“Pleased, I am sure,” said the colonel in turn, bowing. “Your father, I suppose, is the president of the Midland; and Mr. Keatcham will, I suppose, not be able to prevent his reëlection to-morrow. Is that the game?”
Mr. Tracy’s son admitted that it might be.
“Ah, very clever,” said the colonel, “very. Any side-show, for example?”
“I did not go into this for money.” Mercer’s level gaze did not relax, and he kept his dreary eyes unflinchingly on Winter’s. A peculiar look in the eyes recalled some tragic and alien memory, just what, Rupert could not capture; it flitted hazily through his thoughts ere the next words drove it off. “Nevertheless, it is true that if we win out I shall have enough to pay back to all the people who trusted me the money they lost when they were frightened into selling their stock in the Tidewater, and your aunt and Mr. Tracy stand to make money.”
“How do you expect to make it?”
“The M. and S. stock is away down because of rumors Keatcham is likely to control it. When it is settled it is not to be looted by him, the stock will rise—we are sure of the ten points; we may make twenty—”
“And my aunt has financed your scheme, has she?—paid all your expenses?”
The Harvard man laughed out. “Our expenses? Oh, yes, she has grub-staked us, all right; but she has done a good deal more—she has furnished more than half a million to us for our gamble.”
The colonel considered; then: “But why did you keep him here so long beforehand?” said he.
“It was not long beforehand,” said Mercer. “The meeting was adjourned for a day—we don’t know why—we fancy that his partners suspect something. It is called for to-morrow, in spite of their efforts to have it put off a week. But we want more; we want to induce Keatcham to vote his own stock for us, and to call off his dogs himself.”