e face. Reform is not to be made like a garment and
forced upon the people from the outside. It is a growth from within.
Restrictive measures have not as yet, in all the history of
civilization, reformed a single criminal."

"What does Hood say?" asked Murdock.

"That we are puncture-proof," replied Ames with a light laugh.

"But what about your indictment in that cotton deal? Is Hood going to
find you law-proof there?"

"The case is settled," said Ames easily. "I went into court this
morning and plead guilty to the indictment for conspiring to corner
the cotton market two years ago. I admitted that I violated the
Sherman law. The judge promptly fined me three thousand dollars, for
which I immediately wrote a check, leaving me still the winner by some
two million seven hundred thousand dollars on the deal, to say nothing
of compound interest on the three thousand for the past two years. You
see the beneficent effect of legislation, do you not?"

"By George, Ames, you certainly were stingy not to let us in on that!"
exclaimed Kane.

"Cotton belongs to me, gentlemen," replied Ames simply. "You will have
to keep out."

"Well," remarked Fitch, glancing about the table, "suppose we get down
to the business of the evening--if agreeable to our hostess," bowing
in the direction of the Beaubien.

The latter nodded her approval of the suggestion. "Has any one
anything new to offer?" she said.

Some moments of silence followed. Then Ames spoke. "There is a little
matter," he began, "that I have been revolving for some days. Perhaps
it may interest you. It concerns the Albany post road. It occurred to
me some time ago that a franchise for a trolley line on that road
could be secured and ultimately sold for a round figure to the wealthy
residents whose estates lie along it, and who would give a million
dollars rather than have a line built there. After some preliminary
examination I got Hood to draft a bill providing for the building of
the road, and submitted it to Jacobson, Commissioner of Highways. He
reported that it would be the means of destroying the post road. I
convinced him, on the other hand, that it would be the means of lining
his purse with fifty thousand dollars. So he very naturally gave it
his endorsement. I then got in consultation with Senator Gossitch, and
had him arrange a meeting with the Governor, in Albany. I think," he
concluded, "that about five hundred thousand dollars will grease the
wheels al