her　manner　had　been　merely　one　of　indifference；　it　would　in　a　way　have
  been　easier　to　bear；　she　was　simply　incapable　of　grasping　the
  significance　of　the　event；　the　meaning　to　me　of　the　years　of　unceasing；
  ambitious　effort　it　crowned。
  〃Yes；　it　is　something　of　a　recognition；〃　I　replied。　　〃Is　there　anything　I
  can　get　for　you　in　New　York？　　I　don't　know　how　long　I　shall　have　to　stay…
  …I'll　telegraph　you　when　I'm　getting　back。〃　　I　kissed　her　and　hurried　out
  to　the　automobile。　　As　I　drove　off　I　saw　her　still　standing　in　the
  doorway　looking　after　me。。。。　　In　the　station　I　had　a　few　minutes　to
  telephone　Nancy。
  〃If　you　don't　see　me　for　a　few　days　it's　because　I've　gone　to　New　York；〃
  I　informed　her。
  〃Something　important；　I'm　sure。〃
  〃How　did　you　guess？〃　I　demanded；　and　heard　her　laugh。
  〃Come　back　soon　and　tell　me　about　it；〃　she　said；　and　I　walked；
  exhilarated；　to　the　train。。。。　　As　I　sped　through　the　night；　staring　out
  of　the　window　into　the　darkness；　I　reflected　on　the　man　I　was　going　to
  see。　　But　at　that　time；　although　he　represented　to　me　the　quintessence　of
  achievement　and　power；　I　did　not　by　any　means　grasp　the　many　sided
  significance　of　the　phenomenon　he　presented；　though　I　was　keenly　aware　of
  his　influence；　and　that　men　spoke　of　him　with　bated　breath。　　Presidents
  came　and　went；　kings　and　emperors　had　responsibilities　and　were　subject
  daily　to　annoyances；　but　this　man　was　a　law　unto　himself。　　He　did　exactly
  what　he　chose；　and　compelled　other　men　to　do　it。　　Wherever　commerce
  reigned；and　where　did　it　not？he　was　king　and　head　of　its　Holy　Empire；
  Pope　and　Emperor　at　once。　　For　he　had　his　code　of　ethics；　his　religion；
  and　those　who　rebelled；　who　failed　to　conform；　he　excommunicated；　a　code
  something　like　the　map　of　Europe；apparently　inconsistent　in　places。
  What　I　did　not　then　comprehend　was　that　he　was　the　American　Principle
  personified；　the　supreme　individual　assertion　of　the　conviction　that
  government　should　remain　modestly　in　the　background　while　the　efficient
  acquired　the　supremacy　that　was　theirs　by　natural　right；　nor　had　I
  grasped　at　that　time　the　crowning　achievement　of　a　unity　that　fused
  Christianity　with　those　acquisitive　dispositions　said　to　be　inherent　in
  humanity。　　In　him　the　Lion　and　the　Lamb；　the　Eagle　and　the　Dove　dwelt
  together　in　amity　and　power。
  New　York；　always　a　congenial　place　to　gentlemen　of　vitality　and　means　and
  influential　connections；　had　never　appeared　to　me　more　sparkling；　more
  inspiring。　　Winter　had　relented；　spring　had　not　as　yet　begun。　　And　as　I
  sat　in　a　corner　of　the　dining…room　of　my　hotel　looking　out　on　the　sunlit
  avenue　I　was　conscious　of　partaking　of　the　vigour　and　confidence　of　the
  well…dressed；　clear…eyed　people　who　walked　or　drove　past　my　window　with
  the　air　of　a　conquering　race。　　What　else　was　there　in　the　world　more
  worth　having　than　this　conquering　sense？　　Religion　might　offer　charms　to
  the　weak。　　Yet　here　religion　itself　became　sensible；　and　wore　the　garb　of
  prosperity。　　The　stonework　of　the　tall　church　on　the　corner　was　all　lace；
