On June 10th the great railroad financier received a typewritten letter.
It read:
_In the course of our operations, having for an object the recovery
of plunder taken from unidentified individuals by malefactors of
great wealth, it has happened that we have grown fond of some of our
contributors. We thus are able most sincerely to extend to you our
hearty congratulations. It was indeed cheap at a million, and we shall
remember your good fortune if ever we need advice or additional funds.
What we took from you and from some of your fellow New-Yorkers we
propose to return to the public at large. Mr. Amos F. Kidder will tell
you his suspicions, if you ask him. In return you might tell him that
we propose to capitalize time. We shall make a present of fifty years to
the world by transmuting the recovered plunder into unspent time. Don't
forget that we who were the Plunder Recoverers are now,_
_The Time Givers._