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affairs of the Hon. James Kenmore, business or otherwise, were always kept entirely distinct from his political life, and to dismiss him with merely the courtesy demanded by the unusually strong letters which had introduced him. But Robert Gorham did not belong to the expected type. There were no earmarks of the promoter about him, in spite of the fact that the enterprise of which he stood as the head and front was in reality the most gigantic piece of promotion engineering the world had seen. On the contrary, Gorham was the refined man of affairs, confident in himself and in the certainty of his strength. And as for dismissal, the Senator realized that his caller had already made himself the dominant power. "You wish me to subscribe for stock in this corporation to the extent of a hundred thousand dollars?" "I am empowered by our directors to offer you the opportunity to subscribe for that amount." The Senator passed over the obvious correction. "Why am I selected by your directors rather than others of my colleagues whose names I do not observe upon that list?" "Because we consider your position in the United States Senate to be one of increasing importance, and of value to the Companies," Gorham answered, frankly. "Why has the specific amount of my desired subscription been so carefully stipulated?" "Because your investment in the Consolidated Companies must be heavy enough in its relation to your personal fortune to make the success of the corporation a matter of real concern to you." "Are these amounts, then, uniform in size?" "Not at all. A hundred thousand dollars to you may be no more than five thousand to some other stockholder, and no less, on the other hand, than half a million to a third. In every case the amount of the subscription is carefully considered." "Your directors have made a preliminary estimate of my financial standing?" "Certainly." Kenmore smiled incredulously. "Would it be asking too much to inquire what the inventory, made by your experts, shows?" "One million two hundred thousand," Gorham responded, promptly. "Except for your unfortunate investment in the Arizona oil-wells a year ago, it might have been half a million more--a loss which your fortunate connection during the past three years as a special partner in the well-known banking-house of Gilroy and Company has more than made up." The Senator sprang excitedly to his feet. "By George! sir, by what power
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