s, and in my folly believed that those who
had been my friends were forever after assured of pleasant places,
lovely perfumes, and grateful shade; but like the Grecian in the ancient
fable, I found I had sown dragon's teeth, and the crop I reaped was of
hatred and envy, passion and revenge.

CHAPTER XXI

FIXING THE RESPONSIBILITY

On the day before Amalgamated's incorporation, Mr. Rogers and I
conferred long and earnestly upon the plan of campaign for the company's
organization. It was very necessary to avoid all errors, and to have
everything cut and dried in advance. We were obliged to railroad things
through, once started, a hitch or a side-track might be fatal, and I
desired to have Mr. Rogers pass upon the programme I had drawn up.
Therein was set down the work of each captain, lieutenant, and
water-carrier who was to take part, and we discussed every detail to a
finish. When he had approved everything up to the point where formation
ended and the flotation began, I said:

"Now comes the most important part of all--the offer to the public; for
a slip-up, the misuse of a single phrase, or even of a word, at this
point might destroy our whole structure."

"Quite true, Lawson," he answered, "but I have no fear of you there. Let
me have your idea."

"First," I replied, "there should be an advertisement of the National
City Bank, and one of the Amalgamated Company, and in this advertisement
the story of the good things we have collected must be told in strong
terms."

I am now about to explain exactly of what the First Crime of Amalgamated
consisted, and it behooves my readers to weigh carefully the details,
for I make the claim here that without further proof they will be able
to realize not only my own position and purpose at this, the crucial,
stage of the Amalgamated enterprise, but to grasp the cold-blooded
villany of the men I am exposing.

At this time I was in a most uncomfortable and uncertain position. Each
day that I did business with Mr. Rogers and his associates increased my
knowledge of their heartless brutality in dollar-making. I knew I was on
dangerous ground; but to retreat meant not only my own destruction but
terrible losses to my friends who had followed me and to the public
which had come in on my advice. So I had made up my mind to go on but to
keep my eyelids pinned back, my tongue anchored, and what gray matter I
possessed oscillating. Remember, I was in no way sure that Mr. Ro