a far country-第35章
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declared at Tom's one Sunday evening； 〃there was nothing the matter with
the Ribblevale Steel Companyit was as right as rain before Leonard
Dickinson and Grierson and Scherer and that crowd you train with began to
talk it down at the Club。 Oh； they're very compassionate。 I've heard
'em。 Dickinson； privately； doesn't think much of Ribblevale paper； and
Pugh〃 （the president of the Ribblevale） 〃seems worried and looks badly。
It's all very clever； but I'd hate to tell you in plain words what I'd
call it。〃
〃Go ahead；〃 I challenged him audaciously。 〃You haven't any proof that
the Ribblevale wasn't in trouble。〃
〃I heard Mr。 Pugh tell my father the other day it was a dd outrage。 He
couldn't catch up with these rumours； and some of his stockholders were
liquidating。〃
〃You； don't suppose Pugh would want to admit his situation； do you？〃 I
asked。
〃Pugh's a straight man；〃 retorted Perry。 〃That's more than I can say for
any of the other gang； saving your presence。 The unpleasant truth is
that Scherer and the Boyne people want the Ribblevale； and you ought to
know it if you don't。〃 He looked at me very hard through the glasses he
had lately taken to wearing。 Tom； who was lounging by the fire； shifted
his position uneasily。 I smiled； and took another cigar。
〃I believe Ralph is right； Perry； when he calls you a sentimentalist。
For you there's a tragedy behind every ordinary business transaction。
The Ribblevale people are having a hard time to keep their heads above
water； and immediately you smell conspiracy。 Dickinson and Scherer have
been talking it down。 How about it； Tom？〃
But Tom； in these debates； was inclined to be noncommittal； although it
was clear they troubled him。
〃Oh； don't ask me； Hughie；〃 he said。
〃I suppose I ought to cultivate the scientific point of view； and look
with impartial interest at this industrial cannibalism；〃 returned Perry；
sarcastically。 〃Eat or be eaten that's what enlightened self…interest
has come to。 After all； Ralph would say； it is nature； the insect world
over again； the victim duped and crippled before he is devoured； and the
lawyerhow shall I put it？facilitating the processes of swallowing and
digesting。。。。〃
There was no use arguing with Perry when he was in this vein。。。。
Since I am not writing a technical treatise； I need not go into the
details of the Ribblevale suit。 Since it to say that the affair； after a
while； came apparently to a deadlock； owing to the impossibility of
getting certain definite information from the Ribblevale books； which had
been taken out of the state。 The treasurer； for reasons of his own；
remained out of the state also； the ordinary course of summoning him
before a magistrate in another state had naturally been resorted to； but
the desired evidence was not forthcoming。
〃The trouble is；〃 Mr。 Wading explained to Mr。 Scherer； 〃that there is no
law in the various states with a sufficient penalty attached that will
compel the witness to divulge facts he wishes to conceal。〃
It was the middle of a February afternoon； and they were seated in deep；
leather chairs in one corner of the reading room of the Boyne Club。 They
had the place to themselves。 Fowndes was there also； one leg twisted
around the other in familiar fashion； a bored look on his long and sallow
face。 Mr。 Wading had telephoned to the office for me to bring them some
papers bearing on the case。
〃Sit down； Hugh；〃 he said kindly。
〃Now we have present a genuine legal mind；〃 said Mr。 Scherer； in the
playful manner he had adopted of late； while I grinned appreciatively and
took a chair。 Mr。 Watling presently suggested kidnapping the Ribblevale
treasurer until he should promise to produce the books as the only way
out of what seemed an impasse。 But Mr。 Scherer brought down a huge fist
on his knee。
〃I tell you it is no joke； Watling； we've got to win that suit；〃 he
asserted。
〃That's all very well；〃 replied Mr。 Watling。 〃But we're a respectable
firm； you know。 We haven't had to resort to safe…blowing； as yet。〃
