Half an hour later Gamble set Montague down, at General Prentice's door, and he bade them farewell and went in.
The General was coming down the stairs. “Hello, Allan,” he said. “Where have you been?”
“Seeing the place a little,” said Montague.
“Come into the drawing-room,” said the General. “There's a man in there you ought to know.
“One of the brainiest newspaper men in Wall Street,” he added, as he went across the hall,—“the financial man of the Express.”
Montague entered the room and was introduced to a powerfully built and rather handsome young fellow, who had not so long ago been centre-rush upon a famous football team. “Well, Bates,” said the General, “what are you after now?”
“I'm trying to get the inside story of the failure of Grant and Ward,” said Bates. “I supposed you'd know about it, if anyone did.”
“I know about it,” said the General, “but the circumstances are such that I'm not free to tell—at least, not for publication. I'll tell you privately, if you want to know.”
“No,” said Bates, “I'd rather you didn't do that; I can find it out somehow.”
“Did you come all the way to Newport to see me?” asked the General.