Enoch laughed, but there was an unpleasant twist to his mouth as he did it.

“Abbott,” he said, “will you please find out if Brown is in New York.  Wherever he is, I am going to see him, immediately and I want you to go with me.  No, don’t be alarmed!  There will be no personal violence, yet.”

The locating of the newspaper publisher was a simple task.  An hour after lunch, Charley reported Brown as in his New York office.

“Very well,” said Enoch, “telegraph him that we will meet him at his office at nine to-night.  We will take the three o’clock train and return at midnight.”

It was not quite nine o’clock when Enoch and Charley entered Hancock Brown’s office.  The building was buzzing with newspaper activities, but the publisher’s office was quiet.  A sleepy office attendant was awaiting them.  With considerable ceremony he ushered the two across the elaborate reception room and throwing open a door, said: 

“The Secretary of the Interior, sir.”

A small man, with a Van Dyke beard and gentle brown eyes crossed the room with his hand outstretched.

“Mr. Huntingdon! this is a pleasure and an honor!”

“It is neither, sir,” said Enoch, giving no heed to the outstretched hand.

Brown raised his eyebrow.  “Will you be seated, Mr. Huntingdon?”

“Not in your office, sir.  Mr. Brown, I have endured from your hands that which no man would think to make another endure.”  Enoch’s beautiful voice was low but its resonance filled the office.  His eyes were like blue ice.  “I have remained silent, for reasons of my own, under your personal attacks on me, but now I have come to tell you that the attacks on the Department of the Interior and on my personal life must cease.”

Hancock Brown looked at Enoch with gentle reproach in his eyes.  “Surely you don’t want to muzzle the press, Mr. Huntingdon?”

“We’re not speaking of the press,” returned Enoch, “I have sincere admiration for the press of this country.”

Brown flushed a little at this.  “I shall continue on exactly the line I have laid down,” he said quietly.

“If,” said Enoch, clearly, “Miss Allen is brought into your publication again either directly or by implication, I shall come to your office, Mr. Brown, and shoot you.  Abbott, you are the witness to what I say and to the conversation that has led to it.”

“I am, Mr. Secretary,” said Charley.  “And if for any reason you should be unable to attend to the matter, I would do the shooting for you.”

“This will make interesting copy,” said Brown.

“I have within my control,” Enoch went on, steadily, “the means to force you to cease to put out lies concerning the Department of the Interior and me.  I seriously consider not waiting for your next move, but of making use of this in retaliation for what you have done to me.  As to that, I have reached no conclusion.  This is all I have to say.”