"They must get a new management," said she; "one that Charles Whitney has no control over." "Why ?" "Because he's wrecking the business to get hold of it.

He wants the whole thing, and he couldn't resist the chance the inexperience and confidence of the other two gave him." "I see no indication of it," objected Arthur, to draw her out.

"On the contrary, wherever he directly controls there's a good showing." "That's it!" exclaimed Madelene, feeling that she now had her feet on the firm ground of reason on which alone stupid men will discuss practical affairs.
Arthur had lived with Madelene long enough to learn that her mind was indeed as clear as her eyes, that when she looked at anything she saw it as it was, and saw all of it.

Like any man who has the right material in him, he needed only the object lesson of her quick dexterity at stripping a problem of its shell of nonessentials.

He had become what the ineffective call a pessimist.