limit to the things a man will stand under the mess I'm laboring with.
I'm going to do the best I can. What it will be I don't know. There's a
deal of money at stake--my friends', the public's, my own--I'm
responsible for it. I've made a terrible blunder. I am paying for it,
but nothing that has happened has altered my idea of the duty I owe
myself and others."

He was about to say something sarcastic. Then he choked back the words.
His manlier nature rose to the surface.

"Lawson," he said, "I'm sorry for you. Upon my soul I am."

"You needn't be, Mr. Rogers. It's all right; it's part of the game, but
I'm awfully sorry I came near you." I opened the door.

"One second more, Lawson," he said, stopping me and putting out his
hand. "I'm not only sorry, but I give you my word I have not a
doubt--no, not a suspicion of your good faith throughout this
business--and if at any time you see your way to open up negotiations,
you're welcome. Do you understand? You're welcome to come in here or to
my house at any time you think you see your way out."

I said "good-by" and bolted before my feelings overcame me.

CHAPTER XIX

ENTER H. M. WHITNEY

It is not surprising that there should now have ensued an interval of
silence and peace in the Boston gas war. Disheartened, disgusted,
disappointed, I had to take stock of our position. However enraged I
might be at the new revelation of Addicks' extraordinary veniality, the
other elements in the situation remained as before. I could see nothing
for me to do but to resume the tactics I had employed previous to the
meeting with Rogers. My friends' interests had to be protected, and to
do that war must be waged until a vulnerable spot in Rogers' armor had
been found. But it was some days before I could screw my enthusiasm back
to fighting-pitch. In the mean time Rogers did nothing. He, too, was
waiting for new developments.

To this extent the situation had altered, however: I knew just where I
stood with Rogers, and he realized the consequences of pressing us into
a corner. I knew he would sell his company and retire from the field if
I could find a way to pay him for so doing. He knew that if he turned
the screws too hard I would as a last resort turn the tables by throwing
Bay State Gas into bankruptcy. I tried many times and in many ways to
find means to bring about a termination of the struggle, but to no
purpose. Our extremity was such that it was impossible to do m