"Thank you, I don't care to get any more call money from you fellows," I said placidly. "You make too much trouble." Well, when I left the president's room I had arranged for a loan of four hundred thousand dollars for six months. I had measured myself against the great Strauss, and never again would the big fellow seem to me so terrible. I judged that, for a time, the American Meat Products Company would be left to do business undisturbed.... On my desk, when I returned from the bank that afternoon, was a telegram from Mr. Dround from New York: "We arrived to-day--leaving for Chicago." For once, Mr. Dround had made up his mind in a hurry. CHAPTER XXII JUDGMENTS _Mrs. Dround once more--The point of view--Reflections--A family discussion--May delivers her ultimatum--We part--The middle age of life_ "In Rome you must do as the Romans, or be done!" I quoted jocularly. Mrs. Dround smiled appreciatively. "From all accounts you have been a tremendous Roman!" "Well, at least I haven't been done--not yet." Jane Dround smiled again and turned her face from the window of the library, through which could be seen dots of ice and snow sailing out on the blue lake. The years she had been gone in Europe had dealt lightly with her. She had grown a trifle stouter, and looked splendidly well--dark, and strong, and full of life. "I did my best," she continued half humorously. "I tried to get lost in darkest Africa beyond the reach of telegrams and newspapers. But a party of Chicago people coming up the Nile crossed the path of our daha-biyeh, recognized us, came abroad--and brought the story. Cables wouldn't hold him then! We came as the crow flies; it was no use to plead sickness--he was ready to leave me behind in Paris!" She laughed again genially. "It was nothing much to get excited about," I replied a little impatiently; "and it has passed now, anyway, like a winter snow in the city--slush, water, nothing!" "But the principle! You forget the principle!" she remonstrated dryly. "I know--and he's going to resign from the presidency--that ought to satisfy his principle--but we must keep him on the board." "It was a judge, too! A sworn officer of the law!" Mrs. Dround interrupted, quoting demurely from Henry I's remarks about the injunction scandal. "Very well, he can make over his stock to you, then! It won't trouble you, and you can draw the big dividends we are going to pay soon. I don't want him to get out now, when the fruit is almost ripe to shake." "Is that the only reason?" Mrs. Dround asked quickly. "Of course, we don't want his stock coming on the market in a big block. It would break us all up. And it might easily get into the wrong hands."