"By me," said Margrave. He had not taken off his overcoat and he now began to button it about his portly figure.
"How many shares have you?" asked the lawyer, seating himself on the edge of the table.
"I suppose you think I'm working a bluff, but I've really got the stuff this time, Fenton. To be real decent with you I don't mind telling you that I've got exactly twenty-five hundred and ninety-seven shares of this stock. I guess that's a majority all right. Now one good turn deserves another; how much has Porter got? I don't care a damn, but I'd just like to know." He stood by the table and ostentatiously played with his certificates to make Fenton's humiliation all the keener. Margrave's associates stood at the back of the room and watched him admiringly. Fenton's bundle still lay on the table, and Saxton stood with his hands in his pockets watching events. There had been no chance for him to explain to Fenton his reasons for seeking the offices of the Traction Company and it had pleased Margrave to ignore his presence; Fenton paid no further attention to him. He wondered at Fenton's forbearance, and expected the lawyer to demolish Margrave, but Fenton said:
"You are quite right, Margrave. I hold for Mr. Porter exactly twenty-three hundred and fifty shares."
Margrave nodded patronizingly.
"Just a little under the mark."
"You may make that twenty-four hundred even," said Saxton, "if it will do you any good."
"I'm still shy," said Fenton. "Our friend clearly has the advantage."
"I suppose if you'd known how near you'd come, you'd have hustled pretty hard for the others," said Margrave, sympathetically.
"Oh, I don't know!" said Fenton, with the taunting inflection which gives slang to the phrase. He did not seem greatly disturbed. Saxton expected him to try to make terms; but the lawyer yawned in a preoccupied way, before he said: