"I don't know that. All I know is what I have read in the papers,"
replied Addison, cautiously. As a matter of fact, he did not care
to talk about this business at all. Cowperwood was busy at this
very time, through an agent, attempting to effect a compromise and
union of all interests concerned. It was not going very well.

"Humph!" commented Schryhart. He was wondering why men like
himself, Merrill, Arneel, and others had not worked into this field
long ago or bought out the old companies. He went away interested,
and a day or two later--even the next morning--had formulated a
scheme. Not unlike Cowperwood, he was a shrewd, hard, cold man.
He believed in Chicago implicitly and in all that related to its
future. This gas situation, now that Cowperwood had seen the
point, was very clear to him. Even yet it might not be impossible
for a third party to step in and by intricate manipulation secure
the much coveted rewards. Perhaps Cowperwood himself could be
taken over--who could tell?

Mr. Schryhart, being a very dominating type of person, did not
believe in minor partnerships or investments. If he went into a
thing of this kind it was his preference to rule. He decided to
invite Cowperwood to visit the Schryhart office and talk matters
over. Accordingly, he had his secretary pen a note, which in
rather lofty phrases invited Cowperwood to call "on a matter of
importance."

Now just at this time, it so chanced, Cowperwood was feeling rather
secure as to his place in the Chicago financial world, although
he was still smarting from the bitterness of the aspersions recently
cast upon him from various quarters. Under such circumstances it