The conductor did not look as joyous as one might have thought he would, but on the contrary looked sickly and uncomfortable. He stood around a little; then said:
‘I think something ought to be done to him now. I’ll discharge him.’
‘Discharge him! What good would that do? Don’t you think it would be better wisdom to teach him better ways and keep him?’
‘Well, there’s something in that. What would you suggest?’
‘He insulted the old gentleman in presence of all these people. How would it do to have him come and apologise in their presence?’
‘I’ll have him here right off. And I want to say this: If people would do as you’ve done, and report such things to me instead of keeping mum and going off and blackguarding the road, you’d see a different state of things pretty soon. I’m much obliged to you.’
The brakeman came and apologised. After he was gone the Major said:
‘Now you see how simple and easy that was. The ordinary citizen would have accomplished nothing—the brother-in-law of a director can accomplish anything he wants to.’
‘But are you really the brother-in-law of a director?’
‘Always. Always when the public interests require it. I have a brother-in-law on all the boards—everywhere. It saves me a world of trouble.’