McNally looked thoughtfully at the three men, then said quietly:--

"I am buying for C. & S.C. Jim Weeks is all right, but he can't hold out
against us."

"Well, I tell you, Mr. McNally, we can't sell."

"Why not?"

"Outside of the original terms--and they sew us up--we never could get it
through the Council."

McNally folded his hands on the table and looked at Blaney with twinkling
eyes.

"That's all rot, Blaney."

"No, it ain't. The boys are right with Weeks."

"See here, Blaney. You just stop and ask yourself what Weeks has done for
you. He's sunk a lot of your money and a lot of St. Johns's money, to say
nothing of Chicago, in a road that never has paid and never will pay. Why,
man, the stock would be at forty now if we hadn't pushed it up. I tell you
Jim Weeks is licked. The only way for you to get your money back is to
vote in men who can make it go. We've got the money, and we've got the
men. It will be a good thing for Tillman City, and a good thing"--he
paused, and looked meaningly at the three faces before him--"a mighty good
thing for you boys."