  and　the　very　saints　in　their　niches；　who　had　known　martyrdom　and　poverty；
  seemed　to　have　renounced　these　as　foolish；　and　to　look　down　complacently
  on　the　procession　of　wealth　and　power。。　　Across　the　street；　behind　a
  sheet　of　glass；　was　a　carrosserie　where　were　displayed　the　shining　yellow
  and　black　panels　of　a　closed　automobile；　the　cost　of　which　would　have
  built　a　farm…house　and　stocked　a　barn。
  At　eleven　o'clock；　the　appointed　hour；　I　was　in　Wall　Street。　　Sending　in
  my　name；　I　was　speedily　ushered　into　a　room　containing　a　table；　around
  which　were　several　men；　but　my　eyes　were　drawn　at　once　to　the　figure　of
  the　great　banker　who　sat；　massive　and　preponderant；　at　one　end；　smoking　a
  cigar；　and　listening　in　silence　to　the　conversation　I　had　interrupted。
  He　rose　courteously　and　gave　me　his　hand；　and　a　glance　that　is
  unforgettable。
  〃It　is　good　of　you　to　come；　Mr。　Paret；〃　he　said　simply；　as　though　his
  summons　had　not　been　a　command。　　〃Perhaps　you　know　some　of　these
  gentlemen。〃
  One　of　them　was　our　United　States　Senator；　Theodore　Watling。　　He；　as　it
  turned　out；　had　been　summoned　from　Washington。　　Of　course　I　saw　him
  frequently；　having　from　time　to　time　to　go　to　Washington　on　various
  errands　connected　with　legislation。　　Though　spruce　and　debonnair　as　ever；
  in　the　black　morning　coat　he　invariably　wore；　he　appeared　older　than　he
  had　on　the　day　when　I　had　entered　his　office。　　He　greeted　me　warmly；　as
  always。
  〃Hugh；　I'm　glad　to　see　you　here；〃　he　said；　with　a　slight　emphasis　on　the
  last　word。　　My　legal　career　was　reaching　its　logical　climax；　the　climax
  he　had　foreseen。　　And　he　added；　to　the　banker；　that　he　had　brought　me　up。
  〃Then　he　was　trained　in　a　good　school；〃　remarked　that　personage；　affably。
  Mr。　Barbour；　the　president　of　our　Railroad；　was　present；　and　nodded　to　me
  kindly；　also　a　president　of　a　smaller　road。　　In　addition；　there　were　two
  New　York　attorneys　of　great　prominence；　whom　I　had　met。　　The　banker's　own
  special　lieutenant　of　the　law；　Mr。　Clement　T。　Grolier；　for　whom　I　looked；
  was　absent；　but　it　was　forthwith　explained　that　he　was　offering；　that
  morning；　a　resolution　of　some　importance　in　the　Convention　of　his　Church；
  but　that　he　would　be　present　after　lunch。
  〃I　have　asked　you　to　come　here；　Mr。　Paret；〃　said　the　banker；　〃not　only
  because　I　know　something　personally　of　your　legal　ability；　but　because　I
  have　been　told　by　Mr。　Scherer　and　Mr。　Barbour　that　you　happen　to　have
  considerable　knowledge　of　the　situation　we　are　discussing；　as　well　as
  some　experience　with　cases　involving　that　statute　somewhat　hazy　to　lay
  minds；　the　Sherman　anti…trust　law。〃
  A　smile　went　around　the　table。　　Mr。　Watling　winked　at　me；　I　nodded；　but
  said　nothing。　　The　banker　was　not　a　man　to　listen　to　superfluous　words。
  The　keynote　of　his　character　was　despatch。。。。
  The　subject　of　the　conference；　like　many　questions　bitterly　debated　and
  fought　over　in　their　time；　has　in　the　year　I　write　these　words　come　to　be
  of　merely　academic　interest。　　Indeed；　the　very　situation　we　discussed
  that　day　has　been　cited　in　some　of　our　modern　text…books　as　a　classic
