ng, friendly, likable Dick. An
event, some big experience, would be required to check him short and
bring him to his senses.

While Larry was keeping at this grind something was happening to Larry
of which he was not then conscious: something which was part of the big
development in him that was in time to lead him far. A confidence man is
essentially a "sure-thing" gambler. It had been Larry's practice, before
the law had tripped him up, to study every detail of an enterprise he
was planning to undertake, to know the psychology of the individuals
with whom he was dealing, to eliminate every perceivable uncertainty:
that was what had made almost all of his deals "sure things." Strip a
clever knave of all intent or inclination for knavery, and leave all his
other qualities and practices intact and eager, and you have the makings
of a "sure-thing" business man:--a man who does not cheat others,
and who takes precious care that his every move is sound and
forward-looking. Aside from the moral element involved, the difference
between the two is largely a difference in percentage: say the
difference between a thousand per cent profit and six per cent profit.
The element of trying to play a "safe thing" still remains.

This transformation of character, under the stimulus of hard, steady
work upon a tangled thing which contained the germ of great constructive
possibilities for some one, was what was happening unconsciously to
Larry.

CHAPTER XVI

All this while Maggie, and what he was to do about her, and how do it,
was in Larry's mind. Even this work he was doing for Miss Sherwood, he
was doing also for Maggie in the hope that in some unseen way it might
lead him to her and help lead her to herself. There were difficulties
enough between them, God knew; but of them all two were forever
presenting themselves as foremost: first, he did not dare go openly to
see her; and, second, even if he so dared he did not know where she was.

When he had been with the Sherwoods some three weeks Larry determined
upon a preliminary measure. By this time he knew that the letters mailed
from Chicago, according to the plan he had arranged with Miss Sherwood,
had had their contemplated effect. He knew that he was supposed by his
enemies to be in Chicago or some other Western point, and that New York
was off its guard as far as he was concerned.

His preliminary measure was to discover, if possible, Maggie's
whereabouts. The Duchess