and the boy,
regarding Scattergood's face a moment, arose and whisked into the next
room.

Shortly there appeared a youngish man, constructed by nature to adorn
wearing apparel.

"Be you Mr. Castle?" asked Scattergood.

"I'm his secretary. What do you want?"

"Young man, I'm disapp'inted. When I see you I figgered you must be
president of the railroad or the Queen of Sheeby. I want to see Mr.
Castle."

"What is your business with him?"

"'Tain't fit for young ears to listen to," said Scattergood.

"If you have any business with Mr. Castle, state it to me."

"Um!... I come quite consid'able of a distance to see _him_--which I
calc'late to _do_." He reached over, with astonishing suddenness in one
so bulky, and twirled the secretary about with his ham of a hand. At the
same time he leaned against the gate, which was not fastened to restrain
such a weight. "Now, forrard march, young feller. Lead the way. I'm
follerin' you." And thus Scattergood entered the presence.

He saw behind a huge, flat desk a very thin man, who leaned forward,
clutching his temples as though to restrain within bounds the machinery
of the brain inside. It was President Castle's habitual posture when
working. The temples and dome of the head seemed to bulge, as if there
was too much inside for the strength of the restraining walls. The
president looked up and fastened eyes that themselves bulged from
hollowed sockets. It was the face of a man who ran his mental dynamo at
top speed in defiance of nature's laws against speeding.

"Well?" he snapped. "_Well--well_?"

"Name's Scattergood Baines. Figger to build a railroad. Want to see you
about it," said Scattergood, succinctly.

"Not interested. Busy. Get out," said Castle.

Scattergood dropped the secretary, and lumbered up to the president's
desk. He leaned over it heavily. "I've come to see you about this here
thing," he said, quietly. "Either you'll talk to me about it _now_, or
I'll have to sort of arrange so that you'll come to _me_, askin' to talk
about it, later. Now you kin save both our time."

Castle regarded Scattergood with eyes that seemed to burn with
unnatural nervous energy--it was a brief scrutiny. "Clear out," he said
to his secretary. "Sit down," to Scattergood.

"Obleeged," said Scattergood. "I'm figgerin' on buildin' a railroad down
Coldriver Valley from Coldriver to connect with the G. and B. narrow
gauge. Carry freight and passengers. Want you to agree about t