I saw the wisdom of this advice, so I said:
“Your pardon, colonel. But won’t this repudiation be popular with the army? If he lets the debt slide, he can pay them.”
“Exactly,” said he. “Hence we must get at them before that aspect of the case strikes them. They are literally starving, and for ten dollars a man they would make Satan himself President. Have you got any money, Martin?”
“Yes,” said I, “a little.”
“How much?”
“Ten thousand,” I replied; “I was keeping it for the interest.”
“Ah! you won’t want it now.”
“Indeed I shall—for the second loan, you know.”
“Look here, Martin; give me that ten thousand for the troops. Stand in with us, and the day I become President I’ll give you back your three hundred thousand. Just look where you stand now. I don’t want to be rude, but isn’t it a case of—”
“Some emergency,” said I thoughtfully. “Yes, it is. But where do you suppose you’re going to get three hundred thousand dollars, to say nothing of your own shares?”