Andifitwasnotcheerydiscourse，butprayerandentreatyorshowdownandfightonthepartofthebanks，Daylighthadtocounterinkind。
Iftheycouldbully，hecouldbully。Ifthefavorheaskedwererefused，itbecamethethinghedemanded。Andwhenitcamedowntorawandnakedfighting，withthelastveilofsentimentorillusiontornoff，hecouldtaketheirbreathsaway。
Butheknew，also，howandwhentogivein。Whenhesawthewallshakingandcrumblingirretrievablyataparticularplace，hepatcheditupwithsopsofcashfromhisthreecash-earningcompanies。Ifthebankswent，hewenttoo。Itwasacaseoftheirhavingtoholdout。Iftheysmashedandallthecollateraltheyheldofhiswasthrownonthechaoticmarket，itwouldbetheend。Andsoitwas，asthetimepassed，thatonoccasionhisredmotor-carcarried，inadditiontothedailycash，themostgilt-edgedsecuritieshepossessed；namely，theFerryCompany，UnitedWaterandConsolidatedRailways。Buthedidthisreluctantly，fightinginchbyinch。
AshetoldthepresidentoftheMerchantsSanAntoniowhomadethepleaofcarryingsomanyothers:——”They’resmallfry。Letthemsmash。I’mthekingpinhere。You’vegotmoremoneytomakeoutofmethanthem。Ofcourse，you’recarryingtoomuch，andyou’vegottochoose，that’sall。It’sroothogordieforyouorthem。I’mtoostrongtosmash。Youcouldonlyembarrassmeandgetyourselftangledup。Yourwayoutistoletthesmallfrygo，andI’lllendyouahandtodoit。”
AnditwasDaylight，also，inthistimeoffinancialanarchy，whosizedupSimonDolliver’saffairsandlentthehandthatsentthatrivaldowninutterfailure。TheGoldenGateNationalwasthekeystoneofDolliver’sstrength，andtothepresidentofthatinstitutionDaylightsaid:——”HereI’vebeenlendingyouahand，andyounowinthelastditch，withDolliverridingonyouandmeallthetime。Itdon’tgo。Youhearme，itdon’tgo。Dollivercouldn’tcoughupelevendollarstosaveyou。Lethimgetoffandwalk，andI’lltellyouwhatI’lldo。I’llgiveyoutherailwaynickelsforfourdays——that’sfortythousandcash。AndonthesixthofthemonthyoucancountontwentythousandmorefromtheWaterCompany。”