Page:The Millbank Case - 1905 - Eldridge.djvu/251

 *swer 'em in my own way. If you don't like it, you don't need to."

It required a terrible effort on Matthewson's part to prevent his openly resenting this insolence, and he was conscious of a distinctive loss of self-respect that he did not at once pitch the fellow out of the room.

"Let's get through with this thing and be done with it," he said. "How much will your silence cost me?"

"Twenty-five thousand dollars," answered Cranston.

Mr. Matthewson was startled at the figure.

"Why, man, you're crazy!" he exclaimed.

"I know it," said Cranston. "I ought to have a hundred, but I ain't going to be hard. I've set my price at twenty-five."

"And you'll take five," retorted Matthewson.

"I wouldn't take twenty-four thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine dollars and ninety-nine cents," answered Cranston. "I've fixed my price, and it's that or nothing."