the titan-第24章

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y　have　to　deal　with　in　him。　　He　ought　to　be　driven　out　of　here。　　Look　at　his　Philadelphia　record。　　They　sent　him　to　the　penitentiary　down　there；　and　they　ought　to　do　it　here。〃

Mr。　Baker；　very　recently　the　guest　of　Schryhart；　and　his　henchman；　too；　was　also　properly　chagrined。　　〃The　man　is　a　charlatan；〃　he　protested　to　Blackman。　　〃He　doesn't　play　fair。　　It　is　plain　that　he　doesn't　belong　in　respectable　society。〃

Nevertheless；　and　in　spite　of　this；　the　ordinance　was　passed。　　It　was　a　bitter　lesson　for　Mr。　Norman　Schryhart；　Mr。　Norrie　Simms；　and　all　those　who　had　unfortunately　become　involved。　　A　committee　composed　of　all　three　of　the　old　companies　visited　the　mayor；　but　the　latter；　a　tool　of　McKenty；　giving　his　future　into　the　hands　of　the　enemy；　signed　it　just　the　same。　　Cowperwood　had　his　franchise；　and；　groan　as　they　might；　it　was　now　necessary；　in　the　language　of　a　later　day；　〃to　step　up　and　see　the　captain。〃　Only　Schryhart　felt　personally　that　his　score　with　Cowperwood　was　not　settled。　　He　would　meet　him　on　some　other　ground　later。　　The　next　time　he　would　try　to　fight　fire　with　fire。　　But　for　the　present；　shrewd　man　that　he　was；　he　was　prepared　to　compromise。

Thereafter；　dissembling　his　chagrin　as　best　he　could；　he　kept　on　the　lookout　for　Cowperwood　at　both　of　the　clubs　of　which　he　was　a　member；　but　Cowperwood　had　avoided　them　during　this　period　of　excitement；　and　Mahomet　wouid　have　to　go　to　the　mountain。　　So　one　drowsy　June　afternoon　Mr。　Schryhart　called　at　Cowperwood's　office。　He　had　on　a　bright；　new；　steel…gray　suit　and　a　straw　hat。　　From　his　pocket；　according　to　the　fashion　of　the　time；　protruded　a　neat；　blue…bordered　silk　handkerchief；　and　his　feet　were　immaculate　in　new；　shining　Oxford　ties。

〃I'm　sailing　for　Europe　in　a　few　days；　Mr。　Cowperwood；〃　he　remarked；　genially；　〃and　I　thought　I'd　drop　round　to　see　if　you　and　I　could　reach　some　agreement　in　regard　to　this　gas　situation。　　The　officers　of　the　old　companies　naturally　feel　that　they　do　not　care　to　have　a　rival　in　the　field；　and　I'm　sure　that　you　are　not　interested　in　carrying　on　a　useless　rate　war　that　won't　leave　anybody　any　profit。　I　recall　that　you　were　willing　to　compromise　on　a　half…and…half　basis　with　me　before；　and　I　was　wondering　whether　you　were　still　of　that　mind。〃

〃Sit　down；　sit　down；　Mr。　Schryhart；〃　remarked　Cowperwood；　cheerfully；　waving　the　new…comer　to　a　chair。　　〃I'm　pleased　to　see　you　again。　　No；　I'm　no　more　anxious　for　a　rate　war　than　you　are。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　I　hope　to　avoid　it；　but；　as　you　see；　things　have　changed　somewhat　since　I　saw　you。　　The　gentlemen　who　have　organized　and　invested　their　money　in　this　new　city　gas　company　are　perfectly　willingrather　anxious；　in　factto　go　on　and　establish　a　legitimate　business。　　They　feel　all　the　confidence　in　the　world　that　they　can　do　this；　and　I　agree　with　them。　　A　compromise　might　be　effected　between　the　old　and　the　new　companies；　but　not　on　the　basis　on　which　I　was　willing　to　settle　some　time　ago。　　A　new　company　has　been　organized　since　then；　stock　issued；　and　a　great　deal　of　money　expended。〃　（This　was　not　true。）　〃That　stock　will　have　to　figure　in　any　new　agreement。　　I　think　a　general　union　of　all　the　companies　is　desirable；　but　it　will　have　to　be　on　a　basis　of　one；　two；　three；　or　four　shareswhatever　is　decidedat　par　for　all　stock　involved。〃

Mr。　Schryhart　pulled　a　long　face。　　〃Don't　you　think　that's　rather　steep？〃　he　said；　solemnly。

〃Not　at　all；　not　at　all！〃　replied　Cowperwood。　　〃You　know　these　new　expenditures　were　not　undertaken　voluntarily。〃　（The　irony　of　this　did　not　escape　Mr。　Schryhart；　but　he　said　nothing。）

〃I　admit　all　that；　but　don't　you　think；　since　your　shares　are　worth　practically　nothing　at　present；　that　you　ought　to　be　satisfied　if　they　were　accepted　at　par？〃

〃I　can't　see　why；〃　replied　Cowperwood。　　〃Our　future　prospects　are　splendid。　　There　must　be　an　even　adjustment　here　or　nothing。　　What　I　want　to　know　is　how　much　treasury　stock　you　would　expect　to　have　in　the　safe　for　the　promotion　of　this　new　organization　after　all　the　old　stockholders　have　been　satisfied？〃

