Ruthless Page #6

There would always be a struggle

between her love and my ambition.

Well, she was right.

I can say that for her.

Why didn't she tell me?

A letter or even a postcard.

She knows I love her.

I don't know.

Pride, maybe.

I searched everywhere for her. She

seems to have dropped out of the world.

I stopped off in Boston on the way here.

Everything's changed.

Martha gone. Mrs Burnside's

moved away. The old man dead.

Didn't you know he died?

No.

No, that's .. that's wicked news.

He was like my father, Vic.

You mean no-one wrote to you?

No-one told you a thing like that?

What happened between

you and the family? Just because ..

It was very painful for all of us.

I had to make a clean break.

There is one thing you've

got to remember, Vic.

I loved her.

Of course .. don't pay

any attention to me.

I'm not only a wicked old man.

I'm a suspicious one.

I don't care what you are.

You're fine with me.

Thanks.

I'm glad to see you're doing

so well for yourself anyway.

"H. Woodruff Vendig Incorporated."

Sounds big.

Are you going to marry the young lady?

Why?

Why, when a man keeps a girl's

picture on his desk it usually means ..

[ Buzzer ]

Hello .. yes, put him on.

Now watch how we do

it on the stock market.

Hello. Mr McDonald?

Why not take my suggestion and let me

go to the board of directors personally?

The prospectus I sent you

only gave the bare figures.

I see.

Yes, I understand, Mr McDonald.

Thank you, sir.

Goodbye.

Well, Vic. Where were we?

The man said "No".

Yes.

And a big operation, Vic.

A chance that may come only once

in a man's career on Wall Street.

But the Montgomery Trust.

That's the bank in which McDonald is one

of the chief stockholders, can't see it.

That doesn't make sense.

I may be only an engineer.

For an engineer, the interesting

thing is not where I get the money.

But what I do with it.

Have you ever heard of the

Mansfield Utilities empire?

No. Am I ignorant?

It's polite name is Delta Bond & Share.

It's an independent utilities company

that exists in the shadow of one man.

Buck Mansfield.

The issue and utilities empire.

It's one strong man

overriding a lot of weak ones.

Drunk with power, capricious, whimsical.

Thinking his will is nature's law.

That's a monopoly.

What holds it together?

His personality.

And right now, I'm

beginning to wonder just ..

How long that personality

will stand up under pressure.

Pressure? From you, Horace?

You're dreaming.

Of course I'm dreaming.

The same dreams you had when

you went to South America.

Vic. This Mansfield is holding

up communications, power ..

The very gas that a farm woman

needs to cook her meals.

And you need a quarter of a million?

Well, $300,000 to be exact.

It's nothing compared to what his

holding companies represent.

But Vic. This is David and Goliath.

Horace, I'm with you.

How far?

By $300,000.

I believe in power,

and I believe in people.

It's my job as an engineer

to bring the two together.

My partners and I, we took electricity

and we made poor people rich.

We built bridges .. and we turned

enemies into good neighbours.

Vic, we've been marking time

for years, just for this moment.

This buys you a partnership.

You know what we'll call it?

Call it what you like.

Share the power.

Start the mills rolling.

Put prices within reach

of small farmers.

Right.

Come back around 6 o'clock, Vic.

I'll have the papers ready.

Fine.

I'm going to like working

with you, Horace.

You're alright.

Get me Miss Duane.

Hello, darling.

Oh, exhilarated.

Yes, New York is wonderful.

Who?

Bruce Endicott McDonald .. certainly.

You tell your young man there

was a time when Mr McDonald.

Proposed to me on the 1st and the

15th of every month for six years.

She knows him very well, darling.

I want Aunt Libby to make a date for

me with McDonald anyhow, anywhere.

It must be for tomorrow.

This is very important, darling.

Because it's going to decide

when we'll get married.

I'm sorry my bank was

so un-obliging yesterday.

You have an interesting proposition.

So interesting and so sound that

I'm putting in $300,000 of my own.

But you didn't tell us about that.

I don't like doing business with people

who want my word backed by collateral.

You are very proud.

Yes.

I don't mean that as a criticism.

But doesn't this rule hamper you?

It never has and if it ever does,

I still won't compromise.

Bruce, if I lose one fish

because of your chatter.

Let them talk, Aunt Libby.

Vendig, speaking not for

the bank but for myself.

What's your idea with Palmetto?

What would yours be ..

If you had just acquired the largest

single block of stock in a company?

Eventual control.

Control with a purpose.

The rates in Palmetto's territory

will stand a 15% increase.

Can the people pay it?

Where else will they get power?

There is no competition.

Vendig, I'd like to join you.

If you mean that, I'll tell you

how you can participate.

I've taken an option on 50,000 shares

of Delta Bond & Share at twenty.

What's the price of admission?

You put up $500,000 and I'll

give you 20% of Palmetto.

I like it.

I beat you again.

Too bad, Mr McDonald.

We'll do better with Mansfield.

Excellent whiskey, Mr Mansfield.

Yes.

Just old enough to vote.

The wine of the country, my friend.

Bourbon. A name given

to Kings and whiskey.

When the Kings have gone,

the liquor remains.

Shall we resume?

Energy like yours, Mr Vendig ..

Is no doubt, much to be admired on Wall

Street between the hours of 10 and 3.

But in this house, and in this climate.

Well, allow me to say,

it approaches the vainglorious.

It's after 3 now and as much as

I enjoy your hospitality ..

I should have been on my way back to

New York when you sat me down to lunch.

Ah, speaking of lunch.

Did I mention the crayfish for lunch was

taken from the stream on this property?

You did. Now, if you wouldn't

mind checking over my figures.

Oh no need to, Mr Vendig.

I have rather a good memory for figures.

And names as well.

Particularly if they link to financial

operations which affect my enterprises.

But mine are not likely

to affect you adversely.

It would amount to a

sort-of junior partnership.

I have only one partner,

in business as in life.

However, go ahead.

400,000 shares of

Palmetto Light & Power.

Which I and my company,

Vendig Incorporated, hold under option.

Represents a controlling

interest in that company.

Which I am willing to yield along with

50,000 shares of Delta Bond & Share.

Which you also hold under

option at 20 dollars per share.

I see you get around.

Me? Very rarely.

With Delta stock, I must know where it

is and what it's doing at any one time.

As though it were a pet.

Mr Mansfield, it looks as though

your pet had my collar on it.

Are you positive of that, Mr Vendig?

Just confident.

Oh I'm so sorry, Bucky.

I was going to show you my new frocks.

Sorry?

Why, darling?

Mr Vendig. The partner I referred to.

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