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Finally Isaac White stated at one of the meetings that he had been approached with an interesting proposition, which he then and there outlined. He was not sure what to think, he said, but the board might like to consider it. At once Thorsen and Kaempfaert were convinced that all Johnson had suggested was true.

Thorsen was beside himself with grief. "When did you hear that?" he asked. Johnson told him, but for the time being kept the source of his information secret. Thorsen at once hurried to his friend, Solon Kaempfaert, who in turn went to Kaffrath for information. "I have heard something to that effect," was Kaffrath's only comment, "but really I do not know."

"Oh, I don't know," commented Mr. Skinner. "It seems to me we have done pretty well by the North Side. We have done a good deal." Directors Solon Kaempfaert, Albert Thorsen, Isaac White, Anthony Ewer, Arnold C. Benjamin, and Otto Matjes, being solemn gentlemen all, merely sat and stared. The vigorous Kaffrath was not to be so easily repressed, however.

A little later Thorsen and Kaempfaert were visited in the same spirit, and agreed in secret fear to sell out, or rather lease at the very advantageous terms Cowperwood offered, providing he could get the others to do likewise. This gave the latter a strong backing of sentiment on the board.

He was in the paint business, and always wore a very light steel-gray suit much crinkled in the seat and arms. "Perhaps that's what's the matter with them, Albert," chirped up Solon Kaempfaert, one of his cronies on the board. The sally drew a laugh. "Oh, I don't know. I see the rest of you on board often enough." "Why, I tell you what's the matter with them," replied Kaffrath.

Thereupon Thorsen and Kaempfaert imagined that Kaffrath was in the conspiracy to sell out and leave them with no particularly valuable pickings. It was very sad. Meanwhile, Cowperwood, on the advice of Kaffrath, was approaching Isaac White, Arnold C. Benjamin, and Otto Matjes direct talking with them as if they were the only three he desired to deal with.