His frown lowered, but now it was in perplexity, rather than in anger.

His mind was troubled, harassed with a thousand dissensions.
But one of Magnus's strongest instincts, one of his keenest desires, was to be, if only for a short time, the master.

To control men had ever been his ambition; submission of any kind, his greatest horror.

His energy stirred within him, goaded by the lash of his anger, his sense of indignity, of insult.

Oh for one moment to be able to strike back, to crush his enemy, to defeat the railroad, hold the Corporation in the grip of his fist, put down S.Behrman, rehabilitate himself, regain his self-respect.