Page:Barbour--Peggy in the rain.djvu/238

 society or its artistic and literary ambition. I have many delightful friends and acquaintances in and about Chicago, and I usually enjoy my visits here. This time I am here only overnight; it's a business trip, you see. I've just completed an inspection of the Central and Western"

"Then you like Chicago?" interrupted the other in disappointed tones. "That's bad. I thought," he added reproachfully, "you were a New Yorker."

"I am. Mustn't I like Chicago?"

"Shouldn't be done." The reporter shook his head, scribbling on the pad. "Still, I don't know. It hits a rather original note, doesn't it? 'New York Millionaire Likes Chicago.' That's fairly startling. How does it feel to come into a hundred millions at twenty-one, Mr. Ames?"

"I never experienced it."

"Oh, well, I don't pretend to have the exact figures," replied the other carelessly. "A round hundred sounds well, though. By the way, did you reorganize your road yourself? The papers said so, but"

"The road was reorganized by the stockholders," said Gordon. "Now, I'll really have to ask