you to sell him your personal influence, your self-respect and your
immortal soul?"

"I'd ask his price," interposed Applerod with a grin.

"You'd never get an offer," snapped Johnson to Applerod, "for you
haven't any to sell. Why do you ask, Mr. Burnit?"

Bobby regarded Johnson thoughtfully for a moment.

"I know how to make the Brightlight Electric Company yield me two
hundred per cent. dividends within a year or less," he stated.

"Through Stone?" inquired Johnson.

"Through Stone," admitted Bobby, smiling at Johnson's penetration.

"I thought so. I guess your father has summed up, better than I could
put it, all there is to be said upon that subject." And from his
index-file he produced one of the familiar gray envelopes, inscribed:

_To My Son Robert Upon the Subject of Bribery_

"When a man sells his independence and the faith of his
friends he is bankrupt. Both the taker and the giver of a
bribe, even when it is called 'preferment,' are like dogs with
fleas; they yelp in their sleep; only the man gets callous
after a while and the dog doesn't. Whoever the fellow is
that's trying to buy your self-respect, go soak him in the
eye, and pay your fine."

"For once I agree most heartily with the governor," said Bobby, and as
a result he did not go to see Stone. Moreover, Frank L. Sharpe was
blackballed at the Idlers' Club with cheerful unanimity, and Bobby
figuratively squared his shoulders to receive the blow that he was
convinced must certainly fall.

CHAPTER XVI

AGNES APPEARS PUBLICLY WITH MRS. SHARPE AND BIFF BATES HAS A ONE-ROUND
SCRAP

That night, though rather preoccupied by the grave consequences that
might ensue on this flat-footed defiance of Stone and his crowd, Bobby
went to the theater with Jack Starlett and Jack's sister and mother.
As they seated themselves he bowed gravely across the auditorium to
Agnes and Aunt Constance Elliston, who, with Uncle Dan, were
entertaining a young woman relative from Savannah. He did not know how
the others accepted his greeting; he only saw Agnes, and she smiled
quite placidly at him, which was far worse than if she had tilted her
head. Through two dreary, interminable acts he sat looking at the
stage, trying to talk small talk with the Starletts and remaining
absolutely miserable; but shortly before the beginning of the last act
he was able to take a quite new and gleeful interest in life, for the
young woman from