now. The contents were to this
effect:

_To My Son Upon His Losing Money in a Public Service
Corporation_

"Every buzz-saw claims some fingers. Of course you had to be a
victim, but now you know how to handle a buzz-saw. The first
point about it is to treat it with respect. When you realize
thoroughly that a buzz-saw is dangerous, half the danger is
gone. So, when your wound is healed, you might go ahead and
saw, just as a matter of accomplishment. Bobby, how I wish I
could talk with you now, for just one little half hour."

Convulsively Bobby crumpled the letter in his hand and the tears
started to his eyes.

"Bully old dad!" he said brokenly, and opened his watch-case, where
the grim but humor-loving face of old John Burnit looked up at his
beloved children.

"And now what are you going to do?" Agnes asked him presently, when
they were calmer.

"Fight!" he vehemently declared. "For the governor's sake as well as
my own."

"I just found another letter for you, sir," said Johnson, handing in
the third of the missives to come in that day's mail from beyond the
Styx. It was inscribed:

_To My Son Robert Upon the Occasion of His Declaring Fight
Against the Politicians Who Robbed Him_

"Nothing but public laziness allows dishonest men to control
public affairs. Any time an honest man puts up a sincere fight
against a crook there's a new fat man in striped clothes. If
you have a crawful and want to fight against dirty politics in
earnest, jump in, and tell all my old friends to put a bet
down on you for me. I'd as soon have you spend in that way the
money I made as to buy yachts with it; and I can see where the
game might be made as interesting as polo. Go in and win,
boy."

"And now what are you going to do?" Agnes asked him, laughing this
time.

"Fight!" he declared exultantly. "I'm going to fight entirely outside
of my father's money. I'm going to fight with my own brawn and my own
brain and my own resources and my own personal following! Why, Agnes,
that is what the governor has been goading me to do. It is what all
this is planned for, and the governor, after all, is right!"

CHAPTER XVIII

SOME EMINENT ARTISTS AMUSE MEESTER BURNIT WHILE HE WAITS

One might imagine, after Bobby's heroic declarations, that, like young
David of old, he would immediately proceed to stride forth and slay
his giant. There stood h