Free The Trainmasters by Jesse Taylor Croft Page A

found its way into the language: watered stock.
    Though in subsequent years Drew had changed his profession from drover to financier, he had changed his business practices
     little. If the opportunity presented itself, he still sold watered stock. But the watered stock he sold nowadays was not cattle
     but shares in corporations. He had even conspired to cheat his friend Vanderbilt on more than one occasion, yet—somewhat inexplicably—this
     did not seem to have harmed their friendship. Indeed Vanderbilt had continued to deal with Drew as though nothing had happened,
     most likely because Drew had never actually succeeded in his attempts at cheating Vanderbilt; thus Vanderbilt probably believed
     he was impervious to the machinations of his friend.
    Yet, for all his deviousness, Daniel Drew remained a wealthy man who liked to invest in struggling enterprises like railroads
     and Nicaraguan canals. And because of this, he was courted by men like William Patterson who needed investment capital.
    Also in his favor was his friendship with Cornelius Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt was a tough, hard man, often mean and niggardly.
     But he was a man of considerable personal integrity. And he was, according to his own lights, honest; he was always true to
     his own star. Vanderbilt and Drew could together be trusted, or so it was thought by those who had authorized William Patterson
     to approach them. The plan was to try to tap their considerable wealth to fund the final push of the Pennsylvania Railroad
     over the mountains.
    Cornelius Vanderbilt was the most interesting of the three men. He was over six feet two inches tall, with a rugged, lined,
     handsome face. And he was as powerful as he was large. Some years earlier he had knocked unconscious the heavyweight boxing
     champion of New York City, who thought he could tangle with Vanderbilt in a street brawl. Though he was older now, and somewhat
     less pugnacious, Vanderbilt was still a man of extraordinary vitality and verve. He made an impact like the onrush of a cavalry
     charge upon both friends and enemies. He was also a famous admirer of fine horseflesh, though he preferred trotters to Thoroughbreds.
    Vanderbilt had examined each of the two horses involved in today’s match race, and he privately believed that Mr. Patterson’s
     was the better animal. He had backed this judgment by making a wager of $100 on Berber with Daniel Drew.
    William Patterson was, of course, delighted to have Vanderbilt’s support. But that did not calm his worries. And the fact
     that he was troubled became apparent to Vanderbilt after a while. Vanderbilt’s acute sensitivity partly explained his enormous
     success with people and in business. So, as the horses were led out onto the track, he wondered about the clamminess of Patterson’s
     palm and brow. He broke into the laughter at moments when laughter was not expected. What was this man Patterson afraid of?
     he asked himself. And how can I use it?
    The horses were now approaching the starting line, and the crowd of people who stood beside the rail was growing noisier.
    The trumpet sounded, and then the crowd grew quiet.
    Patterson, Vanderbilt, and Drew rose from their chairs and went to stand next to the rail overlooking the racecourse.
    “They’re off!” Cornelius Vanderbilt cried out.
    “Come on, Berber!” Patterson yelled. “Win going away!”
    “Never!” Daniel Drew yelled in retaliation. “On Emerald! Beat the bastard!”
    The racecourse was a half mile in length; in this race the horses would run around it three times. Todd’s horse, Emeraid,
     had the better start. And by the first tum, he was three lengths ahead of Berber.
    Patterson was clearly uneasy. As the other horse’s lead increased to four lengths, his disquiet increased. And the amount
     of his chatter increased with it.
    “Do you see that? Do you see that?” he asked Vanderbilt and Drew. “No. No. Fletcher is not using the whip. That damned fool
     idiot. I should