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〃I'm　afraid　the　papers　cannot　be　generally　relied　on；〃　replied　Cowperwood；　quite　blandly。　　〃Would　you　mind　telling　me　what　makes　you　interested　to　know　whether　I　am　or　not？〃

〃Well；　to　tell　the　truth；〃　replied　Schryhart；　staring　at　the　financier；　〃I　am　interested　in　this　local　gas　situation　myself。　　It　offers　a　rather　profitable　field　for　investment；　and　several　members　of　the　old　companies　have　come　to　me　recently　to　ask　me　to　help　them　combine。〃　（This　was　not　true　at　all。）　〃I　have　been　wondering　what　chance　you　thought　you　had　of　winning　along　the　lines　you　are　now　taking。〃

Cowperwood　smiled。　　〃I　hardly　care　to　discuss　that；〃　he　said；　〃unless　I　know　much　more　of　your　motives　and　connections　than　I　do　at　present。　　Do　I　understand　that　you　have　really　been　appealed　to　by　stockholders　of　the　old　companies　to　come　in　and　help　adjust　this　matter？〃

〃Exactly；〃　said　Schryhart。

〃And　you　think　you　can　get　them　to　combine？　On　what　basis？〃

〃Oh；　I　should　say　it　would　be　a　simple　matter　to　give　each　of　them　two　or　three　shares　of　a　new　company　for　one　in　each　of　the　old。　　We　could　then　elect　one　set　of　officers。　　have　one　set　of　offices；　stop　all　these　suits；　and　leave　everybody　happy。〃

He　said　this　in　an　easy；　patronizing　way；　as　though　Cowperwood　had　not　really　thought　it　all　out　years　before。　　It　amazed　the　latter　no　little　to　see　his　own　scheme　patronizingly　brought　back　to　him；　and　that；　too；　by　a　very　powerful　man　locallyone　who　thus　far　had　chosen　to　overlook　him　utterly。

〃On　what　basis；〃　asked　Cowperwood；　cautiously；　〃would　you　expect　these　new　companies　to　come　in？〃

〃On　the　same　basis　as　the　others；　if　they　are　not　too　heavily　capitalized。　　I　haven't　thought　out　all　the　details。　　Two　or　three　for　one；　according　to　investment。　　Of　course；　the　prejudices　of　these　old　companies　have　to　be　considered。〃

Cowperwood　meditated。　　Should　or　should　he　not　entertain　this　offer？　Here　was　a　chance　to　realize　quickly　by　selling　out　to　the　old　companies。　　Only　Schryhart；　not　himself；　would　be　taking　the　big　end　in　this　manipulative　deal。　　Whereas　if　he　waitedeven　if　Schryhart　managed　to　combine　the　three　old　companies　into　onehe　might　be　able　to　force　better　terms。　　He　was　not　sure。　　Finally　he　asked；　〃How　much　stock　of　the　new　company　would　be　left　in　your　handsor　in　the　hands　of　the　organizing　groupafter　each　of　the　old　and　new　companies　had　been　provided　for　on　this　basis？〃

〃Oh；　possibly　thirty…five　or　forty　per　cent。　of　the　whole；〃　replied　Schryhart；　ingratiatingly。　　〃The　laborer　is　worthy　of　his　hire。〃

〃Quite　so；〃　replied　Cowperwood；　smiling；　〃but；　seeing　that　I　am　the　man　who　has　been　cutting　the　pole　to　knock　this　persimmon　it　seems　to　me　that　a　pretty　good　share　of　that　should　come　to　me；　don't　you　think　so？〃

