Dresser, too, had his boast. He had finally been given charge of The Investor's Monthly, which had absorbed the La Salle Street Indicator. The policy of the papers was to be changed: they were to be conservative, but not critical, and conducted in the interests of capital which was building up the country after its financial panic.
"In the prospective return of good times many new interests will seek public patronage," he explained to the company. "A new era will dawn—the era of business combinations, of gigantic cooperative enterprises."
"Vulgarly known as trusts," Sommers interjected. "And your paper is going to boom Carson's companies. Well, well, that's pretty good for Debs's ex-secretary!"
"You must understand that people of education change their views," Dresser retorted uncomfortably. "I have had a long talk with Mr. Carson about the policy of the paper. He doesn't wish to interfere, not in the least, merely advises on a general line of policy agreeable to him and his associates, who, I may say, are very heavily engaged in Chicago enterprises. We are interested at present in the traction companies which are seeking extensions of their franchises."
"He's joined the silk-hat brigade," Webber scoffed. "The Keystone ain't good enough for him any longer. He's going north to be within call of his friends."
"How is Laura Lindsay?" Sommers asked.
"I saw her last night, and I met Mr. Brome Porter and young Polot, too."
"Did you tell 'em where you were going to-night?" Sommers asked, rather bitterly.
"Say, Howard," Dresser replied, pushing back his chair and resting one arm confidentially on the table, "you must have been a great chump. You had a soft thing of it at Lindsay's—"
"I suppose Miss Laura has discussed it with you. I didn't like the set quite as well as you seem to."