million or so out of me if you should try."

"Thank you," said Ford. "I may take you at your word,"--and just then
Mr. Colbrith rose in his place, fingering his thin white beard rather
nervously, Ford thought, and rapping on the table for silence.

It was admitted on all hands that the president of the Pacific
Southwestern was a careful man and a thrifty. It was these qualities
which had first determined his election. There were many small
stock-holders in the company, and it is the foible of small
stock-holders to believe that rigid economy counts for more than
adventurous outreachings in the larger field.

"Gentlemen," he began, his high, raucous voice rasping the silence like
the filing of a saw, "this meeting is called, as you have probably been
informed, for the purpose of considering a plan for betterments
submitted by Mr. Stuart Ford, who is at the present time superintendent
of our Plug Mountain Division.

"In making this unusual innovation, and in introducing Mr. Ford, I
desire to say that I have been actuated by that motive of prudence
which, while it stands firmly upon its own feet, is willing to consider
suggestions from without, even when these suggestions appear to be
totally at variance with a policy of careful and judicious financiering.

"In presenting Mr. Ford as the son of an old friend, long since gone to
his reward, I wish it distinctly understood that I am in no sense
committed to his plan. The policy of this company under the present
administration has been uniformly cautious and prudent: Mr. Ford would
throw caution and prudence to the winds. Our best efforts have been