e done it. But my best friend couldn't bet on me two days
in succession."

Ford looked up quickly.

"Then don't put your hand to this plow, Mr. Adair. I'll be frank with
you. I can fit the mechanical parts of this scheme of mine together, so
that they will run true and do business. But I, or any man in my place,
would have to have solid backing here in New York; a board that would be
as aggressive as a handful of rebels fighting for life, and every man of
it determined to win out or smash something. Mr. Magnus spoke of the
opposition we should encounter from our competitors. He might have said
more. What the Transcontinental, for example, wouldn't do to obliterate
us needn't be catalogued. How do you suppose the present P. S-W. board
would fare in such a fight?"

The youngest member of the flouted board laughed again.

"You mustn't say in your wrath that all men are liars--or cowards. There
is plenty of fight in our crowd; and plenty of money, too, if you could
only get it sufficiently scared."

"I've done my best," said Ford, slamming the lid of the trunk and
buckling the straps vigorously. "The next time I'll find my market first
and build my scheme afterward."

"Well, if I can say it without offense, I'm honestly sorry for you, Mr.
Ford; you've been butchered to make a Broad Street holiday," said Adair,
lounging toward the door. "You are going back to the West, I suppose?"

"Yes."

"What line?"

"Pennsylvania; five-ten this afternoon."

"That is a long time between drinks. Suppose you come up to the club and
have luncheon with me?"

Ford hesitated, watch in hand.

"I was about to lie to you, Mr. Adair, and plead business; but I shan't.
I'll tell you the plain truth. I'm too sore just now to be any good
fellow's good company."

"Which is precisely the reason why I asked you," laughed the golden
youth. "Come on; let's go now. You can take it out on me as much as you
like, you know. I shan't mind."

But the club luncheon ignored the business affair completely, as Adair
intended it should. Ford came out of the shell of disappointment with
the salad course, and by way of reparation for his former attitude
talked rather more freely of himself than he was wont to do on such
short acquaintance with any one. The young millionaire met him quite
half-way on this road to a better understanding, contrasting with mild
envy Ford's well-filled, busy life with his own erratic efforts at
time-killing.

"You make m