"Sorry you didn't like it, Dad. You heard nothing but plain facts."
"Plain slush! Just look at this railroad accident article broad-mindedly, Boyee. You own some Mid-and-Mud stock."
"Thanks to you, Dad."
"Paying eight per cent. How long will it go on paying that if the newspapers keep stirring up trouble for it? Anti-railroad sentiment is fostered by just such stuff as the 'Clarion' printed. What if the engineer was worked overtime? He got paid for it."
"And seven people got killed for it. I understand the legislature is going to ask why, mainly because of our story and editorial."
"There you are! Sicking a pack of demagogues onto the Mid-and-Mud. How can it make profits and pay your dividends if that kind of thing keeps up?"
"I don't know that I need dividends earned by slaughtering people," said Hal slowly.
"Maybe you don't need the dividends, but there's plenty of people that do, people that depend on 'em. Widows and orphans, too."
"Oh, that widow-and-orphan dummy!" cried Hal. "What would the poor, struggling railroads ever do without it to hide behind!"
"You talk like Ellis," reproved his father. "Boyee, I don't want you to get too much under his influence. He's an impractical will-o'-the-wisp chaser. Just like all the writing fellows."