r failure to have the tracks into the cuttings
on time. I guess when we begin collecting judgments by levying on the
new road, there won't be much of it left. The Seaboard will come pretty
close to owning it."

"And you and I will be frozen out, eh?" said Scattergood.

McKettrick purred and smiled. "Exactly," he said. "Now, my advice to you
is not to fight the thing. You can't deny the blunder and you'll save
cost of litigation."

"What's your proposition?"

"Transfer your stock to the Seaboard."

"And lose a hunderd and two thousand?"

"It's not our fault if you make expensive mistakes."

"Course not," said Scattergood. "I admit I hain't much on litigation.
S'posin' you and me meets in Boston to-morrow with our lawyers, and sort
of figger this thing out."

"There's nothing to figure out--but I'll meet you to-morrow. You're
sensible to settle."

"Calc'late I be," said Scattergood.

That afternoon Johnnie Bones carried President Castle's 49 per cent of
the railroad's stock to the G. & B. offices, and gave them into the
hands of the railroad's chief executive.

"Mr. Baines will be here to-morrow. There will be a meeting at his hotel
at three o'clock. McKettrick will be there."

"I'll come," said President Castle.

The meeting was held in the shabby hotel which Scattergood patronized.
McKettrick was there with his attorney, Scattergood was there with
Johnnie Bones--and last came President Castle.

At his entrance McKettrick scowled and leaped to his feet.

"What do _you_ want here?" he demanded.

"Well," said Mr. Castle, with a smile which descended into great depths
of disagreeability, "I own forty-nine per cent of the stock in this
concern. I imagine I have a right to be here."

"What's that? What's that?" McKettrick glared at Scattergood, who sat
placidly removing his shoes.

"Calc'late I'll relieve my feet," he said.

"So I got you, too," McKettrick said to Castle. "I didn't figure on
_that_ luck."

"Got me? I'm interested."

McKettrick explained at length, and, as he explained, Castle glared at
him, and then at Scattergood, with increasing rage. As he saw it there
was a plot between Scattergood and McKettrick to get him--and he
appeared to have been gotten. He started to speak, but Scattergood
stopped him.

"Jest a minute, Mr. Castle," he said. "'Tain't time for you to cuss yet.
Maybe you won't git to do no reg'lar cussin' a-tall. You see, McKettrick
he up and made a little error himself.