Part 28 (2/2)

”I came East to close it up, if possible,” I answered. ”You are familiar with the situation, and we thought must be ready to decide.”

”Two and a quarter millions,” he objected, ”is out of the question. I can't expect my directors to view half the price with any favor. How can I?”

”Show them our earnings,” I suggested.

”Yes,” said he, ”that will do very well to talk to people who can be made to forget the fact that you've been building a city there from a country village, and your line has been pulling in everything to build it with. The next five years will be different. Again, while I feel sure the business men of your town will still throw things our way, as they have your way--tonnage I mean--there might be a tendency to divide it up more than when your own people were working for the trade. And the next five years will be different anyhow.”

”Do you remember,” said I, ”how skeptical you were as to the past five?”

”I acknowledge it,” said he, laughing. ”The fact is I didn't give you credit for being as big men as you are. But even a big man, or a big town, can reach only as high as it can. But we can't settle that question. I shouldn't expect a Lattimore boomer ever to adopt my view of it. I shall give this matter some attention to-day, and while I feel sure we are too far apart ever to come together, come in in the morning, and we will look at it again.”

”I hope we may come together,” said I, rising; ”we built the line to bring you into Lattimore, and we want to keep you there. It has made our town, and we prize the connection highly.”

”Ah, yes,” he answered, countering. ”Well, we are spread out a good deal now, you know; and some of our directors look with suspicion upon your sudden growth, and would not feel sorry to withdraw. I don't agree with 'em, you know, but I must defer to others sometimes. Good-morning.”

I pa.s.sed the evening with Carson at the theatre, and supped with him afterward. He gave me every opportunity to indulge in champagne, and evinced a desire to know all about business conditions in Lattimore, and the affairs of the L. & G. W. I suspected that the former fact had some connection with the latter. I went to my hotel, however, in my usual state of ebriety, while Mr. Carson had attained a degree of friendliness toward me bordering on affection, as a direct result of setting the pace in the consumption of wine. I listened patiently to his complaints of Halliday's ungratefulness toward him in not giving him the General Managers.h.i.+p of one of the a.s.sociated roads; but when he began to confide to me the various pathological conditions of his family, including Mrs.

Carson, I drew the line, and broke up the party. I retired, feeling a little resentful toward Carson. His device seemed rather cheap to try on a full-grown man. Yet his entertainment had been undeniably good.

Next morning I was admitted to the presence of the great man with less than half an hour's delay. He turned to me, and plunged at once into the midst of the subject. Evidently some old misunderstanding of the question came up in his mind by a.s.sociation of ideas, as a rejected paper will be drawn with its related files from a pigeon-hole.

”That terminal charge,” said he, ”has not counted for much against the success of your road, yet; but the contract provides for increasing rentals, and it is already too much. The trackage and depots aren't worth it. It will be a millstone about your necks!”

”Well,” said I, ”you can understand the reason for making the rentals high. We had to show revenue for the Belt Line system in order to float the bonds, but the rentals become of no consequence when once you own both properties--and that's our proposal to you.”

”Oh, yes!” said he, and at once changed the subject.

This was the only instance, in all my observation of him, in which he forgot anything, or failed correctly to see the very core of the situation. I felt somehow elated at being for a moment his superior in any respect.

We began discussing rates and tonnage, and he sent for his freight expert again. I took from my pocket some letters and telegrams and made computations on the backs of them. Some of these figures he wanted to keep for further reference.

”Please let me have those figures until this afternoon,” said he. ”I must ask you to excuse me now. At two I'll give the matter another half-hour. Come back, Mr. Barslow, prepared to name a reasonable sum, and I will accept or reject, and finish the matter.”

I left the envelopes on his desk and went out. At the hotel I sat down to think out my program and began arranging things for my departure. Was it the 11th or the 12th that Mr. Halliday was to return? I would look at his message. I turned over all my telegrams, but it was gone.

Then I thought. That was the telegram I had left with Pendleton! Would he suspect that I had left it as a trick, and resent the act? No, this was scarcely likely, for he himself had asked for it. Suddenly the construction of which it was susceptible flashed into my mind. ”With slight modifications contract submitted as to L. & G. W. and Belt Line matter will be executed. HALLIDAY.”

I was feverish until two o'clock; for I could not guess the effect of this telegram, should it be read by Pendleton. I found him impa.s.sive and keen-eyed, and I waited longer than usual for that aquiline swoop of his, as he turned in his revolving chair. I felt sure then that he had not read the message. I think differently now.

”Well, Mr. Barslow,” said he smilingly, ”how far down in the millions are we to-day?”

”Mr. Pendleton,” I replied, steady as to tone, but with a quiver in my legs, ”I can say nothing less than an even two millions.”

”It's too much,” said he cheerfully, and my heart sank, ”but I like Lattimore, and you men who live there, and I want to stay in the town.

I'll have the legal department prepare a contract covering the whole matter of transfers and future relations, and providing for the price you mention. You can submit it to your people, and in a short time I shall be in Chicago, and, if convenient to you, we can meet there and close the transaction. As a matter of form, I shall submit it to our directors; but you may consider it settled, I think.”

”One of our number,” said I, as calmly as if a two-million-dollar transaction were common at Lattimore, ”can meet you in Chicago at any time. When will this contract be drawn?”

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