In which I Win my Great Victory.
My plan was our old one--to see both Pendleton and Halliday, and, if
possible, to allow both to know of the fact that we had two strings to
our bow, playing the one off against the other. Whether or not there was
any likelihood of this course doing any good was dependent on the
existence of the strained personal relations, as well as the business
rivalry, generally supposed to prevail between the two Titans of the
highways. As conditions have since become, plans like mine are quite
sure to come to naught; but in those days the community of interests in
the railway world had not reached its present perfection of
organization. Men like Pendleton and Halliday were preparing the way for
it, but the personal equation was then a powerful factor in the problem,
and these builders of their own systems still carried on their private
wars with their own forces. In such a war our properties were important.
The Lattimore & Great Western with the Belt Line terminals would make
the Pendleton system dominant in Lattimore. In the possession of
Halliday it would render him the arbiter of the city's fortunes, and
would cut off from his rival's lines the rich business from this feeder.
Both men were playing with the patience of Muscovite diplomacy the old
and tried game of permitting the little road to run until it got into
difficulties, and then swooping down upon it; but either, we thought,
and especially Pendleton, would pay full value for the properties rather
than see them fall into his opponent's net.
I wired Pendleton's office from home that I was coming. At Chicago I
received from his private secretary a telegram reading: "Mr. Pendleton
will see you at any time after the 9th inst. SMITH."
We had been having some correspondence with Mr. Halliday's office on
matters of disputed switching and trackage dues. The controversy had
gone up from subordinate to subordinate to the fountain of power itself.
A contract had been sent on for examination, embodying a _modus vivendi_
governing future relations. I had wired notice of my coming to him also,
and his answer, which lay alongside Pendleton's in the same box, was
evidently based on the supposition that it was this contract which was
bringing me East, and was worded so as to relieve me of the journey if
possible.
"Will be in New York on evening of 11th," it read, "not before. With
slight modifications, contract submitted as to L. & G. W. and Belt Line
matter will be executed. HALLIDAY."
I spent no time in Chicago, but pushed on, in the respectable isolation
of a through sleeper on a limited train. Once in a while I went forward
into the day coach, to give myself the experience of the complete
change in the social atmosphere. On arrival, I began killing time by
running down every scrap of our business in New York. My gorge rose at
all forms of amusement; but I had a sensation of doing something while
on the cars, and went to Boston, and down to Philadelphia, all the time
feeling the pulse of business. There was a lack of that confident
hopefulness which greeted us on our former visits. I heard the
Fleischmann failure spoken of rather frequently. One or two financial
establishments on this side of the water were looked at askance because
of their supposed connections with the Fleischmanns. Mr. Wade, in hushed
tones, advised me to prepare for some little stringency after the
holidays.
"Nothing serious, you know, Mr. Borlish," said he, still paying his
mnemonic tribute to the other names of our syndicate; "nothing to be
spoken of as hard times; and as for panic, the financial world is too
well organized for _that_ ever to happen again! But a little tightening
of things, Mr. Cornings, to sort of clear the decks for action on lines
of conservatism for the year's business."
I talked with Mr. Smith, Mr. Pendleton's private secretary, and with Mr.
Carson, who spoke for Mr. Halliday. In fact I went over the L. & G. W.
proposition pretty fully with each of them, and each office had a
well-digested and succinct statement of the matter for the examination
of the magnates when they came back. Once while Mr. Carson and I were on
our way to take luncheon together, we met Mr. Smith, and I was glad to
note the glance of marked interest which he bestowed upon us. The
meeting was a piece of unexpected good fortune.
On the 10th I had my audience with Mr. Pendleton. He had the typewritten
statement of the proposition before him, and was ready to discuss it
with his usual incisiveness.
"I am willing to say to you, Mr. Barslow," said he, "that we are willing
to take over your line when the propitious time comes. We don't think
that now is such a time. Why not run along as we are?"
"Because we are not satisfied with the railroad business as a side line,
Mr. Pendleton," said I. "We must have more mileage or none at all, and
if we begin extensions, we shall be drawn into railroading as an
exclusive vocation. We prefer to close out that department, and to put
in all our energies to the development of our city."
