A group of men in the club were one day discussing great fortunes and the men who owned them. Everybody thought and spoke in millions and tens of millions. Finally some one appealed to the only silent man in the company.
"What do you say, Mr. Mills?"
"I say that in all these cases, or almost all, I think it safe to divide the figures by two."
"In your own case also?"
"Above all in my case."
We travelled up together once by the night express to the Adirondacks on a visit to Mr. Reid's camp, arriving at the station at six in the morning; then driving to the lake; then in a boat to the camp, which could not be reached otherwise. After his long night journey he was fresh and alert and not the least tired, and he talked freely. He even discussed business, and presently remarked:
"I have been a little anxious about money matters and was not sure I could get away from New York."
"But why?"
"Oh, but my bank balances are much larger than I like them to be."