on, which made so much noise in the courts, was
merely an incident. In the lives of many successful men there are such
incidents, which they do not care to have inquired into, turning-points
that one slides over in the subsequent gilded biography, or, as it
is called, the nickel-plated biography. The uncomfortable A. and B.
bondholders had been settled with and silenced, after a fashion. In the
end, Mrs. Fletcher had received from the company nearly the full amount
of her investment. I always thought this was due to Margaret, but I made
no inquiries. There were many people who had no confidence in Henderson,
but generally his popularity was not much affected, and whatever was
said of him in private, his social position was almost as unchallenged
as his financial. It was a great point in his favor that he was very
generous to his family and his friends, and his public charities began
to be talked of. Nothing could have been more admirable than a paper
which appeared about this time in one of the leading magazines, written
by a great capitalist during a strike in his "system," off the uses of
wealth and the responsibilities of rich men. It amused Henderson and
Uncle Jerry, and Margaret sent it, marked, to her aunt. Uncle Jerry said
it was very timely, for at the moment there was a report that Hollowell
and Henderson had obtained possession of one of the great steamship
lines in connection with their trans-continental system. I thought
at the time that I should like to have heard Carmen's comments on the
paper.

The continued friendly alliance of Rodney Henderson and Jerry Hollowell
was a marvel to the public, which expected to read any morning that
the one had sold out the other, or unloaded in a sly deal. The Stock
Exchange couldn't understand it; it was so against all experience that
it was considered something outside of human nature. But the explanation
was simple enough. The two kept a sharp eye on each other, and, as Uncle
Jerry would say, never dropped a stitch; but the simple fact was that
they were necessary to each other, and there had been no opportunity
when the one could handsomely swallow the other. So it was beautiful to
see their accord, and the familiar understanding between them.

One day in Henderson's office--it was at the time they were arranging
the steamship "scoop" while they were waiting for the drafting of some
papers, Uncle Jerry suddenly asked:

"By the way, old man, what's all this about a q