Page:Barr--Stranleighs millions.djvu/326

314 Mackeller slowly, reluctantly seated himself.

"Now, you will not need this money for about four days, you think. Kindly find out for me the exact moment at which the twenty-six thousand pounds may be paid to release that worthless stock. Very well. Now, who is the general manager of the Great Southern road?"

"John W. Preston."

"Have you met him?"

"Yes."

"What sort of an individual is he?"

"A taciturn, cast-iron, hard man, who will not budge an inch no matter what arguments are presented to him."

"Good. I'd like to meet Mr. Preston. Knows his own mind, eh?"

"Yes."

"Have you attempted to soften him?"

"Yes."

"Tried him with a compromise or two?"

"Yes. Of course, I was handicapped by the fact that Sir Phillip Sanderson has made a hobby of his road and doesn't wish to part with it."

"Not even when its rail ends connect with the empty air?"

"No. His new proposal is to run a tram-line from the rail ends into London, getting the co-operation of all the District Councils along the way."