"When must you know about this?" he asked.
"I came East to close it up, if possible," I answered. "You are familiar
with the situation, and we thought must be ready to decide."
"Two and a quarter millions," he objected, "is out of the question. I
can't expect my directors to view half the price with any favor. How can
I?"
"Show them our earnings," I suggested.
"Yes," said he, "that will do very well to talk to people who can be
made to forget the fact that you've been building a city there from a
country village, and your line has been pulling in everything to build
it with. The next five years will be different. Again, while I feel sure
the business men of your town will still throw things our way, as they
have your way--tonnage I mean--there might be a tendency to divide it up
more than when your own people were working for the trade. And the next
five years will be different anyhow."
"Do you remember," said I, "how skeptical you were as to the past five?"
"I acknowledge it," said he, laughing. "The fact is I didn't give you
credit for being as big men as you are. But even a big man, or a big
town, can reach only as high as it can. But we can't settle that
question. I shouldn't expect a Lattimore boomer ever to adopt my view of
it. I shall give this matter some attention to-day, and while I feel
sure we are too far apart ever to come together, come in in the morning,
and we will look at it again."
"I hope we may come together," said I, rising; "we built the line to
bring you into Lattimore, and we want to keep you there. It has made our
town, and we prize the connection highly."
"Ah, yes," he answered, countering. "Well, we are spread out a good deal
now, you know; and some of our directors look with suspicion upon your
sudden growth, and would not feel sorry to withdraw. I don't agree with
'em, you know, but I must defer to others sometimes. Good-morning."
I passed the evening with Carson at the theatre, and supped with him
afterward. He gave me every opportunity to indulge in champagne, and
evinced a desire to know all about business conditions in Lattimore, and
the affairs of the L. & G. W. I suspected that the former fact had some
connection with the latter. I went to my hotel, however, in my usual
state of ebriety, while Mr. Carson had attained a degree of friendliness
toward me bordering on affection, as a direct result of setting the pace
in the consumption of wine. I listened patiently to his complaints of
Halliday's ungratefulness toward him in not giving him the General
Managership of one of the associated roads; but when he began to confide
to me the various pathological conditions of his family, including Mrs.
Carson, I drew the line, and broke up the party. I retired, feeling a
little resentful toward Carson. His device seemed rather cheap to try on
a full-grown man. Yet his entertainment had been undeniably good.
Next morning I was admitted to the presence of the great man with less
than half an hour's delay. He turned to me, and plunged at once into the
midst of the subject. Evidently some old misunderstanding of the
question came up in his mind by association of ideas, as a rejected
paper will be drawn with its related files from a pigeon-hole.
"That terminal charge," said he, "has not counted for much against the
success of your road, yet; but the contract provides for increasing
rentals, and it is already too much. The trackage and depots aren't
worth it. It will be a millstone about your necks!"
"Well," said I, "you can understand the reason for making the rentals
high. We had to show revenue for the Belt Line system in order to float
the bonds, but the rentals become of no consequence when once you own
both properties--and that's our proposal to you."
"Oh, yes!" said he, and at once changed the subject.
This was the only instance, in all my observation of him, in which he
forgot anything, or failed correctly to see the very core of the
situation. I felt somehow elated at being for a moment his superior in
any respect.
We began discussing rates and tonnage, and he sent for his freight
expert again. I took from my pocket some letters and telegrams and made
computations on the backs of them. Some of these figures he wanted to
keep for further reference.
"Please let me have those figures until this afternoon," said he. "I
must ask you to excuse me now. At two I'll give the matter another
half-hour. Come back, Mr. Barslow, prepared to name a reasonable sum,
and I will accept or reject, and finish the matter."
I left the envelopes on his desk and went out. At the hotel I sat down
to think out my program and began arranging things for my departure. Was
it the 11th or the 12th that Mr. Halliday was to return? I would look at
his message. I turned over all my telegrams, but it was gone.
Then I thought. That was the telegram I had left with Pendleton! Would
he suspect that I had left it as a trick, and resent the act? No, this
was scarcely likely, for he himself had asked for it. Suddenly the
construction of which it was susceptible flashed into my mind. "With
slight modifications contract submitted as to L. & G. W. and Belt Line
matter will be executed. HALLIDAY."
