Luke relapsed.
"It will," he said. "I'm sure of it."
"Therefore, the thing must be done slowly and discreetly, and meanwhile we must protect the public by an increase of track-walkers and road-inspectors."
"Would your friends," inquired Luke, "instruct the road not to fight the damage claims growing out of the wreck?"
"Of course not," chuckled Stein. "You are too good a lawyer to expect that, Mr. Huber, and too good a lawyer not to know how the sorrow or wounds of the claimants—yes, and the big appetites of their attorneys, too, I'm afraid—exaggerate their losses on the one hand and the riches of the company on the other. No, no; the most we could get for them would be liberal settlements. We mustn't bankrupt the road. There are more widows owning stock in it than there are widows caused by this wreck."
"Well," said Luke, "I'm afraid you don't convince me, Judge."
"Not if I could promise all this?"
"No. You see, there was a smaller wreck some months ago, and the additional track-walkers and inspectors were promised the public then."
Undisturbed, the Judge repeated all his arguments. "I really think you must see this as I do," he concluded. "And all we want is the letters——. By the way, Mr. Huber, I congratulate you on getting hold of them. That was a clever piece of work. How did you manage it?"
Luke grinned.