Part 8 (2/2)
”I am very glad to know about this,” said Alice.
”Your man Giddings has nerve, whatever else he may lack,” said I to the smiling Elkins across the table. ”Am I obliged to make good all these representations? I ask, that I may know the rules of the game, merely.”
”One rule is that you mustn't deny any accusations of future magnificence, for two reasons: they may come true, and they help things on. You are supposed to have left your modesty in cold storage somewhere. Read on.”
”Mr. Barslow,” I read, ”has long been a most potent political factor in his native state, but is, first of all, a business man. He brings his charming young wife--”
”Really, a most discriminating journalist,” interjected Alice.
”--and social circles, as well as the business world, will find them a most desirable accession to Lattimore's population.”
”Why this is absolute, slavish devotion to facts,” said Jim; ”where does the word-painting come in?”
”Here it is,” said I.
”Mr. Barslow is some years under middle age, and looks the intense modern business man in every feature. His mind seems to have already become saturated with the conception of the enormous possibilities of Lattimore. He impresses those who have met him as one of the few men capable of pulling his share in double harness with James R. Elkins.”
”The fellow piles it on a little strong at times, doesn't he, Mrs.
Barslow?” said Jim.
”He brings to our city,” I read on, ”his vigorous mind, his fortune, and a determination never to rest until the city pa.s.ses the 100,000 mark. To a _Herald_ representative, last night, he spoke strongly and eloquently of our great natural resources.”
Then followed a skillfully handled expansion of our _tete-a-tete_ talk in the lobby.
”Mr. Barslow,” the report went on, ”very courteously declined to discuss the L. & G. W. situation. It seems evident, however, from remarks dropped by him, that he regards the construction of this road as inevitable, and as a project which, successfully carried out, cannot fail to make Lattimore the point to which all the Western and Southwestern systems of railways must converge.”
”You're doing it like a veteran!” cried Jim. ”Admirable! Just the proper infusion of mystery; I couldn't have done better myself.”
”Credit it all to Giddings,” I protested. ”And note that the center of the stage is reserved to our mysterious fellow lodger and co-arrival.”
”Yes, I saw that,” said Jim. ”Isn't Giddings a peach? Let Mrs. Barslow hear it.”
”She ought to be able to hear these headlines,” said I, ”without any reading: 'J. Bedford Cornish arrives! Wall Street's Millions On the Ground in the Person of One of Her Great Financiers! Bull Movement in Real Estate Noted Last Night! Does He Represent the Great Railway Interests?'”
”Real estate and financial circles,” ran the article under these headlines, ”are thrown into something of a fever by the arrival, on the 6:15 express last evening, of a gentleman of distinguished appearance, who took five rooms _en suite_ on the second floor of the Centropolis, and registered in a bold hand as J. Bedford Cornish, of New York. Mr.
Cornish consented to see a _Herald_ representative last night, but was very reticent as to his plans and the objects of his visit. He simply says that he represents capital seeking investment. He would not admit that he is connected with any of the great railway interests, or that his visit has any relation to the building of the Lattimore & Great Western. The _Herald_ is able to say, however, that its New York correspondent informs it that Mr. Cornish is a member of the firm of Lusch, Carskaddan & Mayer, of Wall Street. This firm is well known as one of the concerns handling large amounts of European capital, and said to be intimately a.s.sociated with the Rothschilds. Financial journals have recently noted the fact that these concerns are becoming embarra.s.sed by the plethora of funds seeking investment, and are turning their attention to the development of railway systems and cities in the United States. Their South American and Australian investments have not proven satisfactory, especially the former, owing to the character of the people of Latin America. It has been pointed out that no real-estate investment can be more than moderately profitable in climates which render the people content with a mere living, and that the restless and unsatisfied vigor of the Anglo-Saxon alone can make lands and railways permanently remunerative. Mr. Cornish admitted these facts when they were pointed out to him, and immediately changed the subject.
”Mr. Cornish is a very handsome and opulent-looking gentleman, and seems to live in a style somewhat luxurious for the Occident. He has a colored body-servant, who seems to reflect the mystery of his master; but if he has any other reflections, the _Herald_ is none the wiser for them.
Admittance to the suite of rooms was obtained by sending in the reporter's card, which vanished into a sybaritic gloom, borne on a golden salver. Mr. Cornish seems to be very exclusive, his meals being served in his rooms; and even his barber has instructions to call upon him each morning. One wonders why the barber is called in so frequently, until one marks the smooth-shaven cheeks above the close-clipped, pointed, black, Vand.y.k.e beard. He is withal very cordial and courtly in his manners.
”James R. Elkins, when seen last evening, refused to talk, except to say that, in financial circles, it has been known for some days that important developments may be now momently expected, and that some such thing as the visit of Mr. Cornish was imminent. Captain Marion Tolliver expressed himself freely, and to the effect that this mysterious visit is of the utmost importance to Lattimore, and a thing of national if not world-wide importance.”
”Now, that justifies my confidence in Giddings,” said Mr. Elkins, ”fulfilling at the same time the requirements of journalism and hypnotism. Come, Al, our bark is on the sea, our boat is on the sh.o.r.e.
The Spanish galleons are even now hiding in the tall gra.s.s, in expectation of our cruise. Let us hence to the office!”
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