unscrupulous　men　rich；　sir。　　For　years　I　furnished　this　city　with　good
  groceries；　if　I　do　say　it　myself。　　I　took　a　pride　in　the　fact　that　the
  inmates　of　the　hospitals；　yes；　and　the　dependent　poor　in　the　city's
  institutions；　should　have　honest　food。　　You　can　get　anything　out　of　the
  city　if　you　are　willing　to　pay　the　politicians　for　it。　　I　lost　my　city
  contracts。　　Why？　　Because　I　refused　to　deal　with　scoundrels。　　Weill　and
  Company　and　other　unscrupulous　upstarts　are　willing　to　do　so；　and　poison
  the　poor　and　the　sick　with　adulterated　groceries！　　The　first　thing　I　knew
  was　that　the　city　auditor　was　holding　back　my　bills　for　supplies；　and
  paying　Weill's。　　That's　what　politics　and　business；　yes；　sir；　and　the
  law；　have　come　to　in　these　days。　　If　a　man　wants　to　succeed；　he　must　turn
  into　a　rascal。〃
  I　was　not　shocked；　but　I　was　silent；　uncomfortable；　wishing　that　it　were
  time　to　take　the　train　back　to　the　city。　　Cousin　Robert's　face　was　more
  worn　than　I　had　thought；　and　I　contrasted　him　inevitably　with　the
  forceful　person　who　used　to　stand；　in　his　worn　alpaca　coat；　on　the
  pavement　in　front　of　his　store；　greeting　with　clear…eyed　content　his
  fellow　merchants　of　the　city。　　Willie　Breck；　too；　was　silent；　and　Walter
  Kinley　took　off　his　glasses　and　wiped　them。　　In　the　meanwhile　Helen　had
  left　the　group　in　which　my　mother　sat；　and；　approaching　us；　laid　her
  hands　on　her　father's　shoulders。
  〃Now；　dad；〃　she　said；　in　affectionate　remonstrance；　〃you're　excited　about
  politics　again；　and　you　know　it　isn't　good　for　you。　　And　besides；　they're
  not　worth　it。〃
  〃You're　right；　Helen；〃　he　replied。　　Under　the　pressure　of　her　hands　he
  made　a　strong　effort　to　control　himself；　and　turned　to　address　my　mother
  across　the　room。
  〃I'm　getting　to　be　a　crotchety　old　man；〃　he　said。　　〃It's　a　good　thing　I
  have　a　daughter　to　remind　me　of　it。〃
  〃It　is　a　good　thing；　Robert；〃　said　my　mother。
  During　the　rest　of　our　visit　he　seemed　to　have　recovered　something　of　his
  former　spirits　and　poise；　taking　refuge　in　the　past。　　They　talked　of
  their　own　youth；　of　families　whose　houses　had　been　landmarks　on　the
  Second　Bank。
  〃I'm　worried　about　your　Cousin　Robert；　Hugh；〃　my　mother　confided　to　me；
  when　we　were　at　length　seated　in　the　train。　　〃I've　heard　rumours　that
  things　are　not　so　well　at　the　store　as　they　might　be。〃　　We　looked　out　at
  the　winter　landscape；　so　different　from　that　one　which　had　thrilled　every
  fibre　of　my　being　in　the　days　when　the　railroad　on　which　we　travelled　had
  been　a　winding　narrow　gauge。　　The　orchardsthose　that　remainedwere
  bare；　stubble　pricked　the　frozen　ground　where　tassels　had　once　waved　in
  the　hot；　summer　wind。　　We　flew　by　row　after　row　of　ginger…bread；　suburban
  houses　built　on　〃villa　plots；〃　and　I　read　in　large　letters　on　a　hideous
  sign…board；　〃Woodbine　Park。〃
  〃Hugh；　have　you　ever　heard　anything　againstMr。　Watling？〃
  〃No；　mother；〃　I　said。　　〃So　far　as　I　knew；　he　is　very　much　looked　up　to　by
  lawyers　and　business　men。　　He　is　counsel；　I　believe；　for　Mr。　Blackwood's
  street　car　line　on　Boyne　Street。　　And　I　told　you；　I　believe；　that　I　met
