"Not a word of this! Do you understand?"
"We understand perfectly," said the American. "We certainly do!" and wrote what Mrs. Vandergilt had said and what she was wearing. It would be a text for one of Arthur Migraine's editorial sermons, proving that millionaires, instead of being blown into atoms, should be freely permitted to give money for starving men to convert into food. In fact, nature wisely provided that millionaires should have money to give away. The more the poor received the less the millionaire would take to the useless grave.
Mr. MacAckus, greatly perturbed by this deviation from the norm, rushed to the president's office to tell him Mrs. Vandergilt's opinion. Before he could speak, Mr. Wilberforce Josslyn said:
"Did you stop 'em?"
"No, sir. Let me explain. Mrs. Vandergilt just came in and—"
"I sent word to have 'em stopped!" said Mr. Josslyn, frowning.
"Let me explain, Mr. Josslyn—"
Disobedience cannot be explained away. Discipline must be enforced. It is better to blunder under orders than to prevent disorganization from interfering with dividends. The obvious advantage that a corporation president has over his subordinates is that he does not have to be hampered by petty details.
"Stop 'em!" he said, coldly.
"Mrs. Vandergilt said—"