ndemn. The stockholders of your
corporation, perhaps, are bound to suffer some from the fact that you
have taken its life-blood to pay dividends, and the public will demand
that it be built up into a normal and healthy condition. On the other
hand, it could not have gone on as it was. But the corporation will
suffer much more if a delayed justice is turned into vengeance.

"You ask me what I could do. I should recognize, frankly, the new
conditions, and declare as frankly what the old ones were, and why such
methods of defence as you adopted were necessary and justified. I should
announce, openly, that from this day onward the Northeastern Railroads
depended for fair play on an enlightened public--and I think your trust
would be well founded, and your course vindicated. I should declare,
from this day onward, that the issue of political passes, newspaper
passes, and all other subterfuges would be stopped, and that all
political hirelings would be dismissed. I should appeal to the people
of this State to raise up political leaders who would say to the
corporations, 'We will protect you from injustice if you will come
before the elected representatives of the people, openly, and say what
you want and why you want it.' By such a course you would have, in a
day, the affection of the people instead of their distrust. They would
rally to your defence. And, more than that, you would have done a
service for American government the value of which cannot well be
estimated."

Mr. Flint rang the bell on his desk, and his secretary appeared.

"Put these in my private safe, Mr. Freeman," he said.

Mr. Freeman took the boxes, glanced curiously at Austen, and went out.
It was the same secretary, Austen recalled, who had congratulated him
four years before. Then Mr. Flint laid his hand deliberately on the
desk, and smiled slightly as he turned to Austen.

"If you had run a railroad as long as I have, Mr. Vane," he said, "I do
you the credit of thinking that you would have intelligence enough to
grasp other factors which your present opportunities for observation
have not permitted you to perceive. Nevertheless, I am much obliged to
you for your opinion, and I value the--frankness in which it was given.
And I shall hope to hear good news of your father. Remember me to him,
and tell him how deeply I feel his affliction. I shall call again in a
day or two."

Austen took up his hat.

"Good day, Mr. Flint," he said; "I will tell him.