  him　once　at　Mr。　Kyme's。〃
  〃Poor　Robert！〃　she　sighed。　　〃I　suppose　business　trouble　does　make　one
  bitter；I've　seen　it　so　often。　　But　I　never　imagined　that　it　would
  overtake　Robert；　and　at　his　time　of　life！　　It　is　an　old　and　respected
  firm；　and　we　have　always　had　a　pride　in　it。〃　。。。
  That　night；　when　I　was　going　to　bed；　it　was　evident　that　the　subject　was
  still　in　her　mind。　　She　clung　to　my　hand　a　moment。
  〃I；　too；　am　afraid　of　the　new；　Hugh；〃　she　said；　a　little　tremulously。
  〃We　all　grow　so；　as　age　comes　on。〃
  〃But　you　are　not　old；　mother；〃　I　protested。
  〃I　have　a　feeling；　since　your　father　has　gone；　that　I　have　lived　my　life；
  my　dear；　though　I'd　like　to　stay　long　enough　to　see　you　happily　married
  to　have　grandchildren。　　I　was　not　young　when　you　were　born。〃　　And　she
  added；　after　a　little　while；　〃I　know　nothing　about　business　affairs；　and
  nownow　that　your　father　is　no　longer　here；　sometimes　I'm　afraid〃
  〃Afraid　of　what；　mother？〃
  She　tried　to　smile　at　me　through　her　tears。　　We　were　in　the　old　sitting…
  room；　surrounded　by　the　books。
  〃I　know　it's　foolish；　and　it　isn't　that　I　don't　trust　you。　　I　know　that
  the　son　of　your　father　couldn't　do　anything　that　was　not　honourable。　　And
  yet　I　am　afraid　of　what　the　world　is　becoming。　　The　city　is　growing　so
  fast；　and　so　many　new　people　are　coming　in。　　Things　are　not　the　same。
  Robert　is　right；　there。　　And　I　have　heard　your　father　say　the　same　thing。
  Hugh；　promise　me　that　you　will　try　to　remember　always　what　he　was；　and
  what　he　would　wish　you　to　be！〃
  〃I　will；　mother；〃　I　answered。　　〃But　I　think　you　would　find　that　Cousin
  Robert　exaggerates　a　little；　makes　things　seem　worse　than　they　really
  are。　　Customs　change；　you　know。　　And　politics　were　never　wellSunday
  schools。〃　　I；　too；　smiled　a　little。　　〃Father　knew　that。　　And　he　would
  never　take　an　active　part　in　them。〃
  〃He　was　too　fine！〃　she　exclaimed。
  〃And　now；〃　I　continued；　〃Cousin　Robert　has　happened　to　come　in　contact
  with　them　through　business。　　That　is　what　has　made　the　difference　in　him。
  Before；　he　always　knew　they　were　corrupt；　but　he　rarely　thought　about
  them。〃
  〃Hugh；〃　she　said　suddenly；　after　a　pause；　〃you　must　remember　one　thing；
  that　you　can　afford　to　be　independent。　　I　thank　God　that　your　father　has
  provided　for　that！〃
  I　was　duly　admitted；　the　next　autumn；　to　the　bar　of　my　own　state；　and　was
  assigned　to　a　desk　in　the　offices　of　Watling；　Fowndes　and　Ripon。　　Larry
  Weed　was　my　immediate　senior　among　the　apprentices；　and　Larry　was　a　hero…
  worshipper。　　I　can　see　him　now。　　He　suggested　a　bullfrog　as　he　sat　in　the
  little　room　we　shared　in　common；　his　arms　akimbo　over　a　law　book；　his
  little　legs　doubled　under　him；　his　round；　eyes　fixed　expectantly　on　the
  doorway。　　And　even　if　I　had　not　been　aware　of　my　good　fortune　in　being
  connected　with　such　a　firm　as　Theodore　Watling's；　Larry　would　shortly
  have　brought　it　home　to　me。　　During　those　weeks　when　I　was　making　my
  first　desperate　attempts　at　briefing　up　the　law　I　was　sometimes
  interrupted　by　his　exclamations　when　certain　figures　went　by　in　the
