midnight
But as you only mentioned one gentleman -- '' `` Yes , yes , '' said Merriman , `` I 'm expecting this other gentleman , too . '' He turned to Brett . `` I am going to ask you to remain , '' he said , `` to assist at a conference on the present state of the market between yourself , and myself , and my _ arch-enemy _ -- Mr. Waters . '' Even if Brett should live to be a distinguished financier himself -- which is not likely -- he will never forget that midnight conference on board the _ Sappho _ . He had supposed that famous men -- unless they were dead statesmen -- thought only of themselves , and how they might best and most easily increase their own power and wealth . He had believed with the rest of the smaller Wall Street interests that the present difficulties were the result of a private feud . Instead of this he now saw that the supposed quarrellers had forgotten their differences , and were in the closest kind of an alliance to save the situation .