“I thought”--the man seemed mildly surprised--“we had.” “Certainly not. The million hasn't stirred.” “You are a brave man, Mr. Merriwether.” Mr. Merriwether laughed, and said: “What should I fear? People don't murder a man like me and get away with it--not when the motive is money. Political assassination, perhaps; but not for a few dollars--especially when my heirs would spend millions to see that justice did not miscarry.” He shook his head, smilingly. “My dear sir, when we decided to go into the gold-mining business--” “Gold-mining business!” “Exactly! We thought to save time and effort by getting our gold already coined. Our general staff studied various methods--the ticker, for instance, and legislative attacks on your roads; but we went back to Tom. It is, of course, nearly as stupid to overestimate as to underestimate one's opponent; so, while we provided against every contingency arising from your undoubted possession of a resourceful and fearless mind, we also thought--please take note--that you might display stupidity; and we prepared for it. Such as, for instance, in case you point-blank said No! We have also provided ways of preventing you and your uncaptured millions from hurting us. Of course we could make the stock-market pay us for the trouble of kidnapping you or of murdering you. Don't you see clearly what you would do if you were in my place?” “Oh yes--I see it clearly; but I don't believe you could do what I could in your place?” “Nobody is free from vanity, for everybody seems to be a natural monopolist when it comes to brains. You are kidnapped at this very moment, aren't you?” “People know I am here--” “Oh yes! We expect to have you telephone McWayne presently not to expect you to lunch, and that we have extended every facility to his detectives for having this house under surveillance. We kidnapped the great Garrettson and kept him out of reach of the great world of finance long enough to enable us to cash in. Not only that, but he never told how we did it. You remember when Steel broke to--” “You didn't do that!” exclaimed E. H. Merri-wether. “Oh yes, we did; and I'll tell you how.” And the man briefly outlined the case for him. E. H. Merriwether listened with much interest. When the man made an end of speaking, the financier shook his head skeptically, which made the man ask: “You don't believe it?” “No!” answered Mr. Merriwether. “Nevertheless, it is so. We also might have engineered in your case some deal such as that by which we compelled Ashton Welles to disgorge some of the money he had no business to have.” And he proceeded to enlighten the financier. “Very clever!” said Mr. Merriwether. “Rather neat!” modestly acquiesced the man. “Suppose we had decided to kidnap you? The first thing to do is to get you here. Well, you are here.” “How will you make money by that?” asked the financier, smiling.