He was too late. He found that the meeting had been adjourned until next morning. Cursing, angry men were pouring from the place. He encountered Mansfield and Dorns in company; the lawyer was white with suppressed fury. Dorns regarded Armstrong grimly and bit hard at a cigar. "Well?" demanded Armstrong, as they got clear of the crowd. "Did you stop him?" Mansfield shook his head. "There was a directors' meeting a week ago--a secret one," he said crisply. "Ten thousand shares of stock were issued to Ried Williams. His note for five thousand dollars was issued in payment. Then the transfer books were closed." Armstrong froze. "Note--five thousand!" he said, unbelieving. "For stock worth two hundred thousand on the market? Impossible!" "It is illegal, but it's not impossible," said Mansfield. "It is a fact. All Macgowan wants is to remain in power. This gives him a clear voting majority, of course." Armstrong pulled himself together. "Wait!" he said. "Wait! There's something else you don't know--" The two men looked at him, startled by his manner. He met the gaze of Dorns, and laughed bitterly. "Good thing you're here, Dorns," he said. "I just had a long distance call from our Chicago manager. He had some information for me. I've been indicted in Springfield, Illinois, for perjury in connection with the sale of Food Products stock. Macgowan wanted the indictment for use during the campaign, of course--well, he has it now." CHAPTER XI "The difference between you and Macgowan," said Robert Dorns, "is that he's got the law on his side--and you're on the side of the law. It ain't much difference at first sight, but when you get down to cases it's a whale of a difference!" Armstrong smiled wearily. They were in Armstrong's rooms at the hotel--Dorns, Mansfield, Bruton, Holcomb and Sessions. Jimmy Wren listened in a corner. It was the evening of the third day; and in another room Armstrong's full battery of legal experts were arguing and contending, vainly striving to find some way out of the disaster. Mansfield knew the fight was lost, and admitted it. The committee of three admitted it. The silence of Dorns, who never admitted anything, was eloquent. Armstrong alone refused to admit defeat. "I was talking with Garvin to-night," said Mansfield slowly. "He's their chief counsel, you know. He intimated that Findlater would be glad to make some peaceful settlement." Judge Holcomb made a despondent gesture. "They have us, of course. Shall we open negotiations, Armstrong?" "Not with my consent," replied Armstrong. "We have won our fight honestly. They have beaten us by illegal trickery. If Findlater and Macgowan are elected by means of this block of ten thousand votes, I mean to contest it." Mansfield regarded him quietly.