§4. Ex-Judge Stein had himself experienced a trying day, and Irwin was absent from the office, or he would have known it. Somebody, it seemed, had asked embarrassing questions of George J. Hallett and issued exacting orders to Hallett, who had passed on the embarrassing questions and the exacting orders to Stein. The questions and the orders gained in intensity by transmission, and Stein was upset.
"Yes, yes, this is Judge Stein," he answered into the black transmitter of the telephone when Irwin called him. "Who’s talking, please?"
"Eh? Well, where have you been, Mr. Irwin? I have wanted you to-day on some important business.
"I think I have been attending to it, Judge."
"Several places. To-night I’ve been to that mass-meeting in Cooper Union."
Mr. Irwin went at some length into that side of the subject. He read excerpts from his notes. It was evident that, since the afternoon when his senior partner had first discussed Huber with him, necessity, had forced a greater degree of confidence.
The present conversation continued for several minutes. No eavesdropper, unless previously acquainted with the facts of the case, could have gathered much from it, but it was intelligent and significant to the principals. At its end, Stein said:
"There is very little time left us, and this young man means us to understand that he will keep his word. The people for whom we are acting are rather importunate, Mr. Irwin. They are not satisfied; not at all satisfied; and I’ve already had to extend to you the time-limit I first gave you. I have received instructions to the effect that we must act at once."
"I think you had better, Mr. Irwin. I sha’n’t be going to bed for two or three hours yet."
§5. Irwin left the telephone and hailed the first taxicab that passed. It was free, and he had himself driven to a political club with quarters not far from the office of Anson Quirk.
The quarters were over a saloon in Second Avenue. The entrance was a hallway and a stairway back of the saloon. Here Irwin rang a bell, which was immediately answered by a man in his shirt-sleeves.
"No," said the man. He eyed the questioner sullenly in the twilight of the hall. "I don’t think he is," he added.
Irwin took a card from his pocket. He placed it in a blank envelope, sealed the envelope, and handed it to the doorkeeper.