He gathered himself up as well as he could, and went on
to his office. The chance of retrieval that had flashed
upon him, as he sat smoking by that ruined hearth the
evening before, stood him in such stead now as a sole
hope may; and he said to himself that, having resolved
not to sell his house, he was no more crippled by its
loss than he would have been by letting his money lie
idle in it; what he might have raised by mortgage on it
could be made up in some other way; and if they would
sell he could still buy out the whole business of that
West Virginia company, mines, plant, stock on hand,
good-will, and everything, and unite it with his own.
He went early in the afternoon to see Bellingham,
whose expressions of condolence for his loss he cut short
with as much politeness as he knew how to throw into
his impatience. Bellingham seemed at first a little dazzled
with the splendid courage of his scheme; it was certainly
fine in its way; but then he began to have his misgivings.
"I happen to know that they haven't got much money
behind them," urged Lapham. "They'll jump at an offer."
Bellingham shook his head. "If they can show profit
on the old manufacture, and prove they can make their
paint still cheaper and better hereafter, they can have
all the money they want. And it will be very difficult
for you to raise it if you're threatened by them.
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