And, just now, he was acting as representative of the Bay Shore Development Company.

"A concern of which, in spite of all our precautions and attempts at secrecy, you may, perhaps, have heard, Mr.Paine," he added, smiling.
I admitted that I had heard rumors concerning the company's existence.
But, except for these very vague rumors, I knew nothing about it.
He expected that, he said, and was glad to give me further and complete information.

In fact, that was his reason for coming so many miles to see me.

If I would be good enough to listen he would tell me just what the Bay Shore Company was and what it contemplated doing.
I listened and he talked.

According to him the Bay Shore syndicate--that is what it was, a syndicate of capitalists--represented one of the biggest real estate propositions ever conceived.