I must find an error in the reasoning or something shaky about
the facts.' He perused the papers earnestly, making pencil-marks on the
margin here and there. At first he said to himself: 'It is quite evident
that the mining of the mica will pay for the working of the mine. We can
look upon the demand for mica as being in a certain sense settled. It has
paid for the working of the mine so far, also a small dividend, and there
is no reason to think it should not go on doing so. Now, the uncertain
quantity is this other stuff, and the uncertain thing about this
uncertain quantity is the demand for it in the markets of the world, also
how much the carriage of it is going to cost.' Wentworth had a theory
that all things were possible if you only knew a man who knew _the_ man.
There is always _the_ man in everything--the man who is the authority on
iron; the man who is the authority on mines; the man who is the authority
on the currency, and the man who knows all about the printing trade. If
you want any information on any particular subject, it was not necessary
to know _the_ man, but it was very essential to know a man who can put
his finger on _the_ man. Get a note of introduction from a man who knows
_the_ man, and there you are!
Wentworth touched his bell, and a boy answered his summons.
'Ask Mr. Close to step in here for a moment, will you, please?'
The boy disappeared, and shortly after an oldish man with a very
deferential look, who was perpetually engaged in smoothing one hand
over the other, came in, and, in a timid manner, closed the door softly
behind him.
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