〃Well；　as　I　thought　before；　from　thirty　to　forty　per　cent。　of　the　total　issue；〃　replied　Schryhart；　still　hopeful　of　a　profitable　adjustment。　　〃I　should　think　it　could　be　worked　on　that　basis。〃

〃And　who　gets　that？〃

〃Why；　the　organizer；〃　said　Schryhart；　evasively。　　〃Yourself；　perhaps；　and　myself。〃

〃And　how　would　you　divide　it？　Half　and　half；　as　before？〃

〃I　should　think　that　would　be　fair。〃

〃It　isn't　enough；〃　returned　Cowperwood；　incisively。　　〃Since　I　talked　to　you　last　I　have　been　compelled　to　shoulder　obligations　and　make　agreements　which　I　did　not　anticipate　then。　　The　best　I　can　do　now　is　to　accept　three…fourths。〃

Schryhart　straightened　up　determinedly　and　offensively。　　This　was　outrageous；　he　thought；　impossible！　The　effrontery　of　it！

〃It　can　never　be　done；　Mr。　Cowperwood；〃　he　replied；　forcefully。　　〃You　are　trying　to　unload　too　much　worthless　stock　on　the　company　as　it　is。　　The　old　companies'　stock　is　selling　right　now；　as　you　know；　for　from　one…fifty　to　two…ten。　　Your　stock　is　worth　nothing。　If　you　are　to　be　given　two　or　three　for　one　for　that；　and　three…fourths　of　the　remainder　in　the　treasury；　I　for　one　want　nothing　to　do　with　the　deal。　　You　would　be　in　control　of　the　company；　and　it　will　be　water…logged；　at　that。　　Talk　about　getting　something　for　nothing！　The　best　I　would　suggest　to　the　stockholders　of　the　old　companies　would　be　half　and　half。　　And　I　may　say　to　you　frankly；　although　you　may　not　believe　it；　that　the　old　companies　will　not　join　in　with　you　in　any　scheme　that　gives　you　control。　　They　are　too　much　incensed。　　Feeling　is　running　too　high。　　It　will　mean　a　long；　expensive　fight；　and　they　will　never　compromise。　　Now；　if　you　have　anything　really　reasonable　to　offer　I　would　be　glad　to　hear　it。　　Otherwise　I　am　afraid　these　negotiations　are　not　going　to　come　to　anything。〃

〃Share　and　share　alike；　and　three…fourths　of　the　remainder；〃　repeated　Cowperwood；　grimly。　　〃I　do　not　want　to　control。　　If　they　want　to　raise　the　money　and　buy　me　out　on　that　basis　I　am　willing　to　sell。　　I　want　a　decent　return　for　investments　I　have　made；　and　I　am　going　to　have　it。　　I　cannot　speak　for　the　others　behind　me；　but　as　long　as　they　deal　through　me　that　is　what　they　will　expect。〃

Mr。　Schryhart　went　angrily　away。　　He　was　exceedingly　wroth。　　This　proposition　as　Cowperwood　now　outlined　it　was　bucaneering　at　its　best。　　He　proposed　for　himself　to　withdraw　from　the　old　companies　if　necessary；　to　close　out　his　holdings　and　let　the　old　companies　deal　with　Cowperwood　as　best　they　could。　　So　long　as　he　had　anything　to　do　with　it；　Cowperwood　should　never　gain　control　of　the　gas　situation。　　Better　to　take　him　at　his　suggestion；　raise　the　money　and　buy　him　out；　even　at　an　exorbitant　figure。　　Then　the　old　gas　companies　could　go　along　and　do　business　in　their　old…fashioned　way　without　being　disturbed。　　This　bucaneer！　This　upstart！　What　a　shrewd；　quick；　forceful　move　he　had　made！　It　irritated　Mr。　Schryhart　greatly。

The　end　of　all　this　was　a　compromise　in　which　Cowperwood　accepted　one…half　of　the　surplus　stock　of　the　new　general　issue；　and　two　for　one　of　every　share　of　stock　for　which　his　new　companies　had　been　organized；　at　the　same　time　selling　out　to　the　old　companies　clearing　out　completely。　　It　was　a　most　profitable　deal；　and　he　was　enabled　to　provide　handsomely　not　only　for　Mr。　McKenty　and　Addison；　but　for　all　the　others　connected　with　him。　　It　was　a　splendid　coup；　as　McKenty　and　Addison　assured　him。　　Having　now　done　so　much；　he　began　to　turn　his　eyes　elsewhere　for　other　fields　to　conquer。

But　this　victory　in　one　direction　brought　with　it　corresponding　reverses　in　another：　the　social　future　of　Cowperwood　and　Aileen　was　now　in　great　jeopardy。　　Schryhart；　who　was　a　force　socially；　having　met　with　defeat　at　the　hands　of　Cowperwood；　was　now　bitterly　opposed　to　him。　　Norrie　Simms　naturally　sided　with　his　old　associates。　But　the　worst　blow　came　through　Mrs。　Anson　Merrill。　　Shortly　after　the　housewarming；　and　when　the　gas　argument　and　the　conspiracy　charges　were　rising　to　their　heights；　she　had　been　to　New　York　and　had　there　chanced　to　encounter　an　old　acquaintance　of　hers；　Mrs。　Martyn　Walker；　of　Philadelph