The whole thing turned out to be a swindle.

One angry shareholder stated plainly at the meeting that he had taken his shares on account of the Duke's name upon the prospectus, and hinted ugly things.

The Duke had risen calmly in his place.

He assured them that he fully recognized his responsibilities in the matter.

If the person who had last spoken was in earnest when he stated that the Duke's name had induced him to take shares in this company, then he was prepared to relieve him of those shares at the price which he had paid for them.