  corridor。
  〃Say；　Hugh；　do　you　know　who　that　was？〃
  〃No。〃
  〃Miller　Gorse。〃
  〃Who's　he？〃
  〃Do　you　mean　to　say　you　never　heard　of　Miller　Gorse？〃
  〃I've　been　away　a　long　time；〃　I　would　answer　apologetically。　　A　person　of
  some　importance　among　my　contemporaries　at　Harvard；　I　had　looked　forward
  to　a　residence　in　my　native　city　with　the　complacency　of　one　who　has　seen
  something　of　the　world；only　to　find　that　I　was　the　least　in　the　new
  kingdom。　　And　it　was　a　kingdom。　　Larry　opened　up　to　me　something　of　the
  significance　and　extent　of　it；　something　of　the　identity　of　the　men　who
  controlled　it。
  〃Miller　Gorse；〃　he　said　impressively；　〃is　the　counsel　for　the　railroad。〃
  〃What　railroad？　　You　mean　the〃　I　was　adding；　when　he　interrupted　me
  pityingly。
  〃After　you've　been　here　a　while　you'll　find　out　there's　only　one　railroad
  in　this　state；　so　far　as　politics　are　concerned。　　The　Ashuela　and
  Northern；　the　Lake　Shore　and　the　others　don't　count。〃
  I　refrained　from　asking　any　more　questions　at　that　time；　but　afterwards　I
  always　thought　of　the　Railroad　as　spelled　with　a　capital。
  〃Miller　Gorse　isn't　forty　yet；〃　Larry　told　me　on　another　occasion。
  〃That's　doing　pretty　well　for　a　man　who　comes　near　running　this　state。〃
  For　the　sake　of　acquiring　knowledge；　I　endured　Mr。　Weed's　patronage。　　I
  inquired　how　Mr。　Gorse　ran　the　state。
  〃Oh；　you'll　find　out　soon　enough；〃　he　assured　me；
  〃But　Mr。　Barbour's　president　of　the　Railroad。〃
  〃Sure。　　Once　in　a　while　they　take　something　up　to　him；　but　as　a　rule　he
  leaves　things　to　Gorse。〃
  Whereupon　I　resolved　to　have　a　good　look　at　Mr。　Gorse　at　the　first
  opportunity。　　One　day　Mr。　Watling　sent　out　for　some　papers。
  〃He's　in　there　now；〃　said　Larry。　　〃You　take　'em。〃
  〃In　there〃　meant　Mr。　Watling's　sanctum。　　And　in　there　he　was。　　I　had　only
  a　glance　at　the　great　man；　for；　with　a　kindly　but　preoccupied　〃Thank　you；
  Hugh；〃　Mr。　Watling　took　the　papers　and　dismissed　me。　　Heaviness；
  blackness　and　impassivity；these　were　the　impressions　of　Mr。　Gorse　which
  I　carried　away　from　that　first　meeting。　　The　very　solidity　of　his　flesh
  seemed　to　suggest　the　solidity　of　his　position。　　Such；　say　the
  psychologists；　is　the　effect　of　prestige。
  I　remember　well　an　old…fashioned　picture　puzzle　in　one　of　my　boyhood
  books。　　The　scene　depicted　was　to　all　appearances　a　sylvan；　peaceful　one；
  with　two　happy　lovers　seated　on　a　log　beside　a　brook；　but　presently；　as
  one　gazed　at　the　picture；　the　head　of　an　animal　stood　forth　among　the
  branches；　and　then　the　body；　more　animals　began　to　appear；　bit　by　bit；　a
  tiger；　a　bear；　a　lion；　a　jackal；　a　fox；　until　at　last；　whenever　I　looked
  at　the　page；　I　did　not　see　the　sylvan　scene　at　all；　but　only　the
  predatory　beasts　of　the　forest。　　So；　one　by　one；　the　figures　of　the　real
  rulers　of　the　city　superimposed　themselves　for　me　upon　the　simple　and
  democratic　design　of　Mayor；　Council；　Board　of　Aldermen；　Police　Force；
  etc。；　that　filled　the　eye　of　a　naive　and　trusting　electorate　which　fondly
  imagined　that　it　had　something　to　say　in　government。　　Miller　Gorse　was
  one　of　these　rulers　be