t I should like to get your opinion on the matter. You are
one of the directors, I understand."

"I had an idea that Mr. Gorham had already answered that question to
Mr. Brady, and that there was enough in the deal to satisfy every one."

"There is enough for every one," assented Harris, with decision; "the
only question is how it is to be divided. We all supposed that we were
to become stockholders in the Consolidated Companies, in which case we
should have gained something at both ends; but Gorham evidently changed
his mind about that, which leaves us nothing but the original rake-off."

There was something in Harris's manner which annoyed Covington, yet he
did not suggest cutting short the interview.

"Who are the parties involved?" he asked, more to say something than
because of any real interest.

"Well"--Harris became reflective--"there's Collins, who put the deal
through the Aldermen; he can't expect any more than we've already agreed
to give him. It cost him a pretty penny, but he'll double his
investment--we can leave him out. Then there's Brady at Tammany Hall;
nothing can be done without him. Gorham's idea seems to be to pay him
his price on this job, take a receipt, and cut loose from him; but if
Brady was a stockholder in the Consolidated Companies he would prove a
mighty useful one. Then there are two other directors in the New York
Street Railways Company who feel as I do--that we ought to see something
more coming to us out of this deal than just the profit on our stock."

"Is the opportunity to become stockholders in our corporation the
'something more' you have in mind?"

"Yes," Harris assented; "but it doesn't end just there. We have a little
scheme of our own in connection with this transaction which is worth
money, and we could put it through easier if we were on the inside.
More than this, it would save the Consolidated Companies something in
the long run."

"You have secured an option on some link in the chain and you're going
to hold up whoever tries to put the deal through until you get your
price," Covington stated, flatly.

"We have options on three links," Harris replied, frankly, showing no
surprise at the accuracy of the other's intuition.

"Can you make more out of it if we get the franchise?"

"Naturally, since the Consolidated Companies will have unlimited
capital. If we were stockholders in the Companies, we could afford to
make the terms easier, because there would be less