Montague smiled. "When you have disposed of yours," he said, "you
might refer your party to me. I know of some more that is for sale."

"I have no doubt," said the Colonel. "But I fancy it won't fetch
much now. I don't remember receiving any dividends."

There was a pause. "It is a curious coincidence," said the other.
"I, too, have been thinking about the railroad. My friend, Mrs.
Taylor, has just come up from New Orleans. She used to be Lucy
Dupree."

The Colonel strove to recall. "Dupree?" he said.

"Judge Dupree's daughter," said Montague. "His brother, John Dupree,
was the first president of the road."

"Oh, yes," said the Colonel. "Of course, of course! I remember the
Judge now. Your father told me he had taken quite a lot of the
stock."

"Yes, he was the prime mover in the enterprise."

"And who was that other gentleman?" said the Colonel, racking his
brains. "The one who used to be so much in his house, and was so
much interested in him--"

"You mean Mr. Lee Gordon?" said Montague.

"Yes, I think that was the name," the other replied.