There was, this afternoon, casually present, a certain gray-haired, full-bodied man, of full beard and rather portly body. He was speaking with President Standley, of St. Louis, who also by merest chance happened to be in town. To them presently came the former general traffic manager of Mr. Standley's road, Ackerman, also present by merest accident. Two or three others, moreover, by mere accident, joined them, figures which were familiar at the long table in the New York headquarters. They looked at one another frankly, and laughed without much reservation.
"Well," said Ackerman, after a time, "let's sit down and have a little powwow—informally, you know."
The gray-haired man grinned pleasantly again and said nothing, but drew up a chair.
"Of course, you know," said Standley, as he seated himself, "that our dissatisfied friend, Van, is here in town to-day?"
The full-bearded man nodded, and an instant later jerked his head toward the door. "He's here in the club, too," said he, and smiled. "Just happened in, I suppose." Indeed, as they turned to look they saw advancing, talking animatedly, a rather slender, youngish man of brown eyes and pointed beard; none less than the disgruntled director who had long ago been so summarily handled by John Rawn, president of the International Power Company.
"Hasn't he got the nose for news, though?" commented Standley admiringly. "Now, who told him there was anything doing!"
"He didn't need to have anybody tell him," growled Ackerman. "He can take care of himself. And by Jove! I'm half inclined to think that he was the lucky one—to get out the way he did, and when he did."
"Yes, he's lucky," said Standley gravely. He turned to see the vast round belly of the gray-bearded man heaving in silent mirth. The railway magnate obviously was amused.
"I don't know!" remarked Ackerman suddenly. "Others, eh?"
III