He cheerfully ignored the laws that governed the elemental item of profit.

Hence the relentless Nemesis that sooner or later overtakes those who, whether ignorantly or maliciously, break laws, fell upon the National Machine Company and upon those who had the misfortune to be associated with it.
In the wreck of the business Mr.Gwynne's store, upon which the National Machine Company had taken the precaution to secure a mortgage, was also involved.

The business went into the hands of a receiver and was bought up at about fifty cents on the dollar by a man recently from western Canada whose specialty was the handling of business wreckage.

No one after even a cursory glance at his face would suspect Mr.H.P.
Sleighter of deficiency in business qualities.

The snap in the cold grey eye, the firm lines in the long jaw, the thin lips pressed hard together, all proclaimed the hard-headed, cold-hearted, iron-willed man of business.