"
Ryder started to reply, then caught his breath and gasped. When he
spoke again, he had mastered himself. "It seems to me a most
extraordinary thing," he said. "Surely, Mr. Montague, you cannot
feel at liberty to make public what you learned from Mr. Price and
myself while you were acting as our confidential adviser! Surely you
cannot have forgotten the pledge of secrecy which you gave me here
in this office!"
"I have not forgotten it," answered Montague. "And I have considered
the matter with the greatest care. I consider that it is you who
have violated a pledge. I believe that your violation was a
deliberate one--that you had intended it from the very beginning.
You assured me that you wished an honest administration of the road.
I don't believe that you ever did wish it; I believe that you had no
thought whatever except to use me as your tool to secure the control
of the railroad, without buying out the remaining stockholders.
Having accomplished that purpose, you are perfectly 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.
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