"I'm going to ask only one thing of you, young man," he began, his shrewd little eyes twinkling. "Just let me know when you are going to get out, so I can pull through without having to take the bankruptcy." [Illustration: "Will you be good enough to buy for my account, Mr. Mackie"] "I'll do it, Mr. Brewster," laughed Ford. "Only I'm not going to get out--unless you folks freeze me out." "Then it isn't a long bluff on your part?" "It is, and it isn't. We still stand to win if we have the nerve to hold on--in which event P. S-W. at twenty-nine and a fraction is a gold mine. That's one view of it, and the other is this: we've simply _got_ to corner our own stock if we expect to sell thirty millions additional bonds." "Well, I guess you've gone the right way about it. But are you sure about these Chicago terminals? A legal friend of mine here says you'll never get in." "He was possibly paid to say it," said Ford hotly. "There has never been a shadow of doubt touching our trackage rights on the C. P. & D. contracts, or upon our ability to maintain them. All the Transcontinental people hoped to do was to make a newspaper stir to help keep our stock down. They know what we are going to do to them over in their western territory, and they won't stop at anything to block us." "Of course; I think we were all inclined to be a little short-sighted and pessimistic here, Mr. Ford. When do you go back to your fighting ground?" "To-night." "You won't wait to see what happens here?" "I don't need to, I am sure. And the minutes--my minutes--are worth dollars to the company just now." "Well, go in and win--only don't forget to give me that tip. You wouldn't want to see a man of my age going to the poorhouse." "One other word, Mr. Brewster," Ford begged, as the copper magnate was pointing for the door of escape. "Please don't let any of these timid gentlemen sell till we get our bonds floated. You mark my word: the temptation to make a big killing is going to be very great, within a week." The copper king laughed; openly, this time. "You overrate my influence, Mr. Ford; but I'll do what I can--by word of mouth and by example. You can count on me--as long as you let me stay on your side of the market." Ford had three several invitations to luncheon after the meeting adjourned, but he accepted none of them. To Adair he made the declination courteous while they were trundling back to the Waldorf in the big touring car. "I have lost an entire day because I could not take the time to secure a stenographer before leaving Chicago night before last. I must find one now and go to work." "All right; if you must. But I was hoping I could take you out to Overlook to dinner this evening. Can't you come anyhow, and take a later train west?" "Don't tempt me," said Ford. And then: "The ladies are quite well, I hope?"