Mr。 Scherer shrugged his shoulders； as much as to say it were a matter of
indifference to him what methods were resorted to。 Mr。 Watling's eyes
met mine； his glance was amused； yet I thought I read in it a query as to
the advisability； in my presence； of going too deeply into the question
of ways and means。 I may have been wrong。 At any rate； its sudden
effect was to embolden me to give voice to an idea that had begun to
simmer in my mind； that excited me； and yet I had feared to utter it。
This look of my chief's； and the lighter tone the conversation had taken
decided me。
〃Why wouldn't it be possible to draw up a bill to fit the situation？〃 I
inquired。
Mr。 Wading started。
〃What do you mean？〃 he asked quickly。
All three looked at me。 I felt the blood come into my face； but it was
too late to draw back。
〃Wellthe legislature is in session。 And since； as Mr。 Watling says；
there is no sufficient penalty in other states to compel the witness to
produce the information desired； why not draw up a bill andand have it
passed〃 I paused for breath〃imposing a sufficient penalty on home
corporations in the event of such evasions。 The Ribblevale Steel Company
is a home corporation。〃
I had shot my bolt。。。。 There followed what was for me an anxious
silence； while the three of them continued to stare at me。 Mr。 Watling
put the tips of his fingers together； and I became aware that he was not
offended； that he was thinking rapidly。
〃By George； why not； Fowndes？〃 he demanded。
〃Well；〃 said Fowndes； 〃there's an element of risk in such a proceeding I
need not dwell upon。〃
〃Risk！〃 cried the senior partner vigorously。 〃There's risk in
everything。 They'll howl； of course。 But they howl anyway； and nobody
ever listens to them。 They'll say it's special legislation； and the
Pilot will print sensational editorials for a few days。 But what of it？
All of that has happened before。 I tell you； if we can't see those
books； we'll lose the suit。 That's in black and white。 And； as a matter
of justice； we're entitled to know what we want to know。〃
〃There might be two opinions as to that；〃 observed Fowndes； with his
sardonic smile。
Mr。 Watling paid no attention to this remark。 He was already deep in
thought。 It was characteristic of his mind to leap forward； seize a
suggestion that often appeared chimerical to a man like Fowndes and turn
it into an accomplished Fact。 〃I believe you've hit it； Hugh；〃 he said。
〃We needn't bother about the powers of the courts in other states。 We'll
put into this bill an appeal to our court for an order on the clerk to
compel the witness to come before the court and testify； and we'll
provide for a special commissioner to take depositions in the state where
the witness is。 If the officers of a home corporation who are outside of
the state refuse to testify； the penalty will be that the ration goes
into the hands of a receiver。〃
Fowndes whistled。
〃That's going some！〃 he said。
〃Well； we've got to go some。 How about it； Scherer？〃
Even Mr。 Scherer's brown eyes were snapping。
〃We have got to win that suit； Watling。〃
We were all excited； even Fowndes； I think； though he remained
expressionless。 Ours was the tense excitement of primitive man in chase：
the quarry which had threatened to elude us was again in view； and not
unlikely to fall into our hands。 Add to this feeling； on my part； the
thrill that it was I who had put them on the scent。 I had all the
sensations of an aspiring young brave who for the first time is admitted
to the councils of the tribe！
〃It ought to be a popular bill； too；〃 Mr。 Schemer was saying； with a
smile of ironic appreciation at the thought of demagogues advocating it。
〃We should have one of Lawler's friends introduce it。〃
〃Oh； we shall have it properly introduced；〃 replied Mr。 Wading。
〃It may come back at us；〃 suggested Fowndes pessimistically。 〃The Boyne
Iron Works is a home corporation too； if I am not mistaken。〃
〃The Boyne Iron Works has the firm of Wading； Fowndes and Ripon behind
it；〃 asserted Mr。 Scherer； with what struck me as a magnificent faith。
〃You mustn'
