ake it build me up."

"That's a pity."

"I don't know about that. The big ones are hard to handle, and I'm not
quite big enough for them yet. What do you say to the Crooked Valley?"

"Poor road, and wants connections."

"Those are exactly the points. I can buy it for a song, issue bonds, and
build the connections--issue plenty of bonds, and build plenty of
connections. Terminal facilities large--? do you understand? Eh, Toll?"

Mr. Talbot laughed.

"I don't think you need any suggestions from me," he said.

"No; the General can manage this thing without help. He only wanted to
open your eyes a little, and get you ready for your day's work. You
fellows who fiddle around with a few goods need waking up occasionally.
Now, Toll, go off and let the General get up. I must have a railroad
before night, or I shall not be able to sleep a wink. By-by!"

Talbot turned to leave the room, when Mr. Belcher arrested him with the
question:

"Toll, would you like an office in the Crooked Valley corporation?"

Talbot knew that the corporation would have a disgraceful history, and a
disastrous end--that it would be used by the General for the purposes of
stealing, and that the head of it would not be content to share the
plunder with others. He had no wish to be his principal's cat's-paw, or
to be identified with an enterprise in which, deprived of both will and
voice, he should get neither profit nor credit. So he said:

"No, I thank you; I have all I can do to take care of your goods, and I
am not ambitious."

"There'll be nothing for you to do, you know. I shall run the whole
thing."

"I can serve you better, General, where I am."

"Well, by-by; I won't urge you."

After Talbot left, Mr. Belcher rose and carefully dressed himself.
Phipps was already at the door with the carriage, and, half an hour
afterward, the great proprietor, full of his vain and knavish projects,
took his seat in it, and was whirled off down to Wall street. His
brokers had already been charged with his plans, and, before he reached
the ground, every office where the Crooked Valley stock was held had
been visited, and every considerable deposit of it ascertained, so that,
before night, by one grand swoop, the General had absorbed a controlling
interest in the corporation.

A few days afterward, the annual meeting was held, Mr. Belcher was
elected President, and every other office was filled by his creatures
and tools. His plans for the future of