And who was it that had the dashing presumption to do that?
Alas, it came from a power behind the throne that was greater than the throne itself.

It was the underwriters! It was no time to 'swap knives.' Every outsider had to take his trunk ashore at once.

Of course it was supposed that there was collusion between the association and the underwriters, but this was not so.

The latter had come to comprehend the excellence of the 'report' system of the association and the safety it secured, and so they had made their decision among themselves and upon plain business principles.
There was weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth in the camp of the outsiders now.

But no matter, there was but one course for them to pursue, and they pursued it.