t any
of these glances. Very much preoccupied she was, looking at the
passing scenery and not seeing it.

There had begun boiling and seething in Miss Stevens a feeling that she
was decidedly _de trop_, that these men could talk their absorbing
business more freely if she were not there; not because she embarrassed
them, but because she used up space! Nobody seemed to give her a
thought. Nobody seemed to be aware that she was present. They were
almost gaspingly engrossed in something far more important to them than
she was. It was uncomplimentary, to say the least. She was not used
to playing "second fiddle" in any company. She was in the habit of
absorbing the most of the attention in her immediate vicinity. Mr.
Princeman or Mr. Hollis would neither one ignore her in that way, to
say nothing of Billy Westlake.

She was glad when they reached Meadow Brook. Their whole talk had been
of marsh pulp, and company organization, and preferred and common
stock, and who was to get it, and how much they were to pay for it, and
how they were going to cut the throats of the wood pulp manufacturers,
and how much profit they were going to make from the consumers and with
all that, not a word for her. Not a single word! Not even an apology!
Oh, it was atrocious! As soon as they drew up to the porch she rose,
and before Sam could jump down to open the door of the tonneau she had
opened it for herself and sprung out.

"I'll hunt up father right away for you," she stated courteously.
"Glad to have met you, Mr. Creamer. I presume I shall meet you again,
Mr. Turner," she said to Jack. "Thank you so much for the ride," she
said to Sam, and then she was gone.

Sam looked after her blankly. It couldn't be possible that she was
"huffy" about this business talk. Why, couldn't the girl see that this
had to do with the birth of a great big company, a million dollar
corporation, and that it was of vital importance to him? It meant the
apex of a lifetime of endeavor. It meant the upbuilding of a fortune.
Couldn't she see that he and his brother were two lone youngsters
against all these shrewd business men, whose only terms of aiding them
and floating this big company was to take their mastery of it away from
them? Couldn't she understand what control of a million dollar
organization meant? He was not angry with Miss Stevens for her
apparent attitude in this matter, but he was hurt. He was not
impatient with her, but he wa