“Well, you ought to know, Chief.
I’ve been standing by.
It’s whatever you say with me.”
“I know that, De Sota,” replied Cowperwood, smiling.
For in truth, because of his compensating success with Berenice, he was feeling that the greatest pages of his life’s history were about to be opened and written upon, and he felt not only hopeful but kindly toward all.
“I have something I want you to undertake for me. I sent for you, De Sota, because I need reliability and secrecy, and I know you’re the man!”
And for the moment his lips stiffened, and his eyes took on that hard, fixed, metallic, inscrutable luster which those who mistrusted and feared him hated.
Sippens threw out his chest and chin and stood at attention.
He was a little man, not more than five feet four, but heightened by high-heeled shoes and a top hat that he never doffed to anyone but Cowperwood. He wore a long double-breasted and skirted coat, which he thought gave him height and dignity.
“Thanks, Chief,” he said, “you know I’d go to hell for you any time.”
His lips almost trembled, so wrought-up was he, not only by Cowperwood’s combined faith and flattery but by all that he had been compelled to endure during the past few months as well as throughout the years of their association.
“But it’s nothing like going through hell this time, De Sota,” said Cowperwood, relaxing and smiling.
“We’ve just done that here in Chicago, and we won’t have to do it again.
And I’m going to show you why. What I want to talk to you about now, De Sota, is London and its underground system, and the possibility of my doing something over there.”
And here he paused and motioned blandly and easily to Sippens to take the chair closest to him, while Sippens, thoroughly aroused by the bare possibilities of something so different and interesting, fairly gasped.
“London!
You don’t say, Chief.
Great!
I knew you’d do something, Chief! I knew it! Oh, I can’t tell you how this makes me feel, Chief!”
As he spoke, his face brightened as with a light turned on within, and his fingers twitched.
He half rose and then sat down again, a sure sign of excitement within him.
He pulled at his fierce and rather top-heavy mustache, while he contemplated Cowperwood with brooding and wholly reassured admiration.
“Thanks, De Sota,” commented Cowperwood at this point.
“I thought it might interest you.”
“Interest me, Chief!” returned Sippens, excitedly.
“Why, Chief, you’re one of the wonders of the world!
Why, here you are, scarcely through with these Chicago bastards and you’re ready to tackle a thing like this!
It’s marvelous!
I always knew no one could put you down, but after this last thing, I confess I was prepared to see you sag a little.
But not you, Chief!
It just isn’t in you to wilt.
You’re too big, that’s all.
I’d break under a thing like that myself. I know I would. I’d quit, I admit it.
But not you!
Well, all I want to know is what you want me to do, Chief, and I’ll do it!
And no one will know a thing, if that’s what you want, Chief.”
“Well, that’s one of the things, De Sota,” said Cowperwood. “Secrecy and that good hard-boiled traction sense of yours!
It’ll come in handy in connection with this idea of mine, if I go through with it.
And neither one of us is going to be any the worse off for it, either.”
“Don’t mention it, Chief, don’t mention it,” went on De Sota, tense almost to the breaking point.
“I’ve had enough out of you if I never get another cent between now and the time we pass out.
Just you tell me what you want and I’ll do it to the best of my ability, or I’ll come back and tell you that I can’t do it.”
“You never told me that yet, De Sota, and I don’t believe you ever will.
But here it is, in a nutshell. About a year ago, when we were all busy with this extension business here, there were two Englishmen here from London, representing a London syndicate of some kind.
I’ll give you the details later, but this is a rough idea . . .”
And he outlined all that Greaves and Henshaw had said to him, concluding with the thought which was in his own mind at the time.
“It’s all too top-heavy with money already expended, as you see, De Sota.
Nearly $500,000 and nothing to show for it except that act or franchise for a line four or five miles long.
And that has to be connected in some way by track rights over these two other systems before it can really come to anything.
They admitted that themselves.