Page:Barr--Stranleighs millions.djvu/75

Rh in an interesting bit of sword play, I am sure I'd be defeated. Tell me there is no danger of Wall Street being your opponent."

"If there is, will you refuse to join me?"

"Oh, I've already confessed I'm a fool. You don't need to ask a question like that."

"Well, in this case I expect to be confronted with a much more serious antagonist than Wall Street. My opponent is likely to be no other than P. G. Flannigan."

"The devil!"

"I think you're quite right."

"You mean the man who owns all the railways in the United States?"

"He controls a great number of them, and I rather fear he will control me before I am done with him."

Lord Stranleigh pushed back his chair, threw one leg over the other, lit a fresh cigarette, and said:

"Tell me all about it, Peter."

Mackeller had so patiently worked up to the point he desired to reach that he now seemed unaccountably reluctant to begin his narrative, and Stranleigh shrewdly surmised that the mining engineer doubted whether the scheme would appeal to his friend with that force which had so completely captured himself.

"I think perhaps it would be better," Mackeller hesitated, "for me to give a little lunch at the Ritz, and introduce you to the girl who has this business at her fingers'-ends. She would be able to answer