"The matter? Nothing. I'm all right."
"You've changed somehow. When I met you at the Bents' I thought you the most wonderful person I had ever met—with great—very great possibilities. Even at the Janneys' the illusion still remained. Something has happened to change you. You do nothing but scowl and say the wrong thing. There's no excuse for any man to do that."
"I'm worried. There's been a slight tangle in my plans. I—but I'm not going to trouble you with——"
"I want to hear—of course. You went to Washington?"
"Yes—to see some of our congressmen. I have the law on my side in this fight, and I'm trying to make things copperlined—so there can't be a leak anywhere. Those fellows down there are afraid of their own lives. They act as though they were on the lookout for somebody to stab them in the back. Washington is too near New York. A fellow goes there from the West and in about six months he's a changed man. He forgets that he ever came from God's country, and learns to bow and scrape and lick boots. I reckon that's the way to get what you want here in the East—but it goes against my grain."
"Weren't you successful?"
"Oh, yes, I found out what I wanted to know. It's only a question of money. They'll fall in line when I'm ready. But it's going to take cash—more than I thought it would."
"Are you going to have enough?"
"My credit's good, and I'm paying eight per cent."
"Eight? Why, I only get four!"