just how I
was to get around him was problematical. In the meantime there was the
public: to permit the other fellow to capture that was to be lacking in
ordinary prudence; if its votes counted for nothing, its savings were
desirable; and it was fast getting into a state of outrage against
monopoly. The chivalry of finance did not permit of a revelation that
Mr. Grannis and his buccaneers were behind the Automatic, but it was
possible to direct and strengthen the backfire which the Era and other
conservative newspapers had already begun. Mr. Tallant for delicate
reasons being persona non grata at the Boyne Club, despite the fact that
he had so many friends there, we met for lunch in a private room at the
new hotel, and as we sipped our coffee and smoked our cigars we planned
a series of editorials and articles that duly appeared. They made
a strong appeal to the loyalty of our citizens to stand by the home
company and home capital that had taken generous risks to give them
service at a time when the future of the telephone business was by no
means assured; they belittled the charges made by irresponsible and
interested "parties," and finally pointed out, not without effect, that
one logical consequence of having two telephone companies would be to
compel subscribers in self-defence to install two telephones instead of
one. And where was the saving in that?

"Say, Paret," said Judah B. when we had finished our labours; "if you
ever get sick of the law, I'll give you a job on the Era's staff. This
is fine, the way you put it. It'll do a lot of good, but how in hell are
you going to handle Judd?..."

For three days the inspiration was withheld. And then, as I was
strolling down Boyne Street after lunch gazing into the store windows it
came suddenly, without warning. Like most inspirations worth anything,
it was very simple. Within half an hour I had reached Monahan's saloon
and found Mr. Jason out of bed, but still in his bedroom, seated
meditatively at the window that looked over the alley.

"You know the crowd in New York behind this Automatic company as well
as I do, Jason," I said. "Why do you want to deal with them when we've
always been straight with you, when we're ready to meet them and go one
better? Name your price."

"Suppose I do--what then," he replied. "This thing's gone pretty
far. Under that damned new charter the franchise has got to be bid
for--hasn't it? And the people want this company. There'll be