offer. Five millions for your gas property. Will you
take it?"

"We'll see you in hell first!" cried his visitor exasperated.

"Very well," replied Ryder still unruffled, "all negotiations are
off. You leave me free to act. We have an offer to buy cheap the
old Germantown Gas Company which has charter rights to go into any
of the streets of Philadelphia. We shall purchase that company, we
will put ten millions new capital into it, and reduce the price of
gas in Philadelphia to sixty cents a thousand. Where will you be
then?"

The face of the Colossus as he uttered this stand and deliver
speech was calm and inscrutable. Conscious of the resistless power
of his untold millions, he felt no more compunction in mercilessly
crushing this business rival than he would in trampling out the
life of a worm. The little man facing him looked haggard and
distressed. He knew well that this was no idle threat. He was well
aware that Ryder and his associates by the sheer weight of the
enormous wealth they controlled could sell out or destroy any
industrial corporation in the land. It was plainly illegal, but it
was done every day, and his company was not the first victim nor
the last. Desperate, he appealed humbly to the tyrannical Money
Power:

"Don't drive us to the wall, Mr. Ryder. This forced sale will mean
disaster to us all. Put yourself in our place--think what it means
to scores of families whose only support is the income from their
investment in our company."

"Mr. Herts," replied Ryder unmoved, "I never allow sentiment to
interfere with business. You have heard my terms. I refuse to
argue the matter further. What is it to be? Five millions or
competition? Decide now or this interview must end!"

He took out his watch and with his other hand touched a bell.
Beads of perspiration stood on his visitor's forehead. In a voice
broken with suppressed emotion he said hoarsely:

"You're a hard, pitiless man, John Ryder! So be it--five millions.
I don't know what they'll say. I don't dare return to them."

"Those are my terms," said Ryder coldly. "The papers," he added,
"will be ready for your signature to-morrow at this time, and I'll
have a cheque ready for the entire amount. Good-day."

Mr. Bagley entered. Ryder bowed to Herts, who slowly retired. When
the door had closed on him Ryder went back to his desk, a smile of
triumph on his face. Then he turned to his secretary:

"Let Sergeant Ellison come up," he said.

The