reamer crisply.

"One share of common with each two shares of preferred."

"Eh! Well, I've twenty-five thousand dollars to put into this marsh
pulp business, if I can have any figure in the management. I want on
the board."

"It's quite likely you'll be on the board," returned Sam. "We shall
have a very small list of subscribers, and the board will not be
unwieldy if every investor is a director."

"Voting power in the common stock?"

"In the common stock," repeated Sam.

"Do you intend to buy any preferred?" asked Creamer.

"A hundred shares."

"How much common do you expect to take out for your patents?"

"Two hundred and fifty thousand," Sam answered without an instant's
hesitation.

"Never!" exclaimed Mr. Creamer. "The time for that's gone by, young
man, no matter how good your proposition is. It's too old a game. You
won't handle my money with control in your hands. I have no objection
to letting you have two hundred thousand dollars worth of common stock
out of the half million, because that will give you an incentive to
make the common worth par; but you shan't at any time have or be able
to acquire a share over two hundred and forty-nine thousand; not if I
know anything about it! Can you call a meeting as soon as we get
there?"

"I think so," replied Sam, with a more or less worried air. "I'll try
it. Tell you what I'll do. I'll run right on over to get Mr. Stevens,
who wants to join the company, and in the meantime Mr. Westlake or
Princeman can round up the others."

For the first time in that drive Miss Stevens had something to say, but
she said it with a briefness that was like a dash of cold water to the
preoccupied Sam.

"Father is over there now, I think," she said.

"Good," approved Mr. Creamer. "We can have a little direct business
talk and wind up the whole affair before lunch. What time do we arrive
at Meadow Brook?"

"Before eleven o'clock."

"That will give us two hours. Two hours is enough to form any company,
when everybody knows exactly what he wants to do. Got a lawyer over
there?"

"One of the best in the country."

Miss Stevens sat in the center seat of the tonneau. Sam, in addressing
his remarks to the others and in listening to their replies, was
compelled to sweep his glance squarely across her, and occasionally in
these sweeps he paused to let his gaze rest upon her. She was a relief
to his eyes, a blessing to them! Miss Stevens, however, seldom me