  consequence　of　that　archaic　school　of　economics　to　which　the　name　of
  Manchester　is　attached。　　Some　half　dozen　or　so　of　the　railroads　running
  through　the　anthracite　coal　region　had　pooled　their　interests；an
  extremely　profitable　proceeding。　　The　public　paid。　　We　deemed　it　quite
  logical　that　the　public　should　payhaving　been　created　largely　for　that
  purpose；　and　very　naturally　we　resented　the　fact　that　the　meddling　Person
  who　had　got　into　the　White　House　without　asking　anybody's　leave；who
  apparently　did　not　believe　in　the　infallibility　of　our　legal　Bible；　the
  Constitution；should　maintain　that　the　anthracite　roads　had　formed　a
  combination　in　restraint　of　trade；　should　lay　down　the　preposterous
  doctrineso　subversive　of　the　Rights　of　Manthat　railroads　should　not
  own　coal　mines。　　Congress　had　passed　a　law　to　meet　this　contention；　suit
  had　been　brought；　and　in　the　lower　court　the　government　had　won。
  As　the　day　wore　on　our　numbers　increased；　we　were　joined　by　other　lawyers
  of　renown；　not　the　least　of　whom　was　Mr。　Grolier　himself；　fresh　from　his
  triumph　over　religious　heresy　in　his　Church　Convention。　　The　note　of　the
  conference　became　tinged　with　exasperation；　and　certain　gentlemen　seized
  the　opportunity　to　relieve　their　pent…up　feelings　on　the　subject　of　the
  President　and　his　slavish　advisers；some　of　whom；　before　they　came　under
  the　spell　of　his　sorcery；　had　once　been　sound　lawyers　and　sensible　men。
  With　the　exception　of　the　great　Banker　himself；　who　made　few　comments；
  Theodore　Watling　was　accorded　the　most　deference；　as　one　of　the　leaders
  of　that　indomitable　group　of　senators　who　had　dared　to　stand　up　against
  popular　clamour；　his　opinions　were　of　great　value；　and　his　tactical
  advice　was　listened　to　with　respect。　　I　felt　more　pride　than　ever　in　my
  former　chief；　who　had　lost　none　of　his　charm。　　While　in　no　way　minimizing
  the　seriousness　of　the　situation；　his　wisdom　was　tempered；　as　always；
  with　humour；　he　managed；　as　it　were；　to　neutralize　the　acid　injected　into
  the　atmosphere　by　other　gentlemen　present；　he　alone　seemed　to　bear　no
  animus　against　the　Author　of　our　troubles；　suave　and　calm；　good　natured；
  he　sometimes　brought　the　company　into　roars　of　laughter　and　even
  succeeded　in　bringing　occasional　smiles　to　the　face　of　the　man　who　had
  summoned　uswhen　relating　some　characteristic　story　of　the　queer　genius
  whom　the　fates　（undoubtedly　as　a　practical　joke）　had　made　the　chief
  magistrate　of　the　United　States　of　America。　　All　geniuses　have
  weaknesses；　Mr。　Wading　had　made　a　study　of　the　President's；　and　more　than
  once　had　lured　him　into　an　impasse。　　The　case　had　been　appealed　to　the
  Supreme　Court；　and　Mr。　Wading；　with　remarkable　conciseness　and
  penetration；　reviewed　the　characteristics　of　each　and　every　member　of
  that　tribunal；　all　of　whom　he　knew　intimately。　　They　were；　of　course；　not
  subject　to　〃advice；〃　as　were　some　of　the　gentlemen　who　sat　on　our　state
  courts；　no　sane　and　self…respecting　American　would　presume　to　〃approach〃
  them。　　Nevertheless　they　were　human；　and　it　were　wise　to　take　account；　in
  the　conduct　of　the　case；　of　the　pro