“But,” objected Harry Cresswell, “while the banks and the large merchants may be possibilities, do you know what it means to try to get planters into line?”
“Yes, I do. And what I don’t know you and your father do. Colonel Cresswell is president of the Farmers’ League. That’s the reason I’m here. Your success last year made you indispensable to our plans.”
“Our success?” laughed Colonel Cresswell, ruefully, thinking of the fifty thousand dollars lost and the mortgage to cover it.
‚ÄúYes, sir‚ÅÝ‚Äîsuccess! You didn‚Äôt know it; we were too careful to allow that; and I say frankly you wouldn‚Äôt know it now if we weren‚Äôt convinced you were too far involved and the League too discouraged to repeat the dose.‚Äù
“Now, look here, sir,” began Colonel Cresswell, flushing and drawing himself erect.
‚ÄúThere, there, Colonel Cresswell, don‚Äôt misunderstand me. I‚Äôm a plain man. I‚Äôm playing a big game‚ÅÝ‚Äîa tremendous one. I need you, and I know you need me. I find out about you, and my sources of knowledge are wide and unerring. But the knowledge is safe, sir; it‚Äôs buried. Last year when you people curtailed cotton acreage and warehoused a big chunk of the crop you gave the mill men the scare of their lives. We had a hasty conference and the result was that the bottom fell out of your credit.‚Äù
Colonel Cresswell grew pale. There was a disquieting, relentless element in this unimpassioned man’s tone.