latter, at that moment busily engaged in rummaging among a lot of
papers, seemed to have missed this significant allusion to the
road's expenses in the District of Columbia. Ryder continued:

In his experience such waves of reform were periodical and soon
wear themselves out, when things go on just as they did before.
Much of the agitation, doubtless, was a strike for graft. They
would have to go down in their pockets, he supposed, and then
these yellow newspapers and these yellow magazines that were
barking at their heels would let them go. But in regard to the
particular case now at issue--this Auburndale decision--there had
been no way of preventing it. Influence had been used, but to no
effect. The thing to do now was to prevent any such disasters in
future by removing the author of them.

The directors bent eagerly forward. Had Ryder really got some plan
up his sleeve after all? The faces around the table looked
brighter, and the directors cleared their throats and settled
themselves down in their chairs as audiences do in the theatre
when the drama is reaching its climax.

The board, continued Ryder with icy calmness, had perhaps heard,
and also seen in the newspapers, the stories regarding Judge
Rossmore and his alleged connection with the Great Northwestern
Company. Perhaps they had not believed these stories. It was only
natural. He had not believed them himself. But he had taken the
trouble to inquire into the matter very carefully, and he
regretted to say that the stories were true. In fact, they were no
longer denied by Judge Rossmore himself.