“Well, I'll write it out--here, this letter-paper will do the business.” “Now, see here, we can't talk along this line. I haven't the slightest intention of leaving Higginson & Company.” “I know--I know------ Take plenty of time to think it over. I'll go ahead and put this down in black and white------” “No, Mr. Babcock. I won't consider it at all. I stay right here at this desk.” Babcock brought up his reserves. “You are inclined to think,” he said, settling back again, “that your place is here with Mr. Higginson?” “Decidedly.” “I see. Perhaps we've been working a little at cross-purposes. I haven't been talking with the idea of taking away Mr. Higginson's main support at the time he needs it most. I'm afraid I haven't been looking at that side of it quite enough. You see, Mr. Halloran, we're business men, we of G. H. Bigelow & Company. When we see a big man in our line we want him; and when we try to get him, I suppose we don't always consider the other people who want him, too. We haven't time. But I'm glad you brought the point up. Suppose we go at it from a new point of view. Now, I recognize (and Mr. Bigelow would agree with me if he were here) that this very attitude of yours--this standing by your employer when he's a sick man--is the quality in you we like best. We've seen it before; we've talked about it. If you should go back on Mr. Higginson now--even though, of course, there's not the slightest legal hindrance to your looking out for yourself--how could we know you wouldn't go back on us some day? But you won't go back on him, you see, and that's how we know more than ever that you're the man we're after. Now there's not the slightest need of any immediate change. We could even date your salary from this moment, or back to the beginning of this month, without expecting you to walk right out here------” “It's no use--I'm not going to leave.” “No; I'm not suggesting such a thing. I was going to say that--that we're looking ahead. Let me see--you're about thirty, perhaps. Why, man, you haven't begun yet. But if you stay here, and if Mr. Higginson should die within these next few years without taking you into the firm, you'd have nothing whatever to show for your work. Now, one place is as good as another for such a man as you. All you need is to get a footing--but that takes capital. My suggestion would be that you stay right here and buy into the business--get it into your own hands. Mr. Higginson, knowing you as he does, would be only too glad to have it go to you. We can help you with that. Your credit is A-1 with us. We're so sure you're going to see some day the advantages of combination and cooperation in this business that we'll write you a check any day and no questions asked. It------” “Don't you think,” said Halloran, speaking slowly, with an edge on his voice, “don't you think you've said about enough?” Babcock flushed. “What do you mean by that?”