"Look heah, Keith," he began, dropping into a chair, and leaning both arms on the table opposite Keith, "I don't want to say anything offensive, or make any disagreeable implications, or insult you by false suspicions, but there are various persistent rumours about, and I thought I'd better come to you direct."
"Well, it's just this: they do say yo're tryin' to fasten a criminal charge of bribery on me. You and I have been friends--and still are, I hope--but if yo're goin' gunnin' foh me, I want to know it."
His face was slightly flushed, but his fine dark eyes looked hopefully to his friend for denial. Keith was genuinely distressed. He moved an inkwell to and fro, and did not look up; but his voice was steady and determined as he replied:
"I'm not gunning for you, Cal, and I wish to heaven you weren't mixed up in this mess." He looked up. "But I _am_ gunning for crooked work in this Cora case!"
Bennett took his arms from the table, and sat erect.
"Do you mean to imply, suh, that I am guilty of crooked work?" he inquired, a new edge of formality in his voice.
"No, no, of course not!" hastened Keith. "I hadn't thought of you in that connection! I am just looking the whole matter up----"
"Well, suh, I strongly advise you to drop it," interrupted Bennett curtly.
"It isn't ethical. You will find great resentment among yo' colleagues of the bar at the implication conveyed by yo' so-called investigation, suh."
Calhoun Bennett had become stiff and formal. Keith still tried desperately to be reasonable and conciliatory.
"But if there proves to be nothing out of the way," he urged, "surely no one could have anything to fear or object to."
"Nobody has anything to fear in any case," said Bennett, "but any gentleman--and I, most decidedly--would object to the implication."
At this Keith, stiffened a little in his turn.
"I am sorry we differ on that point, I have good reason to believe there has been crooked work somewhere in this Cora trial. I do not know who has done it; I accuse nobody; but in the public office I hold it seems my plain duty to investigate."
"Yo' public duty is to prosecute, that is all," argued Bennett. "It is the duty of the grand jury to investigate or to order investigations."