"This is good enough for me," said Ardswell; "are you ready for business?"
"Certainly."
"And may I ask two questions first,—one is a trifle personal?"
"Please ask them, if you wish; I have no personal secrets."
"That's very decent of you. What I'd like to know is, first, what you found here when you arrived seven years ago, and, second, what your resources were at the time? You will not, of course, answer the last unless you wish."
Clark laughed almost boyishly. "Why I found only the rapids, and—I had no resources,—that is, except myself."
"I thought so, and"—here the speaker glanced at Weatherby—"we would like to congratulate you, I had an idea that this was the case. Now as to the present business, we have decided to make a proposal to your board."
"I am glad of that," said Clark briefly. He knew that the moment had come.
"We hope it will meet with your support," Ardswell hesitated perceptibly and went on, pitching his voice a little higher, "and you will not misunderstand my putting it rather baldly. The matter depends on two things: the reduction of the Consolidated capital from twenty-seven million to something about ten million and the wiping out of all common stock, and," here he paused again while the blood crept slowly to his temples—"the other is a change in the executive. These being satisfactorily arranged, we will go ahead. That's about it, eh?"
"Yes," put in the other, "but of course we could not go ahead, under any circumstances, without Mr. Clark's temporary assistance. I think in fairness to him we should make the case a little clearer."