ad, bid against a corporation that can chuck
out millions to our thousands? Do you think you can bid against the P.
and S. W.?"

"The railroad don't need to know we are in the game against them till
we've got our men seated."

"And when you've got them seated, what's to prevent the corporation
buying them right over your head?"

"If we've got the right kind of men in they could not be bought that
way," interposed Harran. "I don't know but what there's something in
what Osterman says. We'd have the naming of the Commission and we'd name
honest men."

Annixter struck the table with his fist in exasperation.

"Honest men!" he shouted; "the kind of men you could get to go into such
a scheme would have to be DIS-honest to begin with."

Broderson, shifting uneasily in his place, fingering his beard with a
vague, uncertain gesture, spoke again:

"It would be the CHANCE of them--our Commissioners--selling out against
the certainty of Shelgrim doing us up. That is," he hastened to add,
"ALMOST a certainty; pretty near a certainty."

"Of course, it would be a chance," exclaimed Osterman. "But it's come
to the point where we've got to take chances, risk a big stake to make a
big strike, and risk is better than sure failure."

"I can be no party to a scheme of avowed bribery and corruption, Mr.
Osterman," declared Magnus, a ring of severity in his voice. "I am
surprised, sir, that you should even broach the subject in my hearing."

"And," cried Annixter, "it can't be done."

"I don't know," muttered Harran, "maybe it just wants a little spark
like this to fire the whole train."

Magnus glanced at his son in considerable surprise. He had not
expected this of Harran. But so great was his affection for his son, so
accustomed had he become to listening to his advice, to respecting his
opinions, that, for the moment, after the first shock of surprise and
disappointment, he was influenced to give a certain degree of attention
to this new proposition. He in no way countenanced it. At any moment he
was prepared to rise in his place and denounce it and Osterman both. It
was trickery of the most contemptible order, a thing he believed to be
unknown to the old school of politics and statesmanship to which he was
proud to belong; but since Harran, even for one moment, considered it,
he, Magnus, who trusted Harran implicitly, would do likewise--if it was
only to oppose and defeat it in its very beginnings.

And abruptly the disc