And then there was a poor old man who had been hurt in a
street-car accident and had been tricked into signing away his
rights; and an indignant citizen who proposed to bring a hundred
suits against the traction trust for transfers refused. All were
contingency cases, with the chances of success exceedingly remote.
And Montague noticed that the people had come to him as a last
resort, having apparently heard of him as a man of altruistic
temper.
There was one case which interested him particularly, because it
seemed to fit in so ominously with the grim prognosis of his
brother. He received a call from an elderly gentleman, of very
evident refinement and dignity of manner, who proceeded to unfold to
him a most amazing story. Five or six years ago he had invented a
storage-battery, which was the most efficient known. He had
organised a company with three million dollars' capital to
manufacture it, himself taking a third interest for his patents, and
becoming president of the company. Not long afterward had come a
proposal from a group of men who wished to organize a company to
manufacture automobiles; they proposed to form an alliance which
would give them the exclusive use of the battery.
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