Page:Barr--Stranleighs millions.djvu/337

Rh "Excuse me, Lord Stranleigh, I'm afraid I haven't quite understood. This telephone is crackling a good deal. It seems that you said you wanted a majority of the Great Southern Railway shares. Am I right?"

"Quite right."

"Have you any idea what that will cost you?"

"Not the slightest, Montague. What's the use of my having ideas when I'm compelled to pay you for thinking?"

"But, my dear Lord Stranleigh, it will run into millions. It will run into a good bit of money even if you buy on a margin only. Of course, that's what you intend to do? You don't wish me to buy the stock outright, I suppose?"

"Oh, yes. No margins for me. I don't understand margins, and they keep me awake at night with anxiety, so we'll make a clean job of this. Buy outright and pay cash down."

"Lord Stranleigh, permit me to say that, although the stock is lower than ever it has been since the beginning of the road, this will require an amount of money that will probably exceed your expectations. You would need to give the banks a reasonable amount of notice if you intend to withdraw from them so very considerable a sum, and I suppose you do not expect so large a transaction to be completed in a hurry?"