"You--you're not going to put that in, are you?" asked the politician.
"Look here!" exclaimed Larry. "You've made threats enough for one day. It's time for you to go. There's the door! Peterson!" he called. "Show this man out!"
Larry was rather surprised at his own assumption of authority, but Grace looked pleased.
"Yes, sir, right away, sir," replied the butler with such promptness as to indicate that he had not been far away.
He pulled back the portieres that separated the library from the hall, and stood waiting the exit of Mr. Sullivan.
"This way," he said, and a look at his portly form in comparison with the rather diminutive one of the politician would at once have prejudiced an impartial observer in favor of Peterson. "This way, if you please."
"You'll hear from me again," growled Sullivan, as he sneaked out. "I'm not done with you, Larry Dexter!"
The door closed after Sullivan. Larry, standing in the library entrance, watched him leave the house. Then he turned to look at Grace.
"Oh, that was terrible!" the girl exclaimed, almost ready to cry, but bravely keeping back the tears. "What a horrid man! What did he mean?"
"I'm sure I don't know," replied Larry. "I doubt if he does himself. Mr. Potter's disappearance has evidently sent some of his plans askew, and he is hardly responsible for what he says or does. Don't let it worry you."
"I wonder if he knows where my father is?"
"I don't believe he does. If he did he would hardly come here, hoping to deceive you or your mother. No; Sullivan wants to find out where Mr. Potter is just as much as we do. Why, I can't tell yet, but he has a good reason, a strong reason, or he would not have acted as he did."
"Do nothing. Leave it to me. I will write something for the _Leader_ that will make Sullivan wish he had stayed away from here."
"Mother doesn't like this newspaper publicity."
"I can imagine it is not very pleasant for her," admitted Larry. "But it has to be borne if we are going to find your father. The more the papers print of the affair the better chance there is of finding him. If he is staying away for some reason he will see what a stir his disappearance has caused, and will be anxious to arrange matters so he can come back. If he is being detained against his will, the publicity will cause his captors an alarm which may result in their releasing him. So, too, if any one sees him wandering about they will recognize him by his picture, or by the description, and inform the police."