"
Montague gave an inward start; but practice had taught him to keep
from letting his surprise manifest itself very much. He sat for a
minute in thought.
"Mr. Ryder," he said, "I am a little surprised at such a proposition
from you, seeing that you know so little about me--"
"I know more than you suppose, Mr. Montague," said the other, with a
smile. "You may rest assured that I have not broached such a matter
to you without making inquiries, and satisfying myself that you were
the proper person."
"It is very pleasant to be told that," said Montague. "But I must
remind you, also, that I am not a railroad man, and have had no
experience whatever in such matters--"
"It is not necessary that you should be a railroad man," was the
answer. "One can hire talent of that kind at market prices. What we
wish is a man of careful and conservative temper, and, above all, a
man of thorough-going honesty; someone who will be capable of
winning the confidence of the stockholders, and of keeping it. It
seemed to us that you possessed these qualifications.
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