"What railroad?" he asked.
Luke slowly drew in his legs. He regarded the figure of the Persian rug that happened to be between the points of his patent-leather boots.
"The railroad," said he, "that I suppose you have been talking most about this morning."
"The Manhattan & Niagara?" blurted Rivington.
"We're not directors of that road," said Hallett hurriedly.
"No," agreed Rivington.
"No," said Luke, quite as heartily, "you aren't directors, but you direct it."
"We don't," snapped Rivington.
The man at the head of the table raised a soothing hand. He was still smiling.
"Come, come," he said, with an air of good-nature that his friends had seldom seen him assume during business hours. "We're all gentlemen, I'm sure. Anything that Mr. Huber wants to say to us in confidence——"