Brown will see you," said he.

We found Brown to be a florid, solidly built man of fifty, with a keen
eye and a brown beard. He nodded to us briefly and looked expectant.

"We three men," said Talbot directly, "hold three tickets on your line.
We were not fortunate enough to get passage on the next steamer, and our
business will not permit us to wait until the one after. We want our
money back."

Brown's face darkened.

"That is a matter for my clerks, not for me," he said curtly. "I was
told your business was to my advantage. I have nothing to do with
tickets."

"One minute," said Talbot. "There are between two and three hundred men
in this town each one of whom bought a ticket from your company in New
York in the expectation, if not under the understanding, that they were
to get through passage immediately."

"No such thing was expected or guaranteed," interposed Brown abruptly.

"Not guaranteed, nor expected by you--by us, yes."

"I cannot argue that matter. I have no further time for you. Good-day."
And Brown once more reached his hand toward his bell.

"Suppose," said Talbot softly, leaning forward. "I should put it into
the heads of those three hundred men that they ought to get their
passage money back?"

Brown's hand stopped in midair.

"They are large, violent, armed men; and they are far from pure home
influences," went on Talbot mockingly. "Here's a sample of them," said
he indicating my huge frame. "And there are a thousand or so more, not
directly interested but dying for excitement."

"Are you trying to intimidate me, sir?" demanded Brown.

"I am just stating conditions."

"You are threatening me."

"Ah, that is different," said Talbot Ward.

Brown sat lost in thought for some moments. Then he reached forward and
at last struck the bell.

"Let me have your tickets," he commanded us shortly.

He endorsed them and handed them to the clerk, together with a written
order. We all sat in absolute silence for perhaps five minutes. Then the
clerk returned with a handful of gold. This Brown counted over and
shoved across to Talbot. The latter also counted it, and thrust it in
his pocket.

"Now," said Brown, with something approaching geniality, "I am counting
on your honour to say nothing of this outside. I am gambling on your
evident class in life at home."

"You have our promise, and it will be kept," said Talbot rising. "But
undoubtedly within two days you will think I am the biggest l