“I know all about it,” said the lawyer. “I have done the legal business of the road from its beginning.”
“Is there a list of the shareholders in existence?”
“I hold a partial list; but shares have changed hands a good deal, and sometimes no notification has been given me, which is contrary to law.”
“I was told to-day that shares can be bought at five cents on the dollar. Is that true?”
“Many shares have been sold at that price; some for less, some for more.”
“What is the total number of shares?’
“A hundred thousand.”
“Could fifty thousand and an odd share be bought?”
“Do you mean to get control of the road? Yes, I suppose it might be done if you weren’t in a hurry, and it was gone about quietly. Some farmers in the outlying districts refuse to sell, thinking the price of the stock will rise, which of course it won’t do. Nevertheless, I imagine there should be no difficulty in collecting fifty thousand shares and one more.”
“What would it cost?”