." He looked at his watch, --eight-thirty-five. Mrs. Belmont had written begging him to come and see her. He had been trying to write instead, but the place was like a bad dream, just a confusion of sounds and drifting...