ding 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 association 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