〃Just　what　do　you　mean？〃

〃Just　what　I　have　said。　　I　personally　have　organized　the　new　companies　which　have　made　this　proposed　combination　possible。　　The　plan　you　propose　is　nothing　more　than　what　I　have　been　proposing　for　some　time。　　The　officers　and　directors　of　the　old　companies　are　angry　at　me　merely　because　I　am　supposed　to　have　invaded　the　fields　that　belong　to　them。　　Now；　if　on　account　of　that　they　are　willing　to　operate　through　you　rather　than　through　me；　it　seems　to　me　that　I　should　have　a　much　larger　share　in　the　surplus。　　My　personal　interest　in　these　new　companies　is　not　very　large。　　I　am　really　more　of　a　fiscal　agent　than　anything　else。〃　（This　was　not　true；　but　Cowperwood　preferred　to　have　his　guest　think　so。）

Schryhart　smiled。　　〃But；　my　dear　sir；〃　he　explained；　〃you　forget　that　I　will　be　supplying　nearly　all　the　capital　to　do　this。〃

〃You　forget；〃　retorted　Cowperwood；　〃that　I　am　not　a　novice。　　I　will　guarantee　to　supply　all　the　capital　myself；　and　give　you　a　good　bonus　for　your　services；　if　you　want　that。　　The　plants　and　franchises　of　the　old　and　new　companies　are　worth　something。　　You　must　remember　that　Chicago　is　growing。〃

〃I　know　that；〃　replied　Schryhart；　evasively；　〃but　I　also　know　that　you　have　a　long；　expensive　fight　ahead　of　you。　　As　things　are　now　you　cannot；　of　yourself；　expect　to　bring　these　old　companies　to　terms。　　They　won't　work　with　you；　as　I　understand　it。　　It　will　require　an　outsider　like　myselfsome　one　of　influence；　or　perhaps；　I　had　better　say；　of　old　standing　in　Chicago；　some　one　who　knows　these　peopleto　bring　about　this　combination。　　Have　you　any　one；　do　you　think；　who　can　do　it　better　than　I？〃

〃It　is　not　at　all　impossible　that　I　will　find　some　one；〃　replied　Cowperwood；　quite　easily。

〃I　hardly　think　so；　certainly　not　as　things　are　now。　　The　old　companies　are　not　disposed　to　work　through　you；　and　they　are　through　me。　　Don't　you　think　you　had　better　accept　my　terms　and　allow　me　to　go　ahead　and　close　this　matter　up？〃

〃Not　at　all　on　that　basis；〃　replied　Cowperwood；　quite　simply。　　〃We　have　invaded　the　enemies'　country　too　far　and　done　too　much。　　Three　for　one　or　four　for　onewhatever　terms　are　given　the　stockholders　of　the　old　companiesis　the　best　I　will　do　about　the　new　shares；　and　I　must　have　one…half　of　whatever　is　left　for　myself。　　At　that　I　will　have　to　divide　with　others。〃　（This　was　not　true　either。）

〃No；〃　replied　Schryhart；　evasively　and　opposingly；　shaking　his　square　head。　　〃It　can't　be　done。　　The　risks　are　too　great。　　I　might　allow　you　one…fourth；　possiblyI　can't　tell　yet。〃

〃One…half　or　nothing；〃　said　Cowperwood；　definitely。

Schryhart　got　up。　　〃That's　the　best　you　will　do；　is　it？〃　he　inquired。

〃The　very　best。〃

〃I'm　afraid　then；〃　he　said；　〃we　can't　come　to　terms。　　I'm　sorry。　　You　may　find　this　a　rather　long　and　expensive　fight。〃

〃I　have　fully　anticipated　that；〃　replied　the　financier。




Chapter　XII



A　New　Retainer

Cowperwood；　who　had　rebuffed　Schryhart　so　courteously　but　firmly；　was　to　learn　that　he　who　takes　the　sword　may　well　perish　by　the　sword。　　His　own　watchful　attorney；　on　guard　at　the　state　capitol；　where　certificates　of　incorporation　were　issued　in　the　city　and　village　councils；　in　the　courts　and　so　forth；　was　not　long　in　learning　that　a　counter…movement　of　significance　was　under　way。　　Old　General　Van　Sickle　was　the　first　to　report　that　something　was　in　the　wind　in　connection　with　the　North　Side　company。　　He　came　in　late　one　afternoon；　his　dusty　greatcoat　thrown　loosely　about　his　shoulders；　his　small；　soft　hat　low　over　his　shaggy　eyes；　and　in　response　to　Cowperwood's　〃Evening；　General；　what　can　I　do　for　you？〃　seated　himself　portentously。