I was feverish until two o'clock; for I could not guess the effect of
this telegram, should it be read by Pendleton. I found him impassive and
keen-eyed, and I waited longer than usual for that aquiline swoop of
his, as he turned in his revolving chair. I felt sure then that he had
not read the message. I think differently now.
"Well, Mr. Barslow," said he smilingly, "how far down in the millions
are we to-day?"
"Mr. Pendleton," I replied, steady as to tone, but with a quiver in my
legs, "I can say nothing less than an even two millions."
"It's too much," said he cheerfully, and my heart sank, "but I like
Lattimore, and you men who live there, and I want to stay in the town.
I'll have the legal department prepare a contract covering the whole
matter of transfers and future relations, and providing for the price
you mention. You can submit it to your people, and in a short time I
shall be in Chicago, and, if convenient to you, we can meet there and
close the transaction. As a matter of form, I shall submit it to our
directors; but you may consider it settled, I think."
"One of our number," said I, as calmly as if a two-million-dollar
transaction were common at Lattimore, "can meet you in Chicago at any
time. When will this contract be drawn?"
"Call to-morrow morning--say at ten. Show them in," this last to his
clerk, "Good-morning, Mr. Barslow."
One doesn't get as hilarious over a victory won alone as when he goes
over the ramparts touching elbows with his charging fellows. The hurrah
is a collective interjection. So I went in a sober frame of mind and
telegraphed Jim and Alice of my success, cautioning my wife to say
nothing about it. Then I wandered about New York, contrasting my way of
rejoicing with the demonstration when we three had financed the
Lattimore & Great Western bonds. I went to a vaudeville show and
afterward walked miles and miles through the mysteries of the night in
that wilderness. I was unutterably alone. The strain of my solitary
mission in the great city was telling upon me.
"Telegram for you, Mr. Barslow," said the night clerk, as I applied for
my key.
It was a long message from Jim, and in cipher. I slowly deciphered it,
my initial anxiety growing, as I progressed, to an agony.
"Come home at once," it read. "Cornish deserting. Must take care of the
hound's interest somehow. Threatens litigation. A hold-up, but he has
the drop. Am in doubt whether to shoot him now or later. Stop at
Chicago, and bring Harper. Bring him, understand? Unless Pendleton deal
is made, this means worse things than we ever dreamed of; but don't
wait. Leave Pendleton for later, and come home. If I follow my
inclinations, you will find me in jail for murder. ELKINS."
All night I sat, turning this over in my mind. Was it ruin, or would my
success here carry us through? Without a moment's sleep I ate my
breakfast, braced myself with coffee, engaged a berth for the return
journey, and promptly presented myself at Pendleton's office at ten.
Wearily we went over the precious contract, and I took my copy and
left.
All that day I rode in a sort of trance, in which I could see before my
eyes the forms of the hosts of those whom Jim had called "the captives
below decks," whose fortunes were dependent upon whether we striving,
foolish, scheming, passionate men went to the wall. A hundred times I
read in Jim's telegram the acuteness of our crisis; and a sense of our
danger swept dauntingly over my spirit. A hundred times I wished that I
might awake and find that the whole thing--Aladdin and his ring, the
palaces, gnomes, genies, and all--could pass away like a tale that is
told, and leave me back in the rusty little town where it found me.
I slept heavily that night, and was very much much more myself when I
went to see Harper in Chicago. He had received a message from Jim, and
was ready to go. He also had one for me, sent in his care, and just
arrived.
"You have saved the fight," said the message; "your success came just as
they were counting nine on us. With what you have done we can beat the
game yet. Bring Harper, and come on."
Harper, cool and collected, big and blonde, with a hail-fellow-well-met
manner which spoke eloquently of the West, was a great comfort to me. He
made light of the trouble.
"Cornish is no fool," said he, "and he isn't going to saw off the limb
he stands on."
I tried to take this view of it; but I knew, as he did not, the real
source of the enmity between Elkins and Cornish, and my fears returned.
Business differences might be smoothed over; but with two such men, the
quarrel of rivals in love meant nothing but the end of things between
them.