had arrived at the conclusion that I had got into the
wrong shop, Braman took up the lecture by informing me of things I
already had made myself familiar with, to wit, how he had at different
times occupied similar roles in other corporations' affairs and how
relentlessly he had exposed mismanagement and peculation. I suggested to
him that in most such cases the receiverships seemed to have been
dismissed in favor of the former managers. He waved his hands and
replied that in this particular case there was absolutely no chance of
control being returned to Addicks, who had outrageously abused his
trust; "although, of course (this as a sort of second thought) you know,
Mr. Lawson, if Mr. Foster on behalf of his client should receive the
amount of his claim and the proper fee, from whatever source, I should
be powerless to prevent the dismissal of the receiver."

Braman and Foster were a delightful combination. As the talented Chimmie
Fadden would say: "Dey knew dere biz from de bar to de till an' from de
till by de way of de cash register to de wine-cellar, so's dey could do
de circuit wid dere lamps blinked and dere hands tied." With their
corporation mix-up records I was familiar, and after a few minutes' talk
realized that it would be impossible to do anything with them until they
had kicked up against one or two of the bricks Addicks was now with
renewed energy preparing to cast into their pathway. I left with an
agreement to see them the following day, and a parting reminder that all
natural history showed that unpicked ripe plums were in great danger of
being blown from the tree with every passing breeze.

I hurried back to Addicks. "It's the old game," said I; "they are on the
box and have the lines, and know just how badly we need our coach, and
it's only a case of how much 'inducement' we can stand."

I left him and went down to 26 Broadway. I had not wasted time, but they
had been there ahead of me.

"Lawson," said Mr. Rogers, "this time Addicks is up against a real
condition, and phenomenal work will have to be done or his race is run.
Braman and Foster have been here and made a strong bid for a partnership
with me, but I did as agreed and sent them away with a cold 'I'm in no
way interested.'"

Foster and Braman secured an order from the New York courts to take
possession of all property, money, papers, and books claimed by the
company, and formally laid siege to Addicks' quarters in the Hoffman.
There wa