Page:Barbour--Peggy in the rain.djvu/86

 two. They're after us now, the Government. We've been rebating and juggling cars and all the rest of the damned programme. Oh, they all do it—until they get found out. And even if we get punished we'll go on doing it—in another way. Squeeze the public, jump on the small shipper, doctor the rates—and fill the pockets of the share-holders!"

"What's it for? Can't you make enough without it?"

"Yes, or I believe we can. But you can't convince the directors. They don't want to be convinced, hang 'em! They'd rather get a dollar by some underhand 'business' methods than get two dollars by being plain honest. It's a good road, too. I'm fond of it. My dad made it; bought here and there, built connections, fought the Mardens for four years and won, and finally created the finest railroad system in the world. And now it's being run by a lot of—of vultures who don't give a continental cuss what becomes of the road as long as it fills their damned purses. I've a mind, Pete, to"

He paused and puffed savagely on his cigar.