willing to have me retire.  In fact, I have made up my mind that you never intended that I should be president—­I have all along been suspicious about it.  But I can assure you that you have struck the wrong man; you cannot play with me in any such manner.  I have no idea whatever of retiring from the railroad and permitting you and Mr. Price to exploit it, and to deprive me of the value of my holdings—­”

Montague was going on, but the other interrupted him quickly.  “I recognise the justice of what you say there, Mr. Montague,” said he.  “So far as your own shares are concerned, you are entitled to be bought out.  I am sure that that is a fair basis—­”

“On the contrary,” said Montague, “it’s a basis the suggestion of which I take as an insult.  I have been the means of placing other people at your mercy.  My reputation and my promises were used for that purpose, and to whatever I am entitled, they are entitled equally.  There can be no possible settlement except the one which I have offered you.”

Ryder could think of nothing more to say.  He sat staring at the other.  And Montague, who had no desire to prolong the interview, arose abruptly.

“I do not expect you to decide this matter immediately,” he said.  “I presume that you will wish to consult with Mr. Price.  I have made known my terms to you, and I have nothing more to say.  Either you will accept the terms, or I shall drop everything else, and prepare to fight you at every step.  I expect to receive the stock by this evening’s mail, and I am obliged to ask you to favour me with a decision by to-morrow noon, so that we can close the matter up without delay.”

And with that he bowed formally and took his departure.

The next morning’s mail brought him a letter from William E. Davenant.  “My dear Mr. Montague,” it read.  “It is reported to me that you have thirty-five hundred shares of the stock of the Northern Mississippi Railroad which you desire to sell at fifty dollars a share.  If you will bring the stock to my office to-day, I shall be glad to purchase it.”

Having received the letters from the South, Montague went immediately.  Davenant was formal; but Montague could catch a humorous twinkle in his eye, which seemed to say, quite confidentially, that he appreciated the joke.

“That ends the matter,” he said, as he blotted the last of Montague’s signatures.  “And I trust you will permit me to say, Mr. Montague, that I consider you an exceedingly capable business man.”

“I appreciate the compliment,” replied Montague, drily.

CHAPTER XVI

Montague was now a gentleman of leisure, comparatively speaking.  He had two cases on his hands, but they did not occupy his time as had the prospect of running a railroad.  They were contingency cases, and as they were against large corporations, Montague saw a lean year ahead of him.  He smiled bitterly to himself as he realised that the only thing which had given him the courage to break with Price and Ryder had been the money which he and his brother Oliver had won by means of a Wall Street “tip.”