Arneel or Merrill, though the fact that they were back of the pool
was well known. Somehow they were looked upon as benefactors who were
calling this conference with a view of saving others from disaster
rather than for the purpose of assisting themselves. Such phrases as,
"Oh, Mr. Hand! Marvelous man! Marvelous!" or, "Mr. Schryhart--very
able--very able indeed!" or, "You may depend on it these men are not
going to allow anything serious to overtake the affairs of the city at
this time," were heard on every hand. The fact that immense quantities
of cash or paper were involved in behalf of one or other of these four
was secretly admitted by one banker to another. No rumor that
Cowperwood or his friends had been profiting or were in any way
involved had come to any one present--not as yet.

At eight-thirty exactly Mr. Arneel first ambled in quite informally,
Hand, Schryhart, and Merrill appearing separately very shortly after.
Rubbing their hands and mopping their faces with their handkerchiefs,
they looked about them, making an attempt to appear as nonchalant and
cheerful as possible under such trying circumstances. There were many
old acquaintances and friends to greet, inquiries to be made as to the
health of wives and children. Mr. Arneel, clad in yellowish linen,
with a white silk shirt of lavender stripe, and carrying a palm-leaf
fan, seemed quite refreshed; his fine expanse of neck and bosom looked
most paternal, and even Abrahamesque. His round, glistening pate exuded
beads of moisture. Mr. Schryhart, on the contrary, for all the heat,
appeared quite hard and solid, as though he might be carved out of some
dark wood. Mr. Hand, much of Mr. Arneel's type, but more solid and
apparently more vigorous, had donned for the occasion a blue serge coat
with trousers of an almost gaudy, bright stripe. His ruddy, archaic
face was at once encouraging and serious, as though he were saying, "My
dear children, this is very trying, but we will do the best we can."
Mr. Merrill was as cool and ornate and lazy as it was possible for a
great merchant to be. To one person and another he extended a cool,
soft hand, nodding and smiling half the time in silence. To Mr. Arneel
as the foremost citizen and the one of largest wealth fell the duty (by
all agreed as most appropriate) of assuming the chair--which in this
case was an especially large one at the head of the table.

There was a slight stir as he finally, at the suggestion o