“Of course!” said the Major. “My dear fellow, why don't you come to me before you do things like that? You should have gone to the Mississippi Steel people; and you should have gone quietly, and to the men at the top. For all you can tell, you may have a really big proposition that's been overlooked in the shuffle. What was that you said about the survey?”
And Montague told in detail the story of the aborted plan for an extension, and of his hunting trip, and what he had learned on it.
“Of course,” said the Major, “you are in the heart of the thing right now. The Steel people balked your plan.”
“How do you mean?” asked the other.
“They bought up the survey. And they've probably controlled your railroad ever since, and kept it down.”
“But that's impossible! They've had nothing to do with it.”
“Bah!” said the Major. “How could you know?”
“I know the president,” said Montague. “He's an old friend of the family's.”
“Yes,” was the reply. “But suppose they have a mortgage on his business?”
“But why not buy the road and be done with it?” added Montague, in perplexity.