〃I　think　you'll　have　to　prepare　for　real　rough　weather　in　the　future；　Captain；〃　he　remarked；　addressing　the　financier　with　a　courtesy　title　that　he　had　fallen　in　the　habit　of　using。

〃What's　the　trouble　now？〃　asked　Cowperwood。

〃No　real　trouble　as　yet；　but　there　may　be。　　Some　oneI　don't　know　whois　getting　these　three　old　companies　together　in　one。　　There's　a　certificate　of　incorporation　been　applied　for　at　Springfield　for　the　United　Gas　and　Fuel　Company　of　Chicago；　and　there　are　some　directors'　meetings　now　going　on　at　the　Douglas　Trust　Company。　　I　got　this　from　Duniway；　who　seems　to　have　friends　somewhere　that　know。〃

Cowperwood　put　the　ends　of　his　fingers　together　in　his　customary　way　and　began　to　tap　them　lightly　and　rhythmically。

〃Let　me　seethe　Douglas　Trust　Company。　　Mr。　Simms　is　president　of　that。　　He　isn't　shrewd　enough　to　organize　a　thing　of　that　kind。　Who　are　the　incorporators？〃

The　General　produced　a　list　of　four　names；　none　of　them　officers　or　directors　of　the　old　companies。

〃Dummies；　every　one；〃　said　Cowperwood；　succinctly。　　〃I　think　I　know；〃　he　said；　after　a　few　moments'　reflection；　〃who　is　behind　it；　General；　but　don't　let　that　worry　you。　　They　can't　harm　us　if　they　do　unite。　　They're　bound　to　sell　out　to　us　or　buy　us　out　eventually。〃

Still　it　irritated　him　to　think　that　Schryhart　had　succeeded　in　persuading　the　old　companies　to　combine　on　any　basis；　he　had　meant　to　have　Addison　go　shortly；　posing　as　an　outside　party；　and　propose　this　very　thing。　　Schryhart；　he　was　sure；　had　acted　swiftly　following　their　interview。　　He　hurried　to　Addison's　office　in　the　Lake　National。

〃Have　you　heard　the　news？〃　exclaimed　that　individual；　the　moment　Cowperwood　appeared。　　〃They're　planning　to　combine。　　It's　Schryhart。　I　was　afraid　of　that。　　Simms　of　the　Douglas　Trust　is　going　to　act　as　the　fiscal　agent。　　I　had　the　information　not　ten　minutes　ago。〃

〃So　did　I；〃　replied　Cowperwood；　calmly。　　〃We　should　have　acted　a　little　sooner。　　Still；　it　isn't　our　fault　exactly。　　Do　you　know　the　terms　of　agreement？〃

〃They're　going　to　pool　their　stock　on　a　basis　of　three　to　one；　with　about　thirty　per　cent。　of　the　holding　company　left　for　Schryhart　to　sell　or　keep；　as　he　wants　to。　　He　guarantees　the　interest。　　We　did　that　for　himdrove　the　game　right　into　his　bag。〃

〃Nevertheless；〃　replied　Cowperwood；　〃he　still　has　us　to　deal　with。　I　propose　now　that　we　go　into　the　city　council　and　ask　for　a　blanket　franchise。　　It　can　be　had。　　If　we　should　get　it；　it　will　bring　them　to　their　knees。　　We　will　really　be　in　a　better　position　than　they　are　with　these　smaller　companies　as　feeders。　　We　can　unite　with　ourselves。〃

〃That　will　take　considerable　money；　won't　it？〃

〃Not　so　much。　　We　may　never　need　to　lay　a　pipe　or　build　a　plant。　　They　will　offer　to　sell　out；　buy；　or　combine　before　t