Page:Barr--Stranleighs millions.djvu/84

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72
STRANLEIGH'S MILLIONS

view with the great man himself, which interview was exceedingly short, and apparently exceedingly satisfactory to Sarsfield-Mitcham. Numerous conferences were held with various officials of ever-increasing importance, and these meetings were all attended by father and daughter, the latter taking shorthand notes of the conversations, which she afterwards typed out for the guidance of her father. The enthusiastic Sarsfield-Mitcham operated his little model railway, which, as I understand it, was a double-track affair, and the miniature engines passed each other at full speed when one was on each line, but the moment they approached on the same set of rails, they came to a standstill at any point previously selected by the inventor.

Finally a meeting was arranged with the great magnate himself. It was very brief, very curt, very much to the point, but you should see the young lady's eyes flash when she speaks of the celebrated P. G. Flannigan."

"One moment, Mr. Mackeller. If you will ignore the lustrous and doubtless expressive eyes of Miss Sarsfield-Mitcham, and proceed with the business details, I'd be greatly obliged. I am much more interested in the astute railway magnate than in the fascinating stenographer."

"Very good. Flannigan asked a few sharp questions, which showed that he had read with some thoroughness the reports of his subordinates. He witnessed in silence the performances of the model