I am not sure what it
all means but I could make a pretty good guess. Here's my point,
though. You're right. I didn't bring you here for your health.
I brought you here because you can do me a service and yourself
one at the same time, and you'll be doing no one any harm, nobody
you care about, anyway. I have no grudge against Miss Beatrice.
I'd just as soon she kept out of the trouble that's coming."
"What is this service?" Tavernake asked.
Pritchard for the moment evaded the point.
"I dare say you can understand, Mr. Tavernake," he said, "that in
my profession one has to sometimes go a long way round to get a
man or a woman just where you want them. Now we merely glanced
at that table as we came in, and I can tell you this for gospel
truth--there isn't one of that crowd that I couldn't, if I liked,
haul back to New York on some charge or another. You wonder why
I don't do it. I'll tell you. It's because I am waiting
-- waiting until I can bring home something more serious,
something that will keep them out of the way for just as long as
possible. Do you follow me, Mr. Tavernake?"
"I suppose I do," Tavernake answered, doubtfully. "You are only
talking of the men, of course?"
Pritchard smiled.
"My young friend," he agreed, "I am only talking of the men. At
the same time, I guess I'm not betraying any confidence, or
telling you anything that Mrs. Wenham Gardner doesn't know
herself, when I say that she's doing her best to qualify for a
similar position.
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