When the visitor entered he stopped just beyond the threshold. He remained there even after the butler closed the door. Blue eye and gray clashed; two masters of fence who had executed the same stroke. The banker laughed and Cutty smiled.
“I suppose,” said the banker, “you and I ought to sign an armistice, too.”
“Agreed.”
“And you've always been rather a puzzle to me. A rich man, a gentleman, and yet sticking to the newspaper game.”
“And you're a puzzle to me, too. A rich man, a gentleman, and yet sticking to the banking game.”
“What the devil was our row about?”
“Can't quite recall.”
“Whatever it was it was the way you went at it.”
“A reform was never yet accomplished by purring and pussyfooting,” said Cutty.
“Come over and sit down. Now, how the devil did you find out about this Gregory affair?” The banker held out his hand, which Cutty grasped with honest pressure. “If you are here in the capacity of a newspaper man, not a word out of me. Have a cigar?”